CMS play-offs 2010...

Like the Soccer World Cup, which thankfully only happens every 4 years, the CMS implementations I’ve been responsible for tend to come round in similar cycles – giving sufficient timeframes to move from phase 1, through the dreaded phase 2 and on to achieving longer term goals.

For me, the success of CMS implementations should not be measured by the initial launch and first phase activities but how well the longer term goals are addressed into the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years - and beyond. This was emphasised recently in an excellent article by CMS Myth-  'Your website is not a project'

Whichever way you look at it though, CMS implementations and ongoing web developments can be described as a series of competitive matches and play-offs – not unlike the World Cup tournament - that you are in a continual cycle of preparation and training for.  In fact I’ve already used a football term ‘goals’ in the previous paragraphs, without even thinking.

Having responsibility for eCommerce, setting up goals is something I’m doing regularly - only in Google Analytics rather than on a pitch. The only way we can ‘score goals’ is by having the right team players and tactics in place and having everyone focused on the task of winning.

Competition comes from all angles. In the early group stages, it is just as likely to be internal competition for time, budget and priorities than external factors. During this stage it’s important to test different players and strategies. You need to know when to have substitutes on hand and when to change strategies. Quite often I have a complete B team in training ready to step up to the main challenges, as and when needed.

In the knock-out stages the odds get higher. This is where the investment in the right players and the hours of preparation and training really start to pay off. The defence readies itself for a push forward, the mid-fielders open up space and opportunity and the strikers press home any advantage created to get the ball in the back of the net. In web marketing, my strikers implement the ideas at the sharp end that, when supported by the rest of the team, deliver goals.

Like the World Cup tournament, the further you progress, the tougher the competition gets.  The bottom line is that a rival for customer attention online can knock you out of the game through better performances and it can be tough going clawing your way back up the rankings. There are undoubtedly different leagues of competitors too, and if you are looking to take on a competitor who is used to operating in a higher league then you need the right team to do it.

My 'dream team' of players is illustrated below and includes those I have on the pitch all the time to the essential support team of vendors, system implementors and IT. I liken these to the coaching and physiotherapist staff that provide the knowledge, experience and capability to perform but are also there to help should things go wrong.

My dream team of players, coaches and support for winning campaigns

Does this analogy reflect your own approaches and, if so, what players and tactics are you using to score goals and beat the competition?

I'm sure there is plenty of scope for describing 'own goals', missed chances, hat-tricks, foul-play, penalties and the like :)