On your marks! Get set! STOP!!!
Nothing is more frustrating to a growth marketer than getting that email telling you to pull the plug on everything you're doing so you can make way for the brand-new shiny object.
Yet, for those not using a prioritization framework like the ICE scoring model, it happens all the stinkin' time.
Regardless of the vast resources it and days on the calendar it wastes, it seems like businesses everywhere lack the mechanism for bringing objectivity to the decision-making process when it comes to marketing and sales.
Every new idea that surfaces this way is the next "viral thing," so we end up in a perpetual cycle of.. nothing happening.
And, if there's one thing that chaps my hide above all other hide-chapping sins, it's this obsession with making everything go viral.
But I have news for you, friends. Viral is for the birds.
Sure, it can happen, but it's not a reasonable goal.
So, in my everlasting graciousness (and desire to always be right), I'm going to share with you the weighted scoring model that's cutting through this crap all over the globe.
It's called ICE, and it's about to become your best friend (although I'm not sure what size BFF necklace one buys for an Agile prioritization framework).
The ICE Scoring Model
Whenever you develop an idea, put it into an Agile prioritization matrix (you can download ours when you sign up for our Experimental Marketing Strategy course), and rank that idea in each of the following three categories on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 = the worst and a score of 10 = the best.
Also, ICE scores DO change over time! So, don't expect these scores to remain static. It BEHOOVES you to revisit the ideas you're most passionate about often so you can scoop them up when they're ready to deploy.
"I" is for Impact -
The score method for the ICE framework starts with "Impact," which is all about the North Star (what is this?). The big question here: How much of an impact is this thing going to have on the North Star?
Now, before you go giving everything a TEN (because why wouldn't you when it's the next 'viral' thing?), put some context to it. Ask the question, "why?" Why do you think this is a 10? What's the specific evidence to support this theory?
"C" is for Confidence -
"Confidence" is the part of the ICE score that predicts whether the experiment will do what it's expected to do.
Now, before you allow your genius to cloud your judgment, just like impact, put some context to your score. WHY are you ranking confidence in this way? Where is the evidence? Is it RESEARCHED or LEARNED evidence? If you rank everything in your ICE score a 10, what's the point?
So, be honest with yourself. If you don't have learned knowledge, it's NOT A 10!!
"E" is for Ease -
Finally, there's the weight of the lift. "Ease" refers to billable hours something will consume along with days on the calendar. Is it a quick ad — or are you herding cats through a sales process change?
Now, I know you're the "unicorn" of growth, but be practical. What is the realistic amount of time and $ this thing takes to stand up for the minimum viable experiment to work and make the first two letters of the ICE framework true? Meaning that if the Impact score is high, for something like inbound lead generation, there needs to be a process and system after the lead surfaces that gets them to the state of Customer.
What's a good ICE score?
A good ICE score is one that shuts down bad ideas before they become priorities. There is no universal "good" or "bad" here. In fact, ICE scoring isn't about tickling your feel-feels with "good" and "bad" vibes. It's about creating context and objectivity so you can make better choices. Period.
Conclusion - ICE is for kicking a***
The ICE scoring model will save you a s*** ton of time and frustration because you won't spend so much time placating terrible ideas anymore. A solid ICE score is so much better than your manager's "gut feelings." Guts are gross. This agile prioritization matrix is the s***!
Learn more about ICE, download our ICE framework template, and apply it to your Growth investments. Stop p*****g away your marketing budget on knee-jerk reactions.
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