Brand Concepts: Happy (Brand) New Year!

A Sharper Vision

As business slows and the year draws to a close, it's a good time to plan for the following year. But where to start? Our advice: Don't rush into it. Think, reflect awhile, then focus on your brand vision. Without vision, no plan in the world will get you where you want to go. Here's a simple visioning process what we recommend:

  1. Take inventory of your brand. Honestly assess the past year's successes and missed opportunities. Get input from employees, suppliers and (especially) customers.
  2. Step back and analyze the competition and other brands you admire. Visualize how, and where the category is shifting. Know what's driving change.
  3. Set some longer-term BHAGs ("Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals"). Get out of your "box" and really run with this! Consider yourself and what you personally want too.
  4. Now reel it in a bit. Ask what you can realistically accomplish next year to move towards those goals.
  5. Can you and your brand handle it? Is your brand positioned and communicated strategically and creatively?

A Better Marketing Plan

A successful marketing plan, like any other plan, must be be able to achieve results. Here's some different thoughts that may help:

  1. Get out of the office. Brainstorm. But, be the brand: generate ideas that are true to your brand's essence.
  2. For more impact, plan fewer, bigger programs and events that integrate your objectives and resources, e.g., an annual sales drive that provides awareness, sales volume, new distribution and also rewards your employees.
  3. Now fine-tune and budget. Remember, successful brands cost money to build and sustain. Don't take shortcuts, your brand is your greatest asset. Plan marketing against the cash flow your brand will produce, not what you have on hand now.



It's time to create your marketing plan. Learn how. Read our instructional paper (PDF)