In order to implement a successful marketing strategy, YOU MUST have a great villiage.
In our first blog entry, “What is your Marketing Strategy,” we discussed some very important factors that an organization must consider to develop and maintain a quality brand…
- Product
- Customer
- Uniqueness
- Communication
- Outcomes
- Budget
- Implementation
In this entry, I want to follow-up on the aspect of implementation… who will implement your marketing strategy.
If we can agree that it is important to have a marketing strategy for your brand; then we should agree that it is just as important to select a responsible party to implement your strategy. That entity you select to implement your marketing strategy can be an internal resource (you or an employee), an external resource (like VCS) or a combination of both. Here are four collective thoughts to consider when selecting an entity to manage your brand…
- Understand who you are – Whoever you designate to manage your brand must have a complete understanding of your organization (mission, goals, value proposition and culture) and its products/services. This means you have to take the time to explain, train and coach this entity on your unique dynamic.
- Appreciate the behavior of your customer – Your designee must know the behavior of your customer…
- how your customer uses your product/service
- what motivates your customer to use your product/service
- how accessible or how easy is your product/service to use
This is determined through feedback from within your organization; but more accurately, feedback from your customer.
- Be creative – I’m not referring to developing lavish visual and verbal communication schemes; I’m referencing that your designee must be “ creative enough” to effectively communicate your brand’s value to your customer in a way that your message is comprehendible regardless of your customer’s social or economic status.
- Commitment – You have to be committed…
- to developing a relationship with your designee
- to allowing your designee to understand your customer
- to listening and considering your designee’s opinion
Basically, you and your leadership team must commit to patience so that your brand will flourish.
Many times, organizational leaders believe that they can market their brand internally; as well as, operate their organization…often, that is not the case. No matter your skill level, it’s extremely difficult to be effective and efficient at both. Look at it this way; branding is like rearing children…it takes time, commitment, guidance, evaluation, patience and consulting from not only you but from a village. Then, when you think your child is ready to fly solo, a conflict occurs or a negative influence intervenes and a re-assessment is needed. After that re-assessment is completed; guess what is next…. more time, more commitment, more guidance, more evaluation, more patience and more consulting. Now, if you are lucky, you have an awesome, caring and nurturing village that provides a positive impact to the growth of your baby, as discussed in the book, “It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us” by former First Lady of the United States and Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton. It is a never-ending process for a successful family…for a successful branded organization.
You can do it…we can do it together…we would be happy to be a part of your village.
About Vivid Creative Services
- VCS is a boutique Brand Management Firm that specializes in providing leadership and strategies in marketing, public relations, corporate event/destination management, corporate identity/imaging, interactive presence and social media management.
- Contact us at www.govividteam.com