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It’s been said that upgrading your brand positioning in the midst of the 10,000 things of daily business is a bit like changing a tire on a car going 95 miles-per-hour. So we’re super impressed that a number of clients have come to us in the last few months to do just that. Some come to deal with marketplace changes, some to address specific needs, and some come hungry to raise their game to the next level. No one has yet come just for the sheer visceral thrill of it, but, hey, it could happen.
The process is fairly straightforward, with some minor variations as circumstances allow. We keep the Diagnostic & Assessment short and sweet, typically one-to-three weeks, during which time we do primary research and review existing assets, materials, and positioning. Add-ons might include audience profiling or interviews with internal groups.
Program Development typically starts with a Brand, Marketing, or Creative Brief, a small but powerful exercise that can hone missions and value propositions, talking points for PR and social media, and creative tone/voice/style. Unsure about a consultant or agency under review? Ask to see their briefs! Very revealing.
From there we might address business development approaches and targets or presentation pieces and collateral. We might develop internal training materials, white papers, tactical campaign ideas, social media strategies, or media integration plans. And we’ll most likely set an Activation/Distribution Calendar. It all depends on the state and stage of the organization, its resources and needs. We try to keep this phase to two-to-six weeks.
Then it’s on to Implementation, whether that’s an employee training program, outbound marketing campaign, sales support, or content/asset creation and distribution. Most likely, there will be some type of tracking/reporting/analysis piece to validate the whole deal. The timeline here varies, from quick and tidy wrap up to ongoing engagement.
Our role varies, too. Sometimes we serve as outsourced staff for lean start ups or overtaxed execs. Sometimes clients are mining our deep and rather unique experience. Sometimes we’re more coach, trusted advisor, or impartial third-party voice.
Of course, what sounds like three simple steps can unlock serious transformation. For one client, the process enabled them to turn around a slow decline that was sapping their vitality, expand their client base and services, and re-energize their staff. For another, a start up, it took them from promising business plan to market ready, with a list of meetings in hand and highly-customized materials for each target. And a third is working hard to move from solid performer to category leader.
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