In the course of working with a variety of clients in developing brand marketing plans, we have witnessed a wide variety of abilities and levels of rigor regarding brand marketing planning.
To maximize the likelihood of success, brand marketing planning should include the following:
• A consistent understanding and articulation of the brand’s unique value proposition
o Including a discussion of any differentiating benefits that are becoming ‘cost-of-entry’ or ‘parity’ benefits
• Clarity on the primary, secondary and tertiary target markets
o Described in enough detail for media targeting and appropriate messaging
• The plan should be research-based
o Knowledge gaps should be identified
• The plan could also gain its insights from the field sales organization and other outward looking employees and business partners
• A thorough analysis of the marketplace in which the brand operates, including its competitive environment
• An analysis of any trends that could help or hurt the brand
o Including anticipating possible market disruptions due to new competitors, new technologies, new laws, new category definitions/formats, etc.
• A full brand SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis
• Marketing objectives organized by target market
• Possible objectives for each of the following customer brand insistence drivers (as appropriate)
o Increasing brand awareness
o Increasing the brand’s relevant differentiation
• This may require a brand repositioning project
o Increasing the brand’s perceived value
o Increasing the brand’s perceived convenience/accessibility
o Increasing customers’ emotional connection to the brand
• Clarity on how one intends to increase brand revenues and profitability
o For instance, by increasing awareness, preference, trial, usage, loyalty or some other component
o And for which market segments
• The strategies and tactics necessary to support each objective
• The investment required for each tactic and the incremental revenue or profit expected from the tactic
• Responsibility and time-line assignments for each tactic
• Brand planning should be linked to business planning to insure appropriate contribution to organizational objectives and adequate funding and resource allocation to achieve the plan
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Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth and Brand Education