What if … everyone … understood … your brand plan?

What do you mean by … ‘everyone’?What do you mean by … ‘everyone’?

By everyone I mean, your sales people, your supervisor,

the business unit manager, the marketing manager,

the sales manager, the finance manager, the legal & tax

manager, the medical manager, the PR manager, the

compliance manager, … your general manager …

together with … your admin people …

But … it’s only upper management that will approve my

brand plan and the ones that will implement the brand

programs … are my sales reps … they’ll make my

business … so why should I bother other people??

If only they know the brand objectives, I’m OK! No?

And hey, you’ve talked about ‘understood’!!!

Yes, I did!

1st, … are you sure … of all internal collaborators …

only your sales reps stand for your brand?

2nd, … are you sure your sales reps understand

your savvy marketing talk?

You mean that I should address towards every member

of the brand team, right?

But why should I?

Well, you’ve worked hard to accomplish a solid brand

plan … brand planning time is THE apotheosis for every

brand manager … would you not want to share your

work, your mission, with as much people from your

team as possible??

(think) …Euh, I believe you have a point!

‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link’, so make

every member of your brand team part of your brand

plan communication! Engaging every product team

member with your brand makes alignment of your team

truly possible! They all work for that common goal,

right?

Mmmh, yes they do!

But what about your other remark?

What exactly do you mean by … ‘understood’ my savvy

marketing talk’?

I don’t doubt your expertise nor your skills but …

how on earth are you going to shape your …

60 pages brand plan into a message that everyone will

… understand?

Ho! … wait a minute, not so fast, why should I

communicate my brand plan in the first place?

I communicate the brand objectives …

isn’t that enough already?

Do you think so?

Isn’t it fair to say that your people would like to know

more about the way how to achieve these brand

objectives since they are connected with your brand,

from far or near …

I never saw it like that … !

Normally, I show the brand objectives on slide and the

next thing I do is … discussing the implementation of

the brand programs …

What if every brand member would receive a brief

overview from your brand milestones for the upcoming

business year … a one page document that holds the

story of your brand plan, that one could use as

a team compass?

How am I going to do that? I’m no copywriter!

Why panic when you haven’t seen anything yet?Why panic when you haven’t seen anything yet?

But … why should I have to write down a story?But … why should I have to write down a story?

Well, for at least 5 reasons!

Stay put and see what’s so special … about …

brand stories for internal use!

1.1. Stories sell!Stories sell! The sales process of any brand starts The sales process of any brand starts within the company! Brand stories facilitate your within the company! Brand stories facilitate your sales process at your collaborators level, because sales process at your collaborators level, because stories simply inspire! stories simply inspire!

2.2. Stories last! Stories last! Unlike data, people recall stories for a Unlike data, people recall stories for a much longer period!much longer period!

3.3. Stories are thankful!Stories are thankful! You show respect to every You show respect to every individual of your team by handing them a written individual of your team by handing them a written brand manifesto which they can understand!brand manifesto which they can understand!

4.4. Stories are versatile tools! Stories are versatile tools! You can use your brand You can use your brand story as a base to organise different events with story as a base to organise different events with your team along the business year!your team along the business year!

5.5. Stories are fun!!!Stories are fun!!!

1.1. Stories sell!Stories sell! The sales process of any brand starts The sales process of any brand starts within the company! Brand stories facilitate your within the company! Brand stories facilitate your sales process at your collaborators level, because sales process at your collaborators level, because stories simply inspire! stories simply inspire!

2.2. Stories last! Stories last! Unlike data, people recall stories for a Unlike data, people recall stories for a much longer period!much longer period!

3.3. Stories are thankful!Stories are thankful! You show respect to every You show respect to every individual of your team by handing them a written individual of your team by handing them a written brand manifesto which they can understand!brand manifesto which they can understand!

4.4. Stories are versatile tools! Stories are versatile tools! You can use your brand You can use your brand story as a base to organise different events with story as a base to organise different events with your team along the business year!your team along the business year!

5.5. Stories are fun!!!Stories are fun!!!

Alright but where do I start?Alright but where do I start?

You know your brand inside and out, … if anyone should

write a story about your brand … that would be you!

So take a pen and paper and start writing down …

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

““How much” you want to How much” you want to get?get?

““How much” you want to How much” you want to get?get?

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

““How excellent” you want to How excellent” you want to get?get?

““How excellent” you want to How excellent” you want to get?get?

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

1.1. Your Your main quantitative main quantitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

2.2. Your Your main qualitative main qualitative brand objective for 2011!brand objective for 2011!

3.3. Your Your main brand programmain brand program to obtain your brand objectives to obtain your brand objectives for 2011! for 2011!

““How” you’re going to get your How” you’re going to get your objectives?objectives?

““How” you’re going to get your How” you’re going to get your objectives?objectives?

This is the X-ray of your brand plan communication!

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Want to go all the way and write your brand plan story

yourself with the help of a success recipe?

Take a visit at The Story House’s blog:

http://social.eyeforpharma.com/blogs/kristiaan-van-woensel/align-your-brand-team-write-and-tell-your-brand-storyhttp://social.eyeforpharma.com/blogs/kristiaan-van-woensel/align-your-brand-team-write-and-tell-your-brand-storyhttp://social.eyeforpharma.com/blogs/kristiaan-van-woensel/align-your-brand-team-write-and-tell-your-brand-storyhttp://social.eyeforpharma.com/blogs/kristiaan-van-woensel/align-your-brand-team-write-and-tell-your-brand-story

If everyone understood your brand plan …If everyone understood your brand plan …the people of your brand team would …the people of your brand team would …

… … be aligned …be aligned …

… … have a team compass …have a team compass …

… … be able to recall …be able to recall …

… … be respected …be respected …