“I like that”, the words you least need to hear?

The words you need to least to hear as a marketing responsible are “I like that”

Be that from someone responding to an idea for a promotion, a new packaging design, a new product concept or a creative communication design! Or an advertising agency, a supply or service vendor, or your boss!

At its heart, marketing is a fine blend of creativity, innovation and imagination which must always be combined with a rigorous discipline.

So the accolades you should be looking for should say:

“That is exactly what the brief calls for” or “That is exactly what is required to exploit that opportunity we were talking about!” or “That exactly meets the brief and what else can we do?”

Your job is to initiate strategic discussion and get total involvement by all relevant parties, to get formal agreement for the discussion by writing it into a detailed brief and finally to coordinate the execution of the project to the standards agreed in the brief.

That discussion includes, the target market, the project style, type and levels of activity, collateral elements and timing detail of project and the cost and financial reward

Coordinating that is the real job.

So when your boss says “I like that” ignore it. It adds nothing to the success of the initiative?

A better reply would be “That meets the brief and what else can we do to ensure success or what help do you need to ensure success?”

That a much more profitable answer!

About Garth Sutherland

Garth Sutherland has an extensive multicultural understanding.

He has worked with local brands (creating independent strategic positions) and international brands (integrating the international brand vision with the local demand to optimize the “on the ground” brand presence). His strengths include bringing a strong strategic focus into all aspects of marketing delivery, working with multi-agency perspectives, independent thinking & implementing with a consistent and practical interdependent teamwork focused delivery. 

He is currently heading up  www.smallbusinessmarketing.co.za, a fractional marketing consultancy that specialises in the SME sector.

And writing on modern marketing.

If you are looking to maximize the strategic value of your brand opportunity, Garth is the ideal resource to task.

Contact him at garth@smallbusinessmarketing.co.za  or  +27 (0) 81 265 5803

Other posts in this series can be read at https://www.linkedin.com/in/garthrsutherland/ or on http://www.smallbusinessmarketing.co.za