How can you adapt to a new role in Brand Strategy?

One practical way to assess skills and management gaps within your current organization is to view your department's career playbook. What skills are required from band to band? Can you focus and master one project at a time? Are you technical specialist and great at problem solving? Can you deliver on multiple projects? When looking at leadership skills, ask yourself, can you be the trusted leader of one or multiple projects? Can you help manage, train and scale an entire department? Are you expert within your organization or field?

Understanding where you currently stand in terms of skills and knowledge is crucial. It's important to be honest with yourself during this assessment. Utilize feedback from colleagues or mentors for a more objective view. In areas where gaps are identified, consider seeking out specific training or mentorship. Embracing continuous learning will be key in this role, as brand strategy constantly evolves with market trends.

Adapting to a new role in Brand Strategy requires a strategic approach to ensure a smooth transition and success in the new position. Here are my key steps: (1) Understand the Brand (2) Study the Industry (3) Build Relationships (4) Clarify Expectations (5) Conduct a Brand Audit (6) Listen and Learn existing processes and workflows (7) Seek Feedback (8) Align with Organizational Goals (9) Collaborate Across Departments (10) Communicate Effectively (11) Celebrate Quick Wins (12) Evaluate and Adjust Adapting to a new role in Brand Strategy involves a combination of thorough research, effective communication, collaboration, and a willingness to learn and adapt.

Continuously learn about branding, marketing, consumer behavior, and related fields. Attend workshops, webinars, read books, and follow thought leaders to stay updated on industry best practices and innovations.

Every new brand strategy role presents opportunities to learn, be it a new industry, category, product, culture, TG, marketing channels, and so on. It always helps to pick the one that you want to dive deeper into, as it acts as a strong starting point for the journey.

Brand strategy is not restricted to a silo. You can practice and contribute to it, whatever be your function. When I was client servicing director in any agency, I found myself in a situation in which the strategic planner assigned to me had her own methods of work. She would demand for difficult-to-get information, budgets and defer work on my clients, stating that our CEO had tasked her with other work. While I empathized with her, I needed to deliver to my clients too. So, I took it upon myself to lead the strategic initiatives, in this I was ably assisted by my own team and the lady's junior who did a marvelous job despite being a fresher. Within a year, all my clients had more than tripled their spends with us and we became a top team.

Assessing your knowledge and skill sets and thinking whether it will help you when it comes to a new role is crucial. It helps you become more aware of where you stand and where you want to upskill. Also, this will help in uncovering different ways in which yo can contribute in the new role.

V zadnjem času sem opazila, da se vse več podjetij odloča za razvoj lastnih blagovnih znamk brez natančnega razumevanja, kaj ta proces pomeni, kaj vse zajema in kako pravzaprav razvoj blagovne znamke vpliva na poslovanje in odnose s strankami. Ena izmed težav, s katero se srečujem v svojem poklicu, je pomanjkanje jasnosti v sporočilu, ki ga podjetje želi posredovati skozi svojo blagovno znamko. Tu ne gre le za to, da so kupci zmedeni, temveč gre za bistvene priložnosti, ki jih zamujajo.

Never sell yourself short, be sure to use positive language and SMART goals. Be sure to reward yourself for fulfilling even the smallest goal. Visualize where you want this step in your journey to lead and never get sidetracked from that direction. Everything you do in this phase will impact your journey. So do it beyond what you think is your best and you will quickly excel, while pleasing your clients, your superiors, and yourself.

Everyone assumes that they know everything in their space. Step 1 can often be to take a step back and see what the new role entails, how it’s done by the incumbents, what is the process flow and ask tons of questions. Soak in the new basically. Only then will you get the chance to see if you have learnt something new and better or see something that’s flawed and needs to be changed. Most people come in with the perspective that they know and things need to change to what they know.

In a nutshell, to succeed in the field of Brand Strategy, you need to set SMART goals that are aligned with the organization's mission. This means ensuring that your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. You should collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop detailed action plans that will help you achieve your goals. It's important to continuously reassess and adjust your strategies based on feedback and market trends to stay ahead of the competition. By taking a proactive and goal-oriented approach, you will demonstrate your ability to navigate the complexities of Brand Strategy and make a meaningful contribution to the organization's success.big impact in this exciting field.

Setting SMART goals gives you a clear roadmap to success in your new role. When setting these goals, ensure they align with both your personal career aspirations and the objectives of the organization. Regularly revisiting and adjusting these goals as you grow in your role will be important. Remember, flexibility in your plans allows you to adapt to unforeseen changes and opportunities.

Define what success looks like in your role. Establish measurable goals aligned with the company's overall objectives. Having clear targets will guide your strategy and help measure its effectiveness.

Adding to the SMART goals, it is important to not lose sight of the impact that you are expected to create on the brand you have been hired to manage. It helps to identify the top 3 micro-goals that will help you get nibbling at the brand strategy, while also helping you take baby steps in your learning curve.

Clearly define short-term and long-term goals that align with both your career aspirations and the requirements of your position. For instance, short-term goals could include mastering specific brand strategy tools or techniques, while long-term goals might focus on leading a successful campaign or contributing to brand growth. Establish metrics to measure your progress, such as skill proficiency levels or project milestones. Outline actionable steps towards these goals, incorporating learning resources, networking, and practical experiences. Anticipate challenges and devise strategies to navigate them, like seeking mentorship for guidance or allocating extra time for complex tasks.

Networking is invaluable in brand strategy, as it exposes you to different perspectives and ideas. Seek out individuals who inspire you or are known for their innovative strategies. Don’t hesitate to reach out to these professionals for insights or mentorship. Participating in industry forums or groups can also provide you with a broader understanding of different brand strategies and their outcomes.

Your environment is often filled with rich advice and experience. So reach out to them. Listen to what they have to say. They can often help you avoid obvious and avoidable minefields. Learn from the mistakes of others so that you can make your own basically.

Learning from others especially those in the organisation will make fitting into the role easier. Most organizations already have a structure they use to operate, while your job as a brand strategist involves helping them make this better, it makes more sense to make sure you get into the brand's culture before making vital decisions.

Engage with your team, colleagues, and stakeholders. Learn from their experiences, perspectives, and insights. Building relationships and understanding different viewpoints will enrich your approach.

It is important to always start outside - in. The best place to learn about managing a brand is from your customers. Customers are treasure troves of insights that will help you get under the skin of the brand. Then reach out to the customer-facing teams: sales, service, channel partners, spares etc. They could help you with a 360 degree perspective of the market landscape, which helps you add layers to your understanding of the brand. And then come your adjacent teams such as product development, R&D, people team etc. As a brand champion, it is always critical to have a wholesome view of the brand that you will be leading.

Mentor are everything! Actively seek insights and advice from experienced peers, mentors, and industry experts. This can be through formal arrangements like mentorship programs or informally via networking events or LinkedIn. Participate in webinars, podcasts, and workshops to stay updated with industry trends and gain diverse perspectives. Discuss your learnings in your team. Building and maintaining these connections can provide valuable support, open up opportunities, and enhance your understanding and skills in brand strategy!

Personally, I’m a fan of the 70-20-10 model which I use not just with spends, but also time allocation. 70% of time in tried and tested 20% in new and innovative 10% in moonshots and disruptive And if you are in space that’s truly disruptive you can literally flip that around.

Brand strategy thrives on innovation. Don’t be afraid to experiment with unconventional ideas. However, ensure that your experiments are data-driven and backed by solid research. Staying abreast of the latest marketing technologies and platforms can also inspire innovative approaches. Adopting a mindset of agility and responsiveness to market feedback will help you refine your strategies effectively.

Evaluate the existing brand strategy if there is one in place. Analyze its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This assessment will provide a starting point for improvements or adaptations.

If you have liberty to work in different environments, then definitely try to experiment. Experimentation helps to bring in different perspectives. They can act as catalyst for growth. If you are not sure about the outcome, then try these experiments with controlled targeted audience.

So many organisations are afraid of failure that they never experiment and innovate. Creating a culture where failure is allowed, learning from mistakes is reinforced and leaders are open and honest with teams will lead to greater improvements and innovation.

Regular reflection is crucial for personal and professional growth. Take time to analyze the outcomes of your strategies and learn from both successes and failures. Celebrating your achievements, no matter how small, can be a great morale booster. Sharing your successes in professional networks can also enhance your reputation in the field. Remember, reflection is an ongoing process that fuels continuous improvement.

Immerse yourself in the company's history, values, products, and services. Understand the industry landscape, competitors, and market trends. This foundation will guide your brand strategy.

Rely less on frameworks and more on first principles thinking. Frameworks can be helpful in work, especially when you build your own to fit your workflow, but a framework is not strategy. Brand strategy is more about asking why iteratively during the problem definition phase, and then once you find the root of the problem, look at the second and third order effects of your solution for the problem.

There is no perfect blueprint and no perfect solution to strategy that one just has to learn and apply. Much of it ultimately comes down to experience and learning from both great projects and big mistakes. Strategy – and every new role – is a marathon, not a sprint. Relax, take your time, you'll do great!