It's that time of the year again: Brand Plan Agony

Ten Tips for a better Brand Plan

1. Find last year's.
   
2. If you can't find last year's, cancel a few of your social appointments - you're going to need the time.
   
3. Get into the habit of filing your presentations on your PC during the year, otherwise, like me, you'll spend the bulk of your time sheepishly approaching client service with "Have you by any chance seen that presentation we did about six months ago ....?". You probably did not file adequately, because you have not used the extremely simple and helpful drag & drop feature in Windows.
   
4. Find the client's brand plan. Read it. Then read it again. If you're unsure about anything in the plan, give client a ring. Do NOT tell them something is not right/clear in the plan - you have no idea of the abuse some brand managers go through to get their plans approved. Rather say "Hi, thanks so much for the detailed brand plan, I've got some questions you may be able to help me with - do you have a few minutes?"
   
5. Find the quantitative objectives and then translate them into what the advertising can realistically achieve. Creative will not respond to "an increase of 14.2% in the 'Gobbler' target market by F03".
   
6. You will be telling a story with a beginning, middle and end. There is a methodology that allows you to do that. If, like me, you were never trained in this 'planning thing', it's at https://www.bizcommunity.com/Profile.aspx?pi=26.
   
7. Everyone's tired, so less is more, but CYA - go through it with client service well before the time.
   
8. The competitor review is usually the most interesting - everyone wants to know what the other person is doing. There are also pictures, which save you a thousand words at a time.
   
9. If you are asked by the agency's Business Director for an outline - there's one below for your convenience. They will tick it off their 'list of things to do' and get off your back.
   
10. Cheer up - it's over by December.
    

Twelve step programme to take the pain out of Brand Plans, and get the Business Director off your back when he asks for an outline of your proposed plan

Always put this disclaimer up front:
Please note: these headings only serve as a guide to the initial direction I will take on compiling the plan. The final presentation may require a varying degree of emphasis on these topics, and probably the inclusion of items not mentioned below. If there is anything you would like me to include/exclude in the presentation, please give me a call.

1. Macroeconomic overview (within context!!). If you're going to talk about GDP, what does it mean for the brand?
   
2. Social and cultural influences (lifestyle changes and, once again, how it relates to the brand).
   
3. Market structure/trends (i.e. interesting events in the category. For example, if the category is short-term insurance, you might wish to mention the theft of car wheels and the new market for lock nuts).
   
4. Industry trends. Make a few phone calls to individuals in the distribution chain. This little bit of research can provide tremendous value and insight. It should take no longer than an hour, and puts you in a different league in the eyes of the client. It can also be very handy to do an EBSCO and Emerald search (WITS charge R30 a half-hour).
   
5. Competitive landscape. Pull as many print, radio and TV ads as you can. Drop all the ads into your presentation - makes it look as if it is really part of the plan (which it should be).
   
6. Target market demographics. Just a little AMPS-ababble. And I mean little.
   
7. Target market needs evaluation. Why people are giving us their money and how we could get them to give us more.
   
8. Potential and existing target market segmentation and objectives. Finding more people to give us money.
   
9. Communication objectives. How we will know if we've succeeded.
   
10. Communication strategies. What we need to do to succeed.
    
11. Advertising evaluation (how well the agency did). Tricky one this - try to be 'positively objective'.
    
12. Advertising strategy - 360 degrees: ATL, BTL, promotional, PR, ad-hoc, personal selling, direct and guerrilla tactics. Online strategy - only if relevant.
    

Don't bother closing with a 'wonderful saying' - if your presentation has been successful you would have generated debate. Follow the golden rule of filmmaking: get in late and get out early.

Those of you coming to Boot Camp - just relax - you'll be more than qualified to churn these out after camp. There are still a few places left: www.stratplanning.com.