You're striving for a cohesive brand strategy. How can you prioritize stakeholder feedback effectively?

Make sure your goals move your brand closer to the brand vision. Goals that don't should be eliminated. Then, frame your goals as SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, Time-bound). Specific: What success looks like is clear to anyone reading it. Measurable: You can measure progress towards the goal. Assignable: It's clear who is responsible for the goal. Realistic: You can achieve it with your current resources. Time-bound: There's a specific date set for achieving the goal. Sticking with a SMART Goal framework keeps everyone aligned towards very clear goals. It removes the guesswork. Make the goal push you towards your vision. Then, turn it into a SMART Goal. That's where prioritization begins.

Identifying goals is valid, but it's important to keep them fluid. Often, decision-makers and marketers get caught in the trap of a fixed target. That's a disservice to the brand, as people might focus more on stakeholder validation as opposed to ratifying the strategy. To embrace an iterative approach (MVP for goals?) is the only way to make stakeholder feedback worthwhile in the long run.

In order to have a good and well-coordinated brand strategy, follow these guidelines on stakeholder feedback. First, one has to determine the brand’s objective and most important values. These will lay a background on appropriate input. Categorize feedback based on its impact on brand objectives. Use surveys or structured meetings to gather detailed input from key stakeholders. Prioritize feedback that aligns with your long-term goals and core values. It is important for an organization’s strategic plan to keep referring to these inputs in order to keep checking for consistenc. .

Everything should start with your goals. Every piece of feedback should be considered through this lens: Does it help us move closer to the goal? Eliminate feedback that doesn't push you towards the goal. Then, prioritize feedback based on how much impact it can have on reaching the goal.

It's important to do this collaboratively and constructively. Best is to get all stakeholders onto a common discussion platform, summarize each suggestion and put them in different buckets mentioning the outcome of following each suggestion. Use the session to reassess the goals and objectives and eliminate the unimportant ones to arrive at the key goal.

To set priorities effectively, first align stakeholder feedback with your key business objectives, like boosting market share or enhancing customer loyalty. Rank feedback based on its impact and feasibility. Use a matrix to evaluate suggestions, focusing on those with high impact and low effort first. For instance, if multiple stakeholders suggest improving customer service, calculate the potential ROI and customer satisfaction gains. Prioritize actions that align with your strategic goals and offer the greatest business value. This approach ensures efficient use of resources and maximized strategic impact.

I find there will always be well-intentioned stakeholders/ or ones that have a particular skillset - so their perspective while meant to be constructive, can be skewed. As the brand strategist or manager, no one understands the brand goals, voice or assets better. It is imperative we put this feedback, our through process, and our eventual solution in a manner that's easy to understand for all involved in order to get everyone on the same page. This leads to more open communication in the future, better feedback and an increased understanding/ trust of the brand strategy and growth plans.