Here's how you can simplify brand strategy by breaking down complex projects into manageable deadlines.

Crafting a brand strategy can be daunting, but breaking it down helps. Start by setting SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Be specific. Instead of "improve social media," aim to "increase Instagram followers." Make it measurable with numbers, like gaining 1,000 new followers. Ensure it's achievable based on your resources. Relevance is key—aligning goals with business objectives like boosting brand visibility. Finally, set a deadline to create urgency, such as gaining 1,000 new followers in three months. By setting SMART goals, you simplify your brand strategy, making it focused and achievable.

Any marketing project needs to tie to bigger goals, including branding. Begin with the end goal in mind and build from there. SMART is a great goals framework: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

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. Everything should work towards the goal.

To simplify brand strategy, start by clearly defining your brand's long-term goals. These goals guide the entire project and influence how you break down tasks. Consider what you aim to achieve with your brand—whether it's increasing awareness, repositioning in the market, or launching a new product. Make sure these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Once established, they serve as a roadmap, making it easier to identify the necessary steps to reach your objectives and set manageable deadlines accordingly. This approach ensures a structured and focused strategy, allowing for efficient progress tracking and timely adjustments.

Most common question clients ask is: by when will we see results? Implementing a brand strategy is a culmination of multiple steps that need to be visible and communicated to your clients and team for effective outcomes. The following have helped me over 9+ years: 1. Set your goal and work backwards. If your strategy goal is X, what are things that will make you sure that it is working? Have your numbers in place 2. What are your milestones? And what are the deadlines to these milestones? These small steps make sure you are working in the right direction 3. How are you going to make your milestones to the team and stakeholders visible? Is there a process? Set that in place and communicate it to everyone. Simple steps. Huge impact

Once you have your goals and strategy, you can break the work into specific tasks, owners, and timelines. Most all projects require team collaboration and it's important to hold team kickoff meetings and share the larger scope to get folks on board.

'I can handle it all'. No, you can't. Delegation is a skill. The earlier you learn it, the better and efficient your team is with the outcomes. Each person in your team needs to do what their role is, what outcomes they are responsible for and who they work with and report to (if they have to). If something is not working with a member, make sure to be open and communicate the same in time rather than wait till things fall off. Your team is your biggest strength. Bring in their skills, values and expertise in your project to bring it to life.

8/10 times deadlines have to be adjusted in projects and that's absolutely okay. Tell your team the same. When multiple people are working on a project and different parts are to be put in place, the dates can be here and there. Challenges, communication lags, and unforeseen circumstances lead to some shifts. If it happens, make sure you are able to figure out what is causing the delay and relay the same to stakeholders with new deadlines. Move quick. Communicate openly. And be open to change. Sometimes wonderful things come out of change.