What do you do if you want to leverage problem solving skills to maximize brand opportunities?

The fastest way to learn about your customers is to engage with them, but very few companies actually do. Building a DtC brand in Scandinavia, this was my first important learning. The first couple of years, I would create community events 2-3 evenings every week, throughout the entire year. Today my community lives in a Facebook group called Roccamore Shoelovers and I use it to design shoes, test fit and better understand the needs of my customers. While I learn, they get to be part of the journey, and we have fun. It's a win-win ??

A good way to start is identifying the need states of the product category and then establish which ones can your brand own. For a market leading brand its important to position on the broader category codes whereas challengers thrive in playing lucrative niches.

to leverage problem-solving skills for maximizing brand opportunities, analyze market challenges, devise innovative solutions, and implement strategic plans tailored to capitalize on brand strengths while addressing consumer needs effectively.

Analyze challenges, identify areas for improvement, and develop innovative solutions that align with the brand's objectives and market needs.

Problem analysis can be streamlined by utilising technological techniques. Project management platforms, data visualisation tools, and software programmes can all aid in information organisation and speedy problem-solving procedures.

Dive into relevant data to gain insights into the root causes of problems and opportunities. This could include customer surveys, sales metrics, or industry research.

Try to analyse your date from the different angles, find dependencies and clusters. If you have historical data it will help to see the trends.

Data can be a goldmine for brand opportunities. Working with a travel agency, I analyzed customer reviews and booking patterns. The data revealed a gap between their "relaxation retreat" marketing and the reality – noisy, crowded destinations. By focusing on quieter locations, we offered solutions that aligned better with customer expectations.

That’s because is important get a 360 spin on the data analytic market, customers and services. Trought this you could get the principal insights and improve strategy.

Using case studies or realistic simulations to practise problem-solving gives practical experience. These useful situations let you put newly acquired abilities and tactics to use in a real-world setting.

Brainstorm creative solutions to address identified needs and capitalize on brand opportunities. Encourage collaboration and diverse perspectives to generate innovative ideas.

Build a culture of curiosity and you will never be short of innovative, creative solutions when you need them. Do not wait for the problem to show itself to get people in the room, foster an environment when potential solutions are already surfaced.

I recommend to do it together with the team, as this helps to bring in more perspectives and find effective collaborative solutions faster.

Brainstorming is my happy place! When a sports equipment brand needed to boost customer engagement, I fostered a collaborative environment where all ideas were considered. One suggestion, seemingly "out there" at first – hosting local fitness challenges – was refined into a successful campaign, increasing brand awareness and loyalty.

Take action to implement the solutions you've devised. This might involve updating marketing strategies, refining product offerings, or enhancing customer service processes.

Define action plan and follow it in changes implementation is critical. This plan should include target KPIs, deadlines, responsible team members. Some changes may be implemented everywhere at the same time. Others can be tested first to make sure the hypothesis is working and rolled out later.

Great ideas need action. After brainstorming solutions, I prioritize and develop a clear implementation plan. For example, launching a new customer service app required setting measurable goals, allocating resources across departments, and ensuring everyone understood their role. Effective implementation is key to turning ideas into brand-building realities.

A clear project plan is required outline all the high-level details as well as a 1:20 view (breakdown of finer details) with clear timelines. Included in that plan should be an educational and sensitization campaign for both in-house staff/stakeholders and the market.

Monitor the effects of your changes to gauge their effectiveness. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales growth, customer satisfaction ratings, or brand awareness metrics.

You measure the impact, make the changes if necessary and adapt your strategy accordingly. You select the most performing actions and eliminate those that are not performing or delivering negative impact

Numbers tell the story of success. No matter what solution we implement, I always establish metrics to track its impact. For instance, the customer service app was measured by decreased call volume and increased customer satisfaction scores. Data allows us to see what's working and adapt as needed.

How will you measure success. Set clear and quantifiable goals. I always use this example with clients. If you say you love your mother, how can you quantify your performance on your demonstration of love. You could say, I am being a loving daughter when I call 4X times a week and take her out to dinner once a month. Now you can measure how you are performing on your demonstration of love. It is the same with business and meansuring your performance on problems solved.

The market is a living thing, so our approach must be too. When a social media marketing campaign didn't yield the expected results, we analyzed the data and feedback. We weren't afraid to adjust our strategy, shifting focus to a different platform that better resonated with the target audience. This iterative approach keeps our brand agile and responsive.

1. Foster diverse perspectives and encourage innovative thinking within your team to generate creative solutions tailored to your brand's needs. 2. Evaluate potential solutions based on feasibility, impact on brand growth, and alignment with brand values and objectives.

Continuously evaluate and adjust your approach based on feedback and results. Remain agile and adaptable to evolving market conditions and consumer preferences.

Successful strategy is not static nor linear - it is a ever moving organism that we continuously refine. Models should be agile enough to adapt to the ever-changing market.

Leverage User-Centric Design: Implement user-centric design principles to tailor problem-solving solutions to the specific needs and preferences of your audience. Conduct user research, gather feedback, and iterate on your solutions to ensure they resonate with your target demographic. By prioritizing the user experience, you can create solutions that not only address problems but also delight your customers, fostering loyalty and advocacy.