BLITZKRIEG TACTICS HAVE THEIR PLACE, BUT METHODICAL AND SCHEDULED PROGRESS IS MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL RESULTS.
By Roy Harryman
Although I’m referencing Cracker Barrel, this is in no way my attempt to weigh in on its branding decisions. There have been an astonishing number of voices addressing this topic – including the president of the United States.
I have no inside information on the company’s decision beyond the media reports we’ve all seen. Cracker Barrel’s initiative was bold, not only revising the company’s logo, but its traditionalist interior design. Reports indicate this was the decision of the incoming CEO, who wanted to freshen things up to appeal to a new generation.
There may have been an open-and-shut case to make the changes. I simply don’t know.
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO …
The controversy’s relevance to me is a reminder of the importance of knowing when to stick with a plan. Effective plans take time to envision, create, implement and measure.
I’ve had a front row seat to visionary, enthusiastic leaders who were absolutely ecstatic about the newest thing coming on the scene: This was it. The silver bullet. Nirvana. An entire organization would be realigned to focus on the new thing. However, just as the realignment began to actually take shape, the well-meaning, leader lost interest and began seeking out the next big thing.
TWITCHY LEADERSHIP
Some personalities in leadership may not be visionary, but they are “twitchy.” It’s hard for them to wait for results. If a plan has been in place for two years and no results are forthcoming, then this impatience may be justified. But if it’s only been three months and the ink is still wet on the founding documents, then restraint is called for.
Some strategies take longer than others to produce results. But, if done correctly, it’s worth the wait.
Few sustainable, effective actions in branding are done in a week. Extraordinary results are led by extraordinary efforts. And extraordinary efforts take time.
“Don’t be in such a rush to reach a goal, that you reach the goal before you are ready. … Good things take time.”
Here’s an example. If a brand’s primary sales tactic is client education, then original content must be created to meet the learning needs of the prospect. This can include video, photography, product documentation, live training and publishing. These things, if done well, do not happen in a flash.
The good news is that, once created, these educational resources can introduce a brand to customers, nurture leads and drive sales for years to come. They can also continue to evolve into new forms of media (a video is also converted into a transcript, then an e-book, then a published book).
And, once a template is created for client education, it can be re-used and repurposed again and again.
It’s gratifying when a leader gives a team time to execute the marketing vision, while tweaking it along the way.
When results come in, they may be far greater than predicted. But they didn’t happen overnight.
“Rushing into action, you fail. Trying to grasp things, you lose them. Forcing a project to completion, you ruin what was almost ripe. ”