Eelco van den Hoek

Brand Equity is crucial for brands to grow. You'll see that any brand, even if it was totally focussed on sales before, needs Brand Equity to grow further. Also, it does not need to be one or the other. Proper salespeople and also build Brand Equity.

I don't think you should revise your strategy. Your strategy should encapsulate the effort needed to run a test. A technical constraint is never a "this is not possible". It means "this is way harder than we thought". If you build your strategy only on those initiatives you assume most valuable, then your missing half of the equation. Strategy should account for both value and effort. The optimal value for the inputted effort is the key. Thus, if there are many technical constraints, the effort needed for the impacted tests goes up and therefore their priority goes down.

Optimal brainstorming can only be done by using fixed working methods and a balanced team. Just doing ideation by sitting in a room and talking to each other rarely gives you the best solutions. Use working methods that involve everybody in the room. A balanced team consists of members that are data focused, technical team members and creative people. This mix offers you the broadest insights and best sollutions.

A deeper connection is always based on shared values. You can have very different preferences, but if you have shared values you can create everlasting relationships. Make sure you communication highlights the value's that lay the foundation of your company. This can be love for what you do, it can be the smarter way you found out to do it, or the reason why you as a company exist.

Know your target audience before you start talking. What do you want to know? - Data: How large is your target audience? - Decision making: What are the decision making criteria for your target audience in each phase of the customer journey - Preferences: What channels does the audience prefer? - Learn: Where does the audience go to get an update on your topic? Before you can built a strong emotional connection with your target audience, you need to know who they are. Please, please do interviews/talks with you target audience. Don't assume. Don't think you know. Even if you are the target audience or have been yourself. Maybe even especially so. Assumption is the mother of all....

The 'Why' sounds like a big topic. Like you need to save humanity from poverty. Or cleanup the ocean. As a founder of a marketing agency, I know a lot of company's struggle with this. It feels like their 'Why' is superficial. The Why is meant for people to relate to. It does not mean you have to have the aim to change the world. The solution? Don't overestimate the criteria for a good why. You just like to do what your company is offering? Fine! Tell people about how your fondness grew. You just thought you could do it better? Fine! Tell people why you thought/think you could do it better. But, if you have an actual grand Why that is the foundation of your company? Communicate the last drop of goodness out of it!