Just last year, resting on your laurels seemed to be enough-especially if you were meeting your goals, seamlessly executing ambitious programs, and keeping staff members happy enough to ward off corporate raiders. This year, conditions are vastly different. To prove your worth as a marketer and brand builder, you need to tap into your entrepreneurial side. Seven commandments for marketing and brand building are being chiseled onto new stone tablets-with every commandment based on a fundamental for entrepreneurial success. Following them religiously is now essential for compelling customers to embrace your brand.
Entrepreneurs are notoriously impatient to maximize the return on every investment they make.
Stellar entrepreneurs study their target industries in minute detail, zero in on the marketplace needs they're uniquely positioned to fill, and develop brands that showcase their added value. An entrepreneur without strategic plans is a hot potato to a venture capitalist. Too often, marketing executives lose their dedication to understanding their corporation's vision and strategy-and advancing them through several integrated tactics with a common set of underlying messages. The teambuilding spirit typical of entrepreneurs is a requirement for marketers, who should be taking it to the next level. Like entrepreneurs, you depend on your team to help you shine.