Sometimes we can unknowingly and unintentionally put self-imposed restrictions on our branding initiatives. Preconceived ideas of what we can (and can’t) achieve in certain areas of our branding campaigns can put limitations on our efforts. So as part of the goal setting process I like to undertake what I call the “No Limits” exercise, where we ask ourselves one question:
If there was no limit to what your brand could achieve, if nothing could stop its effectiveness, what would success look like?
At this point we’re not putting any limits on our answer (you can manage your expectations in a separate S.M.A.R.T. Goals exercise), for now it’s time to dream BIG. Write down the best results you could possibly achieve with your branding effort. Here are some ideas:
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What is the maximum exposure you can achieve?
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What is the maximum audience you can reach?
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What is the maximum market share you can secure?
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What are the maximum profits you can generate?
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What is the minimum timeframe in which you can generate these results?
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What are the minimum resources you would need to achieve these goals?
The answers may seem obvious at the start, but as you begin to write down your No Limits list you’ll see you’ll be able to go into a fair amount of detail in the areas that are applicable to your project. You’ll need to keep your list somewhat realistic, but again the idea here is to outline the best possible results you can achieve for your brand.
What are some other questions you can ask to make your brand the best it can be?