How To Become Brilliant In Boardroom Meetings
Learning from a Brand Development and Marketing Superstar
Intelligent, inventive, and easy to work with, Terry was one of my favorite bosses early in my brand development and marketing management career, and he is presently the Executive Vice President of Marketing at one of America’s best-known sit-down restaurant chains.
Today I’m going to share one of Terry’s brilliantly simple success secrets with you.
How to Survive- – and Thrive- By Having More Effective Boardroom Meetings
Years ago, Terry & I worked together on a $400-million dollar frozen-food brand, and we managed all facets of the business, from volume forecasts, financials, quality assurance and new product development to sales/trade coordination and advertising/promotion strategies.
Running a brand that rings up half a billion dollars in sales every year meant quarterly business meetings with our corporation’s President & SVPs. It was early in my brand development and marketing career, so my participation in these meetings was limited- – but as a marketing director, Terry was “front and center.”
Let me tell you: these meetings were hard-core. They were supposed to be concentrated on a few standard business measures, but in truth, anything and everything was a legitimate target. You want to talk about major pressure? Try having the leadership team of the corporation that markets some of the country’s hugest frozen-foods mega-brands demanding a response to a totally random question right here, right NOW, at their “I love the scent of napalm in the morning” finest.
No problem! Terry didn’t rely on his memory, wing it, or wish for the best. He used his “brand Bible”, a huge 3-ring binder with tabbed sections that allowed him confidently flip to the data he needed to answer their questions. Because we worked in brand management, his tabs included IRI/Nielsen sales reports, this year’s business plan, current marketing forecasts, media plans, new product timelines, monthly customer service reports, key market research insights, the company telephone list, and a current print-out of his calendar for the following several months.
Terry’s “brand Bible” was always ready for action as he had the discipline to update it daily. As a result, he never had to worry about searching for an answer; he could focus his attention on providing a thoughtful & intelligent viewpoint. He could just be Terry, and as his management career affirms, that’s an impressive move indeed.
Don’t Wait! Prepare for Better Boardroom Meetings Beginning Today
What data do you require to do your job effectively? Is it there for you when you want it most? With just a shade of added organisation, you can certainly have a considerably more effective boardroom meeting also. This is a success secret that some of America’s top marketing executives have put into action, and so can you!
Marie Elwood runs an Atlanta marketing consulting company, Increased Results, that is quickly becoming one of America’s top strategic marketing consulting firms.
-
Choosing a Digital Projector
Choosing a Digital Projector.