What do you do if you receive conflicting feedback from various stakeholders in a retail marketing role?

1. Delve deeper and critically examine the feedback, identifying common themes and patterns. Understand the perspective and motivations of each stakeholder to gain valuable context. 2. Focus on actionable insights aligned with your marketing strategy and business objectives. Differentiate between constructive criticism and personal preferences or biases! Prioritise delivering on the brief and maintaining brand consistency. 3. Align with business objectives while delivering on-brand campaigns. Evolving briefs and costs signal a lack of clarity or alignment with these objectives. Effective stakeholder communication is crucial to address discrepancies and realign efforts towards shared goals.

Start by acknowledging the diverse perspectives and underlying motivations of each stakeholder. Arrange a meeting to facilitate an open dialogue, allowing each party to voice their concerns and rationale. Actively listen and seek to understand the reasoning behind their feedback. Identify areas of alignment and prioritize the objectives that best serve the overarching business goals. If necessary, propose compromises or alternative solutions that address the core needs of all stakeholders. Maintain transparency throughout the process and clearly communicate the final decision and action plan to ensure alignment and buy-in from all parties involved.

ENGAGE EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS: Involve your Agency and/or Supplier(s) as crucial external stakeholders. Challenge them to propose solutions aligned with brand goals and project timings, based on constructive feedback. Presenting these plans to senior stakeholders demonstrates your commitment to alignment, resolution, and appreciation for their input.

Once consensus is reached on a course of action, take decisive steps to implement changes effectively. Communicate transparently with stakeholders throughout the implementation process to ensure alignment and manage expectations.

O erro mais comum é iniciar alterações ou mudanças sem considerar sua viabilidade. Quando surgem opiniões divergentes ou há intervenções externas em um projeto ou operação, a primeira etapa é compreender todas as perspectivas. Um verdadeiro checklist deve ser feito para entender onde essas questões se encaixam no cronograma e em que medida estão alinhadas com as metas e métricas estabelecidas. Nem sempre mudanças radicais são a melhor solução, assim como seguir cegamente um planejamento que não atinge as metas não é eficaz. É essencial analisar os pontos de divergência, confirmar sua proximidade com as metas e corrigir, se necessário. Tudo deve ser claro e visível para os interessados, essa é a fórmula básica para o sucesso do projeto.

ASSERT AUTHORITY: Take control as the Retail Marketing Professional entrusted to deliver on-brand, on-time, and within budget. Clarify roles and responsibilities to mitigate stakeholder conflicts and internal politics. Focus on delivering your core responsibilities despite challenges.