Anne Nickel is a brand engagement consultant
in London, England, for a global brand-building
company called The Brand Union. Her job requires
a combination of marketing and management skills.
She advises clients about what they need to change
inside their organization to fit and promote their brand.
In her role, Anne writes recommendation reports to help clients learn
how to strategically adjust their marketing campaigns, business practices,
communication methods, and reward policies. According to Anne, these reports
combine information gathered through other kinds of writing. “In order to
write a recommendation report, one also has to write interview questions,
interview notes, an implementation plan, and briefs for the design team that tell
them what to produce for the client. So it requires a diverse writing skill set.”
She believes that persuasive documents like these need to do many things at
once in order to have the desired effect on their audience. “Recommendation
reports require both rational and emotional persuasion. Case studies and
statistics can be used as evidence for rational persuasion. Visuals, like graphics
and video, help emotional persuasion by bringing life to ideas beyond the words
used to enunciate them.”
Anne emphasizes that brilliant evidence and graphics will not do anything for
your report if you fail to address the correct audience. “It is important to direct
your recommendation to a person who will be open to your ideas and support
them. Sometimes this person is the top decision maker and in control of the
budget, but other times it is someone who has the connections or authority to
be a cheerleader for your ideas and pitch them to the powers that be.”
Question
Think of a brand that you use regularly. Why do you continue to choose
it over other brands? Is it style, prestige, price, value, habit, loyalty,
convenience, or something else? How much of your choice is rational
(that is, based on the actual qualities of the product)?
