A brand’s growth create business risks that must be managed. Growth stresses the brand’s value proposition, its culture and the underlying business supporting the brand.

The strategic space in which a growing brand exist will change. New competitors, bigger competitors with bigger marketing budgets. Budgets that could result in price competitions eroding profit margins.

Brands can reduce these risks by planning for growth, pacing growth and establishing controls to manage growth. If brand managers plan for “what can go wrong”, what can go right will have a greater chance of success.

There are many things a brand manager can do when the KPIs are going south.  But the one thing he or she must not do is panic. When the enemies are at the gates, the marketing budget is spent, there is only one thing that can be done.

Stop.

What ever you are doing is not working and to keep doing it senseless. Acknowledge that there is a problem. Take stock, re-plan and rethink. Most importantly, get a outsider’s view, someone who’s not emotionally involved.

Go left.