Optimal marketing strategy is a really important plan to accomplish an objective
Shawn Helwig of Analytics TO WIN® has been a friend and partner on many projects over the years. Shawn is often the master of the obvious. I was not surprised when he defined strategy as “A really important plan to accomplish an objective.” I was floored when he said it should be as simple as living on a single page. I almost choked on the sip of coffee I was enjoying at the time.
You should have a strategy to effectively accomplish most any objective, especially if you want to use your time as efficiently as possible. And let’s face it, one thing we do not have much of is time. And when you are trying to create optimal marketing strategy in a world where you and your competitors are undergoing digital transformation, speed can be a major factor for your brand to come out on top.
3 Requirements of an optimal marketing strategy
An optimal marketing strategy requires three things.
Alignment of marketing objectives to the corporate objectives
Firstly, there must be alignment of marketing objectives to the corporate objectives. Once aligned, ensure the strategy and tactics will meet marketing objectives. Accomplishing that, we significantly increase the chances our initiative will receive the support we need from the ELT.
Good, competent people
Next, you need to have good, competent people to execute the optimal marketing strategy; folks who perform well as an ensemble. Here I borrow from Tom Farley. Many say you need a good team, but the team concept often implies star performers vs. bench players, egos and work in a competitive environment where there are winners and losers. But Tom believes (and I concur) all players in an ensemble are equal and need to do their best to execute to ensure a great performance. It all falls flat if one performer is off.
This means your marketing ensemble must give it their all with a shared vision and mission. There needs to be trust, empathy, positive can-do attitude, willingness to help, desire to ask questions, courage to try new things, knowledge, and humility to learn from failures. And the marketing ensemble must put the best interests of the customer first; before any channel, product or other artificial designation.
Good process or method
Finally optimal marketing strategy requires a good process or method. What makes the process good? It is repeatable and can be used time and again. The process needs to be practical, too, keeping us at 14,000 feet and avoiding the dangers that lurk in the weeds. Winning strategy is best built when we can remain focused, completing it in a matter of days, not months. We commit to the task and refuse to allow other things to interrupt our thoughts.
And when we can boil that strategy down to a single page, aligned to marketing objectives that align with corporate objectives, then we have truly created winning marketing strategy.
Create winning marketing strategy with Marketing TO WINTM
Marketing TO WINTM is one method that fits the above criteria. To learn more about the Marketing TO WINTM method, contact me today. I would be happy to discuss how the method applies to your particular situation at no expense to you.