If someone asks me if I can help them with their marketing, the first thing I always check is if they have a marketing strategy already in place.
More often than not, they’ll reply by telling me they don’t.
I might suggest that a marketing strategy could be very beneficial for them. But then they still might follow up with: “No. We don’t need a strategy. We just need marketing.”
And that’s where the problem begins.
The truth is that doing marketing without a strategy is basically making it up as you go along. Of course, you might get a lucky break here and there, but in the long run you’re setting yourself up for wasted effort, wasted money and lots of missed opportunities.
Football Without a Strategy?
Think of your favourite football team. Would you expect them to just throw 11 players onto the pitch, let them run around randomly, and hope for the best? Of course you wouldn’t. That would be a disaster (although pretty funny to watch if it’s not your team).
The reality is that before they even step onto the pitch, they’ve done their homework. They know the game plan. They’ve trained, studied the opposition, set up formations, and have a clear idea of how they’re going to attack and defend. Without a strategy, they’d be running around like headless chickens, and most likely losing every match.
You’d be furious if your favourite team showed up unprepared. You’d probably stop going to matches. You’d expect them to get demotion after demotion.
That poses a very interesting question: If you expect your football team to have a strategy, when in reality it’s just a game (please don’t hate me for saying that), then why do you not have a strategy in your business, when it supports your livelihood?
Why Do Businesses Ignore Strategy?
The truth is, many businesses think that just ‘doing marketing’ is enough. They want to crack on with actions like running ads, posting on social media or sending out emails, hoping that it will bring in new customers. But without a clear strategy, they’re just throwing things at the wall and hoping something sticks.
It’s like getting in a car without really knowing where you’re going. Yes, there is a chance you’ll end up at an amazing place. But the likelihood is you’ll just end up going nowhere.
Those businesses that have a marketing strategy have:
- Clear goals, and decisions made on how to reach those goals
- An understanding of their audience and who they are targeting
- Clarity on which products or services they’re targeting at which market segments
- A well defined position in the market
- A tactical action plan that will lead them to success
- An understanding of what results to measure and monitor
Wasted Money
Marketing can be expensive. Without a strategy, you’re basically burning money. You could be pouring your budget into things that are never going to work while ignoring opportunities that could actually grow your business.
Without a strategy, you’re not making informed decisions. You’re just hoping for the best, and in business, as in football, ‘hope’ is a risky game plan.
Are You In It To Win?
Having a marketing strategy doesn’t mean you need to overcomplicate things. It just means you have a clear plan and direction. It helps you to stay focused, make informed decisions and measure success.
If you’re just “doing marketing” without a strategy, you’re playing the game, but you’re not playing to win. In business, just showing up isn’t enough.
So why not create a strategy and set yourself up for success? Just like in football, the teams with the best strategies are the ones that go home with the trophy.
If you’re ready to win, then we’d love to help you. We help businesses of all sizes to plot the right actions to get them on a trajectory to success. If you’d like more focus, then let’s have a chat. Get in touch to find out more.
