Ever feel like you're throwing marketing ideas at the wall to see what sticks?
You're not alone. Strategic marketing isn't about doing all the marketing things — it's about doing the right things to achieve your business goals. Think of it as your roadmap to getting more of the right customers, more efficiently.
Many businesses make the mistake of starting marketing right away. But without a plan, you can burn out on marketing efforts that don't make sense because they're not related to your goals, or even your products and services.
What I'm about to share is so important, it's not only the centerpiece of my one-to-one consulting— we walk through it quarterly inside my marketing membership.
But ... What Makes Marketing ... Strategic?
Look. You only have so many hours in a day. So does your target audience (AKA the people you'd love to work with again and again).
Effective marketing means you've considered how and where to position yourself (and your services) so the message reaches the right people in the right way, at the right time.
Strategic marketing takes things further by taking a long look at your business objectives. What are we trying to do — and why. You should never ask: why am I posting this on social media? Why? Because you've taken a look at your overall business, what differentiates you from others, and you're going to lean into that when it comes to marketing your business.
Strategic marketing means you have clarity about what you're promoting at any given moment.
Let's make this real with some examples:
- A boutique consulting firm wants to increase its retainer clients by 25%. It focuses on LinkedIn and speaking engagements paired with email marketing because that's where their corporate clients spend time (and once leads are on the list, it's easier to follow-up)
- A local bakery wants to increase local shoppers by 10% and repeat customers by 15%. It prioritizes optimizing its Google Business Profile, Bing Places for Business, and email marketing to find local customers and communicate with repeat customers
- A women's leadership coach wants to increase lead generation by 15%. She builds her email list through podcast guest appearances (instead of paid advertising) because she knows her audience trusts personal recommendations
Notice how each business chose marketing activities that directly aligned with their goals and target audience — that's strategic marketing in action.
It requires discipline and focus, awareness of your analytics, and consistent, measurable marketing tactics (and tasks). It can be incredibly simple, but not easy (especially if you're a busy consultant). BUT ... carving out time for a framework like this can be your roadmap to a sustainable competitive advantage.
5-Step Strategic Marketing Process
1. It All Starts with Business Goals
Here's the truth that many marketing "gurus" won't tell you: you shouldn't touch a single social media platform or start any marketing campaign until you're clear on your business goals.
Ask yourself:
- How many new clients do you need this quarter?
- What products or services do you want to sell more of?
- What revenue targets are you trying to hit?
These concrete business goals will drive every marketing decision you make.
Then, take it a step further and make them SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). It's all the rage to bust on SMART goals, but there's a HUGE difference between "I want more clients," and "I want to increase retainer clients by 25% before the end of the 4th quarter."
When you apply a strategic approach to goals, it makes it so much easier to develop tactical, strategic marketing initiatives in support of those goals. Specificity is your friend.
2. Analysis: Get the Lay of the Land
Strategic marketing doesn't happen in a vacuum. Look at your marketing analytics, client relationship manager (CRM), and your business growth trajectory — what does your internal market research tell you? What insights do you have about your customer base?
But don't stop at an internal review.
Before jumping into developing a marketing plan and tactics, take stock of:
- Your ideal customers: Where do they hang out? What problems keep them up at night? Does your digital marketing presence and thought leadership speak to them?
- Your competition: What are they doing well? What's their overall marketing strategy? Where are the gaps you can fill? Is your target market aware you fill these gaps?
- Your strengths: What marketing activities do you enjoy and can sustain? Is your value proposition clear?
- Your resources: What time, budget, and team support do you have? Do you need marketing tools?
This isn't about copying others — it's about understanding what's working in your market and where you can authentically stand out.
3. Which Marketing Approach(es) Fit?
Now's the time to choose your marketing channels, but here's the key: pick based on three factors:
- Where your ideal customers are: If your review in step 2 (above) leaves you wondering where your customers hang out, here's a few things you can do: ask existing customers, review Pew Research numbers, or poll new prospects
- What you're willing and able to do consistentlyThis is a critical step in the strategic marketing plan. Set a budget, review your time, and don't jump on trends unless it applies to your customers, fits your budget, AND (most importantly) you'll follow through on it.
- What directly supports your business goalsI don't care if some marketer told you to start a podcast. If you need clients now and you're not sure if they listen to podcasts, that's not directly supporting your goals. It might be fun, it might be a business builder eventually, but it's not moving the needle quickly.
Put another way, if you hate being on camera, don't force yourself to do Instagram Reels just because "everyone" says you should. Instead, you might:
- Focus on email marketing to nurture relationships
- Build authority through written content (thought leadership)
- Network in professional groups
- Optimize your Google Business Profile
- Develop a referral program
I recommend your marketing strategy outlines how you'll attract new clients, retain current clients, and invite former clients to work with you again. Too often, business owners forget about their current or former clients. Do that at your own peril.
4. Marketing Plan: Mapping Your Implementation
Create a simple, sustainable plan that includes:
- Monthly themes aligned with your business goals
- Weekly key activities you'll actually do
- Clear calls to action that lead to sales
- Integration between different marketing channels
- Specific deadlines and responsibility assignments
The best marketing plan? The plan that gets executed. Want to raise awareness, refine your brand positioning, or uncover hidden markets or tactics? Cool. Get out there and do it.
With my clients, one of the biggest ways to get it it done is breaking your marketing plan into specific tasks and then scheduling it into your calendar. Marketing needs to be part of your weekly workflow, whether you're outsourcing it or not.
Pro tip: Start small. It's better to do three marketing activities well than ten poorly.
5. Measuring Success
We set goals so we can reach them, plain and simple. Circle back to the specificity of your SMART goals. You should know exactly what you're measuring because it's baked into it. All of which is to say, track what matters to your business goals:
- New client inquiries
- Revenue from specific promotions
- Email list growth and engagement
- Website leads/inquiries
- Sales
Adjust your strategy based on real results, not vanity metrics. You can't buy milk with clout or likes or followers.
Key Marketing Strategies to Boost Success
- Stay focused on business goals: Every marketing activity should tie back to a specific business objective.
- Be realistic about implementation: Choose marketing activities you can sustain long-term, even during busy periods.
- Maintain consistency: A simple plan executed consistently beats a complex plan that's sporadically implemented.
- Track and adjust: Review your metrics monthly and be willing to adjust your approach based on results.
- Focus on your strengths: Build your marketing strategy around what you and your team do well, not what you think you "should" do.
Strategic marketing isn't about being everywhere or doing everything.
It's about making intentional choices that align with your business goals and abilities. The most successful small businesses often have the simplest marketing strategies — they just execute them well.
Ready to develop a strategic marketing plan that works for your business? Join our Strategic Marketing Membership community. We'll guide you through creating and implementing a marketing plan that fits your goals, your strengths, and your available time. Learn more at https://www.wcb.community/membership.
Remember: The best marketing strategy is the one you'll implement. Start with your business goals, choose activities you can sustain, and measure what matters to your bottom line.
