Getting the foundations right: why marketing strategy matters

 

Attention-grabbing campaigns are often the most visible element of a brand’s marketing activity, but for long-term success it’s vital to lay a solid strategic foundation for the brand. In this short article, we’ll explore why strategy is the cornerstone of effective marketing, and how marketing agencies can play a supporting role in the process.

Be wary of rushing to execution

Tempting as it might be to ‘just get on with it’ and launch straight into campaign development, it really pays to optimise your strategy before doing anything else. If you don’t take the time to do this, campaigns can feel disjointed, lacking coherence and a compelling narrative that will resonate with your target audience – and the end result can be that they fail to meet your business objectives.

It’s like getting in the car and starting to drive, without knowing where you need to get to – you’re moving ahead, but are you going in the right direction?

 

 

Choose the right team for the job

To continue the car analogy, imagine you break down on the journey. Would you ask a bodywork specialist to look at the engine? Probably not. The same is true for your agency – different agencies bring different skills to the table. Creative agencies excel at crafting and bringing to life compelling messages, and design agencies can breathe life into your brand’s visual identity.

A clearly thought-through marketing strategy makes it much easier for these agencies to do their job effectively – without it, they have to make some very big assumptions, and will often end up trying to develop elements of your strategy to fill the gap.

This is where marketing agencies like Blue Feathers, who specialise in brand and marketing strategy, can help. We can work with you to clarify the key questions before campaign development work begins: Who are your target customers? What unique value do you bring to them? How do you want them to perceive you? Get these things nailed, and the rest of your marketing activity will fall into place.

Strategy pays off in the long term

Investing time in strategic thinking brings lasting benefits. A well-crafted brand and marketing strategy helps show how every touchpoint with customers can use the same messages consistently, amplifying your voice. Strategic clarity also helps to reduce wasted effort – it streamlines decision-making all the way through the process and makes it easier to identify campaign elements that align with your objectives.

And brands rooted in strong strategy have longevity – they’re better able to weather a changing environment, adapting to the times without losing what makes them distinctive.

Conclusion

Good tactical execution is crucial, but it’s not enough on its own to sustain a brand over the long term. So before you start work on your next campaign, take a moment to think about your strategy – your bottom line will thank you for it!

If you could do with some help to create, refine or update your strategy, we’d love to hear from you.

 

Author: Guy Chapman

Guy Chapman is a senior brand strategist who specialises in proposition development, product management and business development. He has a strong background in education, having worked for the British Council and Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Prior to this, Guy worked at an advertising agency where his clients included MasterCard, Canon and Matalan. MBA-qualified, Guy has strong facilitation and communication skills, and is adept at distilling a wide range of data and information into the essential insights that lead to effective strategy.