As you might have gathered from the company name, we talk a lot about strategy! But what exactly do we mean? Ahead of my new book’s launch, let’s take a look at what strategy actually is.
“What is strategy?” sounds like a question with an obvious answer. We all know what strategy is. We all know what the word means.
Or we think we do.
The OED defines strategy as “A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim”. You’re probably nodding now and thinking “Yes! I knew that!” So, if strategy is this widely understood a concept, what is the point of this blog? And why on earth did I write a ten-chapter book on the subject?
The thing is, sometimes the most ‘obvious’ things are the most misunderstood. Because we think we know what strategy is, we don’t bother to look at the concept that deeply. And that leads to a whole host of problems.
Dr Dave Chaffey, co-founder of Smartinsights.com and co-author of Digital Marketing Strategy, Implementation and Practice understands the problem. In his recent review of my new book, he said this:
“Our research shows that many businesses don’t have a digital marketing strategy, although they’re actively using digital marketing. Even more lamentable, many don’t have a marketing strategy to align their digital strategy against.”
This problem doesn’t arise because businesses are being lazy and deliberately neglecting this vital aspect. It happens because there’s a lot of misunderstanding around the concept of strategy.
People often don’t understand what strategy is, how to design a good strategy, how to follow that strategy, and why strategy is so important.
That’s why I’ve written my book, Marketing Strategy – to give people a true, in-depth understanding of strategy and its importance for success in marketing. I want it to dispel common misconceptions, and to help marketers build the kind of winning strategies that guarantee success.
Dr Chaffey is a fan. He says that “If your business doesn’t have a coherent marketing strategy, Marketing Strategy will provide you with a practical handbook that combines both classic marketing and brand strategy concepts with advice on tactics and execution including digital channels which are missing from many books on marketing strategy.”
But you didn’t come to this blog to hear me lament the lack of strategy in modern business. You came for an answer to the question “What is strategy?”
To explain what strategy is, let’s start with one of my biggest pet peeves: what strategy is not.
Strategy and tactics are not the same thing!
Often, when I ask brands to tell me about their strategy, they respond with a bunch of tactics loosely cobbled together along a timeline.
Tactics are important, don’t get me wrong. But they are part of a strategy – not the whole thing.
Think of it this way: if your campaign was a cake, the tactics would be the cake ingredients. They’re vital (and delicious!) but you can’t just chuck a bunch of ingredients in a mixing bowl and expect it to turn into a cake. Without a recipe, an oven, and all the rest of it those ingredients are pretty useless.
The ingredients are crucial, but they’re not the be all and end all. For your cake to be a success, you need to follow a recipe. You need to bake your ingredients in an oven set to the right temperature for the right amount of time. You need an ‘audience’ to eat your finished cake. And, if you’re going to make a career out of baking, you also need to be prepared for feedback to help your baking game improve.
Strategy is the recipe, the oven, the feedback, the mixing bowl, and (yes) the ingredients of your campaign ‘cake’. It’s the all-encompassing plan that brings your campaign to life.
As well as a bunch of tactical ‘ingredients’, a good strategy needs:
- Clear, measurable goals and objectives.
- A well-defined audience.
- A clear understanding of the market and the wider context your campaign will be launching into.
- Tracking and analysis of your campaign’s success (or otherwise!)
…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
All in all, there’s a lot more to creating a successful marketing strategy than sticking some tactics together and hoping for the best.
It sounds complicated, I know. Don’t worry – it’s not as complex as it seems. What’s more, it’s very much worth it.
Sure, a strategic approach to marketing is a bit more in-depth than a tactics-based approach – but the rewards it brings will more than repay your effort.
To explain exactly why it’s worth working on strategies for your campaigns, here’s an extract from my book:
“5 ways marketing strategy can build your brand
1. It will give your business direction. A strategy is a roadmap to success. Without one, you’re driving blind. As Mark Ritson says, ‘Who are you targeting? What is your position relative to that target?’ Without a strategy, you will lack even this most basic element of direction.
2. It will make your tactics successful. Ah, my bugbear – the constant confusion between ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’. I’ll be covering this a lot in the following chapters. But let’s set the tone by pointing out that a collection of independent tactics is nothing without the backbone of a solid strategy. My hope is that this book will convince you not to rush into a new campaign idea or project until you have set out a clear strategy. You must clearly determine what you are setting out to achieve before diving into shiny tactics.
3. It will help you to gather the right data. Data is virtual gold, but without a strategy, you’ll be blindly panning data streams, sifting through dust and rocks but never hitting the valuable pieces.
4. It will build trust with your audience. A strategy will help you to get to know your audience, to build a relationship with them, and to gain their trust. Trust is crucial in our era of data-savvy and privacy concerned consumerism.
5. It will improve your performance. All of the above (plus more – read on!) add up to massive performance gains, huge ROI, and KPIs smashed through the roof. Sound good? It is! And it’s not as complicated as it sounds. This book will help you to achieve all of the above in the simplest and most straightforward way possible.”
Buy the ultimate guide to marketing strategy, and learn how strategy can make every campaign a winner
My book, Marketing Strategy comes out on 3rd May 2021. It contains everything you need to know in order to create great marketing strategies which get results. But don’t just take my word for it. You’ve already heard from Dr Chaffey above. Here’s what Gavin Laugenie, Head of Strategy and Insight at dotdigital has to say about it:
“Marketing strategy, Jenna just gets it! This book is testament to her unique approach to working; whether it’s building from scratch or re-evaluating a current strategy, it’s all about generating results. The interviews with real-life marketers add a unique layer and sprinkles added flavour, colour and relevance to an already insightful and practical read—a must for anyone looking to challenge or reaffirm what they’re already doing.”
About Jenna Tiffany
Jenna Tiffany, award-winning marketer, has been recognized as one of the top 50 marketers to follow in the world. She is the Founder and Strategy Director at marketing agency Let’sTalk Strategy, providing strategic consultancy services across the digital marketing mix. She is a Chartered Marketer and awarded Fellow of the Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM) with over ten years’ marketing experience, and has consulted on marketing strategy with brands such as Shell, Hilton and World Duty Free.
Jenna is a keynote speaker, having spoken at hundreds of marketing events worldwide and is an elected member of the prestigious DMA UK Email Marketing Council. Jenna is also a qualified teacher regularly teaching marketing at universities. She regularly gets interviewed for her thoughts on marketing strategy and the latest trends.