Being passionate about strategy and marketing, we both can’t help but notice the strategy and marketing aspect of all that we come across in our professional and personal lives. In recent years, we have noticed a change in many companies, whether they be clients of our respective businesses or in the business community at large. Companies talk of their strategy and marketing plans and efforts, but they are more appropriately alluding to social media tactics and implementations that are often a stretch from their brand positioning, sending mixed messages to their customers. Disconnects exist.
For example, when a new marketing tactic surfaces, many companies run out to adopt it, without considering whether it “fits” within their strategy and marketing objectives. Often times, a company will be so convinced of the virtues of a new marketing tool, that they will initiate a new marketing campaign showcasing the new tool rather than communicating brand, desired positioning, and benefits. While it is important to find innovative ways to implement marketing and communicate with target markets in meaningful ways, this should not be done at the expense of a company losing its value focus and blurring its brand.
The essence of strategy is to create sustainable competitive advantages for the company, while the essence of marketing is to profitably meet the customer’s needs and expectations. Successful and sustained companies are built on the foundations of solid, value-creating strategy and equally solid integrated marketing objectives and efforts. When a company employs the trendiest tools, without regard for its overall strategy and marketing objectives, that company risks going down a path of lost purpose and direction. Developing robust strategy gives the entire organization purpose and common direction, while a vigorous and integrated marketing strategy provides that organization with the plan to deliver and communicate the very essence and value that customers deserve.
It is our desire that our blog focuses attention on the practical importance of the fundamentals of strategy and marketing, to incite insight into the substantial benefits of concentrating on these core functions of your company. We invite you to subscribe to our blog, participate in our discourse, or check back often to see our latest posts on the importance of strategy and marketing.
