The Strategy Sandwich

One thing I find clients consistently struggle with is the difference between strategy and tactics. The easiest way to explain it is this: one’s an idea, the other’s a thing.

We’re going digital! (Idea.)  So we need a website! (Thing.)

Tactics are tangible, so they’re really easy to imagine – and that’s probably why most people jump right over strategy and start listing off all the things they’re going to do to achieve their goals.

But if they haven’t landed on an appropriate strategy first – those tactics are like throwing a bunch of spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Some will, and a lot won’t. That’s a waste of time and resources.

Strategy makes sure your tactics are laser-guided to hit the mark, giving you max efficiency on spend and effort. Getting it right is really important.

Over the years I’ve come at strategy building in a lot of different ways – but recently I’ve landed on a really interesting mental tool.

It starts with a question: how do I enlist my audience to help me achieve my goals?

Quite honestly when I first asked myself this question it felt a bit creepy and manipulative. But I got over it, because this question is a fantastic distillation of what’s going on in any marketing plan.

You need your audience to “do” something. Buy something. Remember something. Champion something. Develop an affinity for something.

Setting the stage so that activity happens is what a marketing plan is all about.

So I asked myself that question again, and realized the “how” is the strategy, and its job is to connect your goals to your audience.

I immediately visualized a sandwich. One slice of bread represents your goals. The other – your audience. And the gooey middle that sticks those two things together? That’s your strategy.

Voila.

Y’all know I love a good metaphor.