A One Minute Lesson in Consulting

Like this picture, in pitch meetings I’m often asking, “What’s your strategy?”

I get lots of answers. Most of the answers are a list of tactics and not strategy.

“Advertising” or “Email marketing” or “Branding.”

A strategy is a list of ordered tactics that achieves an objective. The consulting I’m often providing is defining an objective. Sounds strange that a Digital Marketing Consultant like myself does this, but I can’t put a project on solid footing without everyone agreeing on the strategy to achieve the objective.

Do you know your objective? Do you know how to achieve it? Here is how.

Organize your next project like this:

Step 1: Define the Objective — This is what you want to achieve.

Step 2: Define the Strategy — This is the pathway toward your Objective. The Strategy prevents mission creep or redefining your Objective. Redefining the Objective happens often, like when a Strategy is failing.

Step 3: Define the Tactics — These are the steps to fulfill the Strategy.

Step 4: Resources — What do you need to execute the tactics. An idea is just an idea if you can’t execute it.

Step 5: Outcomes — Always define outcomes. It keeps the Strategy and Tactics accountable.