Sometimes I get so laser-focused on the “day-to-day” that I forget the joy in what I do. Outside graphic design, outside web development and maintenance, outside content writing, outside video, outside all of the “tasks,” I love (pronounced “luuuuuuuv”) strategy. As Marie Kondo says, “It sparks Joy.”
I love the why. I especially love the how. There’s little more exciting to me than a blank slate laid out in front of me with a goal on one end and a deadline on the other. So, Andy, how do we make the two connect?
Today I set aside the “day-to-day” and worked out a marketing communications strategy for a client. They’re not a big client. We’re not going to change the world through this campaign, but they have a mission. They have a goal and no path to reach it. They need my help, my strategic mind to help them map out how to get from here to there.
“We didn’t just want this to sneak up on us,” the client said. “We wanted to be prepared.”
Strategy leads to preparedness. Preparedness leads to accuracy. Accuracy leads to success. Success leads to growth.
So, as I started my outline, I started with today. This is where they are right now. This is where they’ll be tomorrow unless they have a strategy to make the first move. After two and a half hours of digging through notes and recordings, crafting a message, targeting the audiences, choosing the delivery vehicles and broadcast channels, mapping out dates, and calculating impact, I emailed off the outline.
I sat back in my chair and exhaled. Satisfied. Complete. If they approve the plan and accept the budget, they’re going to win. They’re going to reach that goal. I have confidence and now they can too.
Like I said, they’re not a big client. This campaign is not going to change the world. But it will change THEIR world, and I get to be a part of that. That excites me.
Strategic communications takes time, passion, patience, and a deep understanding of the tools used to deliver your message. If you have goals to reach and just can’t quite see the path to make that happen, you need strategy. It’s that simple.
That, at its core, is what I’ve been doing for over two decades. For me, strategy sparks joy and so much more.
I’d love to talk to you about your goals and how we can create a path to your own success.
Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
