How to Make This Year’s Marketing Strategy Meetings Different

Edited as we go into 2022!!

Here we go again, right? More talk about social, websites, algorithms, digital ads, and how to use your data to know what to do next, only now - we have the added focus on "virtual" everything. I wish I could tell you those topics shouldn’t be included in your meetings, but they should. However, I also hope I can compel you to make your strategy meeting(s) different and more meaningful as we approach 2022.

Who was in your strategy meeting(s) last year? Do you remember what you talked about and/or decided on? Did you do those things? Do you have last year’s notes? If you do, get them back out. Read them, then read them aloud to your team…not with the intent to embarrass anyone, (and certainly edit as necessary) – but do it with the intent to get real.

As I just met with my son and business partner on our 2021 recap and we realized (once again) that we only executed about ? of them. But each year we improve on what makes the strategy list, that's a positive. There are always a lot of excellent ideas that fall through the cracks, and some ideas we move forward with that seemed to come from out of nowhere and were part of no plan. I personally encourage clients to add ideas to their strategy throughout the year – so that doesn’t bother me; but if it was at the cost of eliminating something we should have kept- that can be an issue.

What is your budget? Often I hear, it doesn’t matter, tell me what I need to do and then I will tell you how much I can spend. Listen, it does matter. Why would you want a consultant or an employee to spend time giving you all the amazing possibilities to only find out you can’t do any of them due to budget? Right now in marketing, the world is your oyster; but start by strategizing on things you CAN AFFORD; that will have IMPACT. Leave the no-budget ideas to the dream big part of your strategy meeting.

How will people experience you and your services in 2022? In 2017, I had a client tell me that they heard “experiential strategy” being discussed on the morning news and it reminded them of me. I was flattered. Experiential is becoming a “buzzword” (update: it's still being discussed as a focus on providing consumers with a thoughtful experience that engages the sense.) and it’s something I have been teaching for years.

What is the experience of you? I don’t care if your team has to walk through your internal process and review what happens every time someone interacts with you – you should know what the experience is and you should strive to make it better. A potential client once said to me…there is no experience of me. I don’t really like people, and so our ordering process is automated and our website is self-sufficient. Ok – so your website is then your experience. And in strategy (and in life) you should constantly be working to get better – because I can tell you someone else (some other company or organization) is.

Are you dreaming big? Is your strategizing leave time for big-dreaming? I grew my corporate career in the insurance industry and I was taught about BHAGS. Big, hairy, audacious goals have always been part of my life. I believe we can all excel by thinking big. So each and every year I set one big goal; things like…I want to speak in front of 1,000 people, not 500. I want to buy my own creative space for think- tanks, I want to provide experiential get-aways for people who are ready to think big, I want to help 10 new companies launch with marketing.?I could go on, but you get the idea. Adding some big thinking to your annual goals and metrics is a way to strategize. There is always that chance that someone in the room throws out an idea that becomes your next big thing.

So here we are mid- November 2021, and strategy meetings can no longer be something you are planning for – they have to be something you are doing. What strikes me the most is that while things have changed tremendously in marketing since I first wrote this article, the idea of people wanting an experience hasn't changed at all. In fact, maybe we need experiences even more since COVID. REAL experiences. HEARTFELT experiences. HONEST experiences. If I could give one piece of advice about strategizing for next year, it would be to include the people that are passionate about your business. Make your meetings different. Listen to your team. Make your meetings a #FineThing*.

To strategize or work with Angie and her collaborative team, contact her at [email protected]

*YaZo's definition of a #FineThing is something that enriches your life!!