Mastering the 90-Day Plan: How to Transition from Strategy to Execution

As an agency owner, I've seen firsthand how a solid strategy is only as effective as its execution. We can spend all the time we want on creating a solid, strategic 90-day plan for our clients, but if the implementation isn’t strong, we’ll never get results.?

There's an immediate sense of urgency when transitioning from planning to action. The pressure is on us to deliver high-performing ad creatives that meet our testing objectives and drive meaningful results for our clients. This stage is where we shift gears and really start to see our strategies come to life.

How Brighter Click Starts Creative Execution

When we enter the execution phase, we focus on generating ad creatives that resonate with our client’s audience. There's a constant balancing act between pushing creative boundaries through testing and ensuring that we meet the performance goals our clients expect.?

At Brighter Click, we don’t rush into production blindly. Instead, we take the time to carefully consider which messaging angles will resonate most with the audience and align with our client's brand voice and business objectives. Our messaging angles (like Trust, Convenience, Product Quality, etc.) are decided on during the strategic phase. When it comes time to execute the first package for a client, we begin deciding which creative executions will work best to bring these motivators to life.?

How to Balance Iterations and New Concepts for Ad Creative

One of the most important decisions that our creative strategists face during this phase is whether to focus on iterating existing creative concepts or introducing entirely new ideas.?

In my experience, it’s essential to strike the right balance between these two approaches. Typically, we aim for a mix—something like 60% iterations and 40% net new concepts. This strategy allows us to build on what’s already proven effective while also exploring fresh concepts that could potentially outshine our existing campaigns.

For example, if we have a creative execution that has consistently performed well, we might tweak it—adjust the copy, switch up the visuals, or experiment with a different call to action. On the other hand, we’re always open to introducing new concepts that challenge our assumptions and push the creative envelope. This dual approach gives us the flexibility to optimize performance without putting all our eggs in one basket, ensuring that we’re continually testing and learning.

The Brighter Click Creative Testing Process

Testing is a cornerstone of our creative strategy. However, it’s not just about throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. Every test we run is intentional and data-driven. We decide on the formats and creative types—whether it’s user-generated content (UGC), video, or static ads—based on what we need to learn and what will best serve our clients' goals.

For instance, UGC can be a fantastic way to offload some of the production burden while still delivering content that feels authentic and relatable. But as an agency, we also have to be mindful of our team's bandwidth. Testing certain formats, like video, can be resource-intensive, so we often need to balance the need for innovative testing with the practical realities of our resources.?

It's about making smart, strategic choices that prioritize the client’s objectives while also maintaining the health and productivity of our team.

Our Point System for Creatives

At Brighter Click, my team uses a point system for our creatives to manage this balancing act. This system is an internal tool that helps us allocate resources effectively by assigning points based on the complexity of each creative.?

For example, a static ad that may be fairly easy to design is worth one point, whereas a brand-new video concept could be worth 3. This structured approach allows us to prioritize tasks, manage workloads and timelines, and ensure that we’re delivering the highest possible value to our clients.?

The point system also plays a crucial role in maintaining the efficiency of our creative process. It ensures that we’re not overloading our team with too many high-complexity tasks at once, which helps maintain quality and avoid burnout. By balancing the workload in this way, we’re able to consistently produce top-tier creatives without compromising on either speed or quality.

Want More Tips?

Check out an extended version of this newsletter HERE on our blog, which includes tips on how to effectively communicate with clients throughout the process.?

PS. Stay tuned to #MarketingMindset in the coming weeks—we’re getting ready to update our format with some exciting new additions!