STRAP-ON Strategy

If WFH, remote work and pandemic-induced realities have taught us nothing....

When it comes to that function that modern-day versions of 'Ad Agencies' call Brand Strategy - Account Planning - and a bunch of mini-strategies that flow out of these - Maybe the right person for the job is NOT FULL TIME.

It is the dawning of the STRAP-ON STRATEGIST.

All those job listings that never seemed to stay filled - or just 'can't find the right fit' for a Senior Strategist. Now you need them, now you don't, depending on the client assignment.

Maybe they shouldn't be filled with a full time person?

BEAR WITH ME FOR A SEC.

For sure, you will want some foundational members of your strategy team - those senior players who are in for the long term and have encoded themselves into the vision of your agency. But it's specifically for those 'strategist' or 'senior strategists' roles that you keep trying to fill that you might want to go a different way.

Here are some of the reasons you should hire a STRAP-ON Strategist. They can be project-based or even better a regular occurring, part-time retainer spot on the team that you can dial up or down as needed.

• That 'senior' strategist is never as senior as you want them to be and you can't ever seem to afford what the job really needs.
• A Strap-On has got the experience, the street smarts, and agility to throw at every situation you can think of.
• The full-timer will want raises, advancement and will often sit there, unused OR take longer than required to get a job done - with more supervision than you have time to provide them.
• A Strap-On is just happy to have the part-time work. They will not require advancement or raises. You can let them go without paying severance and use them only as much as you need them.
• A Strap-On - a good one at least is adept and agile enough to clone themselves into your organization - seamlessly. They can embed into any culture, methodology or positioning that you need them to. Because they are Strategists and they are driven by insight, observation and creativity.
• They get more done with less - faster, better, and with greater aplomb than any more junior resource you could hire.

So think about it. Hire a wayward Strategist today.

It is a new age that is breaking free of the confines of worn-out structures. It is how the great agencies of tomorrow will adapt, pull from a broader talent pool and provide increased value to themselves and their clients.

Thanks for reading.