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Chapter 5—Do you really need a marketing
strategy?

Leaders of small and mid-size companies are usually
action-oriented. They want to get going, to make things
happen, and they don’t want to wait to do it. Strategy has a
negative connotation for some—it sounds like too much navel
gazing and not enough getting things done. Unfortunately,
when it comes to marketing, avoiding strategy is dangerous.
I’ve seen many, many companies that just want to “get some
marketing out into the market”.

The problem is that they get exactly what they wish for—they
get something into the market. That “something” often has no
focus, no message that speaks to a desired target audience,
and no follow up. It may be out there, but it doesn’t do anything
positive for the company. Hundreds of millions of dollars and
countless hours are wasted every year in B2B marketing
because of this preference towards action without planning.

On the other hand, when marketing is used strategically, a plan
is set in place and executed well, it helps B2B companies clarify
their competitive advantage, differentiate themselves—and
most importantly—grow.

Good B2B marketing involves a roadmap. This is especially
important for small and mid-size companies that have limited
resources. Defining a strategy helps a company clarify its
focus. What market or markets are you going after, which
markets and marketing opportunities will you say no to?
There are thousands of ways to spend marketing dollars. The
challenge is to figure out which ways will be most effective.
Most companies don’t have any mechanisms for turning

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd