Strategy-First Marketing vs. Deliverable-Focused Marketing: Saving Time, Money, and Resources for Better Results

I’m a Washington Huskies fan through marriage, so I recently found myself tuning into the NFL draft to see what would become of our star quarterback, Michael Penix. No one expected the controversy his selection would create. 

Make no mistake, there is no controversy about him as a player. The hubbub relates to the fact that this talented QB was drafted #8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons . . .who just weeks earlier had signed a deal with another star quarterback, Kirk Cousins, to the tune of $180 million.

I’m no NFL expert, but to myself and many sports commentators, this draft choice seemed…misguided. Furthermore, like a waste of resources.

Generally, teams don’t just assemble players at random and hope for the best. They evaluate talent, considering how each draft pick fits into the team’s strengths and weaknesses. All of this for the ultimate goal of the coveted Super Bowl ring.  But to my laywoman’s eyes, it seemed like the Falcons went chasing the newest, shiniest player and abandoned all strategy. *

*If this draft pick ends up being the most brilliant choice ever, ignore me. I hope the analogy will still stand.

All too often, companies do the same thing – diving headfirst into marketing tactics without a clear strategy. They jump into the next marketing “trend” or allocate more money to their ad spend without first diagnosing the problem.

It leaves their business looking like this. ⤵️

• The sales team is wasting time on poor-fit leads.
• There’s a shortage of good-fit leads coming in.
• The marketing department is severely under-developed.
• The sales process is way too long.
• The close rate is low.
• There’s money going to Meta and Google, but getting nothing in return.

Here’s the thing: If your marketing isn’t strategic, it doesn’t set up sales for success. 

And almost always, you’ll be wasting time, money, and resources.

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If you want to stop throwing your marketing spend to the wind, exhausting your time on poor-fit leads, and allocating your resources to the void, you’ve got to adopt a strategy-first approach to your marketing.

At Heights Strategic Marketing, we help CEOs and business owners make smart marketing decisions with a strategic, goal-driven approach. Through marketing strategy consulting, content execution, coaching, and training, we help companies optimize their marketing and sales process so that everything seamlessly works together – and ultimately, gets results.

So, what is a strategy-first approach, and how do you apply it to your marketing? Keep reading to learn how to get started.

💡 What is Strategy-First Marketing?

At Heights, any marketing tactic we take always connects to the larger goals of our clients. We avoid hastily jumping into execution. Instead, we start with understanding your organization’s growth goals and THEN recommending a marketing and sales plan to meet them. We use a combination of proven frameworks we are certified in, plus the practical experience we have gained through running marketing departments and helping our clients run theirs.

Simply put, strategy-first marketing prioritizes the development and execution of a well-defined marketing plan aimed at achieving specific business goals. 

The opposite of strategy-first? Marketing that’s deliverable-focused. This type of marketing emphasizes the creation and delivery of tangible marketing assets like advertisements, website and social content, or campaigns, often without a clear overarching strategy guiding their creation and deployment.

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between the two approaches:

Strategy-First Marketing	Deliverable-Focused Marketing
Emphasizes strategic planning and decision-making based on a thorough analysis of market research, target audience, competitive landscape, and business goals. Prioritizes consistent brand positioning and messaging to build greater brand awareness.	Centers on creating and delivering marketing materials, assets, or campaigns without a comprehensive strategic framework guiding their development.
Focuses on understanding the needs and preferences of the target audience and developing tailored marketing strategies to address those unique needs.	May involve a focus on producing engaging visuals or content pieces without necessarily considering their alignment with the broader business goals.
Involves setting clear, long-term goals and defining the overarching approach needed to achieve those goals.	Often focuses on short-term, tactical activities aimed at generating immediate results or addressing specific marketing needs.
Measures success based on the key performance indicators (KPIs) tied to the business outcomes, such as revenue growth, customer acquisition, retention, and brand loyalty.	Measures success based on metrics related to the performance of specific marketing deliverables, such as click-through rates, impressions, likes, or shares.

✅ Summary

To summarize, strategy-first marketing takes a holistic and long-term approach that aligns with the overall business goals. It aims to drive sustainable growth for the business and your customer base, not deliver quick wins with no results.

Deliverable-focused marketing, on the other hand, tends to be more tangible and short-term in nature. It focuses primarily on creating and publishing individual marketing assets without necessarily considering their strategic impact on the business.

Which approach reflects your business today?

Which approach reflects where you want your business to be in the future?

If you’re ready to get clear on your growth goals and how your marketing should support that, let’s set up a call. 

Looking for a way to develop a strategy-first marketing plan? Download our FREE Marketing Plan Checklist to create a plan you can implement now with a clear look ahead to the next 3 to 5 years.