How to build a marketing strategy that actually drives revenue
Sarah Mitchell · May 28, 2026 · 7 min read · Strategy
Most marketing plans are a wish list. Here's the 4-part framework we use with every client to tie strategy to revenue.
If your marketing plan reads like a calendar of campaigns, it's not a strategy — it's a to-do list. A real strategy starts with a clear answer to four questions: who, what, where, and how much.
Step one is positioning. Before you pick channels, you need a sharp answer to 'why should the customer choose us?' We run a 2-day positioning sprint with every new client because it changes every downstream decision.
Step two is audience clarity. Forget personas with stock photos. You need 3-5 real customer interviews, transcribed, with the actual words your buyers use. Those words become your headlines, your ads, and your sales scripts.
Step three is channel selection. Not every channel works for every business. We use a simple matrix: intent (high vs low) and reach (broad vs narrow). For a local plumber it's local SEO + Google Ads. For a B2B SaaS it's content + LinkedIn + paid retargeting.
Step four is the budget allocation rule: 70% on what's proven, 20% on what's promising, 10% on bets. Review monthly, reallocate quarterly.
