I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that about 90% of the workers in advertising and marketing are consumed by tactics. “I want a new website. We need an acquisition program. Our sales force is up 8% year over year. The innovation team is cranking out some really great ideas.”
We build things, we buy things, we read, write and communicate. We hire and manage, then count the metrics and the change. But are these efforts always undertaken towards a strategic purpose? More often than not the answer is “no.”
Every company needs to have a strategic mission. A brand strategy. And it needs key operating principles: Brand planks. Every employee at the company needs to know the mission and the planks. Go out today and ask a worker what their company strategy is, and with the possible exception of Zappos you are likely to hear “make money” or “be more profitable.” Then probe “What are your company’s three key operating principles?” and you’ll get that look dogs give you when you put the ball behind your back. Try it. Peace!