Your marketing strategy doesn’t need to be completely re-written every year because it’s a long-term framework. Often a strategy is relevant for three to five years, with a tweak here or there if things go to plan, and an overhaul if they don’t. But generally speaking, if you wrote your marketing strategy last year, you don’t need to start again now. Instead, check these three things as a sounding board to see how you’re progressing:

1. Check your macros – Has anything significant shifted in the macro environment which has impacted or might impact your strategy delivering growth in the next 6-12 months? For most professional service businesses, this is likely to be technological or legal, such as artificial intelligence platforms or new regulations and legislation. Often these macro forces won’t have a huge impact on your marketing strategy right now, but they might in the future, so it’s worth being prepared.

2. Check your markets – Closer to home, has anything shifted in your market(s) such as new competitors entering, mergers and acquisitions forming, or significant growth/decline in the industry? These are likely to have an impact much sooner than changes in the macro environment, but it might not be immediate. Think about what you might need to change in your strategy to counter these market shifts. Look for new opportunities, such as collaborations and partnerships, as well as threats.

3. Check your metrics – Whilst you can’t control the macro or market environments, you can control your micro environment. One way to assess shifts at this level is you check your metrics. If certain channels were performing well for 6 months before dropping off, locate what changed. How did buyer behaviour change during the year and what impacted this? How did your tactics perform over time? Are you aware of relevant shifts or trends coming soon which you can build into your strategy now?

Rather than throwing away your strategy and starting from scratch, it’s worth taking a broad view of where you are at today. Scan the macro, market, and micro environments to understand what has changed, what is predicted to change, and how these shifts might impact your business and your marketing. And if you’re not sure where to start, let House of Comms take the stress out of marketing, one step at a time.