The Importance of Strategic Planning for Marketing & Communications

Written By Jessica Palm

Marketing and communication efforts have the biggest impact when they are directly linked to a company’s strategic plan. Moving forward in marketing without purpose is akin to drifting afloat on the ocean, hoping to find land without charting a course. 

Ensure your company can drive business forward by aligning tactics with your core priorities. Use these steps to develop a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy framework: 

Context Setting

  • Explore what marketing and communications plans and metrics your company is currently utilizing.

  • Take the time to level set the market environment and broader industry trends. 

Mission & Values Development

  • What is the  core purpose of the company?

    • A mission describes what an organization does and aims to achieve.

    • Explore 50 examples of mission statements.

  •  Next, identify the top 4-5 values  that directly support your core purpose. 

    • Values define the fundamental principles and beliefs that guide how the organization operates and makes decisions.

Key Priorities

  • Identify strategic focus areas for the organization:

    • Examples: customer experience, financial performance, operational excellence, innovation and product development, talent and culture. Take time to set priorities. 

    • What are your short-term priorities versus long-term priorities?

    • How do these priorities move your focus areas forward in alignment with your values and mission?

  • Take inventory to see if resources are properly allocated to those top priorities or are they being diverted to areas that aren’t as important? 

Measurable Objectives

  • Build a metrics framework that indicates what success looks like. 

  • Identify objectives.

  • Establish SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. 

Integration & Action Planning 

  • What are key themes and messages needed to meet your objectives?  How do these messages align all the way back up to your key focus areas and mission?

  • What tactics do you utilize when sharing those messages? 

  • Put together a detailed timeline of when to flight these tactics and to achieve your goals. 

Want to explore how Storia Strategies can support your strategic planning? Let’s connect.


Jessica Palm
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