The 2 horses business strategy

This article focuses on the importance of teamwork in defining or redefining your business strategy for the next years.

There shouldn’t be a significant difference between a Business Strategy and a Marketing Strategy for 2019. The naming is irrelevant, yet the content is vital for the development of your company.

For this reason, we have invented a new concept which explains precisely how the ideal business/marketing strategy should be like. We call it: the “2 Horses Business Strategy”. Why? Because the company and the agency must cover the entire process and exploit the opportunities together as partners.

If any agency proposes you a business strategy devised independently, without requiring your input, we recommend you to stop right there and think twice. Do you think you really need a lengthy presentation full of theory, study cases and other standard prescriptions? Do you genuinely believe it could lead your business to success?

Don’t forget that the one WHO gives advice NEVER PAYS the consequences. But you will, for sure.

Instead, we suggest you a WIN-WIN partnership with a Marketing Agency, in which both parts share the effort, time and responsibilities in order to achieve a common objective.

Thus, find below the main arguments for a “2 Horses Business Strategy” and decide for yourself.

THE BUSINESS

THE AGENCY

Internal & External Analysis

You know best your company’s situation, market and competition, products and customers.

Give: Share the experience

and performance measurement system with the Agency, after signing an NDA agreement.

The Agency objectively analyzes the added value and the competition’s communication vs. your communication. Very often, the Agency is also better at identifying new opportunities.

Get: The agency will make sure it really understands your business before providing solutions.

Targeting & Positioning

You know best your customers and your focus may remain only on channels and messages but keep in mind that segmentation and positioning are very important.

Give: Invests time in working together with the Agency to set a clear positioning from the start, which will save a lot of time and money, as well as avoid unnecessary errors.

The Agency knows how to create a clear positioning, establish the most efficient sales channels and divide the audience by types of customers.

Get: You will receive a coherent communication plan which is the only way (besides pure luck) to achieve the objectives you’ve set.

Strategic directions

Defining (or redefining) strategic directions is the most important milestone in strategy elaboration.

Give: Allow a communication expert to provide help with focusing on what’s important and efficient

The Agency lives by the rule that strategic directions have an important role in achieving an upgraded business way of thinking and a better understanding of the goals.

Get: Very often you’ll discover new perspectives and new business potential when working side by side with the Agency

Budgets

The business manager has a strategic role in defining the budgets and making sure these will not block initiatives, and that the strategy can and will be implemented with the best results.

Give: Resources for creativity.

Working with an Agency on the budgets means constant cooperation and a double check of each step.

Get: The Agency will evaluate the chances and might relocate budgets across marketing actions according to the strategic role of each campaign.

Actions, timeline and responsibilities

Saying yes or no to most of the strategy’s action plan, putting things in balance, estimating and asking for clarifications.

Give: This is not the time to wait and see, but to get involved. The results could be amazing!

Together you will structure, measure, present, estimate, simulate, calculate, elaborate on ideas, give examples and decide together with the management what matters most.

Get: The Agency will get to work and constantly keep an eye out for potential improvements to the plan.

We’re pretty sure that now you know what we mean by the “2 Horses Business Strategy”. So, what’s next?

Implement together

If both parts invested so much in getting to know each other

it’s a pity not to actually implement the plan.

If you feel that your business could embrace the “2 Horses Business Strategy”, then expect for the agency to sweat next to you during the implementation process. Your agency should be part of your team, and not an external supplier, as well as 100% accountable for their actions. Bearing this in mind, you’ll most likely enjoy a successful journey together.

Last but not least, below you can find several examples of misunderstanding the “2 Horses Business Strategy”. Make sure you’ll not find yourself in one of these situations. It’s for everyone’s sake.