Hey #MKTGNation!
This is seriously almost a week and a half later than I intended to post this. As we're ramping up to Summit, we wanted to do a few chats that are a little more grand in scope, so a general discussion around how we all approach the sometimes-vague idea of "Marketing Strategy" seemed to fit the bill nicely. Before I start waxing poetic, go here to watch the episode:
#KreweChats Episode 17: Marketing Strategy
Like I said, "Strategy" is one of those big, lofty terms that everyone has a different perspective on, and can be really difficult to wrap your head around. In fact, the word gets so tired and overused that it's hard to keep track of what it even means sometimes. And when it's in your job title... 
Juli James really offered a perfect definition to level set the discussion:
Strategy is defining where do you want to go, and figuring out how you're going get there.
One of the things that Marketo does well – and that they probably sold ALL of us on at some point or another – is the scalability of vision. If you can draw it on a whiteboard, you can make it actionable in Marketo! The main idea is that Marketo is kind of the hub for all your digital marketing strategies and tactics. As we talk to new clients and prospects about what their needs and objectives are, we usually share a slide similar to the below and let them kind of choose their own adventure for while. No matter which path the conversation takes, it helps us suss out a prioritized list of their business needs, and also start to cast a vision for how we can achieve those objectives through Marketo. Bonus points for paving the runway for some advanced reporting! 
This is a fantastic exercise to put yourself through, and by no means does the above represent a comprehensive list of areas for strategic focus. The point is this: the reason we're all here is that Marketo enables the tactics that fulfill our strategic vision, and help us report on our overall impact on the business. The trick is understanding the "how." That part may take a little time and sweat-equity inside your own instance, but with Summit almost upon us, you have a prime opportunity to pick the brains of the foremost minds in Digital Marketing. I highly recommend you take a look at the above, consider your business objectives, and seek out a Marketo Certified Expert, #MKTOChampion, or agency partner to discuss those objectives at Summit. Iron sharpens iron, and so one Marketer sharpens another 
As always, we had a lot of fun. We were extremely thankful to welcome Andy Varshneya on this episode, and hope he'll join us again in the future! We also had #mykrewe regulars Ande Kempf, Jenn DiMaria, Juli James, and Rachel Egan.
What about you? What are your strategic areas of responsibility? How do you approach developing marketing strategy for your business? Keep it going in the comments!
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