Don’t Make Your Strategy Useless!

“You have to be fast on your feet and adaptive or else a strategy is useless”

— Charles de Gaulle

I took a deep dive into the word “velocity” a few years back, and to me, it is the perfect word to use as a definition of how to think about marketing for 2022 and beyond.

Let’s look at the definition of the word;

“Velocity is equivalent to a specification of an object’s speed and direction of motion”

Once you have a proper brand strategy and marketing plan, then you need to go-to-market with your message, create assets that are based on said strategy and brand principles and ethos. But once that is set, you need to act with velocity. You have the strategy (direction) so now you need to move fast, with speed to get there.

Brands that are adaptable and agile are more likely to survive in this competitive environment. I mean — if people can change clothes and styles, and still maintain their character, then brands can do the same.

When the fundamentals, the brand strategy is in place, then you know your purpose, personality and promise. Your brand ethos is defined. Then it is all about making the brand narrative match the audience expectations by knowing the touchpoints with your tribe, the interactions, perceptions and behaviors. Now you can meet and beat the expectations to maximise the impact and conversion. You influence the characteristics of your brand, to be relevant, engaging, emotional and different.

Don’t make your strategy useless. → Define where you are, and where you are going, and whatever happens in between, must be handled with a velocity mindset.