Creating a marketing strategy isn’t a neat checklist—it’s a grind that demands you get inside the heads of real people. As we outlined in Marketing vs. Advertising: What’s Actually the Difference?, marketing is the "rectangle" encompassing everything from customer research to branding, while advertising is just one "square" inside it.
Without a strategy, your ads are just noise—flashy, but ineffective.
This guide lays out seven steps to build a marketing strategy that attracts, engages, and retains customers. It’s for business owners, marketers, and entrepreneurs ready to do the hard work.
We’ll focus on creating a vivid customer avatar based on a real person, choosing channels with real hustle, and getting your hands dirty—not just leaning on tools. Let’s dive in.
A marketing strategy without clear goals is like driving without a destination — you’re moving, but not toward anything meaningful. Goals give your efforts focus and a way to measure success.
It’s tempting to set vague goals like “grow the business” or chase pipe dreams like “go viral.” The challenge is balancing ambition with what’s realistic for your resources and business stage.
Example: A local bakery might set a goal to “increase online orders by 20% in three months through Instagram promotions and email campaigns.”
Pro Tip: Write goals down and share them with your team. Accountability keeps you focused.
Marketing starts with knowing who you’re serving. As we noted in Marketing vs. Advertising: What’s Actually the Difference?, customer research is the bedrock of any strategy. But traditional advice about imagining a generalized “ideal customer” can feel abstract and disconnected.
Instead, here’s a simpler, more effective approach: pick one real customer you already have, write down their profile, and build your strategy around them. Others similar enough will follow. This isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about documenting what you already know to make your marketing sharper and more actionable.
People are complex, and it’s tempting to overcomplicate personas with endless demographics or hypothetical traits. The challenge is keeping it real—focusing on someone you’ve actually served, whose pain points, habits, and motivations you already understand. Documenting this isn’t just an exercise; it’s a way to systemize your instincts so your messaging, channels, and ads hit home.
Example: A pet supply store might choose “Mike,” a real 40-year-old customer who’s a dog dad, works from home, and buys eco-friendly products because he cares about sustainability. They document: “Mike reads X reviews before buying, skips brands with spammy ads, and emails us about ingredient sourcing.” They might segment into “new pet owners” (needing guidance) and “experienced owners” (like Mike, seeking premium products).
Pro Tip: Keep it human and simple. You’re not writing a novel — just documenting what you already know about one real person to guide your strategy. Imagine pitching your product to Mike over coffee. Update your avatar as you learn more -- view it as a living document.
Why It Matters: Basing your avatar on a real customer makes your marketing feel authentic and targeted. It’s easier to write for one person you know than a vague “persona.” Others like them will connect naturally, and you’ll avoid wasting money on misaligned ads (as we warned in Marketing vs. Advertising).
Your UVP answers, “Why you?” It’s the promise that makes your customer avatar choose you over competitors, rooted in their real needs from Step 2. Learn more about how marketing strategy drives effective execution in Marketing vs. Advertising.
Distilling your value into one sentence is tough when you want to say everything. The challenge is focusing on what your real avatar — like Sarah or Mike — cares about most.
Pro Tip: Use your UVP everywhere — website, emails, ad copy. Consistency builds trust, as we discussed in Marketing Is About Values.
Your brand is how your avatar feels about you. It’s not just a logo — it’s the vibe, voice, and visuals that make you recognizable. As we noted in Marketing vs. Advertising, brand management amplifies every effort.
Creating a brand that’s authentic and consistent across platforms takes time, especially when juggling multiple channels.
Pro Tip: Audit your branding. If your Instagram feels fun but your website feels stiff, fix the disconnect before running ads. Congruency is tedious, but important work; Don't overlook it.
Your customer avatar determines where you show up. As we covered in Marketing vs. Advertising, marketing includes digital, social, and relationship strategies—not just paid ads.
Tools like Buffer or Hootsuite make it tempting to post everywhere, but organic social media success demands more than scheduled posts. It’s a hustle — real, hands-on work that goes beyond automation to avoid the “post-and-pray” trap where content gets ignored.
With platforms like X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram, choosing where to focus is overwhelming. Scheduling tools make multi-platform posting feasible, but without genuine engagement, your posts fade into the noise. Organic growth requires daily effort, and it’s easy to get stuck churning out content with no real connection.
Example: A B2B consultancy might focus on LinkedIn, posting articles and commenting daily on industry posts, while using email for nurturing. A pet brand might post on Instagram for visuals and engage on X in #PetLovers threads, responding to every comment.
Pro Tip: Use Hootsuite or Sprout Social to track engagement (comments, shares, clicks). Commit to 15–30 minutes daily (minimum) for interaction. Organic growth is a grind, but it’s worth it.
Content brings your strategy to life. It’s how you talk to your avatar, build trust, and stay top-of-mind. Content creation is a core marketing activity (per Marketing vs. Advertising), far beyond ads.
Producing consistent, valuable content while running a business is exhausting.
You need a realistic but impactful plan.
Example: A skincare brand might post “How to Build a 5-Minute Routine” for Sarah (SEO blog), Reels for quick tips (Instagram), and email discounts for conversions.
Pro Tip: Repurpose content. Turn a blog into an X thread or YouTube video to save time, as we explored in The Viral Growth Loop.
A strategy isn’t static. You need to track results, learn, and pivot—especially in today’s fast-changing world (see Pivoting Is the New Strategy).
Data can be overwhelming, and it’s tempting to stick with what’s comfortable instead of adapting.
Example: If your X thread gets low engagement, test shorter posts or different hashtags. If SEO drives leads, invest more there.
Pro Tip: Review data monthly. Small tweaks can compound into big wins.
Building a marketing strategy is difficult in practice because people are complex, markets evolve, and results require hustle. As we emphasized in Marketing vs. Advertising, a strong marketing “rectangle” makes every “square” (like ads) more effective.
By defining goals, building a real customer avatar, crafting a UVP, creating a brand, choosing channels with hustle, producing content, and measuring results, you’re building trust and authority.
This isn’t about shortcuts or viral hacks (see The Hidden Cost of Chasing Viral). It’s about understanding your audience — like Sarah or Mike — and delivering value they can’t ignore. Get your hands dirty, stay consistent, and adapt.
Credit: Insights inspired by the American Marketing Association’s marketing frameworks, real-world marketing experience, and feedback from The Viral Marketing Company.