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<h2><img id="9zz1q19x4um0mdfbzc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/321idt59DeRG9YW7UJ83NJiDavrWWzqPQSNbgZD2qvTyuLL7eEUyTyVsBf8QNESx.png" alt="person using microsoft surface laptop on lap with two other people" title="person using microsoft surface laptop on lap with two other people" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/321idt59DeRG9YW7UJ83NJiDavrWWzqPQSNbgZD2qvTyuLL7eEUyTyVsBf8QNESx.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></h2>At Strategic Marketing and Execution, we believe that success is a blend of strategy, value, execution, and positive human interaction. One of the most insightful resources on this topic is The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. The book outlines five laws of stratospheric success that resonate deeply with our philosophy. These laws are pivotal in transforming not just businesses but the lives of people we should truly care about.&nbsp;That doesn’t mean we care about every single person we come across (we can pray for them though) - but we should care about every person we have a relationship with in the professional environment we build around us.&nbsp;Let's dive into these principles and explore how they can be applied to achieve business success - whether a solopreneur, a smaller family-owned business, or all the way into larger mid-market operations.<h3>1. The Law of Value 💎</h3>"Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment."The principle of value is not about the price tag you attach to your services or products. Rather, it’s the actual value offered to your clients and customers. Success is achieved when businesses focus on exceeding expectations (living out the “underpromise, overdeliver,” if you will) and delivering extraordinary value. This can manifest in exceptional customer service, bringing innovative solutions, or going the extra mile to provide unexpected value through relationships, positivity, or other culture/business-building actions.For Strategic Marketing and Execution, this law translates into a commitment to understanding our clients' needs deeply and delivering solutions that far surpass their expectations. By doing so, we build trust and foster long-lasting relationships that drive sustainable success.<h3>2. The Law of Compensation ⚖️</h3>"Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them."This law emphasizes the correlation between impact and compensation. The more lives you touch positively, the greater your rewards. It encourages businesses to scale their operations to maximize their reach and influence.At Strategic Marketing and Execution, we help businesses embrace this law by striving to refine services to a target audience while maintaining the highest standards of excellence and the values of the business. Continuous optimization, improving and adapting our strategies to serve more clients effectively, we ensure that our client successes grow alongside our ability to make a difference.<figure id="figure-fswvtqenlxlt3cteog" class=""><img id="fswvtqenlxlt3cteog" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1529329774285-9d33be4f4d5f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxoYW5kc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjUzNjQwOTZ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="person wearing white long-sleeved shirt holding pink flower petals" title="person wearing white long-sleeved shirt holding pink flower petals" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined% 70%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined%" data-positiony="70%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1529329774285-9d33be4f4d5f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxoYW5kc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjUzNjQwOTZ8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined% 70%;"></figure><h3>3. The Law of Influence 🎤</h3>"Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first."What it means to be selfless. Selfless leaders are so much more respected than selfish leaders. True influence stems from prioritizing the needs of others and empowering them. This law is about building genuine, mutually beneficial relationships focusing on giving rather than taking.We embody this principle by listening first to the needs of our clients, understanding their unique challenges, and offering tailored solutions that address those needs. By putting our client's interests at the forefront of our operations, we build a strong network of trust and loyalty that enhances our influence and reputation.<h3>4. The Law of Authenticity ✅</h3>"The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself."Being authentic and true is what makes every single person unique. This law highlights the importance of being genuine to oneself in all interactions. People are drawn to those who are real and sincere - because you can’t keep up the facade forever. Who you are behind closed doors should be the same person others see in professional environments.&nbsp;At Strategic Marketing and Execution, we believe in the power of authenticity. We encourage our team to bring their true selves to work, offering what we know, and raising our hand when we don’t. Trust is built in owning mistakes and growing from them, that includes expecting the same from our clients. We really believe in fostering an environment where honesty and transparency are valued.&nbsp;<h3>5. The Law of Receptivity 📶</h3> "The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving."Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. This law teaches that in order to give effectively, one must also be open to receiving. It’s about maintaining a balance and understanding that receptivity is crucial to the cycle of success. We would add value by receiving with grace and gratitude and not becoming lazy in giving after receiving.We like to believe that we often recommend trusted partners, clients, and other referrals within our network for everyone to win, not just our clients. We are dedicated to providing value and service; we remain open to new opportunities, feedback, and growth. Being receptive enhances our capacity to give and continues our journey toward “stratospheric success.”<h3>In conclusion ✨</h3>The five laws of growth and success from The Go-Giver are timeless. It provides wisdom and simplicity to be a good company and person to work with. &nbsp;By focusing on value, helping others, building genuine relationships, embracing our true selves, and staying open to new opportunities of giving and receiving, we strive for excellence. These principles drive our business success and enrich the lives of those we serve.A big shoutout to Bob Burg and John David Mann for continuing to help businesses give and receive successfully with The Go-Giver and the various versions that help others in specific roles find stratospheric success.Be great, be a Go-Giver.

Revisiting The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success from The Go-Giver

<h2>Here's Your Guide to Marketing Tactics that Don’t Have a Direct ROI</h2>First, we must understand Return on Investment (ROI) and the measurement of activities.&nbsp;For example, we go to a trade show - spending $12,000 on booth materials, collateral, and advertising at the event. We generate 15 leads, of which 5 close for an average of $5,000 in annual recurring revenue(arr). That trade show would then have an ROI of 108% (remember this is revenue not profit).&nbsp;Next, would be non-ROI efforts, which can often be to the tune of brand building.&nbsp;<h3>Brand Building Efforts 🧱</h3>Activities like brand awareness campaigns, brand stories that evoke emotion instead of a call to action, and events that are more about shaping your brand's identity, culture, and perception among your target audience.<h3>Relationship Building Efforts 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽</h3>Hosting events without the direct intention of increasing sales, webinars, and creating valuable content such as blogs, videos, and podcasts in the hope of providing value in education, and in turn building meaningful connections with your audience by fostering trust, and increasing customer sentiment towards the brand.<figure id="figure-fswvtqenlxlt3cteog"><img id="fswvtqenlxlt3cteog" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1542744173-8e7e53415bb0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxN3x8TWFya2V0aW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMzE3NzE1Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="man standing in front of people sitting beside table with laptop computers" title="man standing in front of people sitting beside table with laptop computers" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined% 70%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined%" data-positiony="70%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1542744173-8e7e53415bb0?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxN3x8TWFya2V0aW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMzE3NzE1Mnww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined% 70%;"></figure><h3>Market Positioning Efforts 🎯</h3>Collaboration with influencers, sponsoring industry events and local sports teams, and showcasing thought leadership through whitepapers, case studies, or reports can elevate your brand's position in the market and provide subject matter expertise.Through the efforts listed above, which is obviously not the full suite of ideas, but maybe some jumpstarts to ideate and strategize around - the ability to create great content that provides subliminal positive brand messaging will have no direct impact on ROI, but surely allows for more sales to take place.A balanced marketing strategy combines both ROI-driven efforts and non-ROI strategies to achieve intentional growth and sustainable success. While ROI-focused tactics deliver the Profit-and-Loss immediate results and revenue, non-ROI strategies lay the foundation for long-term brand equity, customer relationships, and market leadership.By incorporating non-ROI marketing tactics into your overall strategy and leveraging data-driven insights to measure their impact, you can find the measured value, strengthen your brand presence, and create lasting connections with your audience, all while softly building the net reach of your funnel.Overall, non-ROI marketing efforts are indeed worth investing in and can be fun (let’s remember to have fun in the day-to-day of our livelihoods), provided they align with our goals, reach our target audience, and connect with our long-term vision.&nbsp;Embracing these strategies alongside ROI-driven initiatives can lead to a well-rounded marketing approach that drives both immediate returns and sustained growth. ☝🏼🤓

Is there Value in Non-ROI Marketing Efforts?

<h3>Marketing Leadership is more than just telling marketing coordinators and vendors what to do.</h3>It’s steering the ship in the right direction with all members on board (including those outside of marketing, as most marketing initiatives are tied to business goals).Creating quarterly rocks, or other common names - quarterly objectives or goals is a strategic approach to drive success within a business and marketing. These rocks serve as the foundational milestones that guide your efforts and help businesses stay focused on achieving their overarching goals.&nbsp;<figure id="figure-fswvtqenlxlt3cteog"><img id="fswvtqenlxlt3cteog" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/14sLCTRSfoticp4o3zYezSk1J0LPMSeL2Fhvdn4VFvsFBRexPZhr9RR0patcackz.jpg" alt="person using microsoft surface laptop on lap with two other people" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/14sLCTRSfoticp4o3zYezSk1J0LPMSeL2Fhvdn4VFvsFBRexPZhr9RR0patcackz.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Here's a framework to help you form quarterly rocks.</h3>Define Clear Objectives Identify specific, measurable objectives that align with your long-term business and marketing goals. These objectives should be challenging but attainable within a three-month, or 90-day, timeframe.Prioritize Key Initiatives Identify the key initiatives or projects that will contribute most significantly to achieving your objectives. Prioritize these initiatives based on their potential impact and feasibility.Allocate Appropriate Budget &amp; Resources Assess the resources required to accomplish each quarterly rock, including budget, hours, people, and technology, as needed. Allocate resources accordingly to support the successful execution of your initiatives.Assign Accountability Clearly assign who owns each rock for individuals or sometimes teams within your organization. Accountability ensures that everyone understands their role in achieving the quarterly objectives.Monitor Progress At STXMKT, we run weekly meetings tracking our progress on tasks and efforts that are directly tied to rocks. Sometimes it’s important to implement a system for tracking and monitoring progress towards each quarterly rock. Sometimes a project management tool like monday.com or ClickUp can be a window into these efforts.Communicate and Align Encourage open communication within your team or organization to ensure everyone is aligned, removing blockers, and moving forward with confidence.Evaluate and Learn At the end of each quarter, conduct a thorough evaluation of the results achieved from quarterly rocks. Identify successes, challenges, and areas for improvement, and use these insights to inform your strategy for the next quarter. Sometimes rocks can be a cadence to continue in a new channel, or optimization of something already running, or even just a project that is driven by the marketing strategy. We’ve worked in Agencies, Corporate, and a couple of various marketing ecosystems. This is the most effective when it comes to consistently completing the items the business needs. If your business can effectively create quarterly rocks that drive success in your marketing efforts, sales are often enabled for growth, and ROI measuring is often easier. Consistent execution of quarterly rocks can lead to steady progress toward your long-term goals and ultimately contribute to the overall success of your organization.If you need help with organizing your marketing efforts - reach out to us at <a data-mce-href="stxmkt.com" href="stxmkt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stxmkt.com</a>, whether we’re the right fit or not, we won’t steer you in the wrong direction.<figure id="figure-v0t04hi06glsey1wr9"><img id="v0t04hi06glsey1wr9" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/dcUKuIaRoI8XW7Zv8fwU7b5DJwUPyscEbwxbeEtZdrv8fFwia1vJbbpCoNco8dX1.jpg" alt="woman placing sticky notes on wall" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/dcUKuIaRoI8XW7Zv8fwU7b5DJwUPyscEbwxbeEtZdrv8fFwia1vJbbpCoNco8dX1.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>

Quarterly Rocks - The Effective Way to Get Aligned and Done in Marketing

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<h3>Customer Relationship Management Systems are Essential for Effective Marketing Strategies</h3>First Point: MICROSOFT EXCEL IS NOT A CRM (This is just a callout to get off of this system and into something that works for you - not something you have to dedicate valuable time on).Onto the actual article 👇🏻The importance of CRM systems ensuring marketing success cannot be overstated. These systems serve as invaluable tools for marketers, from measuring ROI/ROAS to enabling the team to effectively manage customer relationships, personalize customer and prospect outreach efforts, and optimize campaign performance.&nbsp;Also see: sustainable, measurable data for decision-making and growth.<figure id="figure-ufz5i2qy8rlsf4o0ac"><img id="ufz5i2qy8rlsf4o0ac" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/15gAUMKsr2AyEIrcfyyrCPl5xTZO75c0O5aNsTTWA49JBe68xZQLjeuUNcuTpKy5.jpg" alt="person catching light bulb" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/15gAUMKsr2AyEIrcfyyrCPl5xTZO75c0O5aNsTTWA49JBe68xZQLjeuUNcuTpKy5.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What is a CRM?&nbsp;</h3>A CRM acts as a hub for storing and organizing customer data, from contact details to purchase history, company name, etc. Having all this information readily accessible empowers marketers to gain deeper insights into the target audience. Common CRMs you’ve likely heard of would be SalesForce, Hubspot, Zoho, PipeDrive - and a ton of industry-specific options.<h3>Why a CRM?</h3>Ever wondered where your leads came from? A CRM is a great central location to find out. Connecting a CRM to Google Analytics, Social Media Channels, Paid Media Channels, and phone or other traditional marketing channels is second nature with today’s technology.Precise List Segmentation and Targeting Haven’t heard from someone in over a year and want to re-engage them? A lot easier with a CRM than an outdated Excel sheet.By leveraging the data within a CRM, marketers and the business development department can segment their audience based on various criteria such as demographics, behavior, and past interactions. This segmentation facilitates the creation of highly targeted marketing campaigns tailored to specific customer segments, resulting in enhanced engagement and conversion rates.Automation Utilizing workflows for communication can keep customers getting brand interactions and communications without having to manually dial the phone or send an email. There is a bit of work on the front end, but that payoff and time back is invaluable. Create customer journeys to work buyers down the funnel and qualify themselves as a good fit for an engagement.In conclusion, CRM systems are indispensable assets for businesses seeking to drive marketing and sales success in today's dynamic business environment. By harnessing the power of comprehensive customer data management, automation, audience segmentation, personalized communications, and robust analytics, marketers can create highly targeted campaigns that resonate with their audience, foster lasting relationships, and drive sustainable business growth.<figure id="figure-v0t04hi06glsey1wr9" class=""><img id="v0t04hi06glsey1wr9" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552664730-d307ca884978?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxNYXJrZXRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAzMjM3MDE0fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="woman placing sticky notes on wall" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552664730-d307ca884978?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw5fHxNYXJrZXRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAzMjM3MDE0fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>

A Critical Must: CRM Systems for Driving Marketing & Sales Success

Almost a month into 2024 and we’re still seeing so much directionless activity by small businesses in marketing - heck, even the big brands are doing crazy things that don’t seem strategic (<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/solo-stove-names-brand-ambassadors-102100354.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHjEXAmz1X_oJEA24E68optgkBevAXcF6MhWpJM6XnO885J3TFk0Bw-rgNz0wL4JmFJQiL2Q2qd22wmBGSsQYtz3STTnVvZuIr4GT0NdKY97F9uVWfdx7vXp_IHlH_r9tK__rBv8VM2x-icjp10IA7UDQcrkUFKpuatQaUVgNhib" data-mce-href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/solo-stove-names-brand-ambassadors-102100354.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHjEXAmz1X_oJEA24E68optgkBevAXcF6MhWpJM6XnO885J3TFk0Bw-rgNz0wL4JmFJQiL2Q2qd22wmBGSsQYtz3STTnVvZuIr4GT0NdKY97F9uVWfdx7vXp_IHlH_r9tK__rBv8VM2x-icjp10IA7UDQcrkUFKpuatQaUVgNhib">Solo Stove - what have you done</a>?) Here are some key reasons to be strategic - instead of going for “let’s throw a bunch of money at a mega influencer” and then firing our CEO after we miss projections by 9 figures. <ul><li aria-level="1">Direction and Focus: A marketing strategy provides a clear direction that is aligned with business objectives. It outlines the goals and the path to achieving them. This helps the entire organization to align efforts and resources.</li><li aria-level="1">Understanding the Market: Knowing the market we’re speaking to and creating a customer persona (the person that buys the product or service, en masse) is a key component of all marketing and advertising efforts. Knowing market share, competitor information and other pieces of market research equip us with market knowledge. With this knowledge, the business can make informed decisions and tailor its offerings to meet customer needs effectively.</li><li aria-level="1">Resource Allocation: With a marketing strategy in place, businesses can allocate their resources (financial, people(internal and external), tools/tech, and time) efficiently. Also known as a marketing budget, this should often be between 10-20% of revenue depending on the industry.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">Consistency and Brand Image: A marketing strategy helps maintain consistency in messaging and branding across all marketing channels. The amount of brands that deviate from the brand and what it means to be ON brand can be hair-pulling from a marketer's perspective. We must keep it simple when it comes to recognition and confidence for our target audience.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">Knowing our WHY &amp; Values: From the top down in an organization, we have to live out our core values, have people aligned in sharing those values, and all drive the ship in the same direction. Internal success often leads to external success. Knowing differentiators, values shared internally and externally, and our why can propel major success.</li><li aria-level="1">Customer Engagement: More commonly understood as the funnel, effective marketing strategies include plans beyond just the transactional customer action. Customer engagement and relationship building are <strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: calc(18px * var(--body-fontSize, 1)); font-style: var(--body-fontStyle, normal);" data-mce-style="font-family: inherit; font-size: calc(18px * var(--body-fontSize, 1)); font-style: var(--body-fontStyle, normal);">years long when done correctly. This goes beyond just acquiring customers; it involves retaining them and fostering loyalty through ongoing communication and value delivery.</li><li aria-level="1">Measurable Result A marketing strategy typically includes setting key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for tracking success. From there we build live reporting dashboards to look at the numbers, the ROI or ROAS, and make calculated decisions on what to continue to do, pivot away from, or continue on with. This allows the business to measure the effectiveness of its marketing efforts and make data-driven adjustments for continuous improvement.</li><li aria-level="1">Risk Management: With a clear strategy, businesses can identify potential risks and develop contingency plans. A great question often asked is “What’s the worst case scenario” and planning for that - so if things go awry we can be prepared to adjust. Oftentimes, it’s a good scenario that we never have to fall back on. This proactive approach helps in mitigating risks and handling challenges more effectively.</li></ul> Long story summed up, a marketing strategy serves as a roadmap for success in the highly competitive business environment. Rarely do you see small businesses creating a new product or service, but often do you see a small business innovating a new way to reach an unhappy customer segment. Here’s to finding the ways to talk to those customers and let their needs be met 🤝🏼.

Blog

Revisiting The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success from Th...

Is there Value in Non-ROI Marketing Efforts?

Quarterly Rocks - The Effective Way to Get Aligned and Do...

A Critical Must: CRM Systems for Driving Marketing & Sale...

Why Strategy is Imperative in Today's Marketing