Karrie is a thought leader in Digital Journal’s Insight Forum (become a member).
We all know the look. It comes from an executive team that wants results immediately, and you haven’t even finished talking about the plan.
The questions start rolling in: How many posts? What’s the ROI on the email campaign? Can we get that brochure done yesterday?
It’s the pressure we’ve all faced as communicators and marketers — proving the value of our work while the focus remains squarely on output.
What’s missing is the bigger picture.
Marketing and communications are often more about deliverables and an expense line instead of strategy, and it’s holding businesses back.
I’ve been there.
As a fractional CMO and communications strategist, I’ve worked with teams and organizations that feel stuck in this cycle of doing rather than thinking.
But marketing is not just a function to produce content or to make things look good. It’s a business driver that, when approached strategically and aligned to organizational goals, can unlock the full potential of an organization’s marketing team resulting in measurable impact, modern approaches and long-term credibility and growth. ,Marketing vs strategic marketing — what’s the difference?
Too often, companies focus their efforts on execution rather than strategy. They create brochures, run campaigns, and churn out content, but they miss the bigger picture.
Marketing, when done tactically, becomes a checklist of tasks. Strategic marketing, on the other hand, aligns every effort with the business’s larger goals. It’s about leadership, not just execution.
Strategic marketers sit at the decision-making table. They use data and insights to influence how and where to reach audiences. Instead of focusing solely on deliverables, they shape the conversation about what the business wants to achieve.
This difference (leadership versus execution) is what separates strategic marketing from being just another business function.
What’s lost when you aren’t communicating strategically
When marketing and comms are only tactical, businesses face significant opportunity costs.
A sales team might request a brochure, but without a strategic approach, no one asks whether that brochure is the best tool to solve the problem. Have you looked at the data? Are you targeting the right audience? Is LinkedIn a better platform? Without these questions, businesses risk wasting time and resources on ineffective tactics.
Misalignment between sales and marketing is another common issue.
In healthcare, for example, hospitals often focus their messaging on operational needs like funding or staffing. They rely on trade shows and glossy brochures, but these materials might not be the assets that resonate with decision-makers like hospital administrators.
The result? Messaging that fails to address how these stakeholders navigate their day, make decisions, or prioritize needs.
This misstep isn’t unique to healthcare — it happens across industries like financial services and technology, where understanding behaviours is key to success.
By failing to approach marketing strategically, companies also lose the ability to adapt. Customer journeys aren’t linear, and businesses can’t control them. Strategic marketers recognize this reality and design campaigns that meet customers where they are, not where the company wants them to be.
Without this mindset, brands miss critical opportunities to build trust and relevance.
Strategic marketing brings measurable value to businesses. It drives cost efficiencies by ensuring that every effort is intentional and tied to a goal. It improves brand credibility, positioning the company as a leader in its space. And it increases conversions, whether through new clients, cross-selling opportunities, or referrals.
When marketing is strategic, it also ensures consistency. A clear brand message doesn’t pivot with every trend or change in leadership. Instead, it builds trust over time, giving audiences a sense of stability and confidence in the brand.
This kind of alignment between marketing and business goals creates long-term impact that deliverables alone can’t achieve.
How do I know if my team is being strategic vs just marketing?
The first sign is measurement. Every marketing expense should map back to a strategic goal. If your team can’t articulate why they chose a specific channel or campaign, it’s a red flag.
Measurement isn’t just about tracking results, either. It’s about understanding the reasoning behind every decision.
A strategic team also challenges itself. They ask why something worked (or didn’t) and how it can be improved. If your team isn’t having these conversations, they’re likely stuck in a cycle of production. Strategic marketers prioritize outcomes over output, constantly looking for ways to refine and enhance their efforts.
This is where leadership makes all the difference.
A Chief Marketing Officer or fractional CMO brings the experience and perspective needed to guide teams toward strategic thinking. They help align marketing with the business’s broader goals, ensuring that every effort contributes to growth and credibility.
That’s what I do, and I do it for these reasons. Companies need strategic leadership.
In the era of AI, this approach is more critical than ever.
AI can automate tasks and analyze data at scale, but it doesn’t replace strategy. It’s a tool that amplifies what’s already working — or exposes what isn’t.
Companies that embrace strategic marketing will not only adapt but thrive, using AI to enhance their impact and turn marketing into a true driver of business success.
This article was created with the assistance of AI. Learn more about our AI ethics policy here.
