The importance of a systematic approach to developing a marketing strategy
Marketing without a clear strategy is like building a house without a blueprint: you can spend enormous resources and time, but the result will be random. A company’s marketing strategy is the foundation of its business. It determines how the company will achieve its goals, what value it will offer to whom, and how it will differentiate itself from its competitors. A systematic approach allows you to transform marketing from an expense item into an investment: each action has its own goal, and the result becomes predictable.
If your marketing resembles chaotic attempts to “hit the target in the dark,” it’s worth taking a step back and creating a strategic plan.
Prerequisites and preparation for developing a marketing strategy for an enterprise
The preparatory stage determines why a strategy is needed in the first place and what resources are available to implement it. The process of developing a marketing strategy begins with a deep understanding of the business: its goals and opportunities for development. It is important to formulate what results the company wants to achieve — for example, entering a new market, increasing profits, or launching a new product.
Stage 1: Detailed briefing and synchronization of business objectives
Briefing — a strategic session to synchronize all key aspects of our team with the client’s team. Specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant goals are defined, and the current situation of the project is discussed.
The budget and resources are also discussed to avoid unrealistic expectations. The result of this stage is a clear technical assignment for the development of a marketing strategy for the company, with answers to questions such as: why are we developing a strategy, which competitors are we taking into account, which countries are we focusing our research on, and much more.
At this stage, key issues to be addressed by the strategy are identified, and necessary information is gathered: internal statistics, sales reports, audience information. A team is formed to be responsible for developing the company’s marketing strategy and is provided with access to the necessary materials.
Stage 2: Market and trend analysis
At this stage, it is important to look at the market through the eyes of business.
An assessment of the economic and legislative situation and social trends is carried out. Analysis of market trends and demand drivers shows the direction of industry development and consumer values.
Studying barriers to entry and promising niches allows you to assess how easy it is for new players to enter the market and where you can quickly find your own competitive advantage.
Google Trends and SimilarWeb tools are used for analysis, as well as authoritative reports from Statista, McKinsey, Deloitte, and others.
It is recommended to conduct a detailed market analysis every year in order to stay up to date and keep up with changes in your niche.
Stage 3: Analysis and segmentation of the target audience
Marketing mistakes most often arise not because of poorly configured advertising, but because of a misunderstanding of the customer and their needs. If a business fails to meet real needs, any efforts will be ineffective.
That is why segmentation and the creation of target audience avatars are an important foundation of the strategy. At this stage, we abandon abstract definitions such as “young women aged 25–35” and move on to vivid portraits of customers. In these portraits, we take into account demographics, behavioral patterns, psychographics, and choice triggers.
The 5W method: how we create a customer profile
At Solve Marketing, we use the 5W methodology (Who, What, Why, Where, When) — a structured approach that allows us to see the customer not as “dry statistics,” but as a person with context, motivations, and barriers.
1. Who?
- Demographics: age, gender, occupation, income level.
- Role in the decision-making process (buyer, user, influencer).
- Social context: marital status, lifestyle.
2. What?
- What product/service is the customer looking for?
- What problems is it trying to solve?
- What product attributes are critically important to him (price, quality, status, service)?
3. Why?
- What is the motivation behind the choice (time savings, prestige, safety, comfort)?
- What emotions influence decisions (fear, desire, ambition, trust)?
- What barriers could prevent a purchase (distrust, price, complexity of use)?
4. Where?
- Channels where customers search for information and interact with brands (Google, social media, recommendations, events).
- Which media and platforms are the most authoritative for him.
5. When?
- When does the need arise (seasonality, events, life triggers)?
- What is the time frame for making a decision (impulsive purchase vs. long cycle)?
Customer Development as a tool
The most effective way to go beyond assumptions is Customer Development. In-depth interviews, observations, and surveys allow you to “remove the mask” from the customer and see their real motives. As a result, we get not fictional avatars, but living portraits that reflect real behavior and the logic of choice.
💡 Insight: The 5W method allows you to translate marketing from the language of “average statistics” into real-life examples. When a brand knows who its customers are, what they want, why they make decisions, and where they look for information, conversion rates increase without additional budgets.
Stage 4: Competitor analysis
Competitive analysis is a comprehensive study that helps to understand the rules of the game in the market and identify areas where you can create your own competitive advantage. We consider:
- Competitors’ offers and positioning: how they present their product and what value they promise to customers.
- Pricing policy: price level, package structure, additional services.
- Promotion channels: SEO, advertising, social media, partnerships, PR, and much more.
- Strengths and weaknesses: what works well and what causes customer dissatisfaction.
We pay special attention to benchmarking, i.e., comparing key business indicators with market leaders. This allows us to identify gaps and opportunities: where we can be faster, better, or more profitable for the customer.
To obtain a multidimensional picture, at Solve Marketing this stage is conducted by two specialists, each with their own focus:
1. Content marketer
- Analyzes how competitors communicate with customers: tone of voice, messages, key promises.
- Researches visual identity: style of websites, social media, advertising creatives, packaging.
- Studies the emotional effect: whether brands create a sense of trust, premium quality, affordability, etc.
- Provides insights into perception weaknesses and opportunities for differentiation through communication.
2. Оperational marketer
- Analyzes traffic and channels: SEO, PPC, social media, affiliate programs, and other lead generation tools.
- Checks the speed and ease of use of the product, as well as the technical characteristics of the service.
- Identifies areas where you can outperform your competitors through efficiency and technological advantages.
Stage 5: Positioning development
Positioning development is a way to create a connection between a company’s name and the product category in which it operates.
Positioning answers the main question: 👉 “What exactly does the company do and how is it different?”
Strong positioning makes the brand unique, justifies the price, builds trust, and sets the framework for all communication.
Connection with competitive analysis
At the previous stage, we studied our competitors in detail — their products, pricing policies, promotion channels, communication, and technical characteristics. Now this data becomes the foundation for positioning.
Thus, positioning simultaneously combines important selection factors for customers, the company’s strengths, and the free space in the market that the company can occupy with this positioning.
Stage 6: The “Choice Factor” Framework
In order for a customer to choose your brand, you need to understand what criteria they actually use when making a purchase. People rarely buy solely based on product characteristics — value, convenience, emotions, trust, and experience come into play.
This is precisely why we use the unique “Choice Factors” framework developed by our team, which structures and prioritizes the key drivers of the client’s decision.
Result:
- A list of 120+ selection factors, broken down by key stages of customer interaction with the business.
- Priority focus areas for communication.
- Increased conversion and loyalty, because the brand communicates precisely what is important to the customer.
SWOT analysis
The first step in developing a marketing strategy is always a strategic audit. This is an assessment of internal and external factors that affect the business.
A classic tool for this is SWOT analysis. It helps to systematically describe:
- S (Strengths) – the company’s strengths;
- W (Weaknesses) – weaknesses;
- O (Opportunities) – market opportunities;
- T (Threats) – threats from competitors or the environment.
Stage 7: Lead generation analysis
For businesses that depend on applications and calls, lead generation is the foundation for growth. At this stage, all customer acquisition channels are considered — from advertising and SEO to content marketing and affiliate programs.
It is important to evaluate not only the number of applications, but also their quality, cost, and path through the sales funnel. This allows you to understand:
- which channels to scale,
- that need optimization,
- and which ones are better to avoid so as not to “drain” the budget.
The result is a basic lead generation strategy with clear priorities that shows where to invest time and resources to build a stable flow of quality leads. This approach increases efficiency not through chaotic expansion, but through a targeted focus on sources that actually work.
Stage 8: Creating a marketing strategy by area
Based on preliminary conclusions, specific documents are created for different areas. A lead generation strategy is formed with specific tools, budget, and KPIs, a content strategy with topics, formats, and publication frequency, as well as an SMM strategy that includes a platform, communication tone, and audience engagement mechanics.
Stage 9: Marketing hypotheses
No strategy provides absolute guarantees, so working with marketing hypotheses becomes an important element. These are assumptions about new channels, formats, or mechanisms that can bring breakthrough results.
Hypotheses are formed based on data: market analysis, competitors, customer behavior, and selection factors. They are then tested in the form of minimal experiments — with a small budget and clear metrics for success. If the hypothesis is confirmed, it is scaled up; if not, it is quickly abandoned without significant losses.
This approach allows the strategy to remain alive and flexible, not to get stuck in old solutions, and to constantly discover new growth points. As a result, the business receives not only an action plan, but also a system for searching for opportunities, which provides a competitive advantage in a dynamic market.
Stage 10: Tools and implementation stages
The implementation format depends on the type of cooperation with the client:
🟡 We operate as a remote marketing department and take full responsibility for sales support.
🟡 Or the client’s team implements the strategy independently, receiving all the necessary information and tools from us.
In any case, the strategy becomes a working tool for business development, rather than a document “on the shelf.”
Individuality of research
The areas of research and in-depth analysis depend on business goals. Entering a new market requires a detailed study of competitors and local characteristics. Increasing sales in the current segment requires working with the existing audience, detailed segmentation, and customer development to find new growth points. Therefore, each research plan is unique and is formed based on the specifics of the project.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistakes businesses make in marketing are related to:
- With chaotic actions without a systematic approach, insufficient attention to analytics, lack of KPIs, and reliance on only one promotion channel. As a result, the company spends resources but does not achieve the expected growth.
- Focus on operational tasks, ignoring strategic ones. In reality, both levels must work together: operational tasks ensure stability, while strategic ones ensure development and competitive advantages.
Cases of successful strategy implementation
In each project, we work according to a single logic of systematic marketing, but the tasks and emphases are always different — depending on the market, product, and client’s goals.
B2C / eCommerce — nutricosmetics brand
We developed a strategy with clear positioning, formed a growth funnel and financial benchmarks (€150k/month and €1.5m/year). The client received a tool for independent implementation and a clear roadmap for action.
B2B / manufacturing — Greenex ECO
A technical manufacturer of filtration systems needed not just advertising, but a clear image for the market. We brought the company out of “engineering chaos” and into the realm of strategic partnership, designed its communications, and structured its lead generation into a manageable system.
Innovative product / international expansion — Teknix.pro
Task — launch of smart boilers in new markets (Poland, Serbia, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan). We prepared a roadmap with priority channels (partner networks, exhibitions, distributors), outlined a scaling model, and formed a plan for working with local markets.
Luxury product / USA — DSB-AMBER
The company started with a niche product — interior items made of amber. Our focus was on identifying demand and creating premium positioning for the American audience. The result is a proven niche and communication that emphasizes the uniqueness and luxury value of the product.
Telecom / investor strategy — IPTel
The task here was to prepare for entry into the British market and attract investment. We developed a strategy with clear positioning, growth channels, and an implementation plan that allows the business to be presented at the level of Western standards.
As can be seen from the case studies, the goal of strategy development was different in each case: scaling, rethinking, international expansion, luxury positioning, or attractiveness to investors. They have one thing in common—a systematic approach that transforms marketing into a manageable business model with predictable results.
Conclusions
The process of developing a marketing strategy is a continuous and dynamic task that involves data analysis, brand positioning assessment, and the implementation of new, innovative approaches. It is a constant forward movement: the strategy lives and changes along with the market, trends, and customer behavior. The right marketing strategy not only gives a business the opportunity to grow, but also makes that growth predictable and stable, with a clear focus on results. It helps you make informed decisions, avoid chaotic actions, and build strong customer relationships, turning plans into real achievements.
👉 If you need help creating an effective strategy, sign up for a free consultation with a marketer and receive a personalized plan for developing your business.
