If you’re spinning all the plates and just about keeping them from crashing down, the idea of stepping back to write a marketing strategy might sound, frankly, laughable. Strategy? You’re just trying to keep up with emails, client work, and remembering where you left your coffee.

But here’s the thing: having a clear, realistic marketing strategy can actually save you time in the long run. It’s the difference between reactive, scattergun marketing and calm, focused, purposeful activity.

Strategy doesn’t mean a 40-page document

A good strategy doesn’t need to be a weighty tome full of jargon. It just needs to:

• Give you clarity on who you’re trying to reach
• Pinpoint what makes your business different
• Identify where you need to show up (and just as importantly, where you don’t)
• Outline what success looks like

It can fit on one side of A4. It can even start as a scribble on a whiteboard.

Why bother, then?

Because when you’re busy, the last thing you need is to waste time second-guessing what to post on social, rewriting your bio for the tenth time, or chasing marketing trends that don’t serve you.

With a strategy in place, your decisions become easier:

• Does this opportunity help me reach my audience? Yes = go for it. No = park it.
• Is this platform where my ideal clients hang out? If not, save your energy.
• Am I communicating the same message everywhere? Consistency builds trust.

Strategy helps you say no

Let’s be honest: marketing can become a long list of shoulds. “You should be on TikTok.” “You should do email campaigns.” “You should post every day.”

A strategy helps you filter out the noise and focus on what actually moves the needle for your business. It gives you permission to say, “That’s not for me right now.”

It’s a plan that flexes with you

Your business will evolve—and so should your strategy. The goal isn’t to carve something in stone, it’s to give you direction. Even a light-touch plan you revisit quarterly can make a huge difference to how you feel about your marketing.

So, where do you start?

Start small. Block out an hour with a cuppa (or a Doris-style glass of something chilled) and think about:

• Who you want to work with more of
• What problems you help them solve
• Where those people spend their time
• What you want to be known for



Jot it down. Don’t overthink it. It’s your guide, not your homework.

And if you need a sounding board, you know where I am. Helping people make marketing simpler is my thing. Strategy isn’t a luxury—it’s the secret weapon for busy business owners who want to make their time count.

P.S. If you fancy a proper natter about your strategy, our Marketing Power Hour is a great place to start.