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One of my firm beliefs is that marketing is nothing more than an endless combination of very few rules.   And if I had to boil the world of marketing down to just one rule it would be this:  Every marketing technique you can think of will always work better if it is part of a carefully thought out strategy.

No profound revelation there. But it does beg the question that is often glossed over by others - What exactly is a strategy? 

Here’s the definition I use:

“Strategy is a range of resources and tactics in the service of a central vision”. 

Since this web site is for the most part dedicated to marketing, let’s take a look at this definition in terms of how it applies to this particular field of endeavor.  Let’s break it down into its component parts.  Let’s start with vision. 

For me vision is simply the destination or overriding goal that you have for your business.  It’s where you want to be in five years or ten years or whatever.

Resources are the talents, the time, and the dollars you have at your disposal that can be used to affect this vision, destination, or outcome.

Finally, tactics are simply the steps you need to take to accomplish your goal.  Think of this part of your strategy as the action-plan you will pursue until victory is yours.

Sounds good so far, doesn't it?  But here’s the problem.  Just about every marketing strategy I have ever seen is made up of a so many applicable resources, so many available tactics and so many conflicting visions that it becomes extremely difficult to execute.  In other words, a strategy may be in place - but the execution of the strategy is all but impossible. This is particularly true for the small business - where human resources are usually scarce.

My friend and mentor, Drayton Bird says that great marketing is nothing more than the ability to come up with the right answers to the right questions.  And again I agree.  For me the initial questions are as follows: 

1. Where are you now?
2. Where do you want to be?
3. What’s stopping you?

Now as I see it, questions one and two are the vision questions.  They clearly have to do with deciding on the goal or destination of your business. 

Question number three on the other hand is the question that forces you to utilize that range of resources and tactics that are in the service of your vision. 

It is my firm belief that the “What’s stopping you question” is the most important variable in the marketing equation. I also believe that even though there maybe be a significant number of constraints or obstacles keeping you from reaching your business goals - your strategy should only deal with one constraint at a time. To put it another way, a great marketing strategy should step you through the marketing process - and all you should be concerned with is the next step. 

This web site is dedicated to that singular idea - the idea that dealing with one constraint or one obstacle at a time is simply a smarter approach to marketing. 

Now make no mistake.  I’m not suggesting that marketing is easy.  For sure – it is not.  What I am suggesting is that we can approach marketing in a way that makes it easier to deal with.

Again, this web site has been created to help you do that.  Here you will find a great deal of information, techniques, and innovations - in the form of useful articles, case histories, podcasts, videos, and downloadable resources - that will help get you from “where you are” to “where you want to be’.

To take it all in will indeed take some time.  So to get the maximum return on your time investment, this site has several levels of participation.

To begin with, you may simply navigate this in completely anonymous fashion and enjoy the info you find here.

Then, if you like what you read, if you find it at all useful, you can sign up for our FREE Strategist newsletter.  Do that and you'll also get a handful of valuable e-books that were chosen to give you a jump start on the competition. 

Before you ask, yes, there will also be a series of premium products and services available if you want to bring another level of knowledge to your business.

My goal for this site is to create a place on the web where you and I can interact at whatever level makes you comfortable.  No pressure. No nonsense. No expectations.

Well, I would be something less than honest if I didn't "hope" for an eventual conversation between the two of us.  Nothing, especially a relationship, can exist in a vacuum.  So if nothing else my hope is that you will let me know what you think of this site and will make suggestions as to how I can gradually work to improve it.

So come on in, take a look around,  and let me know how I'm doing.

Mike Anderson