6 Steps to a Winning Marketing Strategy

Winning marketing strategy for businesses

As I was driving to visit a client the other day, whose office feels like it’s in another state, I flipped through the AM dial and stumbled across a very interesting radio spot. The advertisement was for a marketing program for a particular industry. What caught my attention was the advertisement’s repeated use of the term “Plug-n-Play” and “Turn Key Solution”.

It’s as if they want you to think it’s as simple as depositing $10,000 into their “Proprietary Software” and a few months later see $500 deposits occurring every other week. If only it was this easy! Don’t they know that every business is unique and there is no “one size fits all solution”? Just because a great marketing campaign worked for a particular client in Miami, FL, doesn’t mean it will work in Rockford, IL.

The difference between the “Plug-n-Play” strategy and a “Winning Marketing Strategy” is this: playing sounds expensive and doesn’t equate to Winning or ROI. If you’re a business owner, you probably want to do more than play, right? You want to win!

I’m going to explain the steps in reverse order, because you should start with the end in mind. Here are the steps:

Step 6: Win

I must admit that this is my favorite step. Before you begin any marketing campaign, you need to determine: What does winning mean to you? What is your expected outcome? Are you hoping to simply get more Facebook likes or Twitter followers? How do you plan to monetize the marketing efforts and ultimately calculate an ROI? These are critical topics to think through before launching into any marketing campaign.

Step 5: Repeat

Ask any marketing professional, social media expert, or advertising junkie, if you can expect to win with just one ad. The answer is, No. You need to repeat your process for a while to experience substantial results. It takes time to build a brand. That’s not to say you won’t get lucky and have some success initially. If you repeat your marketing efforts over and over again, you will eventually get reliable results. You’ll know what to expect, how much to invest, and where to allocate your funds.

Step 4: Adjust

I’m not sure why this step is often forgotten. If you’re not paying attention to the metrics of your campaign and adjusting along the way, you will never know the full potential of a particular campaign. You can adjust your messaging, your colors, your frequency, even your platform. A lot of our clients have found their particular magic formula for marketing by adjusting the timing, location, and frequency of their message to match the buying tendencies of their target market.

Keep this in mind: If you are still doing business today, like you did yesterday, you may not be doing business tomorrow.

Step 3: Measure

One of my favorite sayings is, “Why bother doing something if you aren’t going to measure it?” This especially holds true in marketing. You need to know how you’re going to measure your campaign’s effectiveness. If a leading indicator is clicks or likes, then a lagging indicator should be transactions, revenue, and profits. There are a number of different ways to measure a campaign, but the key to measuring is adjusting in response to the data.

Step 2: Execute

Execution that is marketing your brand or company is the most essential part of the Winning Marketing Strategy. If the plan calls for posting to Facebook and Twitter every day, you need to make sure this happens. Follow through! There are countless software options available to make this process simple and automated. What we’ve seen happen to some businesses is they get so busy with their business that they forget to do marketing. Then they ramp back up their marketing efforts and get so many leads, they forget to do marketing again. The key here is stick to the plan!

Step 1: Plan

Planning out a marketing campaign can seem time consuming or frustrating if you haven’t started with the end in mind. The planning step should include delegation of specific roles, thinking about the target market you hope to make connections with, which platform(s) will be used and when, what budget is going to be used to accomplish the campaign, and how realistic the timeframe is from the outlay of cash and time to the expected return on investment. The number one thing to do when planning a winning marketing campaign is to determine what the end result or goal is.

Planning comes before winning. Planning alone doesn’t equal winning though. It takes these 6 steps to create a winning marketing strategy. I want to leave you with this key point: Don’t be fooled by “Plug-n-Play” advertisements or “Turn Key Solutions”, because every winning marketing strategy needs these 6 steps. Miss just one and the whole program won’t work. The IA Business Advisors team doesn’t offer “Plug-n-Play” solutions. We know every business is unique and we want you to win!

© Individual Advantages, LLC. 2016

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How to Mitigate Financial Risk Using the S.M.A.R.T. Management System

June 9, 2025

In an increasingly volatile economy, businesses cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to their finances. Whether you're a startup founder, a growing enterprise, or a seasoned business owner, the risk of financial instability is real—and growing. At IA Business Advisors, we help companies proactively navigate these risks using our comprehensive S.M.A.R.T. Management System . S.M.A.R.T. is more than just a goal-setting acronym. It is a decision-making and execution framework that brings clarity, structure, and alignment to every part of your business. From six-week action plans to one-year targets and long-term strategy, S.M.A.R.T. ensures your financial operations support healthy growth and resilience. Understanding Financial Risk in Today’s Business Climate Financial risk is multifaceted. It ranges from cash flow disruptions and market shifts to internal mismanagement and over-leveraged growth. As Brian Smith shared on a recent Daily Influence podcast episode, unchecked growth can drive a company into bankruptcy. Scaling without intention—chasing fast growth without aligning the internal team and financial resources—leads to diluted communication, quality issues, and operational chaos. Mitigating financial risk begins by understanding that more revenue doesn't always equal more stability. True sustainability comes from building systems that support intentional, well-paced growth. The S.M.A.R.T. Framework in Action: Reducing Financial Risk Our S.M.A.R.T. Management System guides businesses in creating resilient, financially stable operations through: 1. Specific: Build with Intentionality Clarity is power. One of our podcast guests, Mike Heatwole (CEO of The Dala Group), emphasized the importance of sitting down to define what matters most—whether that’s paying down debt, investing in growth, or launching a new venture. When your financial goals are specific, your strategy becomes targeted and less prone to reactive decision-making. “If we don’t know what the goal is, how do we get there?” — Mike Heatwole, CEO of The Dala Group 2. Measurable: Track What Matters Many companies are blindsided not by invisible risks, but by unmonitored ones. We help clients implement tools to track cash flow, margin fluctuations, and budget variances in real time. Visibility into your financial health gives you the power to respond early and course correct as needed. 3. Achievable: Assign Financial Stewardship Risk is reduced when financial responsibility is distributed. Through teamwide financial literacy and clear accountability, we empower organizations to make stronger daily decisions. No individual person should carry the entire burden—and no key area should go unmonitored. 4. Relevant: Make Risk Management a Habit Quarterly or biannual financial health check-ins create a sustainable rhythm. These don’t have to be complicated—they just need to be consistent. Regular reviews embed risk awareness into your company culture and decision-making process. 5. Timely: Foster Honest Dialogue Financial silence is a hidden threat. As Brian noted on the podcast, emotions like fear or shame can prevent businesses from facing financial realities. We encourage honest, blame-free communication around financial performance, creating space for solutions and collective action. Case in Point: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Impact One of our clients, a family-run distribution company, had strong revenue but was bleeding cash due to aging receivables. Together, we built a six-week S.M.A.R.T. Plan focused on accounts receivable recovery. We implemented weekly check-ins, assigned ownership, and used real-time tracking. Within 90 days, their outstanding A/R dropped by 22%, freeing up capital and restoring operational confidence. It’s Never Too Late to Get Financially Intentional Many leaders in their 40s, 50s, or 60s worry they’ve waited too long. But as Mike Heatwole wisely shared: “It’s never too late. Just get started. Do something.” Progress—not perfection—is the goal. Start small. Build momentum. Take the next best step. This mirrors a concept we love from The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan: measure progress based on how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. Final Thoughts: Make Financial Stability a Strategy Mitigating financial risk isn’t about a dramatic overhaul. It’s about consistent action, visibility, and intentional decision-making. With the S.M.A.R.T. Management System, IA Business Advisors helps businesses turn risk into clarity, fear into focus, and instability into opportunity. If you’re ready to start, we’re ready to help. Let’s have a conversation about what matters most to you—and build from there.

Enhancing Interpersonal Relationships for Toxic Workplace Recovery

May 29, 2025

Hello, team! Mary here, continuing our journey through the I in Team series, where we challenge and empower you to Find , Be , and Build Your Influence. One of the most common things we’re asked to help our clients with is toxic workplace recovery. This directly connects to the culture of the team, and while rebuilding that culture takes time and intention, it is absolutely possible. In fact, with the guidance of our I in Team approach and S.M.A.R.T. Management system, we’ve successfully helped more than 19,000 teams evolve into high-performing, values-based cultures. If you’re ready to take the lead and breathe life back into your team, we’re here and ready to support you. Practice Emotional Intelligence One of the most impactful steps you can take on your toxic workplace recovery journey is to practice emotional intelligence (the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both your own emotions and the emotions of those around you). Toxic environments are often the result of emotional disconnection, poor communication, unnecessary competition, and a culture that avoids constructive feedback. Begin by shifting your perspective: respond with empathy, ask thoughtful questions, and use “I” statements. These habits model two traits, emotional regulation and empathy, that influence how your team interacts and solves problems. Start small. For example, set a personal goal to give one piece of sincere praise or recognition per day. This is a S.M.A.R.T. goal, and it starts to reinforce positive emotional exchanges. Over time, this contributes to a psychologically safe environment where people feel seen and supported. Foster Open Communication Once emotional intelligence begins to take root, toxic workplace recovery is just around the corner. Open communication becomes more natural because when team members are aware of their own and others’ emotions, communication becomes seamless. The number one rule? Listen. Really listen. Without listening, communication is incomplete. Try implementing monthly influence partnerships—team pairings that rotate so members can get to know each other beyond surface-level roles. This creates connection and, when done with consistency (Timely), fosters trust across your team. Another way to build open communication is by creating a structured feedback loop. Clarify how and when feedback should be given—perhaps during weekly one-on-ones or monthly review meetings—and make sure all team members understand the difference between criticism and constructive feedback. S.M.A.R.T. feedback is Specific and Relevant, and when delivered with respect, it encourages team members to grow without fear. Lead by Example As we say throughout the I in Team series, everyone is a leader regardless of title. Whether you’re in the C-suite or just starting your first job, how you show up directly shapes the culture of your team. To begin, set some respectful boundaries rooted in your values. Let others know what you need to succeed and what behaviors support or disrupt your work. When disagreements arise, demonstrate what respectful disagreement looks like—calm, focused on solutions, and free from personal attacks. If your workplace has leaned into competition, shift the focus to collaboration. Collaborate on micro-goals, like shared tasks or cross-functional projects. Make the results Measurable and celebrate wins together (publicly, if possible). Consider S.M.A.R.T.-based team-building events (like problem-solving challenges or goal-setting workshops) to reinforce collaboration in a meaningful way. Final Thoughts Toxic workplace recovery starts with you. Every interaction, every word, every moment of listening is a chance to model what’s possible. Show up the way you want others to show up. If your team is struggling to rebuild or you need expert guidance, reach out . We’re here to help. Let’s keep influencing responsibly and positively together.