What are we going to do?

For starters – this is absolutely the wrong question.

Huddled in the meeting.

The number needs to go up.

The opportunity space we have to make a decision is suddenly filled with the infamous laundry list.

“This post. That post. This ad. This mailer. This sentence added here. How about this group? They could help us. You know, why not? Yeah. Round Robin. Let’s go.“

Please stop. For a minute.

Where’s the dashboard?

What problem are we trying to solve here, folks?

Where’s the data? Who will lead the strategy development? What are the needed outcomes? Do we have 24 hours that we can pause and really dig in and learn a little more?

We have experienced what on the fly marketing and strategy decision-making get us. It’s not pretty. Remember?

“Traditional or programmatic? Social media targeting or grass roots? Text campaign?”

No.

Stop it – this is not the time write copy or design the damn social media graphic.

You don’t know what you are really trying to do, yet.

This is the time we stop and assess. Consider and formulate in our minds what success actually looks like. As specifically as we can. So we can drive that outcome with marketing.

More: is not an answer.

All of them: is not an answer.

“But they want an answer by noon!”

So what.

To me, that means I have until 11:59 to keep them from making a mistake. OR, I have until noon to reset their expectations based on what I learned in the time we stopped writing copy by committee and making this laundry list.

So, grab you fortitude.

Use the next 15 minutes to set the process so you are successful in the next 24 hours.

Stop trying to be a creative genius. This is not that easy.

A lawyer does not go in front of a judge with preparation. That’s malpractice.

A doctor does research and considers all options before making a diagnosis.

A mechanic has a process to determine what’s wrong with your car.

A pilot doesn’t take off without a checklist or a flight plan.

Why in Rosser Reeve’s name are you letting strategy – and the next best idea you will ever have – be dictated by a committee?

Get to work. Define the problem. Stop. Create the solution.

Look at the dashboard and solve the problem.

Drive.