Stop Guessing and Start Winning. The Strategic Marketing Game That Every Business Needs to Play

Marketing isn’t magic, it’s methodical. And yet, many businesses launch campaigns, test channels, and spend money before they’ve built the strategy to support it. The result? Scattered efforts, inconsistent messaging, and underwhelming ROI.

If you’ve ever said, “I don’t know how to start marketing,” this breakdown is for you.

Inspired by Pierre Herubel’s “Marketing Game,” here’s how to build your marketing strategy like a pro, step by step.

Level 1. Strategy I call it - “The Foundation”

Before you think about TikTok, email funnels, or ad spend, you need to lock in your strategic fundamentals.

1. Target Market

Who are you solving for? Identify your target audience and deeply understand the problem you solve. Without clarity here, everything else is just noise.

2. Business Strategy

This is where your value proposition, ideal customer, and brand vision live. You’re building a business, not just a marketing campaign, so make sure your solution addresses a market problem in exchange for money.

3. Feedback Loop

Marketing is not a one-way street. Gather data. Listen. Iterate. This loop is what sharpens your targeting and refines your value.

4. Marketing Strategy Foundations

Now, and only now, should you focus on your offer, positioning, and messaging. This is the glue that connects your business strategy to your customer in a way that resonates.

Important: Don’t move forward until Level 1 is solid. If you skip this, your tactics will fail to land.

Level 2. Tactical “ Planning the Plays”

With strategy in place, now you can design your marketing plan and system.

5. Marketing Plan

Define your channels, tactics, roadmap, budgeting, and KPIs. This is where execution begins to take shape.

6. Marketing System

Avoid burnout and chaos by building the processes, backlogs, automation, and systems to scale sustainably. Without a marketing system, your team will constantly be playing catch-up.

Level 3. Operational “ Execute and Optimize”

7. Marketing Operations

Now it’s time to hit “go.” With everything aligned, your execution will be efficient, consistent, and measurable. This is where campaigns come to life and where growth is realized.

Why This Framework Works

Because it’s not built on hope. It’s structured, strategic, and scalable. It reminds us that marketing isn’t just about being creative, it’s about being intentional.

If your marketing feels scattered, it’s likely because you jumped to Level 2 or 3 before nailing Level 1.

Step back. Rebuild your foundation. And then move forward with clarity and confidence.