ARTICLE: The Dynamic Duo: How business and marketing strategies team up for consultancy success

Often when consulting businesses begin, founders’ attention is on bringing the work in. And with 20% of small UK businesses failing in the first year, focusing on winning work isn’t a bad idea.

But we talk to growing, ambitious consultancies who are five – or even ten – years old and when asked whether there’s a documented business strategy, founders sometimes go a little quiet.

If you’re considering using Honest to develop a marketing strategy, you need a business strategy in place too. When these two forces work together, they become an unstoppable team.

Let’s explore both in more detail…

The superpower of business strategy

Your business strategy is the mastermind behind your operation. It defines your consultancy business’ vision, mission, objectives and long-term goals.

It answers critical questions like:

• What problem does your business solve?
• Who is your target client?
• What is your unique value proposition?
• How will your consultancy generate revenue?
• What key performance indicators (KPIs) measure success?

Without this strategic framework, marketing efforts can feel powerful but directionless. A well-crafted business strategy makes sure all your efforts, including marketing, work toward a common goal.

Marketing: The hero in the spotlight

Marketing is the face of the mission. It’s responsible for engaging your target audience, building brand awareness, and opening doors to sales conversations. A great marketing strategy includes:

• Market research and customer segmentation
• Branding and messaging
• Suggested activities and KPIs
• Content creation and distribution

But even the best marketing strategy can’t save the day if the business strategy is weak.

How these two forces join together

Your consultancy’s business and marketing strategies create magic when they work together:

1. Mission alignment: Marketing campaigns should be driven by business goals. If your mission is to expand into a new sector, your marketing should feature campaigns that introduce the brand to that new audience.
2. Knowing your audience: A business strategy helps define the target audience, and marketing finds the best way to connect with them and address their needs.
3. A strong, consistent identity: Business strategy sets the brand’s core message, making sure marketing efforts stay consistent and recognisable across all channels and marketing touchpoints.
4. Resource optimisation: A clear strategy makes sure your marketing budget is spent wisely, focusing on what truly works for your audience.

The ultimate team

So before you launch that next big marketing campaign, make sure your business strategy is solid. When these two work together, your business won’t just succeed. It will soar.

To learn more about developing a cement-solid marketing strategy, get your free Zero to Hero POW guide: How to grow your consultancy through digital marketing and thought leadership content.