The Ultimate Guide to Building a Marketing Playbook

‍One of the most important factors of planning is building a strategic playbook. It’s the basis of knowing what you need to do for the quarter or year ahead. It helps you be on the front foot. But it’s amazing how many sales and marketing leaders don’t have one. The result is you always end up being reactive and tactical. Instead, than being proactive and strategic.

‍

Here is a simple fundamental checklist:

‍

1. Understand revenue goals - work backwards to uncover your metrics and goals (PS: If you don’t have historical conversion rates make assumptions. PPS: If you add new channels with the same problem, make assumptions).

‍

2. Decide on your North Star for 1H or annual - this should be your strategic vision of what you want to build.

‍

3. Define the architecture of the marketing machine - look at all of the channels in the mix and decide what components you will use and how you connect these channels.

‍

4. Get specific on what happens within the machine - look at each channel and decide what your strategic ideas and tactical execution looks-like.

‍

5. Milestones - create micro-milestones around your plan.

‍

6. What are you going to do - ensure to be clear “WHAT EXACTLY YOU WILL DO.”

‍

7. Blockers - document blockers and challenges to solve in order of priority.

‍

8. Campaign Calendar - get organised and add all the above into an integrated GTM calendar.

‍

9. Decide on three buckets of GTM - Evergreen to BAU, Experiential and Big Bets (put your strategic plan into these buckets).

‍

10. Executive Summary - write the exec summary that clearly articulates the vision, outlook for the end of the quarter and beyond, numbers, metrics, what you will do and help you need from within the business.