{"id":17714,"date":"2025-11-13T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jochemkoole.nl\/?p=17714"},"modified":"2025-11-13T08:56:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T07:56:23","slug":"invest-in-strategy-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jochemkoole.nl\/en\/blog\/invest-in-strategy-now\/","title":{"rendered":"You need to invest in strategy now – 3 red flags"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At times, it’s obvious you need to invest in strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I’m under no illusion… Most organizations and teams have zero desire to go through the process of contemplating a clear marketing or branding strategy. At any point in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But sometimes, the urge for clarity wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a new leadership team takes the helm. When your organization wishes to enter a new market. Or, when the competitive landscape changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are logical points in time for organizations to invest in a strong, strategic foundation that provides clarity and enables future growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are other telltale signs that indicate you should invest in strategy now<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s have a closer look at 3 red flags you may recognize from within your organization or team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red flag #1 – Growth is stalling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When growth is stalling and you’re missing revenue targets, it’s time to invest in strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need to uncover why sales cycles take longer and longer. Why sales conversion rates go down. And client acquisition costs go up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red flag #2 – Outside money is coming in<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When outside money is coming in, expectations shift and it’s time to invest in a clear positioning and growth strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether it’s private equity or another kind of funding, with investments come expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The investors see the potential. Now, it’s time for you to deliver on their expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red flag #3 – Lots of efforts, limited results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are your marketing and sales people caught up in operational work? Do simple requests take a long time to execute? And are results limited – at best?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, you need to invest in strategy and create clarity on the type of clients you want to target and the core messages you want to get across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need everyone to understand that demand generation and demand capture are not isolated, yet interdependent processes. And reach an agreement on roles, tasks, and responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once your strategy is clear, you can turn it into a concrete action plan. Execute this to test your strategic assumptions in the complexity of reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me know what you think!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thank you for reading MBD Spark #95<\/strong>, sent on November 13, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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