How to Stop Random Marketing Requests from Derailing Your Strategy
Updated: Oct 6
So you've created your ideal strategic marketing plan—a guiding light, your north star that will lead you in your marketing efforts.
Gosh, that feels good!
You’re ready to lead your organization in a more strategic marketing direction. You know what you want to achieve. You can see the impact this work could have.
Clarity. Connection. Growth.
And then you start implementing the plan….
And your leadership team doesn't quite understand what you're trying to do.
And conversations begin with “Can you just…”
Requests become ad-hoc again.
And your work reverts back to the way things used to be.
Uuugh….
You get so frustrated because you know that this new way, this more structured, planned approach, is going to net greater results.
If you find that you're in this spot, you're not alone.
If this hits home and you’re not sure what your next step should be, reach out.
Sometimes a simple conversation can bring a lot of clarity.
Marketing is 50% Internal Education
I once read that each marketing job profile should include 50% of the time educating non-marketers about what marketing is.
I chuckled at that, but you know what? I think there's a bit of relevance here.
If leadership doesn’t fully understand what goes into strategic marketing (the thinking, the planning, the sequencing) it’s hard for them to support it consistently.
So how do we start shifting that mindset?
How do we move away from random acts of marketing and toward focused efforts that move the organization forward?
Communication Is Your Superpower
Number one—the biggest driver beyond all else is communication.
When you can clearly articulate:
What you’re working on
Why it matters
What impact it will have
How long it will take
… it can start to shift the tide on the acceptance of your marketing planning.
Now, let’s be real, this isn't going to happen after one conversation.
You need to think of yourself as an educator.
Someone who repeats the message, who brings people along, and who is consistently taking the reins on the communication and planning.
The Chief Connection Officer Mindset
Sometimes we get stuck in our role or title and think that:
we don't have the right,
the authority,
or the position to call a meeting to have these discussions.
Personally, I don’t buy into that.
As marketers, we have a unique view of our organization. We understand our organization, we understand who we are serving, and we understand the business goals.
If you’ve ever worked with me, you’ll have heard me say that a marketing leader is also the Chief Connection Officer.
• We listen to different areas of the organization.
• We understand what they’re trying to achieve.
• We share what marketing is working on and how it supports those goals.
And when that connection is strong, marketing stops feeling like a separate function and starts feeling like a shared effort.
Does that sound like a dream state?
It's not a dream; it’s a reality. And completely within your reach.
I know, because I’ve lived it.
A Simple 3-Month Framework for Strategic Initiatives
One of the biggest factors in making this work is timing.
Even when you know what you want to do and when it needs to go to market, your key stakeholders need time to understand it too.
This won't happen in a couple of weeks.
Your key stakeholders have their whole desk-load of work to do, and marketing might not land at the top of their priority list right away.
You need to give your stakeholders time to understand what it is you are striving to achieve.
Personally, I like to give a three-month lead time on major campaigns and initiatives.
Month 1: Research and Planning
Do your research and pull together a plan that is grounded in facts and aligned with the goals and direction of the organization.
At the end of month one, present your plan to your key stakeholders. Walk them through the why and the how.
This very important step will lead to understanding and greater buy-in because:
It provides an opportunity to understand what goes into the plan or initiative.
They can voice any changes or recommendations.
They may uncover observations you may have missed.
It helps to reduce objections you may otherwise face on implementation.
And finally, it reduces ad hoc, last-minute changes because they understand what has gone into this planning and why.
Month 2: Refinement and Approval
Make any suggested changes to the plan and get final approval. Then you can begin development including: the creative draft, copywriting, image development, etc.
Month 3: Finalization and Launch Prep
Finalize assets, communicate to the broader staff group, and prepare for implementation.
This approach doesn’t slow things down.
It reduces last-minute changes because people understand what went into the plan and why it matters.
When Opportunity Demands Speed
Three months is the ideal state, but it doesn't always work that way.
An opportunity can come up, and suddenly you're thrown into the hurricane of implementation on a miniscule amount of time.
This is when communication becomes even more important.
Pull the group together.
Talk through what is being proposed.
Discuss the impact on time, budget and priorities (for all areas of the business).
Clarify roles (who is doing what).
Define what success looks like.
This kind of conversation is hard to do over email. A meeting creates shared understanding.
You may find that through this process, that ad hoc idea may then become simply that, an idea for future consideration.
Because once everyone can talk through what this looks like, the realities of the implementation, what may need to be given up, and what success looks like, the group may realize together that what looked great on the surface turned out to be just a shiny thing.
One that isn't in alignment with where the organization is moving.
Or that it is a more than a five-minute implementation and worth considering for future planning.
It all comes back to communication.
When Things Start to Slide Back (‘cause they might)
Sometimes, even after doing all this work, things start to slip back.
Ad hoc ‘shiny’ ideas are coming your way and you're simply dealing with them instead of talking them through.
Leadership is no longer taking the time to think through the idea.
Communication has degraded to email only, if there's a response at all.
Back on the hamster wheel. And it is so frustrating.
When this happens, it’s a signal, not a failure.
Remember that educating non-marketers isn’t a one-time effort. Just like external marketing, internal alignment requires repetition.
You can’t expect one conversation to undo years of reactive habits.
But you can keep reinforcing the narrative through clear, consistent communication.
Your Next Step
If you’re feeling pulled in too many directions and frustrated by your ability to measure real marketing impact, pause and reflect on:
How strong is your communication, and where do you still have control to improve it?
Schedule a meeting (not an email) with your key stakeholders.
Come prepared with your why.
Be clear about what you’re trying to accomplish.
And own your role as the Chief Connection Officer.
Because strategic marketing doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens through consistent, purposeful communication.
I hope you found this helpful. If this hits home for you, and you are stuck on what to do next, let’s chat. I just might have an idea or two for you.
Keep on being amazing,
Lyanne
Marketing is hard enough. You shouldn’t have to figure it all out alone.
That’s why I created Marketing Alone Sucks, a newsletter for Credit Union marketers who want practical ideas, useful insights and a little help making the work easier.
It’s a quick read, with things I’m seeing, ideas worth thinking about, and strategies you can put to work without adding another giant task to your list.
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And if you need more than a newsletter, I can help there too. Through strategic marketing consulting, advisory support, and into the blue, I help marketers bring more clarity, strategy and confidence to the work they’re doing.
Keep on being amazing,
Lyanne
Founder + Consultant
blue dragonfly Marketing Strategies
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