After several years of implementing EOS with leadership teams, I’ve noticed a consistent blind spot: many companies underestimate the importance of their marketing strategy.
Some teams overlook it entirely.
It’s understandable. When you’re deep in the day-to-day work of solving operational issues, growing revenue, and hiring the right people, defining a marketing strategy can feel like a lower priority. But without a clear, shared understanding of who you serve, what makes you unique, and how you consistently deliver value, teams risk wasting time, energy, and resources pursuing the wrong opportunities.
This is why EOS includes a simple, practical tool to align the entire leadership team around the company’s vision, plan, and marketing strategy: the Vision/Traction Organizer.
One of the most impactful sections of the Vision/Traction Organizer is the Marketing Strategy. It turns what often feels like a complex or creative process into a clear, objective framework around which the whole team can align. Let’s examine how it works—and why it matters so much.
SO, What IS A Marketing Strategy?
Marketing strategy is often misunderstood. It’s not your website, logo, social media posts, or email campaigns. Those are marketing tactics.
A proper marketing strategy answers fundamental business questions:
- Who is our ideal customer?
- What makes us different in a way that matters to them?
- How do we consistently deliver that value?
Without clarity on these elements, even the best leadership teams find themselves chasing shiny objects, reacting instead of leading, and struggling to create consistent traction.
Related Reading: 4 Marketing Basics to Move Your Company Forward
Marketing Strategy as a Strategic Anchor
Within the Vision/Traction Organizer, the Marketing Strategy serves as a powerful alignment tool. It distills what often feels like a complex or creative process into a clear, objective framework that the entire leadership team can rally around.
It creates alignment on the “who” and the “why,” so the “how” becomes easier across every part of the organization—from sales and service to operations and hiring.
This isn’t a filler section. It’s a filter. It helps leadership teams confidently say, “yes” to the right opportunities and no to the ones that don’t fit.
Related Reading: Why Your Marketing Strategy Matters
A Real-World Example
During a recent Quarterly Session, I worked with a leadership team that manages a growing portfolio of hotels. Their Core Target was to expand the number of properties they manage. However, after 18 months of running on EOS, they still hadn’t clarified their marketing strategy.
This time, I asked them to set aside one hour so we could dig in.
We started with their Target Market, which in EOS means getting clear on three things:
- Geographic – Where are the right-fit properties located?
- Demographic – What characteristics define them (size, ownership structure, asset quality)?
- Psychographic – What do these owners or investors value in a management partner?
As we worked through each filter, alignment started to build. The leadership team suddenly had a shared definition of who they were trying to reach—and, just as importantly, who they weren’t.
Next, we turned to their Three Uniques—the three key differentiators that make them stand out in the eyes of their clients. This isn’t a brainstorming exercise; it’s about distilling the real, provable qualities that make your company different and better.
Once those were locked in, the team visibly shifted. They were more confident, excited, and precise in positioning their value.
We wrapped it all up with their Proven Process—a simple, visual, one-page representation of how they care for their clients from beginning to end. One team member committed to taking a Rock to create it that quarter. Even better, the team realized they could adapt their Proven Process at the individual property level, creating even more clarity for clients and staff.
Related Reading: How to Define Your Marketing Strategy
What Changes When the Marketing Strategy Is Clear
Everything gets more manageable when the leadership team is aligned on their Marketing Strategy.
Sales become more targeted.
Messaging becomes more consistent.
Decision-making becomes more confident.
And the team spends less time chasing the wrong opportunities.
This clarity isn’t just helpful; it’s transformative.
Want to Use the EOS Marketing Planning Template? Start Here.
If you’re a business coach wanting to bring more strategic clarity to your clients, start by exploring this tool yourself. The EOS Marketing Strategy framework inside the Vision/Traction Organizer breaks down a complex process into a simple, actionable format that works across industries.
Download the Vision/Traction Organizer to access the Marketing Strategy template.
And if you love tools like this—proven, simple, and designed to move the needle—consider becoming an EOS Implementer. You’ll gain access to a complete system, world-class training, and a community of peers passionate about helping entrepreneurial businesses succeed.
