The strategy function, without having it on the payroll. For companies that need someone to direct and for agencies that need someone to think with them.
Some companies already have a diagnostic and a playbook, or need them on an ongoing basis, and what they lack is someone to direct: to set priorities each period, brief the suppliers, review results and take decisions to leadership. Hiring a full-time strategy director doesn't always fit their size or their moment.
Some agencies have the same gap, but on the other side of the table: their clients expect the agency to think through the strategy, and the agency has nobody to do it.
Ongoing strategic marketing and commercial planning direction for a company. It is the equivalent of a fractional strategy director: it sits on the steering committee at an agreed cadence, directs the executors and is accountable for the plan and its measurement. More detail in companies.
An invisible consulting layer behind the agency. It answers what the agency's client asks for, supports pitches and proposals, and leads the strategic direction of whichever accounts the agency chooses. We sign with the agency, the client stays theirs and the work goes out without our brand. More detail in agencies.
| Product | What it delivers |
|---|---|
| Full strategic layer | Ongoing strategic marketing and commercial planning direction: the equivalent of a fractional strategy director, with a regular committee. |
| Strategy partner for agencies | An invisible consulting layer behind the agency: answers what its client asks for, supports pitches and proposals, and leads the account's strategic direction. |
Who does what
This area is the Strategic direction phase turned into an ongoing relationship. That is why it never starts from scratch: it builds on a diagnostic and a playbook, ours or someone else's, which we review before taking on the direction.
Each period closes with a report against the baseline and a steering committee, and any committee can reopen the diagnostic or rewrite part of the playbook if the market calls for it.
Understand the market and the problem before proposing anything. The baseline is set.
Deliverable: Strategy document and presentation to leadership.
The strategy becomes actions with an owner, cost, KPI and date.
Deliverable: Playbook and kickoff.
We direct third-party execution and review results against the baseline.
Deliverable: Periodic report and committee.
Someone who performs the strategic direction role with a partial, agreed time commitment instead of full-time. They bring the judgment and accountability of the role without the cost of a new hire.
As often as we agree in the playbook, based on the pace of the business. The usual setup is a fixed cadence, with a review of results each period.
Only if there is an existing diagnostic and playbook we can review. If not, we start with phase one of the method.
The agency. If we need to be in a meeting, we attend as part of its team and under its brand.
Tell us what you have underway and who executes it. We'll tell you what directing it from the outside would look like.
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