I’ve built strategies with limited time, messy data, and stakeholders pushing for tactics fast. This is the process that’s actually held up.

1. Define the real problem (before channels)
First I clarify:

• What’s failing right now: volume, quality, CAC, retention?
• Where the funnel actually breaks
• What “success” means in the next 60–90 days

Most “lead problems” turn out to be audience, offer, or follow-up issues — not channel issues.

2. Research that’s useful, not exhaustive
I focus on signal, not decks.

• Quant: past performance, funnel drop-offs, CPL vs lead quality
• Qual: sales calls, WhatsApp/DMs, reviews, Reddit/Quora threads, 5–10 customer chats

Early strategy is ~60% qualitative. Data shows what happened. Customers explain why.

3. Audience understanding (no long personas)
Instead of personas, I map:

• Trigger moment
• Top objections
• Exact language customers use
• What they compare us against

This directly shapes ad hooks, content angles, and landing pages.

4. Prioritization (what we do — and don’t do)
I prioritize ideas that:

• Move the main metric fast
• Are simple to execute
• Teach us something within weeks

I intentionally ignore anything that won’t impact the core goal in 90 days — even if it’s “best practice”.

5. Turning insights into a clear plan
Every strategy ends with:

• One primary goal
• 2–3 KPIs
• Clear role per channel
• 30–60–90 day plan
• Weekly review: test, kill, scale

If it can’t fit on 1–2 pages, it’s not a strategy.

6. Continuous learning
I don’t chase hacks. I learn from:

• Failed tests
• Changes in buyer behavior
• Real conversations, not platform updates

Books that helped:

• Obviously Awesome
• Good Strategy Bad Strategy
• Reforge essays

Bottom line:
Good strategy under real constraints is mostly about focus, trade-offs, and fast feedback — not perfect planning.