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Characteristics of Strategic Thinking

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Digital Marketing - Study Notes:

Natural strategic thinkers tend to be big-picture oriented and direction-setters. These skills come naturally to some. And even if you don’t already have these skills, they can be learned.

What are some of the main characteristics of strategic thinking? It is conceptual, systems-oriented, directed toward the future, and opportunistic in nature.

At its core, strategic thinking involves planning for the future. This means preparing strategies and conjuring ideas that will both cope with changing environments and consider the various challenges that lie ahead. This is strategic thinking in its forecasting or predictive form.

But there is another form of strategic thinking. A more powerful form of strategic thinking involves designing the desired future, and planning to make it happen. In other words, instead of just planning for the future, you aim to create the future!

Strategic thinking in action

 A group of six outdoor education centers served the education system’s inner-city schools in a major UK city. They were concerned that, with budget cuts, they were vulnerable to withdrawal of funds and to closure. In fact, three other centers had already been closed in the previous three years.

A Senior Education Officer persuaded them that, although they had always been competitors, the centers would be stronger if they joined forces, shared resources, and supported one another. This was a new strategy!

One way to do this was to create a shared vision of how successful they could be. Guided through the visioning process, they developed the skills to think strategically about many of their systems, procedures, and operating plans.

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Clark Boyd

Clark Boyd is CEO and founder of marketing simulations company Novela. He is also a digital strategy consultant, author, and trainer. Over the last 12 years, he has devised and implemented international marketing strategies for brands including American Express, Adidas, and General Motors.

Today, Clark works with business schools at the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Columbia University to design and deliver their executive-education courses on data analytics and digital marketing. 

Clark is a certified Google trainer and runs Google workshops across Europe and the Middle East. This year, he has delivered keynote speeches at leadership events in Latin America, Europe, and the US. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Slideshare. He writes regularly on Medium and you can subscribe to his email newsletter, hi, tech.

Clark Boyd
Bill Phillips

Bill is an international facilitator, trainer, and team coach. He has successfully coached CEOs, board members, directors, executive teams, and team leaders in public and private companies, NGOs, and UN organizations in 15 countries across four continents. He is also the creator of Future-basing®, a highly potent process for building strategy, vision, and cooperation.

Bill Phillips

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

  • Critically analyse target audiences and objectives to recommend digital channels
  • Synthesise information to develop an action plan and digital marketing strategy
  • Evaluate the process of planning and formulating a digital strategy
     

ABOUT THIS DIGITAL MARKETING MODULE

Developing a Digital Strategy with Strategic Thinking
Clark Boyd Clark Boyd
Presenter
Bill Phillips Bill Phillips
Presenter

In this module, Clark Boyd will identify tactics and techniques for developing a digital marketing strategy. You will explore techniques including SWOT analysis and PESTEL to develop an external situational analysis. You will explore the frameworks associated with implementing a digital strategy including SOSTAC, RACE, the 4 Cs, and AAAR. You will examine how to develop, document, and plan a digital strategy using SMART objectives, appropriate metrics and KPIs, and marketing analytics. You will use a digital marketing action plan template to develop, communicate, and track the implementation of the digital marketing strategy. The module concludes with Bill Phillips delivering a lesson discussing the best techniques to apply to develop and hone your strategic thinking skills, and become more effective in the workplace.