Strategy Workshops
When was the last time your team engaged in a strategy session?
If your answer is “never,” you’re like most SMBs. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities of running your business. A strategy workshop will reinvigorate you, your team, and your business.
Why Your Business Needs a
Spark! Strategy Workshop
Many small and midsize businesses (SMBs) lack a cohesive marketing strategy or plan. This makes them vulnerable to the latest marketing “shiny object” or trend. Time, resources, and money are often wasted. Or worse, vital marketing activities that could grow revenue are never implemented.
Our Spark! Strategy Workshops help you create a clear path forward. Facilitated by our seasoned strategists, we’ll lead your leadership team through a series of workshop activities that will create an effective, actionable blueprint that will guide your business to success.
Achieve These Goals With a Strategy Workshop
Spark! Creative ideas
Create opportunities from weaknesses, “problems,” and threats.
Engage, inspire, and align your teams.
Focus your financial and human resources on what matters most.
Make better decisions.
Spark! Strategy Workshop Options
We offer three options for Strategy Workshops:
Full-Day or Two Half-Day Workshops
Platinum Plus Workshops (from $1,850*)
Gold Standard Workshops (from $1,600*)
Half-Day Workshop
Silver Starter Workshops (from $625*)
All Workshops include 1.) Jumpstart Activities; 2.) Spark! Strategy Workshop itself; and 3.) Momentum Modules.
*The number of facilitators, workshop format, workshop location, group size, and level of collaboration influence cost. Online options available. Does not include meals or travel.
Gold Standard and Platinum Plus Strategy Workshops
Our classic Gold Standard and Platinum Plus Workshops include:
- Jumpstart Activities
- Two, half-day, or one full-day Spark! Strategy Workshop
- Strategic Momentum Modules
Jumpstart Activities
Strategy Session Questionnaire (SSQ)
We’ll provide our proprietary SSQ for you and your team to complete together. In advance of the workshop sessions, we’ll review it with you.
Competitive Landscape
We’ll then use the SSQ to research your unique competitive landscape before the workshop.
Spark! Strategy Workshop Sessions
Our workshops are scheduled for one full day or two half-day sessions to accommodate your business needs. Our workshop strategy agendas typically include:
- Creative ice breaker
- Business goal identification and review
- Persona development
- Market landscape characterization
- Comprehensive situational analysis
- Brand positioning statement
- Directional messaging
- Strategy outcome
Momentum Modules
Executive Summary
For both Gold Standard and Platinum Plus workshops, you’ll receive an executive summary of the day’s outcomes.
Tactics and Timelines
For Platinum Plus Workshops only, we’ll work with you to develop the following modules: a high-level marketing plan, tactics, and timelines.
Silver Starter Strategy Workshops
Our half-day Silver Starter Strategy Workshops take place in the morning or afternoon. We’ll provide the necessary information for you to complete the Jumpstart activities in advance.
Jumpstart Activities
Strategy Session Questionnaire (SSQ)
We’ll provide our proprietary SSQ for you and your team to complete and return to us via email.
Predefined Business Goals and Persona Development
We ask that you and your team provide your business goals and develop your personas in advance of the workshop.
Competitive Landscape
Based on your input, we will provide a high-level competitive landscape analysis.
Intensive Half-Day Spark! Strategy Workshop Session
The half-day Silver Spark! Strategy Workshop itself typically includes:
- Creative ice breaker
- Cursory review of business goals and market landscape.
- Further persona development
- In-depth situational analysis
- Brand positioning
- Strategy
Momentum Modules
Spark! Synopsis
We’ll briefly summarize the Spark! Strategy Workshop outcomes.
Tactics, Timelines, and Budgets
After the Silver Starter Workshop, you and your team will define your other Momentum Modules: marketing budget, tactics, and timelines.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strategy Workshops
What is a strategy session?
A marketing strategy workshop is a structured meeting, facilitated by a marketing expert who is entrenched in today’s marketing and digital marketing strategies. The session helps to create a cohesive, clear, and effective strategic plan and to create team alignment around the business’s goals and objectives.
Can I hold our strategy session at our office?
Yes, you can. However, getting out of the office to a quiet location can help spark discussion, creativity, and focus; it prevents both mental and physical work distractions.
Who should ATTEND the Strategy Workshop?
Company owners, presidents, and CEOs must be involved with Strategy Workshops. They set the tone and direction for the organization. All other key stakeholders, your management and leadership teams, must also be engaged to achieve alignment. You may also choose to invite subject matter experts (SMEs).
Who should be EXCLUDED from a Strategy Workshop?
A too-large group can be unproductive and ineffective, so not everyone in an organization should attend a Strategy Workshop.
Additionally, a Strategy Workshop would typically exclude the following:
- Individuals without decision-making authority (but be sure the employee viewpoint is represented).
- Employees who won’t be impacted by the strategy.
- People who can’t see the “big picture,” who focus on the minutia, or who only recognize their own organizational roles.
You may also want to exclude those who are disruptive:
- Those who show up late, interrupt, or constantly call attention to themselves.
- People who run their own agendas and are self-focused.
- Individuals who focus on the negatives.
- Those who prefer to criticize rather than look for solutions.
Be clear in your organizational and individual communication as to why they will not be attending the meeting.
What is the ideal number of Strategy Workshop participants?
Research indicates that the most productive meetings have fewer than 8 people.
- For small and midsize businesses (SMBs), you may only have 3-5 participants in a Strategy Workshop.
- For larger organizations, approximately 10 to 15 participants is ideal. In portions of the meeting, the group will be divided into subgroups with a second facilitator.
- Online, breakout groups of 3-5 are usually effective; they, too, necessitate more facilitators.
- While a Strategy Workshop sounds like overkill for a single person, solopreneurs benefit from a 1:1 Strategy Consultation that follows a similar format.