Start with Strategy: Why Every Business Needs a Roadmap

At Herona Marketing, we talk a lot about clarity, focus, and intentional growth. That’s because marketing is an investment, and like any smart investment, it needs a strategy behind it. You wouldn’t pour money into a business without a plan, and the same goes for your marketing.

That’s why our process begins with a Strategy Meeting and Custom Marketing Roadmap. It might sound formal, but it’s designed to be straightforward, productive, and genuinely useful—no fluff, no jargon. Just real insight, honest conversation, and a plan you can take action on.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through what the strategy meeting includes, why we do it this way, and how it fits into a bigger picture that actually gets results.

What is a Strategy Meeting?

The strategy meeting is a focused, 60 to 90-minute session where we talk about your business, really talk. You bring your goals, your questions, your frustrations, and your wins. I bring my background in marketing strategy, years of working with local businesses, my homework from studying about your business, and a structure that helps us quickly find the heart of your marketing challenges.

We look at what’s currently working, what’s not, and what’s missing. We talk about your audience, your competitors, your services, and your message. It’s a safe space to be honest, whether you feel totally stuck or just need an outside perspective.

The outcome? A deeper understanding of where you are and where you want to go.

What You Get: The Custom Marketing Roadmap

After the meeting, I create a Custom Marketing Roadmap that outlines the next steps for your business. This is a highly personalized plan that aligns with your goals, timeline, and capacity.

Depending on your situation, your roadmap might include:

• • Suggestions on what to market

• • Recommendations on better reaching your customers

• • Advice on different Marketing tactics/channels

• • Campaign ideas

• • A brand analysis with tweaks

• • Website updates or issues

• • Long-term goals and milestones

You get it in presentation form, including any relevant visuals or frameworks. You can implement it with us or take it elsewhere—either way, you walk away with clarity and direction.

Do We Charge for Strategy?

Strategy Sessions are no-cost to our prospective clients! This allows you to make very informed decisions about if, when, and how you want to move forward. 

Why Strategy Matters (cutting the BS)

Here’s the hard truth: most marketing falls flat because it starts without an end goal and without truly knowing the business and its clients. I have personally seen many agencies struggle or even fail to effectively market their clients because they don’t get the strategy. They pay for ads without knowing who they’re targeting. They try to be on every platform without understanding which ones actually matter.

A strategy-first approach flips the script. Instead of reacting to what others are doing or what the algorithm says today, you build a foundation that guides your decisions.

Good strategy saves money, time, and energy.

It helps you:

• • Say “no” to distractions

• • Spot real opportunities

• • Invest where it counts

• • Build consistency across all channels

When you feel confident in your plan, you feel more comfortable truly building on it. By working together, we follow your lead and appreciate your collaboration, leaving you with a sound jumping off point that you can feel good about.

Where the Strategy Meeting Fits in the Bigger Picture

At Herona Marketing, we use a step-by-step process that makes sense. We don’t believe in selling services just to check boxes. Here’s how it works:

1. 1. Connection Form – You start by filling out a connection form. 
   2. First Email – I send you email with some basic info about our company. 
   3. Intro Call – We hop on a quick 15-minute call to see if we’re a good fit.
   4. Strategy Meeting + Roadmap – We dig in, map it out, and clarify your best path forward.
   5. Proposal & Packages – You get clear options based on your roadmap and needs.
   6. Ongoing Support – If you choose to move forward, we will implement, refine, and grow together

This structure protects your budget, respects your time, and sets you up for sustainable success.

Who Is This For?

Strategy and competitive marketing isn’t just for “big” businesses. In fact, it’s especially useful for:

• • Small business owners who wear too many hats

• • Startups or service providers ready to build a brand

• • Local organizations that want more visibility

• • Business owners who know what they want but aren’t sure how to get there

There is nothing more satisfying than taking a smaller organization and setting it up to be competitive against larger organizations. Everybody loves an underdog, including your potential customers.

Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right structure and support, it can actually feel empowering. Whether you work with Herona Marketing for one project or for the long haul, it all starts the same way: with strategy.

If you’re ready to get clear, focused, and moving forward—get connected with us today.