“I never go up to the plate without a plan. The plan, however, depends on what you’ve seen from the pitcher, what his tendencies are, how you’re feeling that day, what the game situation is, and what he’s most likely to throw at that point in time.” – Will Clark


I’m a baseball guy. I love the sport, and I love being with people that know baseball, play baseball, and are fans of the game. I’ve coached kids for eight years, including my kids, and I can tell you that success in baseball is mostly about fundamentals and strategy. Will Clark, the San Francisco Giant’s first baseman known as “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball,” is famous for many things, but one of them is this banner once posted at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. When asked about his success as a hitter, Clark said, “I never go up to the plate without a plan.” People in business can learn a lot from baseball.


For most of us, building a strategy for marketing sounds about as exciting as watching the infield dirt dry after a spring rain. Like you, I’ve sat in too many meetings, heard too many opinions, and have worked on too many “flavor of the month” ideas to get overly excited about another planning meeting. But if you know what questions to ask yourself, and if you have an idea of what you want in the end, you can step up to the plate and knock it out of the park. In business, we call that a strategy! Thats oversimplified of course, but again, it’s about fundamentals.


Here are some fundamental questions to get you started on a great plan for your marketing:


1. If you sat here one year from now, what would have to have happened in that past year for you to feel like you’ve been successful in your marketing?


2. What are the biggest roadblocks or hurdles keeping you from getting there?


3. What things do you see as opportunities that will help you get there?


4. What strengths do you possess that you can leverage to help you achieve those goals?


Write down your answers, by category. Then sit back and review it. Reword it as needed, so it makes sense to you. Now read it out loud.


There’s your fundamental plan for moving your business forward. Now you’re ready to swing away.