5 Campaign Strategy Questions to Ask Before You Build
Your roadmap should work in the real world - not just on paper.
Campaign strategy is one of my favorite things to build. It’s part puzzle, part vision, part intuition. And when done right, it’s the thing that keeps creative aligned, teams grounded, and goals actually met.
That said, I’ve seen too many campaigns fall apart after they’re in motion.
Not because the team didn’t care.
Not because the idea wasn’t strong.
Not because the tools weren’t good.
Because the strategy was never built to hold up in the real world.
The kind of strategy that holds up looks like this:
It adapts to shifting timelines, new leadership, changing budgets, evolving goals.
It gives creative teams clarity without boxing them in.
It gets alignment early - before the asset list starts growing and the timeline starts shrinking.
Over time, I’ve learned:
A great campaign doesn’t start with a splashy brief.
It starts with clarity. Alignment. A few tough (but honest) conversations.
And a roadmap that actually supports the people executing it.
Before a single asset gets made, I ask a few key questions. These are the ones that save you from scope creep, silos, and strategy detours:
1. What are we actually trying to achieve?
Not just the deliverable. What is the business outcome? This is where we trade in vague goals like “brand awareness” or “lead gen” for real, specific outcomes.
What's the shift we’re trying to create? In perception? In behavior? In results?
2. Who are the decision-makers — and who are the doers?
If the people executing the work aren’t involved in shaping the plan, it’ll fall apart in handoff. Strategy is shared ownership. Get your cross-functional team in the room early and get their input because they’ve been in the ring before. Make sure you’ve built in support and resources for the team.
3. What’s the scope — and what’s off the table?
Clarity around constraints helps everyone get more creative within the lines. It also saves you from last-minute rewrites or overextended teams.
Remember: Boundaries are your friend.
4. What’s the timeline — and what might disrupt it?
Strategy should be sturdy, not rigid. When you plan for pivots in advance (leadership reviews, production delays, etc.), you give your team breathing room and maintain forward motion.
5. What does success look like — for everyone?
One stakeholder might be measuring media hits. Another might be measuring revenue lift. If those two aren’t aligned, you’ll never “win.” Get crystal clear together on what success means and drive toward that.
These questions may seem simple, but they’re the difference between strategy that moves with momentum and strategy that ends up gathering dust.
Ready to put this into practice?
If your current campaign plan keeps drifting off course, or if you’re about to kick one off and want a gut check, I’d love to connect. Book a quick chat here.
Because a strong strategy isn’t a wishlist. It’s a working document. One that bends, adapts, and still keeps you moving toward the goal.
Let’s build something that holds up.
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