It's my turn to write a blog entry on strategy, an area that I know a thing or two about.

So naturally, I start with a list.

Corporate strategy. Brand strategy. Marketing strategy. Sales strategy. Communication strategy. Media strategy. Direct strategy. Offer strategy. Creative strategy. Service strategy. Product strategy. Pricing strategy. Web strategy. Promotion strategy. Contact strategy. Distribution strategy. Public relations strategy. New business strategy. Research strategy. Customer strategy. Naming strategy.  Measurement strategy.

Finally, I pause. I’m sure I could add more, but my head is already dizzy just thinking about this maze of decks. How do I possibly pull something together on such a broad subject?

I gave some thought to people who I consider to be exceptionally smart, strategic thinkers. Some can take the complex and make it simple. Others provided tremendous insight into customer motivations and how to connect with it. And that’s when I focus my thinking – the best strategy is the one that can be executed and measured.

Too often, we put more emphasis on the thinking...“coming up with the big idea”...than on the execution. What good is the strategy if you can’t make it happen?  And, even if you can make it happen how do you know if it's working or not unless you measure it?