The Translation Layer Method
Turning your priorities into marketing that moves the business forward.
Strategy can be defined as where you’re going to play and how you’re going to win. It’s relatively commonplace that a gap exists between the overall business strategy and the marketing strategy. Somewhere along the way, things get misaligned and the connection gets lost.
The Translation Layer Method is meant to keep these two strategies aligned so that marketing investment leads to returns that can be measured.
Translate
We start with the business, not the marketing calendar. What does the company need to accomplish this quarter? What marketing initiatives are supporting these goals? What does sales need? Has anything significantly changed in the market recently?
Those priorities become the foundation for marketing strategy.
Prioritize
Marketing initiatives aren’t equal. It truly depends what you’re trying to achieve. The Translation Layer determines how marketing can have the greatest impact, including what needs to happen quickly, and what can wait.
The result is a focused set of priorities tied to business needs.
Operationalize
Strategy only matters if it makes its way into the work. Priorities are translated into positioning, messaging, campaigns, customer journeys, briefs, systems, and measurable programs that teams move forward and execute.
Taking action to move the right things forward is the fundamental challenge, and a leader who can “walk the walk” is key.
When the Translation Layer is missing.
You may recognize the symptoms:
- Marketing is busy, but it’s difficult to explain what it’s accomplishing.
- Sales and marketing are working toward different priorities.
- Campaigns are launched without a clear connection to business goals.
- Agencies and specialists execute well but lack the business context they need.
- Leadership keeps changing marketing priorities because there isn’t a clear strategic framework.
- Good ideas struggle to make the jump from strategy to implementation.
These aren’t always execution problems. Often, they’re translation problems.
Margin Form works between business strategy and marketing execution, helping leadership teams determine what marketing needs to accomplish, translating those priorities into a clear strategy, and helping teams put that strategy into practice.