How to Develop and Present a Strategy that Drives Results: A Consultant's Step-by-Step Guide
As a consultant, You get to work on lots of strategies and a common of all is making a bulky document with so many things in it. Your hard work, months of research and making multiple presentations, your strategy is now in 100 or 200 pages with only one limitation
And problem is not with the consultant or consultancy but the problem lies mostly on the client’s end, but at the end, your success does not lie in building a report & delivering it but in getting those recommendations implemented and seeing the growth which was promised. You won’t want frustrated teams, wasted resources, and missed opportunities for growth.
Yes, sounds contradictory but true. One side you build such massive information, clubbed together to form the strategy in 100s of pages while on the other hand making it as easy as doing step number 1, 2, 3
In this article, I ‘ll walk through a three-part framework that will change how you approach strategy development with your clients. This approach will help you create strategies that are easy to understand and implement and highly effective at attracting, converting, delighting, and retaining ideal customers.
Ever heard of simple scales? And this is true too.
Second, excessive detail creates analysis paralysis. When teams are faced with too many
- Objectives,
- Metrics, and
- Action items
This is where simplicity comes into the picture
The most effective strategies we've seen in our consulting work share one common trait: simplicity.
Simple strategies work because:
1.They’re easy to understand and remember. When team members can easily recall and articulate the strategy, they’re more likely to align their daily decisions with it.
2. They facilitate quick decision-making. A simple strategy provides clear guidance for whether potential actions align with the company’s direction, enabling faster and more consistent choices throughout the organization.
3.They increase buy-in across all levels. When everyone from the C-suite to front-line employees can grasp and explain the strategy, you create a shared vision that drives collective action.
The Mindset of a "Simple Strategy"
Before diving into the framework that will change the way you present and deliver the strategy, it’s crucial to shift your clients’ mindset about what a strategy should be. ( And trust me I know it is one hell of a task)
A strategy isn’t a detailed blueprint of every possible scenario and response.
“Instead, think of it as a clear north star that guides decision-making and action.”
Remember: Simple gets followed. Complex gets ignored. And this is exactly what we even give in our presentations for consultants when they come to us for design say reports or strategy documents
This mindset shift is often the hardest part of the process for both consultants and clients. We need to help our clients understand that leaving things out of the strategy is just as important as what we put in. Like most of our clients come to us after going through & failing with Ai tools for presentation design
Let’s review the Three Core Components of a Simple Strategy
Step 1: The Tactical Tale
As consultants, we know there are so many challenges in their lives. While handling everything, data and analysis also play an important role in the project, but I still insist on working on the story as the tale drives action. The tactical tale isn’t about crafting a heartwarming story– it’s about creating a clear, compelling narrative that explains why your client’s strategic choices make sense. If required, take the help of a professional writer but work hard on it
The Framework
Let's break down the five key elements of an effective Strategy Story:
1. Explain the realities
Your saga should begin with a clear picture of the current market reality. Help your clients articulate:
– What’s happening in their industry right now?
– How do customers currently solve their problems?
– What are the dominant business models and approaches?
For example, if you’re working with a professional services firm, you might describe how their industry currently operates with traditional billable hours, rigid service packages, and minimal technology integration.
2. Explain Why It Sucks
Yes, this is where you help clients understand the problems
– What inefficiencies exist in the current model?
– What frustrations do customers experience?
– What opportunities are being missed?
Using our professional services example, you might highlight how the billable hour model creates misaligned incentives, how rigid service packages fail to meet unique client needs, and how the lack of technology integration leads to inefficient processes.
3. Describe Your Unique Value
Help your clients understand what makes them different
– What unique capabilities or approaches do they bring?
– What combinations of skills or resources set them apart?
– What do they do better than anyone else?
4. Explain How This Gives You a Competitive Advantage
Show how their unique value translates into market success:
– How does their approach overcome the status quo problems?
– Why can’t competitors easily copy this approach?
– What sustainable advantages does this create?
5. Describe the Value Your Customers Get
Finally, connect everything to customer outcomes:
– What specific benefits do customers receive?
– How does this improve their situation?
– What meaningful differences will they experience?
Why This Story Matter?
The Strategy Story serves several crucial purposes:
– It creates alignment by ensuring everyone understands not just what the strategy is, but why it makes sense
– It provides context for decision-making at all levels
– It makes the strategy memorable and shareable
– It helps team members explain the strategy to others
Why Copying any story is dangerous?
As consultants, we must emphasize to our clients that while they can learn from others’ strategies, copying them is dangerous. Each organization’s Strategy Story should be unique because it:
– Reflects their specific capabilities and circumstances
– Addresses their particular market position
– Leverages their unique combinations of skills and resources
– Speaks to their specific customer needs
Step 2: Mission Blue Print
The "Only > Better" Template
We recommend using Marty Neumeier’s Onlyness Statement framework, modified slightly for clarity and impact. The template is:
“We are the ONLY [category] who offers [unique value] by doing [what you do differently]”
This simple structure forces clarity and specificity. Let's break it down:
1. The ONLY [category]
Defines the specific market space or category you’re competing in
– Should be narrow enough to be meaningful but broad enough to matter
2. Who offers [unique value]
– Articulates the specific benefit or outcome you provide
– Should be something customers actually care about
By doing [what you do differently]
– Explains how you deliver that unique value
– Should be specific and actionable
Examples of blueprint for different industries:
1. Professional Services:
2. Technology:
3. Healthcare:
4. Financial Services:
5. E-commerce:
6. Education:
7. Manufacturing:
8. Travel:
9. Food Delivery:
10. Cybersecurity:
11. Digital Marketing:
The Importance of Clarity
The Strategy Statement serves as a constant reminder and filter for decision-making. It should be:
– Clear enough that everyone can understand it
– Specific enough to guide choices
– Memorable enough to be referenced daily
– Achievable while still being ambitious
Step 3: The Action List
The final component transforms strategy from theory to practice. As consultants, we know that execution is where most strategies fail. The Action List makes the strategy actionable by clearly stating what will and won’t be done.
The "Do List"
Help your clients identify:
1. Actions to Stop
– New initiatives that align with the strategy
– Capabilities that need to be developed
– Relationships that need to be built
2. Actions to Continue
– Existing activities that support the strategy
– Successful programs to expand
– Core competencies to strengthen
The "Kill List"
Equally important, identify:
1. Actions to Stop
– Projects that don’t align with the strategy
– Products or services to discontinue
– Practices that don’t add value
2. Actions to Never Start
– Tempting opportunities that would dilute focus
– Common industry practices that don’t fit your strategy
– Potential distractions to avoid
Implementation and Sharing
Don't Keep It a Secret
– Share the strategy widely throughout the organization
– Make it part of every team meeting
– Include it in onboarding and training
– Reference it in decision-making discussions
The worst strategy is one that stays in the consultant’s PowerPoint deck. Encourage your clients to:
Creating Implementation Success
Guide your clients in:
1. Attracting Ideal Customers
– Help them align marketing and sales efforts with the strategy
– Ensure all customer-facing materials reflect the strategic positioning
– Design lead generation around their unique value proposition
There is a great book “ Liberating Entrepreneurs” written by Harish K Saini, on how to generate leads, the importance of Qualifying leads & how to qualify just to get started on these lines
2. Converting Prospects
3. Delighting Customers
4. Keeping Customers
Becoming the Only Choice
The ultimate goal of the Simple Strategy is to make your clients the obvious choice in their category. This happens when:
– Their unique value is clearly understood in the market
– Their different approach delivers superior results
– Their team consistently executes on their strategy
– Their customers become advocates for their approach
Conclusion
The power of this approach lies in its simplicity. By helping your clients focus on these three core components – Story, Statement, and Action List – you’ll create strategies that don’t just sound good but actually drive results.
Remember:
– A clear story beats a complex plan
– A memorable statement beats a lengthy mission
– A focused action list beats a comprehensive analysis
The power of this approach lies in its simplicity. By helping your clients focus on these three core components – Story, Statement, and Action List – you’ll create strategies that don’t just sound good but actually drive results.