How to Write Digital Strategy

All content copyright © 2015 Ravi Prasad. Contact myintuition@yahoo.com This is a pre-publication draft of the book ‘How to write digital strategy’ circulated for review and feedback purposes on Slideshare only. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe
reproduced, stored or transmitted by any means without the prior permission of the author.
1

How
to
write

digital
strategy

A
‘how
to
guide’
to
creating,
writing
and
thinking
about
digital

strategy
and
strategy
in
general.
Ravi
D.
Prasad.

2

I
write
strategy
for
a
living,
it’s
what
I’ve
done
for

over
a
decade.
The
questions
I
am
most
often
asked

are
‘how
do
I
write
a
digital
strategy’
and
‘what

does
a
digital
strategy
look
like’.
They’re
good

questions.
And
the
purpose
of
this
book
is

to
answer
them.

3

Let’s
define
strategy

Before
we
talk
about
strategy,
it’s
important
that
we
define
it.

The
dictionary
will
provide
definitions
like
this:
a
plan
of
action

designed
to
achieve
a
long-‐term
or
overall
aim.

For
the
purposes
of
this
book.
consider
that
a
strategy
is
an
answer

to
a
problem.

Strategy
documents
can
be
full
of
stuff,
data,
analysis,

implementation,
execution,
lots
of
things
like
this
can
be
in
there.

This
stuff
serves
to
validate
your
strategy
or
give
it
context
or
make

it
actionable.
The
important
thing
in
a
strategy
document
is
the

answer
to
the
problem.

4

How
to
write
digital
strategy

This
book
doesn’t
contain
everything;
it
contains
just
enough
so
that

you
can
develop
a
strategy
that
works.
Bear
in
mind
there
are
many

different
ways
to
write
a
strategy,
this
is
just
one
that
I
use.

This
book
contains
four
parts:

1.
A
context
for
digital
strategy.

Your
strategy
has
to
work
out
there
in
the
real
world.
So
it’s

important
to
understand
how
that
world
works.

We
all
know
that
things
have
changed;
the
way
people
interact
with

and
consume
media
has
changed,
the
way
they
are
connected
to

each
other
through
social
media
has
changed.
This
section
describes

those
changes,
why
they
are
important
and
how
they
provide
the

context
for
framing
a
digital
strategy.

2.
Finding
your
campaign
idea.

A
changed
context
means
the
big
campaign
or
advertising
idea
you

need
to
find
has
changed
too.
This
section
examines
what
the
big

idea
needs
to
look
like
now
–
and
how
to
find
it.

3.
An
ecosystem
for
the
campaign.

If
you
are
not
looking
for
a
campaign
idea
and
if
you
understand
the

changed
context,
then
you
could
start
your
reading
with
this

chapter.

An
ecosystem
describes
the
channels
we
need
to
use
and
how
they

relate
to
each
other;
it
describes
a
user
journey.
The
changed

context
means
we
need
to
look
anew
at
how
we
create
this
user

journey
and
use
our
channels.

5
4.
A
template
for
writing
a
digital
strategy.

Now
that
we
have
a
context
for
our
strategy,
know
how
to
find
our

big
idea,
and
have
a
grasp
of
what
the
ecosystem
for
a
campaign

should
look
like,
we
can
look
at
a
template
for
writing
a
digital

strategy
document.

If
you
just
want
to
know
what
a
digital
strategy
looks
like
and
how

to
write
one,
this
is
the
chapter
you
want.

This
book
is
a
guide
for
writing
a
digital
strategy
for
advertising,

marketing
and
communications
campaigns.
A
lot
of
it
is
applicable

to
social
media
strategy
too.
It’s
short
and
it’s
simple.
Even
if
you’ve

never
written
a
strategy
or
digital
strategy
before,
in
about
an
hour

from
now
you’ll
be
able
to
write
one.
And
it
will
be
one
that
you
can

use.

We
want
to
keep
things
simple.
So
we’re
not
looking
at
the
theory,

we’re
not
looking
at
individual
channels,
or
everything
you
can
or

should
include.
We’re
looking
at
putting
together
the
bones
of
a

strategy
that
will
work.

This
book
is
just
comprehensive
enough
so
that
even
if
you
include

nothing
else,
you’ll
have
a
strategy
that
will
do
the
job.

Everything
here
has
been
tried
and
tested
and
tested
and
tested

again.
It’s
been
made
as
simple
as
possible,
but
no
simpler.
It’s
not

guesswork,
it’s
not
theory;
it
is
practical
and
proven.

I
write
strategy
for
a
living,
it’s
what
I’ve
done
for
over
a
decade.

The
questions
I
am
most
often
asked
is
‘how
do
I
write
a
digital

strategy’
and
‘what
does
a
digital
strategy
look
like’.
They’re
good

questions.
And
the
purpose
of
this
book
is
to
answer
them.

6

Part
1.

A
context
for
digital
strategy.

Everything
has
changed.

As
we
mentioned
at
the
beginning,
our
strategy
has
to
work
in
the

real
world,
so
it’s
important
to
understand
how
the
world
works.
It

makes
this
section
more
important
than
you’d
think.

Let’s
start
by
stating
what
should
be
obvious
about
the
world
today;

we
all
know
that
technology,
digital
media,
social
media,
the

convergence
and
interconnectedness
of
channels
and
platforms
and

the
growing
connectedness
of
the
consumer
-‐
it’s
changed

everything.
Everything
and
every
one
is
connected.
And
it’s
changed

the
rules
for
developing
strategy
with
it.

This
‘new
connectedness’
means
that
we
can’t
just
write
a
‘digital’

strategy.
It
means
we
have
to
write
digital
into
your
overall
strategy.

In
other
words,
we
can’t
just
do
a
digital
strategy
in
‘isolation’.
We

have
to
write
digital
into
everything.
It’s
the
same
with
social
media

strategy.

Of
course
the
reality
is
sometimes
you’ll
need
to
do
a
strategy
that

is
focused
on
digital
only.
And
what
you’ll
find
here
can
be
applied.

It’s
just
that
by
looking
at
digital
in
isolation
we’re
not
realising
the

potential
of
all
the
other
channels
in
the
mix.
And
this
is
what
digital

can
do
so
well
-‐
maximise
the
efficiency,
effectiveness,
potential
and

ROI
of
all
channels
and
campaign
activities.

Just
as
we
can’t
just
do
a
digital
strategy
in
‘isolation’,
the
same
is

true
for
social
media
strategy.
Your
digital
strategy
and
your
social

7
media
strategy
should
ideally
be
integrated
to
the
point
that
they

are
the
same.

It’s
also
worth
mentioning
that
what
you’ll
find
in
this
book
can
be

applied
to
any
communications
or
brand
or
advertising
campaign

using
any
media
or
channels.

For
these
reasons,
instead
of
repeating
the
words
‘digital
strategy’

throughout,
we’ll
just
use
the
word
‘strategy’.

The
context
for
strategy
comprises
four
ideas
about
the
media

landscape
we
inhabit
–
the
world
as
it
is
today.
We’ll
refer
to
these

as
Media
Ideas.

Again,
these
Media
Ideas
should
be
obvious,
but
given
their

importance
they’re
worth
spelling
out.
You’ll
probably
know
them.

What
may
not
be
self
evident
is
their
central
relationship
to
the
way

we
now
need
to
formulate
strategy
-‐
after
their
introduction
we’ll

look
at
that
relationship.

Media
Idea
1.

The
consumer
is
the
channel.

The
connectedness
of
consumers
means
that
they
are
effectively
a

channel.
Using
digital
channels
and
platforms,
they
share
things,

they
exchange.
Ideas
and
massages
get
passed
around
–
they
are

broadcasting
to
each
other.

The
consumer
is
the
channel.
They
always
have
been;
it’s
‘word
of

mouth’.
Digital
and
social
channels
mean
that
it’s
now
taken
on
a

new
scale
and
significance.

More
powerful
than
any
media
channel,
more
persuasive
than
any

advertising
are
the
things
one
consumer
says,
shares
or
exchanges

with
another.

Data
tells
us
that
peer
review
and
recommendation
are
the
number

one
influence
on
consumer
buying
behaviour.

So
we
don’t
just
want
to
talk
to
consumers.
We
want
them
to
talk

about
us
and
to
us.
To
do
this
we
need
to
be
part
of
a
conversation.

Media
Idea
2.

The
message
is
the
medium.

If
peer
review
and
recommendation
are
the
number
one
influence

on
consumer
buying
behaviour
and
if
consumers
are
a
channel,

then
clearly
the
message
is
everything.

If
the
message
is
everything,
we
need
a
new
way
to
look
at
and

identify
the
propositions
that
define
our
messages.

They
now
must
be
highly
and
naturally
communicable.

8
Media
Idea
3.

The
conversation
is
the
proposition

Consumers
are
not
going
to
talk
about
how
white
we
make
their

shirts,
or
how
fresh
we
make
their
breath,
or
how
dogs
think
it’s

delicious
or
how
it’s
conveniently
packaged,
these
are
simply
not

the
kind
of
conversations
they
naturally
have
with
each
other.

Propositions
now
have
to
be
ideas
for
conversations.
But
so
often

our
USPs
(unique
selling
propositions)
are
based
around
these
kind

of
rational
benefits.

If
you
want
consumers
to
talk,
you
need
to
find
the
natural

conversation.
It
may
be
one
they
are
already
having.
Your
brand
and

your
campaign
proposition
are
in
that
conversation.

Which
means,
for
a
digital
campaign
to
work,
for
it
to
be
effective
in

social
channels,
we
must
understand
what
conversations
are

natural
to
the
consumer
–
what
conversation
they
are
having
with

each
other
–
then
we
need
to
understand
how
to
find
our
place
in

those
natural
conversations
that
they
want
to
have.

Given
that
most
advertising
is
now
elective,
or
optional
–
consumers

can
now
very
easily
filter
out
advertising
–
then
identifying
the

conversation
is
even
more
important.

Identifying
the
conversation
is
often
the
most
important
thing
our

strategy
needs
to
provide.
We’ll
talk
about
how
to
identify
the

conversation
further
a
little
later.

Media
Idea
4.

Media
works
differently
now.

Media
channels
are
now
interrelated
in
ways
that
never
existed

before.

Technology
and
mobile
devices
allows
the
seamless
migration
from

one
digital
execution
to
another.
You
can
move
effortlessly
from
an

e-‐mail
to
an
on-‐line
video,
to
a
website,
to
a
game
to
a
community

space.
Technology
connects
all
media
to
digital
media.
You
can

move
from
a
press
ad
to
a
video
or
a
website.
You
can
move
from
a

television
commercial
to
an
app.
From
a
billboard
to
a
sound
file.

Different
digital
and
social
channels
and
platforms
support
different

kinds
of
engagement.
Some
channels
are
great
for
text,
some

images,
some
for
a
game,
some
for
exchanging
information
with

other
people.
From
channel
to
channel,
from
platform
to
platform,

it
can
be
a
very
different
experience
each
time

This
is
the
world
we
live
in
today.
This
changes
everything.

9

The
context
for
strategy

-‐Our
four
Media
Ideas

Media
Idea
1.The
consumer
is
the
channel.

Media
Idea
2.
The
message
is
the
medium.

Media
Idea
3.The
conversation
is
the
proposition

Media
Idea
4.
Media
works
differently
now.

If
we
accept
that
the
four
Media
Ideas
are
obvious,
then
it
changes

the
kind
of
big
advertising,
communications,
or
big
creative
idea
we

need
to
be
looking
for.

10

Part
2.

Finding
your
campaign
idea.

About
Big
ideas

Traditionally
we
look
for
a
‘big
idea’
that
forms
the
center
of
a

campaign.

If
we
accept
that
the
four
Media
Ideas
that
form
the
context
for

strategy,
then
it’s
clear
we
need
more
than
just
another
big

advertising
idea.

We
need
to
update
what
the
big
idea
means
because
to
work
in
the

world
we
live
in
now
our
big
adverting
idea
needs
to
be
a
little
bit

bigger
than
they’ve
been
before.
We’ve
already
seen
this

happening,
and
we’ve
all
heard
of
the
concept
of
‘media
neutrality’

and
if
you
look
at
some
of
the
more
successful
campaigns
of
the
last

few
years
you
can
see
the
trend.
So
let’s
define
what
this
new

bigger
idea
is.

However,
rather
than
simply
redefining
the
‘big
advertising’
“big

strategic’
or
‘big
creative
idea’,
let’s
give
it
a
new
name,
one
that’s

more
appropriate
to
the
job
it
has
to
do
and
one
that
enables
us
to

make
a
break
with
how
we’ve
thought
about
those
big
ideas
in
the

past
-‐
let’s
call
it
an
‘Idea
Story’.

An
Idea
Story
has
5
defining
characteristics:

1.

Like
a
story
it
must
be
one
around
which
a
natural
conversation
can

be
had
with
the
consumer.
One
that
consumers
will
share
with
each

other.
One
that
people
are
already
having
conversations
about.

11
2.

Like
a
story
it
needs
to
unfold
over
time,
and
in
real
time,
and
take

us
on
a
journey.

3.

It
needs
to
have
dimensions.
For
example
it
ideally
needs
to
work
as

well
as
a
game
as
it
would
as
a
TVC.

4.

Each
element
should
lead
you
to,
build
upon,
or
support
another
–

we’ll
discuss
this
further
in
a
little
while.

5.

It
must
provide
‘value’.
You
can
define
value
in
many
ways.
For

example,
it
may
provide
some
extrinsic
or
intrinsic
reward,
it
may

increase
the
consumers
status,
it
may
provide
valuable
information,

or
it
just
may
be
entertaining.

We
need
to
be
relevant
to
the
way
people
interact
with
media
and

each
other
today.
So,
if
we
conceive
our
big
advertising
or
campaign

idea
with
these
5
characteristics
in
mind,
we’re
creating
something

larger
more
adaptable
and
more
flexible
that
can
work
across
digital

and
social
channels
and
platforms
we
need
to
use.

In
conceiving
of
our
big
advertising
or
campaign
idea
as
an
Idea

Story
we
can
resolve
our
four
Media
Ideas
into
a
new
way
of

formulating
brand,
advertising
and
communications
campaigns.

Let’s
now
look
at
how
we
find
and
identify
our
new
big
advertising

or
campaign
ideas-‐
our
Idea
Stories.

Finding
your
campaign
idea,
your
‘Idea
Story’.

A
USP
is
a
simple,
single
minded
thing
–
‘we’ll
make
your
shirts

whiter’.
This
proposition,
like
many,
is
generally
a
rational
benefit
–

or
the
emotional
expression
of
a
rational
benefit.

An
Idea
Story
requires
finding
a
conversation
idea
that
emotionally

and
intellectually
engages
the
consumer
-‐
because
people
naturally

talk
about
the
things
they
are
emotionally
and
intellectually

engaged
with.

So,
while
people
may
want
white
shirts,
it’s
not
a
great
conversation

starter.

The
key
to
finding
the
conversations
is
to
look
for
that
which
is

emotionally
and
intellectually
engaging
for
the
consumer,
that

which
is
the
subject
of
natural
conversations
-‐
yet
still
directly

relevant
to
the
rational
and
emotional
benefits
of
your
product.

There
is
a
process
for
identifying
these
conversations.

12
Conversation
identification:

Propositions
are
an
answer
to
a
question,
the
fulfilment
of
a
need
or

the
satisfaction
of
a
desire.
This
means
the
consumer’s
wants
and

needs,
define
the
proposition
-‐
we
do
not.
Customers
don’t
care

about
what
we
think.
They
will
use
the
product
or
service
for
their

own
reasons.

So
the
process
begins
with
listening
to
the
consumer.

The
conversations
you’re
looking
for
don’t
necessarily
revolve

around
benefits
or
features
of
your
product
or
service.
The

conversations
can
revolve
around
the
things
in
people’s
lives
that

they
are
emotionally
or
intellectually
engaged
with
that
are
linked

to
you
product,
often
called
emotional
and
intellectual
or
rational

drivers
we’ll
look
at
this
in
more
detail
in
a
moment.

Consider
why
people
do
what
they
do
with
your
product.
What

does
it
mean
to
them
as
an
individual,
what
does
using
your
product

say
about
them,
how
does
it
fit
into
their
pastimes,
hobbies,
status,

ambitions,
feelings
about
themselves
or
relationships
with
other

people.

We’re
looking
for
broader
things;
we’re
looking
at
consumers
lives.

We’re
looking
for
ideas
and
conversations
that
are
natural
to
the

consumer
and
already
alive
and
being
had
in
the
real
world.

Consider
the
proposition
‘gets
your
shirts
whiter’.
This
is
not
a

conversation.
But
what
a
white
shirt
means
to
a
consumer
may
be
a

conversation.

For
example
a
cleaner
shirt
may
mean
they
are
confident
that
they

look
their
best,
for
a
job
interview,
on
a
date,
or
making
a
good
first

impression.

Job
interviews,
first
dates,
first
impressions;
these
are
natural

conversations
–
people
talk
about
them,
think
about
them
and
are

emotionally
and
intellectually
engaged
with
them.
So
forget
talking

to
people
about
white
shirts,
have
a
conversation
with
them
about

that
job
interview
or
first
date.

Have
a
conversation
about
confidence
and
what
it
means
to
them

So
the
question
is
what
is
the
natural
conversation
that
your
brand,

product
or
service
is
relevant
to?

We’ll
still
tell
people
our
USP,
but
it
now
becomes
part
of
a

conversation.
A
broader,
natural,
more
meaningful,
more

emotionally
and
intellectually
engaging
conversation.

Your
laundry
powder
now
fits
into
conversation
about
every
aspect

of
when
and
where
and
how
good
impressions
need
to
be
made

and
about
confidence.

Natural
ideas
change
everything.

Natural
ideas.

13

Advertising
campaigns
fail
to
generate
word
of
mouth
because

often
the
conversation
you
try
to
have
with
the
consumer
is
not

natural,
they
don’t
want
to
have
it.
So
when
you
stop
talking,
the

conversation
dies
out.

Your
conversation
should
be
one
that
is
natural.

Our
challenge
is
to
understand
how
we
can
participate
in
that

natural
conversation.
If
you
don’t
have
data,
there’s
a
host
of
social

media
listening
tools
to
help
provide
you
with
an
understanding
of

the
natural
conversations.

Find
your
natural
idea
it
becomes
your
Idea
Story.

The
Idea
Story
–
a
definition

The
Idea
Story
–
a
conversation
idea
that
is
natural
to
your
target

market,
that
is
also
relevant
to
your
USP,
that
is
used
in
place
of
the

USP
for
campaign
and
communications
activity.

The
Idea
Story
check
list

As
we
talked
about
before,
if
you
look
at
some
of
the
more

successful
campaigns
of
the
last
few
years
you
can
see
that
a

different
way
to
define
the
big
idea
is
emerging,
so
let’s
define
what

this
new
bigger
idea
is
by
looking
at
what
they
ideally
have
in

common:

-‐It
should
ideally
work
as
well
in
press
as
it
does
as
a
game.

-‐It
should
ideally
must
work
as
well
as
video
content
as
it
does
a
TV

commercial.

-‐It
should
ideally
work
as
well
as
an
event
as
it
does
as
a
sales

promotion.

-‐It
must
work
as
well
in
social
media
application
as
it
does
in
a

‘community
space’
or
forum.

-‐From
a
mobile
phone
to
brand
theatre,
it
must
work
in
all
these

ways
and
more.

Even
if
you
don’t
need
your
idea
to
work
in
a
specific
channel,
as
a

thought
experiment
consider
how
it
could.
Testing
your
idea
this

way
is
a
good
way
to
validate
it.

14

Part
3.

An
ecosystem
for
the
campaign.

The
Idea
Story
Ecosystem

Our
strategy
has
to
work
in
the
real
world,
in
the
channels
that

people
are
really
using.
So
it’s
important
to
understand
the
way

channels
are
now
related.
Again,
it
makes
this
section
reasonably

important.

As
we
talked
about
before,
media
channels
are
now
interrelated
in

ways
that
never
existed
before.

Technology
allows
the
seamless
migration
from
one
digital

execution
to
another,
you
can
move
effortlessly
from
bill
board
to

video,
from
a
press
advertisement
to
a
website,
a
game
or
an
app.

It’s
mobile
world.
Our
devices
are
mobile
ones.

We
can
now
migrate
from
one
channel
or
platform
to
another

effortlessly.
This
is
the
world
we
live
in
today.

This
is
how
we
consume
media
and
entertainment
and
the
way
we

interact
with
technology
and
media
in
the
course
of
our
daily
life
–

it’s
a
journey.

This
journey
suggests
a
new
way
of
thinking
about
campaign

ecosystems.
We’ve
all
see
these
ecosystems;
they
describe
how
a

consumer
moves
from
when
they
first
encounter
your
campaign

through
to
when
they
complete
your
campaign
objectives.

So
let’s
look
at
the
three
defining
characteristics
of
an
ecosystem
for

an
idea
story
campaign.

15
1.
The
journey

There
is
one
important
characteristic
of
an
Idea
Story
that
makes

the
approach
distinct:
Each
element
should
lead
you
to
another.

Each
manifestation,
on
each
channel
or
platform,
should
allow

consumers
to
discover
different
dimensions,
becoming
more

engaged
each
time.

This
is
a
defining
principle
of
an
Idea
Story.
The
reality
is
that
in
the

real
world
budgets
can
mean
you
only
have
one
or
two
channels
to

work
with.

Also,
whether
this
journey
is
necessary
or
not
is
a
decision
you
need

to
make,
however
it’s
important
to
remember
that
this
journey

leads
to
a
deeper
engagement,
and
deep
engagement
leads
to

consideration.

For
example,
a
web
movie
could
lead
you
to
the
site,
the
site
to
the

game,
the
game
to
a
promotion.
Even
if
people
don’t
move,
we

need
to
make
sure
they
have
the
choice
and
that’s
important

because
we
can’t
always
anticipate
where
people
will
encounter
or

enter
our
campaign
-‐
and
because
some
digital
channels
don’t

support
the
provision
of
much
information
or
interaction,
we
need

to
create
campaigns
where
users
can
flow
fluidly
from
place
to

place
-‐
and
want
to
do
so.

While
we
need
to
ensure
each
encounter
or
experience
of
our

campaign
is
capable
of
achieving
our
objectives,
we
seek
to

maximize
the
number,
duration,
depth
and
texture
of
that

experience
in
order
to
increase
the
likelihood
that
we
will
achieve

the
desired
outcome.

The
benefits
of
such
an
approach
are
clear.
It
builds
engagement

and
it
can
create
an
ongoing
relationship
with
our
brand.

And
this
is
not
just
confined
to
digital
channels;
traditional
channels

are
also
are
part
of
this
journey.
As
we’ve
said
before:
your
digital

strategy
is
your
strategy.

2.
Sharing
(propagation)

The
consumer
is
the
channel.

So,
at
each
and
every
point
of
contact
with
a
consumer
we
must

create
mechanisms
that
allow
them
to
share
your
campaign
-‐
your

Idea
Story,
or
content
-‐
with
a
friend,
family
member
or
someone
in

their
digital
or
social
network.
We
call
this
propagation;
to
achieve

propagation
we
must
make
it
easy
and
natural
for
people
to
act
as
a

‘channel’
and
create
the
willingness
to
do
so.

So
we
incentivise
that
sharing
by
providing
an
intrinsic
or
extrinsic

benefit
or
value.
The
question
we
need
to
ask
is:
how
do
we
create

value
at
every
step
and
in
every
interaction?

Essentially,
propagation
(sharing)
requires
creating:

1.
Value
-‐
content
or
an
experience
that
consumers
will
want
to

share.

2.
An
intrinsic
or
extrinsic
motivation
a
reward
for
sharing
-‐
‘what’s

in
it
for
me’.

3.
Mechanisms
that
enable
that
sharing.

16

Our
propagation
strategy
is
in
integrated
into
our
Idea
Story

campaign
strategy.

The
key
challenge
for
us
is
to
create
value
in
sharing,
what
do

people
get
for
sharing
-‐
an
enhanced
status?
A
chance
to
win?
A
fun

content
experience?
We
need
to
create
this
value
at
every
point
of

our
campaign.

3.
Cross
channel,
cross
platform

Different
channels
support
different
kinds
of
engagement
and

experiences
so
we
need
to
provide
consumers
with
very
different,

but
congruous,
experiences
of
the
same
Idea
Story
in
different

channels.

If
they
experience
the
Idea
Story
as
a
game,
it
is
a
satisfying,
self

contained
experience
-‐it
makes
sense,
all
by
itself,
in
isolation
from

any
other
element.

If
they
experience
an
Idea
Story
on
Facebook,
it
too
is
a
satisfying

self
contained
experience
that’s
coherent
with
all
the
others.

It
may
not
always
possible,
but
we
should
strive
for
each
element
to

be
capable
of
achieving
your
objectives
all
by
itself,
in
isolation
from

any
other
element.
However
you
can
experience
multiple
elements

and
you
will
find
that
each
one
builds
upon
the
other
to
provide
a

deeper
more
involving
story.

Unlike
conventional
campaigns
where
activity
drives
one
big
‘spike’

of
activity
before
trailing
away,
the
Idea
Story
can
keep
the

campaign
alive,
in
different
channels
and
over
a
longer
period
of

time.
This
effectively
increases
the
efficiency
of
you
campaign.
Or

allows
you
to
do
more
with
less.

17

What
an
Idea
Story
Ecosystem
looks
like
–
A
journey
map.

It’s
interesting
to
note
that
unlike
most
of
the
campaign
ecosystems
we’ve
seen,

the
big
campaign
idea
is
no
longer
in
the
centre
–
your
consumer
is.

Your
consumer

Press
Website

Game

Facebook

Forum

Web

video

Tweet

Outdoor

Blog
post

Consumers can enter
the Idea Story
campaign at any point.
At any and
every point
they can
share content
with another
consumer.
Your
consumer’s
friends,

family,
social
and
digital
network

Each element is
a self contained
experience, but
should lead you
to another
element.

18

Part
4.

A
template
for

writing
a
digital
strategy.

How
to
write
a
strategy
document

This
is
a
template
for
a
strategy
document.

However,
in
reality,
there
is
no
real
template
for
how
a
strategy

document
looks.
A
strategy
document
looks
the
way
it
has
to
look

to
do
the
job
it
has
to
do.

For
example
you
may
need
to
achieve
a
specific
objective,
whether

it
be
collecting
data
or
permission
to
market.
Or
obtaining

quantitative
and
qualitative
insights.
You
may
require
a
timeline.

You
may
need
to
know
what
you
will
do
with
the
data
once
it
has

been
obtained.
You
may
need
to
link
to
a
previous
or
future
activity.

This
template
therefore
is
just
a
guide.
A
framework
that
can
be

modified.

Some
of
it
will
be
of
no
use
to
you,
discard
what
you
don’t
need.

This
template
should
be
added
to,
or
subtracted
from
to
meet
its

purpose.
Cut,
paste,
delete,
modify
as
required.

Strategy,
a
structure

A
strategy
document
is
useless
if
it
cannot
be
acted
upon.
Your

document
should
be
purposeful
actionable
and
brevity
is
always

desirable.

It
should
read
like
an
instruction
manual.
It
should
be
succinct.
It

should
not
contain
adjectives.
It
should
be
pragmatic
and

emotionless.
Forget
sentences,
forget
adjectives,
write
bullet
points

if
you
prefer.
The
shorter
the
document
the
better.

19

There
are
8
components
to
this
strategy
model:

1.
A
summary
introduction

2.
Target
market
identification
and
segmentation

3.
Objectives

4.
Outcomes

5.
The
challenge

What
is
the
problem
we’re
addressing.
Your
discussion
of
the

challenge
should
be
structured
like
this:

A:
The
insight:
what
insight
can
be
drawn
from
the
information
we

have?

B.
Implication:

What
useful
conclusions
can
be
drawn
from
this

data?

C.
Recommendation:
From
these
insights
and
our
conclusions,
what

action
needs
to
be
taken?

D.
The
strategy.
What
is
the
specific
strategy
to
address
this
specific

challenge?

6.
The
Idea
Story
–
our
big
advertising
or
campaign
idea.
Optional

and
only
if
required.

7.
Summary
of
key
recommendations.

8.
Channels.
Optional
and
only
if
required.

Let’s
look
at
each
of
these
8
components
in
slightly
more
detail

Again,
remember,
some
of
this
will
be
of
no
use
to
you,
discard

what
you
don’t
need,
cut,
paste,
delete
or
modify
as
required.

1.
Summary
introduction

Clarity
and
simplicity
are
the
defining
characteristics
of
strategy.
It’s

why
we
begin
with
a
Summary
Introduction.

The
summary
introduction
is
a
very,
very,
short
paragraph

summerising
our
strategy.
We
need
to
be
able
to
communicate

exactly
what
we
propose
to
do,
why,
and
what
we
propose
to

achieve
in
no
more
than
about
100
words.
We
do
this
last,
but
then

add
it
to
the
beginning
of
our
document

This
is
quite
important.
Strategy
is
purposeful.
That
purpose
must

be
clear.
A
short
summary
compels
us
to
think
carefully
and
be

absolutely
clear
about
what
we’re
doing
and
why.

There’s
also
another
reason
for
the
summary.
Most
people
are
not

going
to
be
able
to
hold
all
the
detail
of
your
strategy
in
their
heads.

To
align
all
stakeholders
and
to
ensure
everyone
understand
what

we
propose,
we
need
a
simple,
easy
to
understand,
easy
to

communicate
summary.
It
can
be
the
most
important
thing
that
we

do.

Think
of
this
as
a
‘sound
bite’
or
the
‘elevator
pitch’
that
crystalises

our
strategy
in
the
clearest,
simplest
and
most
concise
language

20
possible.
We
summarise
then
go
into
the
details
beginning
with
our

target
market.

Use
plain
English
where
possible.
No
jargon,
no
marketing
or

technical
terms.
A
paucity
of
ideas
and
a
lack
of
good
thinking
can

often
be
hidden
behind
jargon
and
buzz
words.
Writing
without

them
provides
greater
integrity.

2.
Target
market
identification
and
segmentation

Who
are
we
talking
to?
Be
precise,
use
demographic
or
behavioral

data
or
data
appropriate
for
the
task.
It’s
important.
You
have
to

know
who
we
are
talking
to
before
we
say
anything.

3.
Objectives

Effective
strategy
requires
clarity
of
purpose.
What
are
our
business

objectives?
.Why
are
we
talking
to
them?
What
do
we
want
them
to

do?
What
do
we
need
to
achieve?

4.
Outcomes:

What
is
the
end
result?
What
are
our
metrics?
What
is
our
ROI?

What
can
we
measure?

5.
The
challenge

What
lies
between
our
objectives
and
our
outcomes
-‐
what
is
the

specific
challenge
we
face
in
getting
people
to
do
what
we
want,
for

example
the
barriers
to
consideration
or
purchase?
Why
would
they

do
what
we
want
them
to
do
and
what
stops
them?

What
is
the
underlying
nature
of
that
challenge,
its
cause?

With
respect
to
each
specific
challenge
include;

A:
The
insight

What
do
we
know
about
the
consumer?
What
specific,

useful
and
valuable
insights
do
you
have
to
work
with
that

sheds
light
on
our
challenge?
What
does
the
data
tell
us?

B.
Implication

What
does
this
insight
mean?

What
are
its
implications?

What
useful
conclusions
can
be
drawn
from
this
data?

C.
Recommendation

From
these
insights
and
our
conclusions,
what
action
needs

to
be
taken?
What
do
we
need
to
do
or
say
to
get
people
to

do
what
we
want?
How
do
we
achieve
a
specific
outcome?

Here
is
where
we
make
our
strategy
actionable
–
your

‘action
item‘.
We
need
to
express
this
in
a
way
that

essentially
says
‘we
have
to
do
this…’

D.
The
strategy

Your
recommendation
is
essentially
your
strategy.
It
is
the

thing
you
are
going
to
do.
You
need
to
distill
it
to
make
it
as

clear
and
simple
as
you
can,
then
express
it
in
one
sentence.

Everything
else
in
a
strategy
document
is
there
to
fame
your

analysis
of
the
problem
and
to
validate
your
thinking.
The

strategy
is
what
you
are
going
to
do
to
solve
that
problem.

6.
The
Idea
Story
–
our
big
advertising
or
campaign
idea

As
we’ve
talked
about
before,
this
is
optional
depending
on
the

purpose
of
your
strategy.
Now
we
know
what
we
need
to
do,
what

conversation
can
we
have
with
the
consumer
that
will
enable
this
to

21
happen?
Identify
opportunities
for
the
conversation
–
the
ideas
and

conversations
that
are
natural
to
the
consumer
and
already
alive

and
being
had
in
the
real
world.

Taking
into
account
our
challenge
or
challenges
with
the
data,
the

insight
we
have
and
knowing
who
we
are
talking
to,
what
is
the

natural
conversation
that
they
are
interested
in
that
we
can
also
be

part
of?
Is
there
data
or
evidence
that
supports
this
identification?

7.
Key
recommendation
summary

A
strategy
document
should
be
as
succinct
as
you
can
make
it,

however
they
may
still
be
lengthy.
This
is
why
it’s
important
to

summarise
at
the
end.
As
we’ve
discussed,
a
strategy
should
be

actionable,
so
the
recommendation
summary
should
be
your
action

plan.
It
should
list
each
of
your
key
recommendations
and
what

needs
to
be
done
and
in
what
order
they
need
to
be
done.

8.
Channels:

Again,
as
we’ve
talked
about
before,
this
is
option
depending
on
the

purpose
of
your
strategy.
Identifying
the
channels
and
how
they
are

used
can
be
optional,
so
make
a
case
by
case
assessment
based
on

your
requirements.
You
also
may
be
working
with
a
media
planner

who
can
offer
data
that
is
unavailable
to
us,
such
as
media
typology.

However,
if
you
need
to
establish
the
channels
of
your
‘media
plan’

this
can
be
used
as
a
guide.
It
can
also
be
used
as
a
guide
for
the

implementation
or
execution
of
any
media
plan
supplied
to
you.

Here
we
use
the
Idea
Story
Ecosystem,
the
diagram
we
looked
at

earlier,
as
a
‘map’
to
outline
our
channel
selection.

For
each
channel:

A.
Define
the
purpose
of
the
channel,
why
we
have
chosen
it,
its

role
in
the
campaign
and
its
reach.
Support
this
with
data
if
you
can.

B.
Define
the
objective
for
the
channel
-‐
what
will
we
achieve
by

using
it.

C.
Content
and
engagement
-‐
what
is
the
content
to
be
‘deployed’

in
this
channel
and
how
will
people
interact
with
this
content.

D.
Identify
inbound
links
to
the
channel
-‐
where
traffic
is
coming

from.

E.
Specify
what
other
channel
each
individual
channel
links
to
–

where
it
directs
traffic
to.

F.
Response
-‐
identify
the
calls
to
action
in
each
channel.

G.
Sharing
–
identify
how
people
can
share
this
content
or
channel.

22

On
writing
our
strategy

I
once
heard
a
quote
that
went
something
like
this:

“Profound
insight
should
sound
like
simple
common
sense”

I
think
it
may
have
been
Abraham
Lincoln,
but
I’m
not
sure
and
have

not
been
able
to
find
the
original
quote.
The
quote
is
interesting

because
it
applies
to
strategy.

What
we
do
strategically
should
sound
like
the
self
evidently
right

and
‘natural’
thing
to
do.
Even
if
the
outcome
of
the
strategic

process
produces
something
that
may
at
first
seem
counter

intuitive,
it
should
make
sense
–
and
it
should
be
expressed
in
a
way

that
makes
sense
to
anyone,
not
just
a
marketer.

This
is
what
I’ve
tried
to
do
with
this
little
book
–
to
put
together

what
I
think
is
a
rational
system
for
doing
things
and
some
sensible

things
to
consider.

I
hope
this
is
useful,
let
me
know
what
you
think.

This
book
is
also
in
constant
evolution,
I
hope
to
publish
this
next

year,
so
if
you
have
tips,
ideas
insights
or
that
may
improve
my
next

draft,
please
let
me
know.

Thank
you.

Ravi
Prasad

myintuition@yahoo.com

How to Write Digital Strategy

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