Why a Marketing Discovery Session is the Best Meeting You’ll Have for Your Business
Because Strategy Sessions Don’t Have to Suck
When’s the last time you walked out of a three-hour business meeting and said, “Wow, that was fun”? I’m not talking about the three-hour offsite “strategy session” where no one’s pen hit a notebook because there wasn’t enough room on the table with all the adult beverages the company was paying for. I mean an honest-to-goodness, roll-up-your-sleeves, talk-about-your-business kind of meeting.
If you haven’t had a Marketing Discovery Session, let me tell you, it’s one of the best business meetings you’ll ever have — and yes, that’s possible even without cocktails.
For big corporations, formal planning sessions are a dime a dozen. Department heads are constantly creating strategies, updating them, and reporting them until their PowerPoint decks cry for mercy. I lived it for many, many years, and fun isn’t the first word that comes to mind. For most small and medium-sized businesses this isn’t a reality, and formal planning often takes a back seat, sometimes for years, simply because the time, structure, or resources aren’t there.
That’s where a Marketing Discovery Session changes the game. It’s a half-day takeover of your precious calendar that will leave you unexpectedly fired up about your own business. Trust me, it’s as good as the Friday 3 PM patio drinks in the summer with the team – and I love those “meetings”.
So, what makes this mysterious meeting so powerful? It comes down to one thing: getting back to the basics.
Remembering What You Forgot About Your Business
When was the last time you asked yourself who your customers actually are? Sure, you know your “main” clients, but what about those other segments you swore you were going to focus on… three years ago… and then didn’t? A Discovery Session forces you to dust off those forgotten notes and think about your audience in a way you haven’t in ages.
Then there are business objectives. You know, those things you meant to write down somewhere between putting out fires and answering the 300th email of the day. A Discovery Session reconnects marketing with your big-picture goals, because marketing for the sake of marketing is just busywork with a prettier font.
Remembering What You Forgot About Your Business
When was the last time you asked yourself who your customers actually are? Sure, you know your “main” clients, but what about those other segments you swore you were going to focus on… three years ago… and then didn’t? A Discovery Session forces you to dust off those forgotten notes and think about your audience in a way you haven’t in ages.
Remembering What You Forgot About Your Business
When was the last time you asked yourself who your customers actually are? Sure, you know your “main” clients, but what about those other segments you swore you were going to focus on… three years ago… and then didn’t? A Discovery Session forces you to dust off those forgotten notes and think about your audience in a way you haven’t in ages.
Then there are business objectives. You know, those things you meant to write down somewhere between putting out fires and answering the 300th email of the day. A Discovery Session reconnects marketing with your big-picture goals, because marketing for the sake of marketing is just busywork with a prettier font.
And let’s not forget your brand positioning. What do you really want people to think when they think about your business? If you’re not actively shaping that narrative, it’s probably getting watered down, confused, or hijacked by assumptions that don’t do you justice.
Remembering What You Forgot About Your Business
When was the last time you asked yourself who your customers actually are? Sure, you know your “main” clients, but what about those other segments you swore you were going to focus on… three years ago… and then didn’t? A Discovery Session forces you to dust off those forgotten notes and think about your audience in a way you haven’t in ages.
Then there are business objectives. You know, those things you meant to write down somewhere between putting out fires and answering the 300th email of the day. A Discovery Session reconnects marketing with your big-picture goals, because marketing for the sake of marketing is just busywork with a prettier font.
And let’s not forget your brand positioning. What do you really want people to think when they think about your business? If you’re not actively shaping that narrative, it’s probably getting watered down, confused, or hijacked by assumptions that don’t do you justice.
Finally, there’s your marketing infrastructure — the whole journey from “I just clicked your ad” to “I’m a loyal customer.” Most businesses haven’t actually mapped it out. And when you do, you start realizing where the potholes are, and where you’re accidentally making it harder for people to give you their money. Spoiler: most businesses have more potholes than they think.
Finally, there’s your marketing infrastructure — the whole journey from “I just clicked your ad” to “I’m a loyal customer.” Most businesses haven’t actually mapped it out. And when you do, you start realizing where the potholes are, and where you’re accidentally making it harder for people to give you their money. Spoiler: most businesses have more potholes than they think.
And let’s not forget your brand positioning. What do you really want people to think when they think about your business? If you’re not actively shaping that narrative, it’s probably getting watered down, confused, or hijacked by assumptions that don’t do you justice.
Finally, there’s your marketing infrastructure — the whole journey from “I just clicked your ad” to “I’m a loyal customer.” Most businesses haven’t actually mapped it out. And when you do, you start realizing where the potholes are, and where you’re accidentally making it harder for people to give you their money. Spoiler: most businesses have more potholes than they think.
And let’s not forget your brand positioning. What do you really want people to think when they think about your business? If you’re not actively shaping that narrative, it’s probably getting watered down, confused, or hijacked by assumptions that don’t do you justice.
Finally, there’s your marketing infrastructure — the whole journey from “I just clicked your ad” to “I’m a loyal customer.” Most businesses haven’t actually mapped it out. And when you do, you start realizing where the potholes are, and where you’re accidentally making it harder for people to give you their money. Spoiler: most businesses have more potholes than they think.
Then there are business objectives. You know, those things you meant to write down somewhere between putting out fires and answering the 300th email of the day. A Discovery Session reconnects marketing with your big-picture goals, because marketing for the sake of marketing is just busywork with a prettier font.
Mixed Messages = Missed Opportunities
Without this kind of reset, messages get fuzzy. Your brand voice gets diluted. People stop associating you with what you’re best at because you haven’t reminded them lately. You’re talking, but not necessarily to the right people, with the right message, in the right place, or even with a clear reason for why they should care.
A Discovery Session digs into the big five questions every business should revisit regularly: Who are we talking to? What are we saying? Where are we saying it? Why are we saying it? And how do we handle what happens next? Spoiler alert: if you can’t answer those off the top of your head, you’re overdue.
Why It’s (Actually) Fun
Now, here’s where the “fun” part comes in.
- First, you get to talk about your business. Like really talk about it, to someone (like me) who doesn’t already know the script. You’re proud of what you’ve built, and this is your chance to tell your story.
- Second, you’ll realize how much you haven’t thought about in far too long. And that spark you had when you first started your business? It comes roaring back faster than you can say “new ideas.”
- And third, you’ve got fresh eyes on your business. I’ll ask you questions you haven’t considered in years (or maybe ever). And when you start answering them, the floodgates open. Suddenly you’ve got new angles, old ideas worth reviving, and that long-lost excitement for what’s next.
I’ve yet to run a Marketing Discovery Session where someone didn’t end it with: “Wow, that was the best meeting we’ve had in a long time” or “This has me pumped about where we’re going.” And honestly, when’s the last time you said that about a three-hour meeting?
Mark’s not-so-subtle note:
Selfishly, I love these Marketing Discovery Sessions because I get to see that spark in a business owner’s or leadership team’s eyes. I know, I know. You’re saying, “I need one of these sessions. Let’s do it!” But that’s not where we start. It begins with a conversation to see if we’re the right fit for your business and if your business is the right fit for us. If you’re ready for that conversation, give me a shout.