Description

Marketing often stalls because companies confuse strategy with plans and tactics — chasing trends, copying competitors, or running scattershot campaigns without a clear focus. In this 90-minute interactive session, participants will clarify what a marketing strategy truly is, how it connects to business goals, and how it guides plans and tactics. Through guided exercises and peer discussion, attendees will begin shaping the foundation of their own competitive strategy and leave with practical tools to bring clarity and focus to their marketing efforts.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between strategy, plans, and tactics to avoid common marketing pitfalls.
  
  
• Reflect on their customer, differentiators, and goals as inputs to strategy.
  
  
• Recognize how competitive landscape analysis informs positioning.
  
  
• Draft 2–3 potential strategic focus areas (pillars) to guide marketing direction.
  
  
• Connect strategic focus areas to plans and tactics to see alignment in action.
• Identify which of their current marketing activities may lack strategic grounding.

About Heather:

Heather Hughes, PMP, is the founder of Wisteria Marketing Solutions, where she helps businesses create clear, practical marketing strategies that support growth. She has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and event planning, and her work has been recognized nationally with awards for customer engagement and program development.

Heather’s career spans nonprofit, corporate, and agency settings, giving her a broad perspective on how organizations of all sizes connect with their communities and reach prospective customers. She is known for making complex ideas simple and helping business leaders focus their efforts where they’ll make the biggest impact.

A new member of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Heather is excited to share tools and insights that local businesses can use right away to strengthen their marketing and attract new customers.

Chamber YOU sessions provide opportunities for you and your employees to learn, grow, and advance your business. Topic areas: Professional Development, Human Resources, and Marketing. 

*CEU credits available from HCC for each session.*

Thanks to our Sponsor!

Lunch will be provided!