Strategy. A word that has absolutely exploded in recent times. What was once a carefully used word exclusive to the marketing and advertising world, has now been incorporated far and wide across a plethora of industries. This prompts the question, has the word ‘strategy’ lost its power?

strat·e·gy

/ˈstradəjē/

noun

noun: strategy plural noun: strategies

1. a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.

The implementation of strategy is essential to most business scenarios, so it is no surprise that the word has been extracted and used where it is barely applicable.

Not so long ago, this word was unspokenly reserved for high level tasks and professions. Within the advertising sphere, strategic directors and advertising/marketing strategies are absolutely essential to the success of large-scale campaigns. Evidently, the integration of this word into countless, often irrelevant business facets has seen a significant devaluing of the concept of strategy. Countless LinkedIn profiles now feature the title ‘strategist’ throughout their vague descriptions. Strategy has become one of the most overused and ultimately misused terms in the business world.

Although this word may have lost its touch and place, this is not to say that having a strategy is not important. Strategy holds one of the highest roles in the overall structure of a business and should never be taken lightly. Ultimately, it’s role needs to get back to where it once was, to guide the direction of a campaign to achieve an ultimate goal.

To best implement strategy, it is essential to understand and forefront this term, and reserve it for important tasks and professionals. A strong, correctly used strategic focus could be the key to taking your business to the next level.