A Plan Is Not a Strategy

A friend recently started running ads for his business.

He had a plan: launch Facebook and Google campaigns, spend a set budget, and scale the ads that performed well.

Inspiration? He saw a competitor running ads in a particular way. He wanted to do the same.

Initially, it worked.

He got sales.

But soon, things started falling apart. His cost per conversion shot up.

The algorithms stopped favoring his ads. He was making losses.

Why? Because he had a plan, but no strategy.

His campaigns lacked:

• A clear target audience – Who exactly was he selling to? What were their pain points?
• Competitor analysis – What were others doing? How could he differentiate?
• Industry trends – Were there shifts in consumer behavior or emerging platforms he could leverage?
• Unique Selling Proposition (USP) – Why should people choose him over competitors?
• Offerings – What sweet deal was he going to provide and how would he put that out?
• Defined goals & customer journey – What was his end game beyond just ‘running ads’?
• Optimization strategy – What metrics mattered? How would he adjust?

He just knew that competitor is scaling because they are profitable. So he will be profitably running the same ads too.

(Although we later found out that the competitor was financially backed by another parent company: same founder but different primary business)

What Is Strategy?

A plan is something that you are looking to do. A task list.

A strategy considers several things that might or might not be in your control.

1. Goals and Priorities – What matters most and why.
2. Resources – What you have (time, money, people) and how to use them.
3. Challenges & Risks – What could go wrong and how to handle it.
4. Opportunities – What advantages or trends can help you.
5. Competitors & Market – Who else is in the game and how to stand out.
6. Execution Plan – How all these pieces fit together for the best outcome.

Unlike planning, strategy isn’t just a list of tasks. It’s about making smart choices to reduce chances of failure.

Here’s a good video that explains it –

Today’s Action Items

Want to escape the illusion of strategy? Do this:

• Accept uncertainty – Strategy involves risk. Unlike planning, you can’t guarantee success.
• Lay out your logic – What must be true about your business, market, and competitors for your strategy to work?
• Keep it simple – A solid strategy fits on one page:
  • Where we play.
  • How we win.
  • Capabilities needed.
  • Management systems.