THE SCRAPPY STRATEGIST

Proof of Performance Intake Template This month's companion resource includes a practical interview guide to help you uncover measurable outcomes from project managers, engineers, technical SMEs, and customers. Use it to capture: Customer challenges Mission impact Quantifiable results Operational improvements Customer quotes Proposal-ready proof points Future case study content Think of it as your blueprint for building stronger case studies, proposals, partner campaigns, and

Using the READY Framework Launch partner campaigns with confidence by ensuring alignment before execution. Before You Start ☐ Confirm campaign launch date ☐ Identify campaign owners ☐ Gather campaign assets ☐ Schedule alignment review ☐ Document success metrics R — Right Audience Are we targeting the right people? ☐ Target audience identified ☐ Buyer persona documented ☐ Mission challenge documented ☐ Audience val

Here's a pattern we see constantly: Marketing teams over-explain. Buyers under-read. The solution isn't more content. It's tighter content. Challenge yourself to reduce: Website copy by 20% Slide decks by 20% Capability statements by 20% Keep: Mandate/strategic goal alignment Proof points (metrics, outcomes) Clear differentiation Cut: Generic descriptors ("innovative," "cutting-edge," "world-class") Industry buzzwords that don't add meaning Anything that could describe your

For Small Teams: Three messaging fixes you can make this week with zero budget: LinkedIn headline: Replace "Director of Marketing at [Company]" with "Helping [agency type] accelerate [specific mandate]" Email signature: Add one quantified outcome below your title (e.g., "Supporting Zero Trust deployments that reduce audit gaps 40%") Website meta description: Rewrite to answer "What mandate do we support?" in 155 characters or less These cost nothing and take less than an hour

Here's the truth: positioning strategies aren't one-size-fits-all. If you're a 15-person integrator competing against the primes, you can't win by trying to sound like them. And if you're a large integrator with multiple business units, you can't message like a nimble startup. You need to lean into what makes you credible at your scale. But here's what's changed: with procurement reform reducing reliance on socioeconomic set-asides and increasing full-and-open competition, ho