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What’s Included in a Marketing Strategy Session?

  • Writer: Rafael Ch
    Rafael Ch
  • Jun 5
  • 4 min read

Updated: Jun 8

A well-structured strategy session can be the difference between scattered marketing efforts and measurable results. In Houston—where competition is fierce across restaurants, professional services, and retail—booking a marketing strategy consultation Houston helps you align business goals, target audiences, and marketing channels effectively. In this post, we’ll break down exactly what should be covered in a 60-minute marketing strategy session so you leave with a concrete action plan and a roadmap to accelerate growth.



Bold flat-style digital illustration titled ‘Marketing Strategy Session’ over a blue background, showing a person taking notes in front of a laptop with a pie chart, surrounded by six labeled time blocks (0–5 min Welcome & Objectives, Initial Diagnosis, Channel Selection & Strategy, 3–6 Month Roadmap, and 55–60 min Q&A & Next Steps).
What’s Included in a Marketing Strategy Session?

2. Session Objectives

  1. Clarify Goals & KPIs

    • Establish SMART objectives (e.g., “Increase contact form submissions by 25% within 3 months”).

    • Define key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, conversion rate, cost per lead (CPL), and lifetime value (LTV).

  2. Quick Business Diagnosis

    • Understand your unique value proposition in Houston (What sets you apart from local competitors?).

    • Briefly review your current digital presence: website, Google Business Profile, social media, and online reputation.

  3. Identify Target Audience & Buyer Personas

    • Define your ideal customer profiles: demographics, psychographics, and online behaviors.

    • Pinpoint their pain points and purchase motivations specific to the Houston market.

  4. Select Priority Marketing Channels

    • Determine whether to focus first on Local SEO, paid advertising (Google Ads, Meta Ads), organic social media, or email marketing.

    • Align channel choices with available budget and resources to create a feasible initial plan.

  5. Action Plan & Roadmap

    • Break down specific tasks: SEO audit, GBP optimization, blog content, ad setup, social media calendar.

    • Set deadlines and assign responsibilities (you, an in-house team member, or an external agency/VA).

    • Provide estimated budgets for each channel over the next 3–6 months.

3. Detailed Agenda for the Session (60 Minutes)

Time (min)

Activity

Details

0–5

Welcome & Objectives

Quick introductions. Clarify session goals and set expectations.

5–15

Initial Diagnosis

Review current status: website, Google Business Profile, social media, and online reputation.

15–25

Buyer Persona & Key Messaging

Define ideal customer profiles: demographics, interests, and preferred channels.

25–35

Channel Selection & Strategy

Evaluate pros and cons of Local SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, content marketing, and email marketing.

35–45

Immediate Action Plan

List concrete actions to implement in month one (e.g., optimize GBP + publish first blog post).

45–55

3–6 Month Roadmap

Map out quarterly milestones: expected KPIs, monthly check-ins, and budget allocations.

55–60

Q&A & Next Steps

Answer any remaining questions. Agree on a timeline for sending detailed meeting notes and confirm communication channels (email, Slack).

4. Must-Have Components of a Strategy Session

4.1. Express Digital Presence Audit

  • Google Business Profile Review:

    • Ensure your profile is verified, fully completed (category, hours, photos), and optimized.

    • Check recent reviews and your average star rating.

  • Landing Page Check:

    • Confirm page load speed is under 3 seconds on mobile.

    • Verify that the core message and calls-to-action (CTAs) are clear and aligned with your offer.

  • Social Media Audit:

    • Review posting frequency (ideally 2–3 times per week).

    • Evaluate engagement rates (likes and comments relative to reach).



Flat-style infographic titled ‘Channel Selection & Strategy,’ displaying four boxes arranged in a grid: ‘Local SEO & GBP,’ ‘Google Ads,’ ‘Meta Ads,’ and ‘Content Marketing.’ Each box has a simple icon (magnifying glass with map pin, Google Ads logo style, Facebook/Instagram logo style, and a pencil icon) and brief bullet points summarizing key tactics for Houston small businesses.
What’s Included in a Marketing Strategy Session?

4.2. Defining Buyer Personas for Houston

  • Buyer Persona #1:

    • Name: “Caroline, the Café Owner”

    • Demographics: Female, 34, owns a coffee shop in Montrose

    • Pain Points: “I need more weekday customers, but my website doesn’t show up in Google.”

    • Motivations: “I want marketing that’s easy to implement and doesn’t drain my time.”

    • Preferred Channels: Instagram, Google Search, local Facebook Groups

  • Buyer Persona #2:

    • Name: “Raul, the Contractor”

    • Demographics: Male, 45, remodeling business in The Woodlands

    • Pain Points: “My competitors always rank higher in Google, and I lose most projects.”

    • Motivations: “I need campaigns with clear ROI, so I see immediate results.”

    • Preferred Channels: Google Ads (Search), LinkedIn for B2B connections

4.3. Choosing Initial Channels & Strategies

  • Local SEO & GBP:

    • Optimize your profile title and description with target keywords (e.g., “digital marketing Houston”).

    • Secure 10 new reviews in the first month via in-store cards or SMS/Email templates.

  • Google Ads (Search):

    • Run campaigns on high-intent keywords like “digital marketing services Houston” or “Houston SEO agency.”

    • Implement ad extensions: location (Houston), call buttons, sitelinks to key pages (Services, Case Studies).

  • Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram):

    • Use a carousel ad to showcase local case studies (“Case Study: How We Increased Traffic 30% for [Client Name]”).

    • Target custom audiences based on website visitors and lookalike audiences of your existing clients.

  • Content Marketing (Blog):

    • Outline a three-month content schedule:

      1. “How to Rank on Google in Houston in 2025”

      2. “Top Digital Marketing Trends for Houston Restaurants”

      3. “Email Marketing Strategies That Work for Local Businesses”

4.4. Roadmap & Budget Allocation

  • Month 1 (Quick Wins):

    • Finish GBP optimization and publish two blog posts.

    • Launch a Google Ads campaign with a $500/month budget (estimated CPC $2–$3).

    • Set up Meta Ads with a $300/month budget (estimated CPE $0.50–$1).

  • Month 2 (Monitor & Optimize):

    • Analyze Google Analytics and ad metrics; refine keywords and ad creatives.

    • Publish two more blog posts and run A/B tests on landing pages.

  • Month 3 (Scale Up):

    • Increase budget on the channel with the best CPL.

    • Launch remarketing campaigns on Google Display and Facebook.

    • Integrate basic email marketing automation to nurture new leads.

5. What to Expect After the Session

  1. Detailed Meeting Notes (Within 24–36 Hours):

    • A PDF or Google Doc summarizing findings, buyer personas, selected strategies, editorial calendar, and budget allocations.

    • Step-by-step implementation instructions (links to tutorials, copy templates, and sample ad creatives).

  2. Monthly Review Plan:

    • A Google Data Studio dashboard showing key metrics (traffic, conversions, CPL, social engagement).

    • A 30-minute follow-up call at the end of each month to review results and adjust priorities.

  3. Access to Exclusive Resources:

    • Templates for site and GBP audits.

    • Step-by-step guides for setting up Google Ads and Meta Ads.

    • A recommended tools list (both free and paid, based on your budget).


Ready to transform your marketing efforts in Houston? Schedule your 60-minute marketing strategy session with DIstrategiesM and get a detailed roadmap to drive growth.


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