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A marketing strategy is a plan that defines who a business is trying to reach, how it wants to be positioned against competitors, and which channels and messages it will use to reach its goals. It sits above tactical execution, guiding decisions like which channels to prioritize and what a brand should say, rather than running the day-to-day campaigns itself.

Marketing strategy is the planning layer: research, positioning, audience definition, and channel prioritization, usually captured in a document or roadmap. Marketing execution is the tactical work that follows, such as running ad campaigns, writing content, or managing social accounts. Some providers only do strategy and hand off execution to another team, while others offer both under one contract.

Costs vary widely depending on the scope of the engagement, whether it's a one-time strategic audit or an ongoing retainer, and the size and experience of the firm or consultant. Check individual listings for specifics on pricing structure and what's included before comparing options.

Start by clarifying what you actually need: a standalone strategic plan, ongoing strategic advisory, or a partner who can also execute. Look at whether their past work matches your industry and business size, ask what a typical deliverable looks like, and confirm whether they measure success against specific business outcomes or just marketing metrics.

A focused strategic audit or positioning project can often be completed in a few weeks, while a comprehensive go-to-market strategy involving research, stakeholder interviews, and testing may take a couple of months. Ongoing advisory retainers continue indefinitely, with the strategy revisited periodically as the business and market change.

It can add useful objectivity, since a firm that only advises has less incentive to recommend tactics that happen to be their own paid services - but it also adds coordination overhead between two separate vendors.