Butterfly has been partnering with clients in their strategic planning journey for 15 years, and after going through this process many times across different categories and geographies, there are a few top tips that can ensure it runs smoothly, making the output actionable and worth all the time and effort!

Strategic planning is as much about focus as it is about foresight. To build a resilient and effective 3 to 5-year plan, leaders need to keep a few areas top of mind:

• Grounding decisions in fresh customer and market insights
• Ensuring alignment with partnering teams’ objectives
• Setting a clear strategy rather than a long list of disconnected tactics
• Balancing ambition with realism – through scenario planning, prioritization, and resource alignment, while maintaining flexibility to adapt as markets shift

By keeping these dimensions front and centre, teams can avoid common pitfalls, sharpen their choices, and create a roadmap that drives both near-term impact and long-term growth.

Here are the top 10 things to watch out for:

1. Confusing Strategy with Tactics

Jumping straight into macro actions (“We’ll double SEO spend”) instead of setting a clear positioning, value proposition, and differentiation strategy behind a set of actions.

The result: a long to-do list rather than a strategy that establishes a clear why and how the business should operate.

2. Overestimating Growth and Underestimating Risk

Assuming constant double-digit growth without stress-testing for economic downturns, anticipating competitor moves, or customer behaviour shifts in variable future scenarios.

The result: Lack of scenario planning means strategy needs to constantly change directions.

3. Not Grounding Plans in Consumer/Customer Insights

Relying too heavily on internal views, “gut feel,” or legacy data rather than real, updated consumer/customer research.

The result: Plans miss emerging needs or shifts in behaviour.

4. Silos Between Marketing and Other Business Teams

Marketing plans don’t fully align with sales, product, finance, or operations priorities.

The result: Creates unrealistic expectations that will face huddles during execution alongside other teams.

5. Lack of Clear Prioritization

Too many objectives or initiatives — “do everything” mindset, especially when global teams need to attend different regions with various business maturities.

The result: Diluted focus means underfunded programs and additional complexity during execution.

6. Ignoring Competitive Landscape Changes

Not mapping current and future competitors’ or new entrants’ next moves.

The result: Plans assume the current environment when disruption is almost certain.

7. Weak Measurement & KPIs

Setting vague goals like “increase brand awareness” without actionable KPIs, benchmarks, or team accountability.

The result: Makes it impossible to course-correct mid-plan.

8. Overreliance on Past Playbooks

Repeating what worked last year (channels, campaigns, messaging) without adapting to new market realities.

The result: Leads to stagnation and missed opportunities.

9. Not Building Flexibility into a 3-Year Plan

Treating the plan as fixed, rather than a roadmap with quarterly checkpoints.

The result: The world changes faster than most 3-year strategies account for.

10. Brand Investment Changes Every Quarter During Execution

Short-term budget changes making it impossible for strategic ambitions to be executed.

The result: Brand health erodes, making long-term growth harder to sustain.

Butterfly Recommends – Best Practices to Avoid These Mistakes

• Anchor strategy in fresh customer and market insights, not assumptions.
• Set 3–4 strategic priorities that guide short- and long-term ambitions, not 20 initiatives.
• Build scenarios (forecasting and war gaming possible scenarios).
• Align cross team KPIs with both brand and commercial outcomes.
• Revisit and adjust the plan, by keeping on the pulse, staying connected to shifts and signals as they unfold

Get in contact for a 30 min consultation & inspiration session with us!