You’re ready to get focused on your marketing efforts and set some goals for your business–but wait–do you need a marketing strategy, a marketing plan, or a marketing campaign? 

The simple answer: you need all three! Though they’re similar, each one makes up the building blocks for your business marketing. 

Today, we’re breaking down what a Marketing Strategy vs Marketing Plan vs Marketing Campaign really means.

So, let’s get started! Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• Marketing strategy vs. marketing plan
• Marketing strategy vs. marketing campaign
• Marketing plan vs. marketing campaign
• Why understanding the differences matters
• How Enji helps with it all 

Defining the Core Concepts

First, let us quickly explain: 

• Marketing strategy: You can think of your marketing strategy as your master roadmap guiding your efforts, including your goals, target audiences, channels, and tasks. For example, you might want to grow your brand awareness through more website visits this quarter or increase your sales through ads. The direction you want to go is what you’ll document in your marketing strategy. 
• Marketing plan: Your marketing plan goes into the specifics of how you’ll achieve your marketing strategy. Here, you’ll decide how you can activate your channels throughout a calendar of initiatives and campaigns, including the specific KPIs to track it all. 
• Marketing campaign: Your marketing campaigns are the specific, individual initiatives that make up your marketing plan, helping you achieve your overarching marketing strategy. Your individual campaigns might look like launching a new opt-in on your website or running a social media promotion. 

Clear as mud? Don’t worry, we’re going to break it down further.

Marketing Strategy vs. Marketing Plan 

First, let’s dive into the specific differences between a marketing strategy vs. marketing plan. If you’re a visual thinker, imagine your marketing strategy as the umbrella directly above your plan. 

You always want to start with a marketing strategy because it defines the big picture and the direction you want to go with your marketing, whereas the plan becomes how you’ll execute it. 

If you start by thinking about a tactical marketing plan without a strategy, it’s easy to end up overwhelmed. Or, you might even waste your time with initiatives that don’t make sense for your business. 

Instead, your strategy becomes the north star for which channels you should invest in, how much money you should spend, and how you’re even going to measure overall success. Your plan is what supports the strategy.

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to creating a marketing strategy, try Enji’s Marketing Strategy Generator! By answering a few questions, you can automatically get a marketing strategy that’s tailored to you and your business. 

Marketing Strategy vs. Marketing Campaign

Ok, so how does a marketing strategy compare to a marketing campaign? First, all of your individual marketing campaigns support your marketing strategy, and they should be focused on the goals that are in your marketing strategy. 

For example, let’s say part of your marketing strategy this year is to grow your email list. A marketing campaign might be to run ads to a freebie, or write 10 blog posts that lead to a “content upgrade” or freebie.

Your marketing campaigns are also initiatives (or projects) that you’re not running all the time—they’re specific pushes toward your strategy and goals that you can measure within a certain time frame. 

Pro tip: Using a KPI Dashboard like Enji’s can help you determine your marketing strategy and monitor your individual campaigns! By staying on top of the numbers, you can maximize your ROI (pinky promise). Find out how we did that for our 2025 marketing strategy here.

Marketing Plan vs. Marketing Campaign

Since your marketing strategy is more broad, your marketing plan and campaigns are where you can get more granular, specifically when it comes to when and how you’ll achieve your goals. 

Using the earlier example, if your marketing strategy is to grow your email list, then your marketing plan might be to have two focus periods per year where you do just that. Then, your marketing campaigns would house all of the other tasks you need to do like:

• Sign up for the email marketing platform
• Create the freebie 
• Promoting your list on _____________
• Monitor your results 

Notice how both your plan and campaigns are time-based? Your campaigns are things you do in your marketing plan, allowing you to see everything on a calendar and stay more organized as you take action on your strategy. 

Along with a marketing strategy, Enji can help you build measurable marketing campaigns! Our Marketing Campaign Templates will help you understand what you actually need to do to market your business (we like to think we remove the overwhelm and give you a manageable to do list instead).

Why Understanding the Differences Matters

We know there’s so much marketing jargon out there (too much!) but especially when it comes to key concepts, understanding the difference can help you become more organized and focused. 

Here’s the super short version (in case we just caught you skimming). 

Your marketing strategy houses the big-picture (your goals, your customer personas, your platforms, and your tasks). Your marketing plan is the plan you make to bring your marketing strategy to life. Then, your campaigns are the specific batches of to-do lists you make as you get sh*t done.

By balancing your marketing strategy, plan, and campaigns, you’ll have everything you need to see real results for your business (which often looks like more cash). 

How Enji Helps with it ALL

Now don’t get us wrong, creating all of this is a lot of work for any business owner. But you don’t have to do it alone!

With Enji’s help, you can create your marketing strategy in minutes, find and add marketing campaign templates that ladder up to your ultimate goals, and view your entire plan on a calendar to stay on track. 

Basically? Our marketing software will help you supercharge your marketing without a million subscriptions or spreadsheets! Take a look at all of our features and start a free trial today.