Get Scrappy

Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small

by Ann Handley • 2016 • 240 pages

3.81

147 ratings

Business

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Key Takeaways

1. Adopt a Scrappy Marketing Mindset

Scrappy is thinking like an underdog (even if you aren't) with a winning and determined mindset.

Brains before budget. The scrappy mindset emphasizes using creativity and strategic thinking over throwing money at marketing problems. This approach allows businesses of all sizes to compete effectively in the digital landscape.

Effective and efficient. Like a mousetrap, scrappy marketing aims to be both effective in achieving goals and efficient in resource use. This dual focus helps marketers overcome the "Myth of Big" - the belief that only large companies with big budgets can succeed in digital marketing.

See ideas everywhere. Scrappy marketers look beyond their industry for inspiration, adapting successful strategies from diverse sources. This open-minded approach fosters innovation and helps brands stand out in crowded markets.

2. Build a Strong Brand Foundation

You have to be something before you can build something.

The brand blueprint. A strong brand foundation consists of five key elements:

Spark: The core purpose driving the brand
Promise: What the brand delivers and to whom
Story: A concise three-word narrative
Voice: The brand's distinct tone and personality
Visuals: Consistent imagery that reinforces the brand

Clarity and consistency. A well-defined brand helps guide all marketing efforts, ensuring consistency across channels and touchpoints. This clarity is especially crucial in the fragmented digital landscape.

Internal alignment. Sharing the brand blueprint with your team ensures everyone understands and can effectively represent the brand, creating a unified front in all customer interactions.

3. Map Your Marketing Strategy

Like branding and eating vegetables, marketing strategy can seem like a chore. It's abstract, sprawling, and not always a whole lot of fun. But just as Alice eventually realizes, we have to get somewhere.

Define your destination. Start by selecting one or two primary business objectives from:

Branding
Community building
Public relations
Market research
Customer service
Lead generation/sales

SMART goals. Ensure your objectives are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework provides clarity and helps measure success.

Flexible planning. Think of your strategy as a map rather than a rigid plan. This approach allows for adaptability while still providing direction, helping navigate the ever-changing digital landscape.

4. Use a Digital Compass to Guide Channel Selection

To keep your marketing on the right path you need to focus on what helps you achieve your why.

Align channels with objectives. Your digital compass uses your business objective (the "why") as true north, guiding channel selection based on how well they serve that goal.

Consider your audience. The "who" is equally important in channel selection. Choose platforms where your target audience is most active and engaged.

Evaluate new opportunities. Use the digital compass to assess emerging platforms and technologies, filtering out "Shiny New Things" that don't align with your objectives and audience.

5. Fuel Content with Customer Questions

Questions are currency when it comes to driving your social media and content marketing.

Listen first. Before creating content, actively listen to your customers' questions, concerns, and conversations across various channels.

Question bank. Develop a system for collecting and organizing customer questions. This repository becomes a valuable resource for content ideas.

Content types:

Blog posts answering common questions
Videos demonstrating solutions
Social media posts sparking conversations around customer concerns

Engagement boost. Content based on real customer questions tends to be more relevant and engaging, driving higher interaction rates and building trust.

6. Leverage Your Team's Potential in Digital Marketing

Your employees are your single greatest marketing engine.

Overcome internal obstacles:

Time constraints
Perceived lack of talent
Fear of change

Cross-functional teams. Look beyond traditional marketing roles to involve diverse team members in digital efforts. This approach brings fresh perspectives and wider skill sets.

Clear communication. Share your digital marketing strategy and goals with the entire team. Provide guidelines on brand voice and social media use to empower confident participation.

External partnerships. Consider collaborations with agencies, influencers, and brand advocates to extend your reach and capabilities.

7. Integrate and Simplify Your Digital Marketing Efforts

Like the mousetrap, we have to create marketing that is more effective and efficient than ever before.

Connect digital dots. Ensure consistency and synergy across:

Social media platforms
Content marketing
Email marketing
Website
Paid advertising
Search engine optimization

Content repurposing. Maximize the value of your content by adapting it for multiple channels and formats. This approach increases efficiency and reinforces key messages.

Streamline workflows. Implement tools and processes that simplify content creation, scheduling, and measurement across channels.

8. Measure What Matters for Meaningful Results

Remember, it's not the size of the data, it's what you do with it.

Align metrics with objectives. Create "metric recipes" that combine various data points to measure progress towards your specific business goals.

Key data sources:

Engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments)
Sentiment analysis
Website analytics
Sales/conversion data

Simplify reporting. Develop a concise scorecard that highlights the most important metrics for your team and stakeholders. This focus helps drive action and improvement.

Look beyond vanity metrics. While follower counts and likes are easy to track, focus on metrics that demonstrate real business impact, such as lead generation, sales, or customer satisfaction improvements.

9. Create a Unified Brand Experience Across All Touchpoints

The whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Audit your brand experience. Examine all customer touchpoints, both online and offline, to ensure consistency and identify improvement opportunities.

Key areas to align:

In-store signage and materials
Product packaging
Marketing collateral
Customer service interactions
Digital platforms (website, social media, email)

Cross-channel integration. Ensure that campaigns and messaging are cohesive across all platforms, creating a seamless customer journey.

Empower brand ambassadors. Train and equip all team members to represent the brand consistently, regardless of their role or department.

Continuous improvement. Regularly gather feedback and analyze data to refine and enhance the overall brand experience, adapting to changing customer needs and expectations.

Last updated: May 27, 2025

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FAQ

1. What is "Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small" by Nick Westergaard about?

Practical Digital Marketing Guide: The book provides a hands-on framework for businesses of any size to approach digital marketing more effectively and efficiently, regardless of budget or resources.
Scrappy Mindset: It introduces the concept of being "scrappy"—using will, persistence, and creativity to overcome marketing challenges, rather than relying solely on big budgets.
Step-by-Step System: The book is structured into three main parts: Smart Steps You Can’t Skip, Do More with Less, and Simplify for the Long Haul, each offering actionable strategies.
Real-World Examples: Westergaard uses case studies and stories from both big brands and small businesses to illustrate how scrappy marketing works in practice.

2. Why should I read "Get Scrappy" by Nick Westergaard?

Actionable Advice: The book is designed for marketers who want to get things done, offering practical steps rather than just theory.
Applicable to All Sizes: Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a nonprofit, or part of a large corporation, the scrappy approach is relevant and adaptable.
Overcoming Common Obstacles: It addresses real-world challenges like limited budgets, overwhelming technology choices, and the myth that only big brands can succeed online.
Focus on Results: The book helps you focus on what matters most in digital marketing, so you can achieve measurable outcomes without wasting resources.

3. What are the key takeaways from "Get Scrappy" by Nick Westergaard?

Brains Before Budget: Success in digital marketing comes from creativity and strategic thinking, not just spending more money.
Build a Strong Brand: A clear brand blueprint—spark, promise, story, voice, and visuals—is essential before launching any marketing efforts.
Map Your Marketing: Use a simple, strategic map (based on the Five Ws and One H) to align your marketing with business objectives.
Do More with Less: Leverage questions, people power, and integration to maximize impact with limited resources.
Simplify and Measure: Focus on what works, relentlessly repurpose content, and measure what matters to continuously improve.

4. What is the "Scrappy Mindset" in Nick Westergaard's "Get Scrappy"?

Brains Before Budget: Prioritize smart thinking and resourcefulness over simply spending more money.
Market Like a Mousetrap: Strive for marketing that is both effective (achieves goals) and efficient (uses minimal resources).
See Ideas Everywhere: Look beyond your industry for inspiration and be open to adapting ideas from unexpected places.
Underdog Attitude: Even if you’re not the smallest player, approach challenges with the determination and creativity of an underdog.

5. How does "Get Scrappy" define and build a strong brand?

Brand Blueprint: The book outlines a five-part blueprint: Spark (core purpose), Promise (what you do for whom), Story (three-word narrative), Voice (distinctive language), and Visuals (consistent imagery).
Beyond Logos: Branding is more than just a logo or slogan; it’s the sum of all touchpoints and the emotional connection you create.
Internal Alignment: The blueprint should be shared with your team to ensure everyone understands and represents the brand consistently.
Brand as Foundation: A well-defined brand is the starting point for all effective digital marketing efforts.

6. What is the "Map Your Marketing" method in "Get Scrappy"?

Strategic Mapping: Use Rudyard Kipling’s Five Ws and One H (Why, What, Who, Where, When, How) to create a clear, actionable marketing plan.
SMART Objectives: Set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-related to guide your efforts.
Focus on Business Outcomes: Align marketing activities with core business objectives like branding, community building, PR, market research, customer service, or sales.
Customer-Centric: Incorporate customer needs and feedback into your strategy from the outset.

7. How does "Get Scrappy" recommend choosing digital marketing channels and tools?

Digital Compass Framework: Let your business objective (the “why”) and your audience (the “who”) guide your choice of channels (the “what”).
Avoid Shiny New Things: Don’t chase every new platform; focus on what aligns with your goals and where your audience is active.
Channel Fit Examples: The book provides case studies showing which channels work best for different objectives (e.g., Facebook for community, Twitter for customer service, LinkedIn for B2B branding).
Continuous Reassessment: Treat your plan as a living document, ready to adapt as new tools and platforms emerge.

8. What is the "Question Engine" concept in "Get Scrappy" and how does it fuel content and engagement?

Questions as Currency: Use customer questions to generate content ideas and spark social media conversations.
Listen First: Actively listen to your audience to identify their needs, pain points, and interests.
Content Creation: Answering real questions leads to more relevant, helpful, and engaging blog posts, videos, and social updates.
Team Involvement: Encourage your team to collect and share customer questions to keep your content pipeline full.

9. How does "Get Scrappy" suggest leveraging people power and team resources for digital marketing?

Embrace Internal Talent: Involve employees from different departments in content creation, social media, and idea generation.
Flexible Staffing Models: Use the RACI model (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) to clarify roles and share workload.
External Resources: Tap into fans, customers, and agency partners for user-generated content and additional support.
Culture of Participation: Foster a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute to marketing efforts.

10. What does "Connect Your Digital Dots" mean in "Get Scrappy" and how do you achieve integration?

Holistic Integration: Ensure all digital channels—social media, email, website, paid ads, and earned media—work together seamlessly.
POEM Framework: Balance Paid, Owned, and Earned Media for maximum reach and impact.
Cross-Promotion: Use each channel to promote and reinforce the others (e.g., share blog posts in email newsletters, promote social channels on your website).
Consistent Messaging: Maintain a unified brand voice and message across all touchpoints, both online and offline.

11. How does "Get Scrappy" recommend simplifying content and social media marketing for long-term success?

Relentless Repurposing: Reuse and adapt content across formats and platforms to maximize value.
Content Creation Hacks: Utilize historical content, curate relevant third-party material, and encourage user-generated content.
Focus on Quality: Prioritize creating better, more engaging content over simply producing more.
Advocate Engagement: Develop systems to identify, reward, and elevate your most passionate fans and brand advocates.

12. How does "Get Scrappy" by Nick Westergaard approach measurement and continuous improvement in digital marketing?

Measure What Matters: Align metrics with your business objectives, focusing on outcomes like leads, sales, engagement, or brand awareness.
Simplified Scorecards: Use easy-to-understand scorecards to track and share key performance indicators with your team.
Iterative Improvement: Treat failures as learning opportunities and continuously refine your strategy based on data.
Holistic View: Recognize that marketing success is the result of multiple touchpoints and channels working together, not just the last click or impression.