If you've clicked in to read this far, you've already distinguished yourself from 90 percent of business leaders.

That's how many tell us they don't need help with strategy. They've "got that down."

So we ask about their unique value proposition. We ask them to tell us about their various customer segments, which ones show the most growth potential and which ones actually cost them money. We try to get the executives to give us copies of their integrated marketing plans.

Some are honest and come clean. Others change the conversation.

But the fact is that organizations succeed through specific plans that detail every action, every reason behind them and clear goals at which they're aimed.

Every goal is created through careful study. People and other resources — so precious and scarce these days — are set up to succeed only when prepared and guided by consistent messages. That's strategy.

Our partners at Mythology Marketing have created, managed and delivered on billions of dollars of marketing and relationship-building programs for 14 years. Take a self-assessment to see how you might benefit from applying the 10 Pillars of Empowered Marketing.