Most consulting happens on calls. There are good reasons for that. Calls are fast, they allow for tone and nuance, and they feel productive. But there is a version of strategy work that happens better in writing, over a few weeks, with time to think between exchanges. We introduced the written strategy format in 2022 and it has become one of the most-requested things we offer.
Writing slows things down in a useful way ¶
When you have to write out your thinking, you notice the gaps. You cannot talk around the hard question because it is sitting there on the page waiting for an answer. The written format creates a kind of productive friction that calls sometimes skip over. Clients who use the written strategy format consistently report that the process of answering the questions is itself clarifying, before they even read the response.
The document becomes an asset ¶
At the end of a call, you have notes. At the end of a written strategy engagement, you have a document that captures the thinking, the options considered, the reasoning behind the decision, and the plan. That document can be shared with a co-founder, a board, a team. It can be revisited six months later. It has a durability that call notes rarely achieve.
Who it works best for ¶
The written format tends to suit introverted founders who think better when they can take their time, distributed teams where getting everyone on a call is logistically painful, and anyone who has ever left a strategy call feeling like the conversation moved too fast. It is also well-suited to situations where the problem is complex enough that you need to sit with the questions for a day or two before answering them.
How the format actually works ¶
The client sends a description of their situation, usually two to four pages. Mara reads it and sends back eight to twelve questions designed to surface what is not in the document. The client answers those questions. Mara synthesises and drafts a response that includes her read of the situation and a set of options. This goes back and forth two or three times over two to three weeks. The final document is typically six to ten pages and clear enough to act on.
What it is not ¶
The written format is not email consulting, where you send a question and get a quick answer. It is a structured engagement with a defined arc. It requires the client to do real thinking between exchanges. If you are looking for fast answers, the clarity session is probably a better fit. If you are willing to slow down and do the thinking properly, the written strategy format tends to produce the most durable results of anything we offer.
The written strategy engagement is listed on the current offerings page at $1,200. If you are not sure whether it is the right fit, the free intro call is a good place to find out.