In 2009, one of our clients spent a sizable portion of his budget on an agency who boasted their strategic services. The strategy document, all though well-formatted, complete with fancy charts, were devoid of a sustantive strategy. The 8-page deliverable read like a book report. Unfortunately, the end result for our client was a fiscal waste. Fortunately, our team was able to step in to provide the measurable strategy he was looking for.
Strategy by defintion is a long-range plan, method, or roadmap for obtaining specific objectives or goals that insure success. Strategy is not market research.
Consider this when vetting your strategic partner.