The Forrester Marketing Strategy Compass is a step-by-step guide to formulating a best-in-class marketing strategy that is aligned to business goals and can be cascaded throughout the marketing function. The second level of the Marketing Strategy Compass powers the marketing strategy by defining a set of important decisions that incorporate internal and external influences. In this report, we describe the decisions at the external orientation level of marketing strategy that drive specific investment priorities and provide actionable inputs that flow into the annual marketing plan.