ROI: Chess not Checkers

Leaders are always asking me, "What’s my return on investment?"

Well, let me tell you—your ROI isn’t about quick wins or instant results. It’s more like playing chess, not checkers. Patience is everything. You’ve got to think several moves ahead—5, 6 steps down the line—and anticipate what your side and your opponents might do next.

Strategic campaigns take time because they’re about more than just sending out a message. It’s about careful planning, really knowing who your audience is, and choosing the right words to truly connect.

Building trust and momentum doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process of making thoughtful decisions, testing things out, and adjusting as you go.

And let’s be honest—real change often means shifting attitudes and mindsets, which takes patience and consistent effort. It’s about building relationships, gathering support, and sometimes overcoming resistance. All of that takes time—time to communicate clearly, reinforce your messages, and see how folks respond.

At the end of the day, I always tell folks: this is a marathon, not a sprint. The work you put in early on pays off with bigger, stronger wins down the road.

Mark Treglio is the President of NEP Services, where he manages the day to day operations of this rapidly growing tech and communications company serving over 800 unions and non-profits nationwide.

Prior to joining NEP, Mark led communications at the International Association of Fire Fighters. He was responsible for many of the union’s innovations and advancements in communications and digital advocacy, including the Strategic Campaigns program and the IAFF Communications Training Academy.

Mark retired from the Jacksonville (FL) Fire & Rescue Department. He was the Communications Director for his home local, IAFF Local 122. During the great recession, he developed a communications strategy that successfully fended off an all out assault on the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund by national think tanks the Arnold Foundation, Americans For Prosperity, the Tea Party, the Pew Foundation and more.

Mark currently resides in sunny Henderson, Nevada.  He is a die hard fan of the New York Yankees and the Jacksonville Jaguars.