What is the difference between Strategy and Tactics? It may be easy to distinguish in your mind, but less clear to decipher as your go about your day. You see, most of us are diligent about making a business plan or a Go-to-Market strategy when we first start our business or the New Year. But then we get stuck in the weeds hustling and seizing opportunities. We may find ourselves divorced a bit from the "big picture." Operating in this way could be the reason you haven't see the traction you'd like to in your business. It certainly was for me.
How to avoid "Tantalizing Tactic" Syndrome
As founders, we are idea machines. I've never met an entrepreneur short of creativity. The problem is, ideas mean nothing. It is in the execution of those ideas where the true value lies. Trendy tactics change daily. This could take the form of hopping on the bandwagon of the newest social media platform or the hottest guerilla marketing craze without a clear path to revenue.
To avoid this, we need to be wholeheartedly connected to the plans that we create. In marketing, this means crafting a tight, well-thought-out, (and yes) creative Client Value Journey. This truly is the backbone of all the marketing that you do.
In order to stay grounded in your plan, it helps to hold steady to the bigger dream you have for your life and business.
Why is the Client Value Journey so important?
The reason why the Client Value Journey is so important is that it gives purpose and focus to all of the tactics you use in your business. Without a unifying plan, marketing becomes a "throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks" approach, which is time-consuming and ineffective. Layout your plan first and get as granular as you can about how each step of the plan supports your revenue goals and the bigger vision your hold for the company.
Once this Client Value Journey is set, then you can begin to attach goals and milestones that are easy to identify. Through the process, you now have a framework for measuring the success of your marketing efforts and are able to adjust and improve. While revenue is a lagging metric, everything you do to support your Client Value Journey is a leading metric-- which means something you can influence. This offers you a level of control in your business and an understanding of the actions you need to take to produce a better outcome.
What is are Tactics?
Strategy defines your long-term goals and how you're planning to achieve them. In other words, your strategy gives you the path you need toward achieving your organization's mission. Tactics are much more concrete and are often oriented toward smaller steps and a shorter time frame along the way.
In marking, tactics are the things you do for your Client Value Journey. As we know, the Client Value Journey is:
Aware
Engage
Nurture
Invite
Delight
Advocate
The specific actions you take during each stage become the tactics you are employing in your business. For example, for the AWARE stage, you could utilize one or all of 3 tactics to grow your audience: Advertising, SEO, or Partnerships (leveraging other businesses or individuals audiences). Let's say you choose to advertise, within that you could create video content, interactive content like a quiz or survey, or event a carousel of photos. The options are endless.
The real fun begins are you test the performance of each tactic and improve along the way. This is the only path to lasting success.
Need help laying out your marketing strategy and tactics? I can help...
💬 Let's talk. Hi! I'm Victoria, Marketing Mentor, Growth Hacker, and Virtual CMO. I create and manage sales-focused marketing strategies. Let's schedule your free 30 min strategy session where I'll share tangible, tactical advice on how you can create or improve your marketing plan. Book Now.
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