Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics

Ever wonder what the difference is between marketing strategies and tactics?

Or, what they have to do with overall company objectives?

Or, better still, why they are important and how to use these tools successfully?

Then read on my friend, read on!

So What's the Difference?

According to Marketing Decision Making by O'Dell-Rupple-Trent (and I agree), strategies lay out the broad plan for achieving goals and objectives while tactics are the actions required to support the strategy.

Examples of strategy:

• Increase Company A's business in big box stores
• Diversify Company B's profits by increasing breadth of product line
  
• Understand Company C's end user base more completely
  
• Upgrade the market image of Company D's XYZ product

Examples of supporting tactics, relatively speaking:

• Research and then add Home Depot and Lowe's to Company A's channel partners
• Create a new line of Company B's products for the mold maker segment
• Conduct market research and field visits to Company C's end user base
• Creating a new brand image for XYZ product
  

As you can see, strategy is part of the planning process and is broader in scope and higher level in nature.

Tactics require lower level thought processes, but are equally important to the strategy in reaching company goals. They tend to be more specific and narrow in scope versus the strategy.

Whenever you are in doubt about whether something is a strategy or tactic, ask yourself:

Does the item require action to be taken and/or money or time to be allocated?

If the answer is YES, then the chances are very good that it is a tactic.

If the answer is NO, then it is likely a strategy.

Where Do Company Objectives Fit and Why Are They Important?

In a recent new business presentation, my potential client asked about the fit between tactics and strategies compared to the company's overall objectives and goals.

This was one of their easier questions to answer. Company objectives supercede and DRIVE the strategies and tactics of individual company departments - without a doubt!

Why are objectives so important?

See below . . .

Company objectives set the tone and overall direction for the organization in any given year. Objectives can range from "let's just keep the place running" to "maximize profitability" and everything in between. Many variables determine those objectives; many more than most employees ever know.

By default, then, tactics must be in sync with strategies and strategies must be in sync with overall objectives to have any chance of company success.

How To Use These Tools

Use the objectives, strategies and tactics as tools to guide your thinking and create your action items. Use them, too, to enhance your leadership skills and efforts when communicating and motivating others within the organization to help you with your efforts.

In practical terms use them:

• As openers for meetings to help set the context and agenda
• As "Objectives" or "Background" in written documents requesting or directing others
• In conversations with management and peers to make sure everyone is on the same page
  

The clearer you are about your final destination and the road you're taking to get there, the more likely someone will get in the car and go with you.

Take Your Time - and Think!

I once had a boss who would urge me to "take my time" as I struggled with an issue or question that he had posed to me. At the time, that suggestion did not sit well with my Type A personality. As the years progressed, I could see the wisdom therein.

You can benefit by this guidance as well. Unless you are sure that your objectives, strategies and tactics are in sync, you are wise to take your time, jot down your questions and build a recommendation to take to your boss.

Need help sorting through these issues for your business or company? Give me a call. I can help you chart a course and get you safely to your destination.

Remember, Mosaic creates customers for business-to-business companies through specific project work, on-going retainer assignments or marketing coaching sessions.

Until next time ...

Rosemary Walter
847-483-5018
Rose1Walter@MosaicMM.com

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