‘Sttarcattiecgsy’ is the words ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’ merged.

Because I get them confused sometimes.

And I’m always looking for ways to help me.

Instinctively and once-and-for-all.

To know the difference.

This is part-two of a two-part story.

Strategy is Based on Research, Planning, and Internal Reflection.

Strategy is a long-term vision.

Tactics are short-term actions.

For example, if your Marketing Strategy is to improve your influence on social media.

Then your tactics will include carefully choosing channels and messaging.

Change.

Strategy can change to accommodate new internal or external factors.

But changes shouldn’t be made lightly.

Tactics can (and should) change based on the success of your strategy.

It is easier to adjust tactics to course-correct than it is to overhaul your strategy.

So make sure your strategic planning is thorough – and your strategy is right!

Strategy Needs Tactics.

If your strategy is to climb a mountain, one key decision inside your strategy might be which side of the mountain to climb.

Your tactics would be the gear you’d buy.

Who you bring with you.

Your complete trip plan.

How long it would take to get there.

What season you’d go.

Strategy without tactics won’t be executed or help you achieve your goals.

Strategy and Tactics Always Have to be Aligned.

You might be really excited about or drawn to a particular tactic or project.

But only do it if it aligns with your long-term strategy.

So your strategy should inform which tactics your organisation will execute or fund.

The Best Strategy and Tactics Still Won’t Cover Everything.

Because resources are finite, choosing the right strategy and corresponding tactics ensures your efforts are directed toward achieving your vision in the most efficient manner possible.

As David Ogilvy said,

Strategy is Sacrifice.

That’s that.

OK, that’s that.

‘Sttarcattiecgsy’ is the words ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’ merged.

Because I get them confused sometimes.

And I’m always looking for ways to help me.

Instinctively and once-and-for-all.

To know the difference.

Adapted from the work of the excellent Rachel Smith, Clearpoint.

Once upon a time.

Chemistry sets were marketed only at boys.

Daft, that.

I always thought.

So it’s good that the balance is being redressed.

Experimental.

I am reminded of the appeal of boyhood Chemistry Sets when I help successful businesses.

Businesses I help to turn into brands.

(That means they want to focus down on the essence of why they exist.

Then point everything towards this North Star.

So people fall in love with not only ‘what’ they do.

But ‘why’ they do, too).

I am reminded of the appeal of boyhood Chemistry Sets when I help aspiring brands because aspiring brands are experimental by nature.

They are more experimental than they imagine.

So they are more interesting than they imagine.

And I encourage them to tell stories of their experimentation as much as possible.

Stories. 

Markets like reading about experimental brands.

Markets like reading about things that aspiring brands try.

Markets like reading about the ups and the downs of a business as they explore.

Because the ups and the downs show they’re human.

And that builds empathy.

Storytell Your Experiments.

You’ll sometimes wonder what to say across social media.

Or in your PR.

Well here’s the suggestion.

Talk about your experiments.

Talk about the fact that you take little risks.

On your time.

With your money.

Because you know it’s wrong to treat customers as guinea pigs.

And because you know your never-ending yearning to be better is real.

And you know it makes sense that your customers know too.

See what I did there?

‘Sttarcattiecgsy’.

It’s the words ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’ merged.

Because I get them confused sometimes.

And I am always looking for ways to help me.

Instinctively and once-and-for-all.

To know the difference.

Rachel Smith.

The following is taken from.

Or adapted from.

An article by the excellent Rachel Smith from Clearpoint.

Here we go:

Strategy describes the destination and how you are going to get there.

Tactics describe the specific actions you are going to take along the way.

OK.

Got that.

So let’s expand a bit:

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 organisation’s mission.

Tactics are much more concrete and are often oriented toward smaller steps and a shorter time frame along the way. They involve best practices, specific plans, resources, etc. They’re also called ‘initiatives’.

Yep.

Useful.

So what makes a good strategy?

A good strategy reflects your core values. It listens to your organisation. It is realistic and actionable.

It is results-focused and specific. For example, Mychael’s Furniture Company wants to ‘expand market share’ by displacing customers from the competition.

So they set the strategic goals of:

1. Improving sustainability credentials.
2. Setting accessible, consistent, mid-range price points.
3. Achieving faster delivery times.
4. Achieving an exceptional, category-leading customer experience at the point of delivery and installation.

And what makes a good tactic?

A good tactic has a clear purpose that aids your strategy. It has a finite timeline during which specific activities will be completed and their impacts measured.

Good tactics for Mychael’s Furniture Company, each aligned to a specific strategic objective, would be:

1. 1. Analyse manufacturing processes to minimise waste, primarily by ‘designing out waste’ at the beginning.Also assessing the sustainability credentials of the entire supply chain and internal operation.
   2. Design for more efficient manufacture, reduce manufacturing inefficiencies with leaner making approaches, thereby decreasing cost and, by extension, the opportunity decrease prices for customers.This makes consistent pricing a more realistic goal.
   3. Design for faster making by (for example) standardising components across a collection. Change manufacturing shifts to be less people per shifts, but more shifts.So you’re making over longer periods (so moving from 8 to 16 hours of making in every working 24 hour period).That way, the  whole manufacturing operation can respond faster to specific orders.Increase borrowing or allocate reserves to 20% higher stock levels, levered against (sensibly) increased sales projections.
   4. Massively increased training to all delivery personnel, and/or procuring better courier options. Introducing innovations such as (for example) clear name badges, photography of the furniture in-situ by the delivery team and monthly performance awards for Net Promoter Scoring.Based upon a more sophisticated and answerable customer feedback infrastructure.

Mychael’s Furniture Company can then clearly measure the success of each tactic by comparing their costs and profitability and other KPI’s before and after the new tactical initiatives.

Keeping in mind that it is possible to assess too soon.

Thinking Versus Acting.

This is good, too:

Think Strategically.

Act Tactically.

Part Two.

I’ll leave it there for now.

I’ll create a STTARCATTIECGSY Part two, soon.