The Difference Between Marketing Strategy and Tactics
If you’ve ever felt like you’re ‘ticking off marketing’ with a social media post, quick email blast, or sale, you’re in good company. Small business owners are the masters of action—always moving, always juggling. The problem is, marketing activity alone doesn’t equal marketing strategy.
It’s a common trap: we equate busyness with effectiveness. Posting often, handing out discounts, or throwing money at ads doesn’t guarantee you’ll grow the business the way you want to. That’s because those are tactics. And while tactics are important, they only work when they’re anchored in a bigger plan—your strategy.
The busy trap: when activity masquerades as strategy
Small business owners are some of the busiest people on the planet. You’re wearing many hats—sales, customer service, product development, maybe even payroll—and when it comes to marketing, it’s easy to grab at whatever feels quick and tangible. A discount here, a boosted post there.
The problem is that all this ‘doing’ creates the illusion of progress without actually moving you closer to your business goals. You might sell a few more products on sale this week, but what happens next week, when you’re back to full price? You might get more eyeballs on that boosted post, but do those eyeballs even know who you are or why they should buy from you?
This is where strategy steps in.
What’s the difference between strategy and tactics?
Think of strategy as the why and tactics as the how.
Strategy is your north star. It’s the big picture plan that connects marketing activities to your business goals. It answers questions like: Who am I trying to reach? What do I want them to think or feel about my brand? Where do I want my business to be in five years?
Tactics are the steps you take to reach your business goals. They’re the individual moves—the email campaign, the seasonal sale—that help you get there.
A good strategy ensures all that hard work has your end goal in sight.
Why tactics alone fall short
Imagine a retail shop that runs weekly discounts to ‘drive sales.’ The first week, people flood in for great discounts on apparel. By week four, regulars are waiting for discounts before they make a purchase. The shop is busier, sure—but profitability is shrinking, and loyalty hasn’t grown. That’s what happens when tactics are used in isolation.
Or take the brand that only ever boosts Instagram posts. Sure, they might see engagement spike temporarily. But without a clear strategy—like defining their ideal customer, refining their messaging, or aligning content with long-term brand goals—it’s like pouring water into a leaky bucket. Plenty of activity, very little sustained growth.
Tactics that ladder up to strategy
Now, let’s reframe. Instead of a random string of actions, imagine those same tactics work together under a strategy.
Using our retail example, let’s say their strategy is to be known as the best place for ethical fashion in town. With that in place, they decide to employ the following tactics:
Run a storytelling campaign on Instagram about their sourcing
Offer exclusive shopping events to build a loyal community
Share email updates featuring their sourcing and seasonal releases
The case for strategy-first thinking
Each tactic ladders back to the bigger picture: building a brand around quality and sustainability, not just a short-term sales spike.
The most successful brands don’t win because they run the most ads or hand out the deepest discounts. They win because they know who they are, who they serve, and what they stand for—and then they use tactics to amplify that message consistently.
Nike doesn’t just sell shoes; it sells the idea of athletic empowerment. Apple doesn’t just push phones; it builds a world around simplicity and creativity, while also selling desirability through status. Their tactics—ads, launches, sponsorships—are effective because they’re grounded in a strategy that hasn’t wavered for decades.
Bring it back to your business
So, how do you avoid the ‘boost post / put everything on sale’ trap? A few practical steps:
Start with goals. What do you want your business to achieve in the next year?
Know your audience. What do they care about? Where do they spend their time? To dive deeper here, check out our blog on this topic.
Define your positioning. What’s the story you want to own in your customers’ minds?
Choose tactics that fit. Now—and only after steps 1-3—consider the tactics that ladder back up to your strategy and implement them.
Final thought: direction first, action second
Tactics are necessary, but don’t fall into the tactic-only trap; it only adds to the noise. A clear strategy creates direction, a roadmap to success. So next time you feel compelled to employ a tactic, ask yourself—is this move helping me get to where I want to go? If not, it’s time to zoom out and refine that strategy.
