🎯 Strategies vs. Tactics

Here's Some Creativity in Your Inbox

Lately, I’ve been reading This Is Marketing, by Seth Godin. And if you don’t know him, Seth is a very interesting internet native that works in, you guessed it, marketing.

He has a popular blog where each post doesn’t exceed 200 words, and for anyone that understands how blogging works in 2020, you know very well how impressive that sounds.

Each blog he posts has a particular point and provides value that’s multiples more than the minute you spend reading.

My favorite posts of his are Fake Wasabi (probably a 15-second read) and Don’t Shave The Yak!, the most popular, and slightly longer post on his site.

Why am I talking about Seth today?

Because I read something that resonated with me, something that Seth wrote - and it’s these few simple lines.

Tactics are easy to understand because you can list them, you either use them or you don’t.

Strategy is more amorphous. It’s the umbrella over your tactics, the work the tactics seek to support.

And your goal is the thing you’ll be betting will happen if your strategy works.

Now, these were in the context of marketing, but they ring true for any goal you might be looking to achieve.

• The goal is the destination, that light at the end of the tunnel, the thing you’re trying to achieve.

• The strategy is the journey or the way you invest in reaching that goal.

• The tactics are the individual actions that you take to implement that strategy. Small steps that align with the journey and allow you to walk your chosen path to the goal.

Example: The goal might be to feel more confident in your appearance. The strategy might be to get in shape. The tactics might be hundreds of methods in cardio and strength training, productivity, and work.

Having these terms defined and categorized has been one of those things that I’ve always known but needed someone to mention.

And now they’re at the forefront of my memory and yours.

Hopefully, they’ve shed some light on what you’re busy with now - and if this style of thinking can improve what you’re doing by 1%, that’s a win.

Thanks, Seth!

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🔗 Link Dump

• 🐜 This is probably Marvel’s most creative ad campaign, and the lessons I learned from it have been fantastic.

• 👩‍💻 For the developers out there, here’s a guide from someone getting their first 500 paying users for their SaaS App.

• 🐣 A cool Twitter thread on formatting Tweets, so people read them - this guy’s got some good stuff.

• 🏝️ I have been heavily browsing the sub r/CozyPlaces on Reddit for some travel nostalgia and ideas for interior design.

• 🦇 If you haven’t seen the new Batman trailer, it looks awesome.

There aren’t many links this week but quality over quantity, ladies and gents.

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I hope you enjoyed this week’s little email. I’ve got a massive project ahead that will delight any of you that are productivity fiends. I’ll keep you guys and gals posted about that one.

If you enjoyed this email, please consider sharing with someone you think might enjoy it too! For anything else, you can find me @sahkilic on the socials.

Have a great week,

Sah