What is Strategic Marketing and Why Does it Matter?

Contributed by Jim Walton, CEO, Brand Acceleration, Inc.

As a marketing communications practitioner of more than thirty years, I’ve become frustrated by the number of professional people who don’t know the difference between strategy and tactics, especially as they relate to marketing. I’ve even heard marketing professionals use the terms interchangeable. Argh! They are not the same thing!

A few years ago, an economic developer told me that his community’s new website was its entire strategy. Once the site was completed, their hope was that prospective employers would find and fall in love with their community. He had no idea that hope and a new website are not strategies. To clarify, a website is a tactic, not a strategy. Hope is, well, wishful thinking.

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