A tactic is a specific step you take to deliver your strategy. The strategy explains why and for whom, while the tactic defines what you will do next week and with what budget.

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1 Definition and examples of marketing tactics

2 Types of marketing tactics

3 Implementing marketing tactics

4 Editor’s tip

5 The 4P and 7P marketing mix

6 What a tactic is, in brief

7 A list of digital marketing tactics

8 How to choose marketing tactics step by step

8.1 Common mistakes

9 Marketing strategy and tactics compared

10 Frequently asked questions about marketing tactics

10.1 What are marketing tactics in simple terms?

10.2 What is the difference between marketing strategy and tactics?

10.3 What are some examples of digital marketing tactics?

10.4 How many marketing tactics should you use at once?

Definition and examples of marketing tactics

Marketing tactics are defined as a series of strategic actions or methods designed to promote a product or service and maximise sales. Distribution or the launch of new products, communication through social media and email, radio and television advertising, setting up clubs and associations, and targeted blogs are just some examples of marketing tactics. In today’s high-tech era, there are also AI marketing tools that can be implemented as part of a marketing strategy.

Types of marketing tactics

Marketing tactics can be divided into several types, which differ by their goal and how they are carried out. The best known include:

Ambient marketing: This is advertising placed in an unusual or even shocking location. One example is a bus stop that was turned into a room for Barbie. This kind of advertising has strong potential to catch consumers’ attention, but you need to be careful about whether the placement is legal.

Ambush marketing: This method takes advantage of large public events. The organisation does not become an official sponsor of the event and instead acts as a kind of parasite. For example, Apple came up with a billboard promoting its iPods, while the home furnishings company Rona created a billboard that played off Apple’s.

Buzz marketing: This aims to create a campaign that generates buzz. The advertising and the product should be linked to a pleasant and interesting experience that people want to tell others about. One example is ice lolly sticks shaped like toothbrushes, which Colgate used to remind people not to forget to brush their teeth.

Viral marketing: This works mainly on social media. It tries to create content so interesting that people share it with each other. For example, Coca Cola placed a few vending machines around America that kept pouring out bottles of sweetened drinks even though nobody had paid for them.

Implementing marketing tactics

Implementing marketing tactics requires a careful plan and tracking of how successful they are. Here are some key steps:

Identifying the target audience: Marketing tactics should be set up to target the customers who are most relevant to the product or service. For example, Mejuri, which sells fine jewellery, launches new products every week based on a design theme so that customers regularly check for new arrivals.

Communication: Communication is key to the success of marketing tactics. This includes communication through social media, email and other channels. Email marketing is an effective tactic that uses emails to promote products and to build relationships with customers and potential customers.

Measuring success: Measuring the success of marketing tactics is important for developing them further. This includes setting measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) for each activity and tracking how they perform. If some tactics are not working, it is important to replace them with new ones.

Editor’s tip

Marketing tactics are a dynamic part of a marketing strategy and must be adjusted regularly to changing market conditions. To maximise effectiveness, it is important to combine different types of tactics and track their impact. For example, combining traditional tactics with modern technologies such as AI tools can lead to surprisingly good results. Personally, I think an effective marketing strategy should be flexible and ready for immediate changes. This includes monitoring the market, keeping an eye on competitors and regularly evaluating the success of marketing tactics.

The 4P and 7P marketing mix

The marketing mix is a set of tools a company uses to achieve its marketing goals. The 4P marketing mix covers Product (including its specific features, design, packaging, etc.), Price (what price we set for the product), Distribution (through which channels we will offer the product) and Promotion (how we will promote the product). The 7P marketing mix is an extension of the 4P and additionally covers Place (where we sell the product), People (who helps us sell the product to customers), Packaging (how we present the product to customers) and Process (how we deliver the product to customers). The choice of marketing mix has a major impact on the success of the entire marketing strategy. For example, if a company sets its price too high or chooses an unsuitable distribution channel, this will have a negative effect on sales and overall business results.

What a tactic is, in brief

Marketing tactics are a key part of a marketing strategy because they make it possible to achieve the goals defined in the marketing plan. Implementing these tactics requires a careful plan and tracking of how successful they are. To maximise effectiveness, it is important to combine different types of tactics and track their impact. Flexibility and readiness for immediate changes are key to the success of a marketing strategy.

A list of digital marketing tactics

Online channels give you many options that are easy to test and measure. These are some of the most common ones:

Content marketing: articles, guides and videos that answer the questions your customers have before they buy.
Email sequences: automated messages that welcome new subscribers or follow up after a purchase.
Paid social ads: ads shown to a defined audience based on interests, job roles or location.
Retargeting: ads shown to people who have already visited your website.
Influencer collaborations: working with people your audience already trusts.
Webinars and online events: useful especially in B2B, where buyers want to learn before they talk to sales.
Referral programmes: rewards for customers who recommend you to others.

How to choose marketing tactics step by step

Start from the goal: write down which strategic goal the tactic should support.
Find your audience: work out where your customers spend their time and how they prefer to receive information.
Pick a few: choose two or three tactics you can run well rather than ten you run poorly.
Set a budget and a test period: for example, $1,000 a month for three months.
Review and decide: at the end of the period, keep, adjust or stop each tactic based on the results.

Common mistakes

Choosing a tactic only because a competitor uses it.
Spreading a small budget across too many channels.
Stopping a tactic before it has had time to produce reliable data.
Copying a viral idea that does not fit your brand or audience.

Marketing strategy and tactics compared

People often use the two terms as if they meant the same thing, but they work on different levels. Seeing the differences side by side helps you decide which questions belong in your plan and which belong in your weekly to-do list.

Time frame: a strategy usually covers a year or longer, while a tactic often runs for a few weeks or months.
The question it answers: a strategy defines where you want to go and which customers you serve. A tactic defines what you do, through which channel and when.
Flexibility: you change a strategy rarely and only for good reason. You can test, drop and replace tactics much more often.
Measurement: you judge a strategy by business results such as revenue or market share. You judge a tactic by narrower figures such as cost per lead or email open rate.

Here is a simple example. Your strategy is to become the preferred accounting software for small firms in your region. Your tactics might be a series of practical guides, a monthly webinar and retargeting ads with a budget of around $2,000 a month.

Frequently asked questions about marketing tactics

What are marketing tactics in simple terms?

Marketing tactics are the concrete actions you take to reach your marketing goals. They include things like sending a newsletter, running an ad campaign or hosting an event. Each tactic should support a goal set out in your strategy.

What is the difference between marketing strategy and tactics?

A strategy sets the direction, the target customers and the long-term goals. Tactics are the specific activities that move you towards those goals. You change the strategy rarely, while you test and replace tactics regularly.

What are some examples of digital marketing tactics?

Common examples include content marketing, automated email sequences, paid social ads and retargeting. Webinars, influencer collaborations and referral programmes are also widely used. The right mix depends on your audience and budget.

How many marketing tactics should you use at once?

There is no fixed number, but smaller teams usually do better with two or three tactics run well. This keeps the budget concentrated and makes results easier to measure. You can add more once the first ones work.

Marketing tactics, definition, examples and how to choose them