{"id":117389,"date":"2024-09-10T10:58:10","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T07:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboad.fi\/?p=117389"},"modified":"2024-09-11T09:39:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T06:39:59","slug":"what-is-a-tactical-marketing-plan-and-why-is-it-so-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboad.fi\/en\/blog\/what-is-a-tactical-marketing-plan-and-why-is-it-so-important\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Tactical Marketing Plan, and Why Is It So Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In marketing, there’s often a temptation to cut corners and skip essential steps to save on costs. However, this approach doesn’t make sense if you want to view marketing as an investment rather than just an expense. To achieve marketing that genuinely adds value to your business, you need a carefully planned process. Only through a purposeful and structured planning process can you create marketing based on data, not just gut feelings or guesswork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who needs a tactical plan, and why is the development of a tactical plan important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A tactical marketing plan serves two main purposes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Internal planning and action mapping<\/strong>: It guides operational activities, helping everyone understand how each action, channel, or method affects the customer’s journey.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Visualizing and reporting<\/strong>: It enables the visualization and reporting of the plan to other stakeholders, such as the executive team or marketing partners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The tactical plan is crucial for guiding marketing actions and tests, as it helps determine which channels or methods work best for a given target audience. Without a tactical plan, you risk drawing the wrong or misleading conclusions that can be detrimental to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Example 1<\/strong>: Company A tested marketing on potential targeted audiences on Facebook and LinkedIn. After one month, they found that Facebook performed better, so they dropped LinkedIn from their marketing mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Example 2<\/strong>: Company B targeted potential customers on Facebook and LinkedIn as well. In both channels, they tested three different audience segments. After testing, they found Facebook more effective. Later, they targeted the convincing phase audience, which had already heard of the company. Surprisingly, they found that the LinkedIn audience was more receptive in this phase.

    See cases ><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These fictional examples illustrate the importance of a tactical plan in making informed decisions. Unplanned testing and marketing decisions without a tactical plan can lead to incorrect or costly conclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A tactical plan is also valuable for justifying actions and decisions to, for instance, the executive team or for instructing marketing partners based on the tactical plan. This approach ensures that all activities are aligned to serve common goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \u201cDespite our four decades of success driven by technological innovation, we realized that to maintain our leadership and expand in the competitive market, a strategic marketing approach was essential. Aboad stepped in at a crucial time when we were struggling to bridge the gap between our high aspirations and practical execution.\u201d<\/em>

    \u2013 Client\u2019s Digital Marketing Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Learn more from the case: <\/strong>[CASE] Tactical Marketing Planning Turnkey Service \u2013 How to Ensure Your Marketing Performs at Its Best (Digital B2B).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Marketing funnel as the basis for tactical planning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There are numerous ways to visualize and understand the planning process. Still, the marketing funnel provides a versatile foundation for tactical planning. It offers flexibility and helps understand different phases of the customer’s journey. It is also widely used and understood, making it easy for the receiver to interpret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How the planning process works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The planning process involves the following steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Integrating Sales and Marketing Funnels<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Defining Contact Points in the Marketing Funnel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Selecting Appropriate Channels for Each Phase<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      You might also be interested in this:<\/strong> How to Develop a Marketing Plan Utilizing the OKR Model<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      What is a tactical plan vs a strategic plan?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      It’s crucial to differentiate between strategic and tactical planning in the marketing process. The strategic level defines marketing objectives and guidelines, while the tactical level specifies the means to achieve these objectives. Here are a few examples of the differences between strategic and tactical planning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n