I’ve heard many marketers share they completed a killer marketing campaign and enjoy the results. Sometimes, I get the opportunity to ask them what they plan on doing afterward, but it’s usually this moment they fall silent. Good marketers know that marketing is about strategy, long-term success and long-term results. Campaigns, launches and everything else is great — but will it matter next month, next quarter or next year?
Let’s step back from the colloquialisms and look at what the dictionary says about these commonly-used phrases in the marketing industry:
- Campaign: a systematic course of aggressive activities for some specific purpose [source]
- Strategy: a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result [source]
- Tactic: a plan, procedure, or expedient for promoting a desired end or result [source]
For the sake of discussion, a campaign has a defined end. For instance, in the military, campaigns to accomplish objectives are made clear. It’s either mission accomplished — or not. Conversely, strategy has loose ends, and often are on-going. Politically speaking, it’s like the US-Iraq War (campaign) versus the War on Terrorism (strategy). Please hold your political responses for another blog. Campaigns aren’t designed for long-term success by default. It takes a great strategist to plan for the future and build a solid strategy using a combination of complimentary tactics, campaigns and goals.
Tactics are the micro “campaigns” that fulfill a strategy. When people consider creating a great marketing campaign, they ought to explore the idea of using a series of smaller campaigns (goals) and execute with planned tactics to form a long-term strategy.
Am I against the use of “campaigns?” No. But I am against the prolific use of a one-time burst of squeezing sales out of customers while neglecting to implement a supportive, nurturing and even retention cycle for customers. Strategies account for this, campaigns don’t.
I have to admit, it’s difficult sticking to a campaign in my field (social media), but I can stick to a strategy. I imagine entrepreneurs feel the same way. I found a shortcut to appeal to feel of a campaign — break it down to smaller goals, tactics and expand it to a larger strategy, like a purpose.
What type of campaigns, strategies or tactics are you using in your business? Let me know your thoughts below in the comments.
[Photo by pshutterbug on Flickr]
Joe,
I think you're on to something here, but I'd make a modification. Your marketing strategy is the sum of your ongoing campaigns. Campaigns are comprised of launches, lead gen, follow-up, etc. The strategy is most important, but is useless without effective campaigns.
Like you we have moved very heavily in to social media marketing. It was so easy pre-social media to clearly identify the strategy, campaigns and tactics. The point I notice more now is that social media requires you to continually engage with your social community even when your not running a campaign. That doesn't really happen in the traditional marketing channels.
Ie you cant just walk away from your social community after the campaign ends and expect it to be there when your ready to run the next one. I do agree with Joe that strategy is a sum of all campaigns focussed on delivering the strategic outcome.
Like you we have moved very heavily in to social media marketing. It was so easy pre-social media to clearly identify the strategy, campaigns and tactics. The point I notice more now is that social media requires you to continually engage with your social community even when your not running a campaign. That doesn't really happen in the traditional marketing channels.
Ie you cant just walk away from your social community after the campaign ends and expect it to be there when your ready to run the next one. I do agree with Joe that strategy is a sum of all campaigns focussed on delivering the strategic outcome.