Why do many #productmarketers and #CI professionals consider “tactical” to be a dirty word?
A definition of tactical 👉 “small-scale actions serving a larger purpose.”
To me, that’s things like:
- Joining customer calls
- Providing deal support
- Supporting ad hoc sales requests
- Curating relevant competitive intel
- Building (and yes, updating) battlecards
- Building an internal newsletter
- Running sales and CS trainings
- Building collateral
- Writing and reviewing emails and call scripts
- the list goes on...
I get it, you want to work on big swing projects and strategic initiatives that elevate you to the boardroom. And rightfully so.
But consider:
1️⃣ Tactical work is what builds your credibility and elevates your role
2️⃣ It's measurable and easier to prove ROI on, especially when it supports sales
2️⃣ It's what keeps you grounded in what’s actually happening in the market
Our Competitive Enablement Manager, Brandon, is hands down the most knowledgeable person in the room when it comes to our competition, their messaging, their product(s), and most importantly, how we differentiate and win.
People from all levels of the organization value his opinion and input.
But he wouldn’t have this credibility if he wasn’t on the ground, competing alongside our sales team.
The same goes for Suman, our Customer Marketing Manager. She is the individual with the most knowledge about our customers, their problems, where they see value in our platform, and who our biggest advocates are.
She’s a critical team member at Klue, tapped for customer insights from all levels of the org.
But she wouldn’t play this strategic role if she wasn’t in front of customers multiple times a week, creating stories, and doing the little things that help enable our team and build relationships.
So, embrace tactical work. The key is to find ways to work more efficiently and prioritize the stuff that matters most.
That’s why when you see me on here, I often try to share advice that is more practical and tactical. Tips that can help you work faster and create more space for strategic work.