CHAPTER 6 | TACTICS VS STRATEGY

Let the race to the top of the mountain begin.

It’s actually a challenge, more than a race. Not everyone runs a marathon to win. But there are those who lead the pack along the way, at 5K, 10K, 20K and at the marathon’s end, on top of the mountain.

Your company's VISION is the top of the mountain. No vision? Then you're wandering in the valley, which is the path of least resistance.

The entire journey from VISION to arriving at the summit can be fun – the ride of your professional life – or disastrous.

The fraternal twins, Marketing and Operations are on your team, as marketing infrastructure now bleeds into operations with CRM, AI and internal communication systems.

In upcoming chapters we'll discuss the importance and how-to's of VISION, TACTICS, STRATEGY, DIFFERENTIATION, PITFALLS, KPIs, PLANS with all sorts of cheesy but clear metaphors.

No marketing mumbo. No AI-written banality. No un-actionable dribble.

Easy to communicate definitions and metaphors will simplify what is now a foreboding 2026 budget planning chaos.

Because 'tis the season.

Stress is optional.

P.S. This photo of Everest is not AI. It's real. (If it were AI we would have added a jumping shark.)