I’ve been in business for nearly three decades and, not surprisingly, I’ve seen a lot of marketing campaigns – both good and bad. Through these years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of America’s finest business leaders and have seen firsthand many of them enjoy significant returns on their marketing investments.

But, I’ve also seen thousands of dollars wasted every year in ineffective marketing. And, I know why.

Most marketing fails because leaders too often confuse strategy and tactics. They are not the same. If you print a brochure, develop an ad, produce a TV spot, or send a direct mail piece, you’re not acting strategically. You’re implementing tactics. To achieve long term marketing growth in your organization, you must execute tactics. But these tactics must be built upon sound strategy.