Example

A classic marketing challenge

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Let's look at an example of a marketing problem that a lot of businesses might face - a lead magnet that is not converting well:

Tactics

A tactical approach to solving the problem

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You can try to solve this conversion problem using popular marketing tactics - running a split test, redesigning the page, adding a social proof widget, etc.

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And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with those individual ideas 🙂

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But it’s easy to forget that tactics are only a means to an end; they exist as a tool to help execute a bigger system and strategy.

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Messing around with the parts of your “funnel” won’t necessarily improve the system as a whole (and may make them worse). ‍

- André Chaperon in "Systems Thinking vs. Funnel Optimization"

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Here are some warning signs that appear when there is too much emphasis placed on tactics:

• Looking for cheap clicks and traffic, without understanding who your ideal customer is
• Trying to grow your list quickly, before defining what it means for someone to be a part of your community
• Pushing for a quick purchase, before investing time to educate and provide value
• Shiny object syndrome