You can use this checklist to set tactics to execute strategy. Tactics are easier to recognize than define. Focus on content, what’s supposed to happen. Think of tactics as absorbing the traditional marketing plan, product plan, and financing plan. Your next step will be to set these tactics into a plan with concrete milestones, performance metrics, lists of assumptions, and so on.

This business tactics checklist should give you an idea of the tactical decisions you make as you execute strategy. In a lean plan, you still want to cover what you need to plan and run your business, but simply jot it down in an organized way, usually bullet points, so you can refer back to it as you flesh out the details. But you don’t bother with descriptions.

Marketing Tactics Checklist

• Tactics to locate target market, media that work for target market.
• Pricing
• Messaging (tag line, descriptions, etc.)
• Benefits list
• Features lists
• Web presences including web, mobile, social media
• Content marketing
• Advertising
• Packaging
• Channels of distribution
• Margins through channels
• Channel gatekeepers
• Affiliate marketing
• Social media, platforms, metrics, paid posts, etc.
• Events
• Affiliate marketing
• PR (media strategies, interviews, blog posts)

Product Tactics Checklist

• Product descriptions and product lists
• Technology, patents, trade secrets, protection
• Price lists, menus, etc.
• Features and benefits lists
• Versions, configurations, new versions, new configurations
• New product (or service)
• Product (or service) updates
• Bundling
• Sources and costs, vendors, suppliers
• Packaging
• Liability problems
• Registration for legal requirements
• Registration in lists of providers

Other Business Tactics

• Funding needs, raising investment
• Use of funds
• Borrowing, loans, credit lines
• Management team recruitment, compensation
• Benefits