Last week, we talked about budget as a necessary step before moving on from strategies. This week, we finally roll up our sleeves and talk tactics — the real-world actions that carry your strategy across the finish line.
But here’s the truth most “AI for business” advice skips:
ChatGPT is not great at generating tactics all by itself.
You need a conversation.
You need layers.
And you need your own judgment to filter out the fluff.
Today’s newsletter shows you how to do that — using the same process we’re using right now to grow the AI-Fueled Growth newsletter.
Why Tactics Matter (and Why AI Struggles with Them)
Strategies give you direction.
Tactics actually move the needle.
But tactics are deeply tied to:
Your business model
Your audience
Your time
Your budget
Your personality
What you’re actually willing to do week after week
That’s why AI often spits out generic answers like:
“Post consistently on social media”
“Start a referral program”
“Run ads to increase awareness”
None of that helps a boutique owner deciding whether to spend $150 this month on Facebook ads or new fall inventory.
So instead of asking ChatGPT a one-shot question like:
“Give me tactics to grow my business.”
…we ask layered prompts that build context, step by step.
And we stay in the conversation — filtering, refining, rejecting, and reshaping what AI gives us.
Our goal:
Grow our email list 100 percent in six months.
Our strategies:
Paid outreach with Meta Lookalike Audiences
Partnerships and newsletter outreach
Now let’s turn those strategies into actual tactics.
For Paid Outreach:
Tactics we’re developing:
Meta Ads promoting a lead-gen giveaway
Our “Start Something Kit”, normally a $99 value, offered free as the lead magnet
A simple landing page that converts well on mobile
Running small-budget tests to figure out which audiences actually respond
Retargeting folks who engage but don’t sign up
We got some of these from ChatGPT, but we didn’t take the first draft.
We iterated.
We asked better questions.
We pushed for specifics.
For Partnerships:
Tactics we’re developing:
Researching newsletters and organizations whose audiences overlap with ours
Identifying “value trades”—what we can offer them that helps their readers
Sending targeted emails, building relationships, not spray-and-pray
Offering a content swap or guest segment
Tracking who replies, who doesn’t, and why
Again—these came from conversation, not a single prompt.
The Layered Prompt System
Here’s the practical part you can try today.
This is the exact method we used for our own tactics.
Step 1: Set the Goal
Tell AI clearly what you’re trying to accomplish.
Prompt:
“You are helping me create tactics that support my marketing strategy. My goal is: {insert goal}. Repeat back the goal in your own words.”
Step 2: Set the Strategy
Give AI the high-level direction.
Prompt:
“Here are the strategies I’ve chosen for this goal: {list strategies}. Do not give me general marketing ideas. Only give tactics that directly support these strategies.”
Step 3: Set Expectations
Tell AI how to behave.
Prompt:
“Before you generate tactics, ask me 5 clarifying questions about budget, time available, audience, and tools I already use. Then wait for my answers.”
Step 4: Generate Tactics — But in Batches
Don’t let AI dump a giant list. Make it slow down.
Prompt:
“Give me three tactical ideas for Strategy #1 only. Each idea should be realistic for a single owner, respectful of a small budget, and something I can test within 30 days.”
Step 5: Refine
Pick the tactic that feels right, then drill deeper.
Prompt:
“I choose tactic #2. Break this into smaller steps. Explain what I should prepare first, what I should test, what common mistakes I should avoid, and how I’ll know if it’s working after 30 days.”
This is the missing skill most folks never learn.
It’s not about AI writing tactics for you.
It’s about using AI as a thinking partner while you make the call.
What to Research Before You Commit to a Tactic
Before you greenlight any tactic, ask AI these five questions:
“What are common failure points with this tactic for businesses like mine?”
“What skills or assets do I need before this tactic will work?”
“What’s the smallest version of this tactic I can test in one week?”
“What metrics matter most for this tactic?”
“What should I stop doing so I actually have time for this?”
This is where AI shines.
It helps you pre-think instead of just react.
Prompt of the Week: Layered Tactic Builder
Copy and paste this into ChatGPT:
Prompt:
“You are my tactical marketing partner.
My goal is: {insert}.
My strategies are: {insert}.
Before you give any tactics, ask me five clarifying questions about my audience, time, budget, tools, and past experience.
After I answer, give me three tactics for Strategy #1 only. For each tactic, explain the steps, the estimated budget, the time required, and what I should measure to know it’s working.
Do not move to Strategy #2 until I tell you to.”
This teaches AI to slow down — and think with you, not for you.
I’d Love Your Perspective
I’d love to hear from you on this one.
What tactic have you used in the last year that actually worked?
Hit reply and tell me — we’re collecting real examples to help other owners.
And if you want to follow along as we grow this newsletter, we’ll keep sharing every win, every test, and every lesson learned.
Before You Go… Watch the New Training
If you want hands-on practice building strategies with AI — not theory — this video will help you get better results immediately.
You’ll learn:
Why the first AI answer is almost never the one you should use
How to refine prompts so ChatGPT thinks more creatively
How to compare organic vs paid strategy ideas
How to turn those ideas into clear, usable next steps
Why your experience still matters more than the AI
Give it a watch and let me know what part you want training on next.