What's up, it's Zayd.

I recently posted a list of 43 growth hacks for scaling B2B revenue. The response was predictable…a ton of saves and comments, and probably zero implementations.

Here's what I wrote at the end: "I know you'll save this and never read it again - pick 3 best ideas and execute on them. Forget the rest."

Because that's exactly what happens with tactical content. People collect growth hacks like Pokémon cards, but companies are getting less strategic rather than more effective.

The rise of tactical thinking is killing strategic execution. Teams are optimizing for collecting tactics instead of implementing strategies.

Forwarded this email? Get Enabled in your inbox each week.

Zayd’s Picks

My favorite finds of the week

• Favorite template to get deals unstuck when leads ghost you (link)

• Discovery call red flags checklist (link)

• Don’t sell through users to get buyers (link)

• Prompting in json or xml format increases LLM output by 10x (link)

• The traditional outbound playbook is dead (link)

The Tactical Collection Addiction

Teams are addicted to collecting tactics because it feels like progress.

Reading about growth hacks feels productive.

Saving tactical frameworks feels like preparation.

Building lists of "things to try" feels like strategic planning.

Meanwhile, your competitor picked three tactics, executed them relentlessly for six months, and lapped you while you were still building your collection.

The Cognitive Load Crisis

Human brains can effectively manage about 7 (+ / - 2 items) in working memory, yet most growth teams are trying to execute 20+ tactics simultaneously.

The result is nothing getting the focus it needs to actually work.

I see sales teams running:

• 5 different email sequences

• 3 LinkedIn automation tools

• 2 content marketing initiatives

• 4 partnership experiments

• 6 referral program variations

Each getting 5% of the attention it needs to succeed and all delivering mediocre results.

Why 43 Tactics Beat 3 Strategies (Psychologically)

Tactics feel controllable: You can implement them immediately and see activity

Strategies feel abstract: Results take time and require sustained focus

Tactics provide variety: New shiny objects prevent boredom

Strategies require patience: Sticking with something through the messy middle is hard

Tactics create busy-ness: Lots of activity that feels like progress

Strategies demand outcomes: Success or failure is clear and measurable

The existence of "43 growth hack" lists reveals a fundamental misunderstanding about how growth works and how the brain works. Our brains are wired to prefer immediate, controllable actions over long-term, uncertain strategies.

Growth is about executing fewer tactics better than your competition. The companies with the most sophisticated playbooks often have the simplest strategies. They've just executed those strategies with more precision, consistency, and focus.

The Implementation Reality

Here's what actually happens when teams try to implement tactical lists:

Week 1: Excitement and energy, multiple tactics launched

Week 2-3: Juggling multiple initiatives, attention spread thin

Week 4-6: Some tactics show promise, others fail, team gets overwhelmed Week 7-8: Focus narrows to 2-3 tactics that seem to be working

Week 9+: Basically doing what they should have done from the beginning

You waste 6-8 weeks learning what strategic thinking would have told you upfront.

The Strategic Alternative

Instead of implementing 43 growth hacks, successful companies pick 3 strategic bets and go deep:

Strategic Bet 1: One primary customer acquisition channel

Strategic Bet 2: One retention/expansion initiative

Strategic Bet 3: One operational efficiency improvement

Each gets 30% of growth resources and 100% focus until it's working or definitively failed.

Strategic Focus Example

When building Valley's go-to-market strategy, we had dozens of potential tactics:

• Content marketing across 5 platforms

• Partnership programs with 10+ tools

• Conference speaking at 15+ events

• Multiple outbound channels and sequences

• Referral programs and customer advocacy initiatives

Instead, we chose three strategic bets:

1. LinkedIn content and relationship building (customer acquisition)

2. Customer success and expansion within existing accounts (retention)

3. Product-led growth through trial conversion optimization (efficiency)

Each got deep focus, dedicated resources, and consistent iteration until it worked.

The Implementation Framework

If you insist on using tactical lists (and I know you will), here's how to do it strategically:

Step 1: Strategic Filter 

Before reading any tactical content, define your three strategic priorities for the next 6 months.

Step 2: Relevance Test

For each tactic, ask: "Does this directly support one of my three strategic priorities?" If not, ignore it.

Step 3: Resource Reality Check 

Calculate the true implementation cost; the time, attention, and team bandwidth.

Step 4: Choose 3, Ignore the Rest 

Pick the three tactics with the highest strategic alignment and lowest implementation complexity.

Step 5: Sequential Implementation 

Implement one tactic fully before starting the next. Resist the urge to parallelize everything.

The Paradox of Choice in Growth

Having more tactical options degrades outcomes. That seems counterintuitive, but it’s true.

The best growth teams I know have deliberately limited playbooks. They've chosen their channels, perfected their messaging, and optimized their processes.

They're not constantly experimenting with new tactics because they're too busy scaling the ones that already work.

This sort of strategic thinking is harder, but the benefit is worth it. Tactics may provide immediate feedback so you know quickly if something is working, but strategy requires patience. Results take months to materialize clearly, but they are worth more.

Tactics feel controllable. You can adjust and optimize based on data, while strategy feels riskier; betting big on few things creates higher stakes. That also means a higher pay off.

And finally, while tactics create busy-ness (lots of activity that feels productive), strategy demands discipline and saying no to interesting opportunities.

Most teams choose tactics over strategy because tactics feel safer and more manageable which means that the competitive advantage comes from doing the opposite.

While your competitors are collecting growth hacks and optimizing for tactical variety, you can gain massive advantage through strategic focus.

Pick three things. Do them better than anyone else in your market. Scale relentlessly.

How I Can Help?

Let me book sales calls for you while you’re picking your three strategic focuses. Seriously.

I built Valley to be your automated SDR and empower AEs. Get started today and watch your calendar fill up with qualified leads.

How can we work together 🏔️

1. See more of Valley’s messaging examples, feel free to roast them: https://withvalley.notion.site/Cool-Message-Bro-1c0b917b0ed481dab014c465c354b4b8 

2. Generate more demos for your company using LinkedIn: https://meetings.hubspot.com/zayd-from-valley/tryvalley
   

3. Become a Valley partner and get 20% recurring commission for every user you bring in: https://withvalley.notion.site/valley-affiliate-partner-program