A Marketer’s Biggest Challenge

Imagine this. You’ve been presented with a business challenge. Many cups of coffee later, you crack the code, and you’ve created an all-encompassing marketing framework. The audience (and their data) is determined, the platforms and channels are selected, and you know exactly how you’re going to measure and track the success of your plan. 

All you have to do is get the buy-in from upper management. And that, my friends, is the hardest part of a marketer’s job. So to help you get organizational and operational support, here are a few tips to keep in mind while you “pitch” your strategy to executives.  

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  1. “Dolla dolla bills, ya’ll.” Out of the gate, I would lead with how your marketing framework will help make or save your company money. Be sure to know costs, ROI, and any other monetary figure because they will ask.

  2. Explain. But not too much. Years ago, when I was new to marketing, I’d get so excited that I would share every detail whenever I had an idea. While executives appreciate the enthusiasm, they don’t need to know the intricacies at a micro-level. Also, keep in mind, you probably will only get a small sliver of time to showcase your strategy. Industry Week recommends incorporating the 10/30 Rule, “if you are scheduled for 30 minutes on the agenda, prepare just 10 minutes of material.” Use every minute wisely and get to the point.

  3. Why? Bring every aspect of the framework you’ve created back to “the why.” Explain why it is beneficial for all departments, not just the marketing department, to adopt this new process. Tell them why having a plan that places the customer first is profitable. What you’re doing is connecting the dots of what you’re proposing, the financial impacts, and why it is beneficial to all stakeholders.

Many times, the success of your marketing plan will depend on the support you receive from upper management. It’s your job to speak their language as you sell your idea to them. Good luck! 

Dana Podgurski

Hi everyone! I'm Dana Podgurski!

I'm a foot in the mouth, tongue in cheek, head in the clouds, and heart on the sleeve kind of gal. I live for new experiences, but am a total sucker for nostalgia at the same time. I'm tough as nails, but am a complete softie for all things kids and animal-related. I fly by the seat of my pants, and live for adventure. But I firmly believe that adventure is a mindset that one's self determines.

For work, I am a marketer through and through. Bringing brands to life, and content marketing are passions of mine. Many would consider what I do as nerdy, but I seriously dig it. I have been doing marketing contract work for years, and appreciate the variety it brings, and the relationships I've developed with my clients. If you're interested in a partnership, click here.

For fun, I love to create - writing/blogging, photography, and painting are my main three mediums of doing so. Feeling good and healthy is also high on my list, as it really lends itself to making everything more enjoyable. So I maintain a very active lifestyle, eat pretty healthy, and am outdoors as much as I can be. And if my blog didn't make it abundantly clear, I absolutely LOVE to travel (near and far) and go on adventures. I spend any extra money I have on tickets and feel so fortunate to have been to several amazing destinations both domestically and internationally. There's nothing more fulfilling than coming home from a trip and adding a been-there-pin to my map.

Cheers!

Dana

http://www.mightygoodpen.com
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