How To Shape Marketing Funnel & Performance Discussions With The C-Suite Free Framework

Every Marketing & Growth leader has a point in their career where they have to educate their c-suite/founding team/leadership team on their Marketing funnel.

Why? It has either never been done, it was explained poorly before or the market has shifted and you need to explain the new ways of driving the Marketing department forward.

Here is a step by step guide on how to shape your discussions with your c-suite or founders. For this to be as successful as possible, you will need to be on top of your funnel, the channels connected and the numbers at each section. Remember the CFO or FD will need you to demonstrate you own each step and each number to support and invest in you and your team.

The Process

IRL/In Person: Get a huge sheet of paper or flip chart or whiteboard.  

URL/Online: or Canva on Miro or Mural. 

Essential: This will be interactive (meaning you will want to start drawing from top to bottom and explain each step and even ask for leadership members to participate) and you will need to lead.

1 – Funnel 

(Do not use loops or flywheels, they don’t translate and will be hotly debated)

Draw out your funnel (brand at the top, down to performance through to retention) 

Tip: Leave plenty of room to add columns on the right-hand side to add notes and show examples 

2 – Activities & Examples

Draw out the types of activities you run and give examples. What they have seen your team produce. If they haven’t Market internally more. 

Give big examples like radio or tv that the CFO or CEO have likely heard of or seen.

Remember C-Suite like to brag about TV as everyone sees TV.

– TV is brand for most companies. 

Tease insights if you have them or something that compares like for like. 

3 – Metrics 

A/ Add on the right-hand side what helps your department. Like product (better product makes sales and marketing easier and cheaper) and how it ties in. 

Tip: Make others the hero. 

then 

B/ Add another column for your Marketing teams from your department and how they are in the mix. 

Remember most founders or c suites don’t know what for instance CRM actually does to drive revenue unless it’s been the core driver before.  

4 – Spend and Metrics

Add in the spend per funnel segment. Demonstrate you understand the spend breakdown and apply your metrics, so CTA and CAC and if you really want to show off demonstrate the line items in your forecast or annual spend. 

If it drives the north star metric or the company relies on your team KPI’s / OKR’s show how you drive this activity. 

5 – Connect All Together

Demonstrate how this drives the core KPIs and take the opportunity to show how your team works together to drive the KPI’s. 

Examples: (a) Social + Email. (b) Email + Product Marketing. (c) SEO + PPC (d) PR + SEO 

Keep In Mind 

1. The trick is to run it through in person and not just send it across on slack or email. Has to be interactive! 
2. Keep the language in SLT meetings and board meetings.
   Funnels and phrases stick and influence companies 
3. Once completed turn into something the c-suite can reference and then share with their teams. CFO => Finance team. CPO => Product Team. Let the others seed in 

FYI: There is no one rule that fits all or works for all, you likely know those in the org and how they like to receive and interact, this is a good and proven way of bringing in other leaders into your discussions, empowering them to understand and appreciate your department efforts and your ownership.

Need More Help?