• SiriusDecisions has identified five planning assumptions that should drive the priorities of emerging-company marketing leaders in 2019
  • Defining and instituting a planning process designed to contribute to marketing growth objectives is critical to both marketing and company success
  • This post describes five ways to make the planning process less painful and more productive for everyone involved

Let’s face it ­– today’s marketing planning processes are often akin to a root canal. Quite simply, we don’t want to do it. It’s painful, and we don’t end up with the hoped-for lollipop at the end, but with an unpleasant experience that doesn’t yield the results we wanted.

Here are five ways emerging-company marketing leaders can improve the situation:

  • colorful-lollipopsFocus on aligning marketing goals to business goals. According to SiriusDecisions’ Global CMO Study, emerging-company marketing leaders indicated that reaching new buyers is their primary growth driver for the next two years. Reaching new buyers requires significant marketing efforts. This includes developing new messaging, personas, content, campaigns and sales enablement materials – all of which must be incorporated into the marketing plan to ensure alignment with product and sales goals – as well as those of the wider business.
  • Prioritize target audiences to fuel revenue marketing. The most commonly missing element in emerging-company go-to-market approaches is the development of an audience framework to guide the alignment of the offerings to the correct segments, audiences, content and personas. An audience framework ensures go-to-market alignment – and the results guide the development of revenue-driving campaigns, programs and tactics.
  • Avoid over-relying on technology to guide marketing execution. With the availability of so much new technology, many teams fall into the trap of believing that more technology will help them reach more buyers more effectively, only to find that they have missed the mark. To avoid this technology trap, ensure that roles are clear and the requisite competencies and processes are in place before considering technology acquisitions.
  • Focus performance measurement on business impact. Begin by establishing reporting that is actionable and does not just communicate what happened, but also shows how to use the insights shared to guide improved decisionmaking. Effective marketing measurement begins with an understanding of key stakeholder goals and needs, and a data gathering and reporting process design to provide actionable insights.
  • Use business requirements to guide marketing infrastructure enhancements. Many marketing leaders are still purchasing technology on the basis of a narrow set of needs that are not aligned to business goals. To ensure ROI on technology acquisitions, consider the business goals first, then determine which marketing priorities they impact before purchasing technology.

Follow these five recommendations to ensure you and your team are viewed as an integral part of the company’s revenue ecosystem – and earn your lollipop in the form of recognition and increased budgets!