Budget Season and Annual Planning Advice
Oct 11
2 min read
Back when I was still in-house Head of Marketing, autumn was always one of the most stressful times of the year. Fall events season was in full swing, the pressure to hit annual growth targets started to become real, and to top it off, it was annual planning & budget season for next year. Oh and don't forget about your 37 other responsibilities please!
Through the frustrating experience of having multiple budgets rejected, I finally learned a handful of things that helped smooth the process for me. I wish I had learned them sooner:
The budget request should not be the first time your CFO sees your annual plan. Treat them as a partner by speaking with him/her in advance to share your thinking and your plans, lay out what new products you're expecting to launch, and explain how markets, customers and competitors have evolved... Having a convo (or two) ahead of time will give you greater buy-in when you do send the formal budget request over.
No one in the C-Suite cares about your clicks and open rates. They want to know how those campaigns are rolling up strategically to things that matter: acquisition, revenue, retention, etc. Speak the language of business, not Marketing, so they can more easily translate your successes to the Board.
Understand how the C-Suite views Marketing. Knowing what other executives value helps you craft a winning internal strategy. That's why I'm so excited about our upcoming C-Suite webinar where you can hear directly from a healthcare CEO, CFO and CGO. Please join us!
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