Preparing for my first board meeting as Gusto's Head of Marketing was painful.
I felt lost, scared and self-conscious.
I wish I had a playbook for navigating the board.
So I put one together.
Here's my 3C framework—everything CMOs need to nail the board meeting:
I felt lost, scared and self-conscious.
I wish I had a playbook for navigating the board.
So I put one together.
Here's my 3C framework—everything CMOs need to nail the board meeting:
The biggest mistakes I made when I first started presenting to the board:
- Going too high level or too tactical
- Not connecting marketing actions to company impact
- Not being able to go deep on the numbers
- Changing the format each time
- Not showing innovation and vision
- Going too high level or too tactical
- Not connecting marketing actions to company impact
- Not being able to go deep on the numbers
- Changing the format each time
- Not showing innovation and vision
In a nutshell your goal is to position marketing as a strategic growth lever for the company.
This is hard. Most board members come from finance, product or sales.
Meaning few actually understand marketing.
The 3C framework—Communication, Content and Context—bridges the gap:
This is hard. Most board members come from finance, product or sales.
Meaning few actually understand marketing.
The 3C framework—Communication, Content and Context—bridges the gap:
COMMUNICATION | Speak English, not Marketing.
Maintain simple, clear language. No jargon.
Marketing is complex. You have to simplify to get through. Only share the top 3 drivers (at most).
Less is more. Limit yourself to ~5 slides.
Maintain simple, clear language. No jargon.
Marketing is complex. You have to simplify to get through. Only share the top 3 drivers (at most).
Less is more. Limit yourself to ~5 slides.
COMMUNICATION | Be consistent & repetitive across meetings
I can't stress this enough.
Restate your goals every time.
Use the same slide format and dashboards.
Constantly changing how you talk about marketing is a sign that you don't have a good handle on things.
I can't stress this enough.
Restate your goals every time.
Use the same slide format and dashboards.
Constantly changing how you talk about marketing is a sign that you don't have a good handle on things.
COMMUNICATION | Relax, the board is on your side
Most of us have a scary image of "the board". I did.
In 99% of circumstances, the board is pro company, which means pro you!
Prepare & communicate with confidence.
If you're overly nervous, they'll get worried.
Most of us have a scary image of "the board". I did.
In 99% of circumstances, the board is pro company, which means pro you!
Prepare & communicate with confidence.
If you're overly nervous, they'll get worried.
COMMUNICATION | Elicit their help
Board members want to engage and help.
As a CEO who has been in dozens of board meetings...I assure you that you don't need to have all the answers.
Think in advance: where do you want their input? What can they help you with?
Board members want to engage and help.
As a CEO who has been in dozens of board meetings...I assure you that you don't need to have all the answers.
Think in advance: where do you want their input? What can they help you with?
CONTENT | Define clear objectives upfront
I recommend 3 evergreen ones for CMOs:
1. Pipeline | To hit current revenue targets
2. Awareness | To hit next year's revenue targets
3. Conversion | To drive overall efficiency and faster growth
Repeat these in every meeting.
I recommend 3 evergreen ones for CMOs:
1. Pipeline | To hit current revenue targets
2. Awareness | To hit next year's revenue targets
3. Conversion | To drive overall efficiency and faster growth
Repeat these in every meeting.
CONTENT | Set metrics/initiatives for each objective
1. Pipeline | $XX in marketing-sourced ARR with self-serve and outbound.
2. Awareness | Engaged TAM = 25% with content academy.
3. Conversion | Lower CAC to 12 mo by increasing website conversion with personalization.
1. Pipeline | $XX in marketing-sourced ARR with self-serve and outbound.
2. Awareness | Engaged TAM = 25% with content academy.
3. Conversion | Lower CAC to 12 mo by increasing website conversion with personalization.
CONTENT | Have a highlights and lowlights slide
This helps you get credit for your wins and get ahead of problems.
Being honest about what's not working gives the board a chance to help.
It also shows that you're a straight shooter, which builds trust.
This helps you get credit for your wins and get ahead of problems.
Being honest about what's not working gives the board a chance to help.
It also shows that you're a straight shooter, which builds trust.
CONTENT | Know your numbers
Remember your audience! These are smart people who care about the numbers.
Know your program levers. Be prepared to go 3-4 layers deeper.
- Why is conversion down by 25%?
- Why can't you grow inbound faster?
- Why do you have so many marketers? ;)
Remember your audience! These are smart people who care about the numbers.
Know your program levers. Be prepared to go 3-4 layers deeper.
- Why is conversion down by 25%?
- Why can't you grow inbound faster?
- Why do you have so many marketers? ;)
CONTENT | Show the glitz (at the end)
Story and brand work on all humans, including board members.
Inspire them with a sneak peak of the new ad campaign or customer videos. Have fun with it!
But connect the creative to your objectives and do it after the revenue discussion.
Story and brand work on all humans, including board members.
Inspire them with a sneak peak of the new ad campaign or customer videos. Have fun with it!
But connect the creative to your objectives and do it after the revenue discussion.
CONTEXT | Meet board members quarterly
This helps you get on the same page ahead of the meeting.
Share your strategy and educate if needed.
But most importantly, ask for feedback! e.g. what do you want to see in the board meeting? What can I do better?
This helps you get on the same page ahead of the meeting.
Share your strategy and educate if needed.
But most importantly, ask for feedback! e.g. what do you want to see in the board meeting? What can I do better?
CONTEXT | Ask your CEO for input
The CEO often has a better understanding of the board and what's important to them right now.
Align on where you should focus in this meeting (including questions to prepare for).
The CEO often has a better understanding of the board and what's important to them right now.
Align on where you should focus in this meeting (including questions to prepare for).
The best part of nailing this playbook?
It earns you the right to invest in longer term initiatives that are hard to measure. Ahem, brand.
By showing that you know how to connect your work to revenue, the board will trust you to take bigger bets with a longer revenue payback.
It earns you the right to invest in longer term initiatives that are hard to measure. Ahem, brand.
By showing that you know how to connect your work to revenue, the board will trust you to take bigger bets with a longer revenue payback.
The 3C framework—Communication, Content, Context—is relevant to any exec presenting to boards
- Simplify your strategy
- Be consistent and repetitive
- Define objectives upfront
- Set metrics/initiatives for each objective
- Share your wins and losses
- Meet the board regularly
- Simplify your strategy
- Be consistent and repetitive
- Define objectives upfront
- Set metrics/initiatives for each objective
- Share your wins and losses
- Meet the board regularly
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