The dilemma for CMOs and marketing leaders is clear: how can we secure investment in brand and content initiatives that don't offer a clear return on investment (ROI)?

Convincing other top executives to invest in something they don't see as immediately important or profitable is one of the biggest challenges marketing leaders face right now.

This challenge is compounded by current economic hardships, making the negotiation for these investments even more critical. These are tough conversations for marketing leaders. But there are ways to communicate the long-term value and ROI of branding and content.

Through the expert insights of Mark Evans, Krystal Hauserman, and Jared Blank, we explore how to navigate the complexities of getting executive buy-in for branding and content investments including strategies for showcasing its ROI.

Table of Contents:

1. How to Navigate Conversations About Brand & Content ROI
2. Revenue-Generating Activities vs. Brand Investment - A False Dichotomy?
3. How to Balance Qualitative and Quantitative Data for Executive Buy-in
4. The Impact of Brand Positioning on ROI and Market Differentiation
5. Creative Strategies to Secure C-Suite Buy-In for Brand & Content

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1. How to Navigate Conversations About Brand & Content ROI:

Without the CEO's buy-in, efforts to invest in branding and content are unlikely to succeed. However, according to Mark Evans, Fractional CMO & Strategic Adviser at Marketing Spark, there are two ways to broach the subject.

First, marketing leaders can educate CEOs on the idea that brand strategy and content underpin the entire business - not just from a marketing perspective but in terms of sales, customer success, product development, etc.

Highlighting the pervasive impact of branding and content can reveal their vital role in enhancing overall business performance, demonstrating a clearer path to a positive branding and content ROI.

Secondly, don’t convince CEOs to invest in content and brand strategy. As counterintuitive as that may sound, try to become partners with them in something that’s core to the business’s success. This way, you can get them to see that brand content is essential for the long-term sustainability of the business.

Conversations about the value of content in driving long-term deals should ideally happen as early as the interview stage. Changing a CEO’s mindset is difficult if they do not already believe in the power of content. Approach job opportunities from a position of strength, ensuring you align with the company’s marketing philosophy from the outset.

Similarly, questions about budget allocation and approval processes during the interview phase can set the stage for later negotiations on investments. Understanding how a company views and approves spending can provide insights into its openness to investing in branding and content.

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2. Revenue-Generating Activities vs. Brand Investment - A False Dichotomy?

Finding the ideal balance between revenue generation and brand investment is a nuanced endeavor that doesn't lend itself to simple formulas such as a 50/50 or 70/30 split.

Krystal Hauserman, CMO, CRO, and Advisory Council, highlights that seeking a rigid ratio overlooks the dynamic interplay between brand development and direct revenue-generating activities.

She stresses that framing the issue as "revenue versus brand investment" creates a false dichotomy. Instead of viewing brand activities as non-revenue generating, it's crucial to recognize their role in driving long-term revenue through market differentiation and customer engagement.

The challenge is aligning with C-suite leaders, such as CEOs and CFOs, on the value of brand investments.

The conversation around the allocation between brand and revenue should be rooted in a deep understanding of the company's current position, its short-term goals, and long-term aspirations. It's about crafting a marketing mix that supports the company's strategic objectives, with brand investments playing a pivotal role in enhancing market differentiation and supporting sales efforts.

To that end, have early and open discussions with executive leadership to ensure there's a shared vision for the role of brand investment in the company's growth strategy. Marketers ought to position themselves as strategic partners who understand the market, can drive the business forward, and align marketing efforts with the broader business objectives.

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Addressing the Measurement Challenge in Brand Building

According to Jared Blank, Fractional CMO & Author of the Gobbledy Newsletter, the belief that everything can be precisely measured and calculated in digital marketing has set marketers up for unsurmountable challenges. This is especially the case when it comes to brand building — a domain where the impact is as nuanced and multifaceted as the strategies employed.

Brand building involves influencing perceptions, awareness, and loyalty over time—metrics that are notoriously difficult to measure with precision.

The level of measurement required to gauge brand and content ROI accurately is immense, often necessitating budgets that are out of reach for most companies, save for giants like Procter & Gamble and Unilever. They allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to this endeavor, a testament to the complexity and cost of obtaining true brand measurement.

For most companies, especially startups and those outside the CPG sector, such levels of investment in measurement are not feasible. This discrepancy between expectation and reality necessitates a candid conversation about what can genuinely be measured and the need for CEOs and marketing leaders to align on realistic expectations and metrics.

The key to successful brand investment lies in matching marketing strategies with the executive vision, ensuring that efforts are considered integral to the company's growth and success.

Ultimately, the challenge of calculating brand and content ROI is not just a technical one but a strategic issue that requires open dialogue, alignment on objectives, and a willingness to embrace both the measurable and qualitative aspects of brand building.

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3. How to Balance Qualitative and Quantitative Data for Executive Buy-in

Executives who focus on metrics that directly impact the bottom line may view qualitative, anecdotal evidence with skepticism. This skepticism stems from the need to justify decisions to stakeholders with quantifiable success metrics such as brand and content ROI and customer acquisition costs (CAC).

While qualitative data such as anecdotes can enrich a narrative and humanize data, the challenge lies in leveraging these stories in a way that resonates with executives who prioritize measurable outcomes. Although narratives can enrich discussions without a visible impact on scorecards, they risk being disregarded.

Mark Evans reinforces this notion, noting that CEOs don’t care much for anecdotal evidence. Instead, he advocates for a more balanced approach: a combination of data-driven insights and anecdotal narratives.

The key lies in presenting data that aligns with executive priorities—such as shortened sales cycles and reduced bounce rates—while subtly integrating anecdotal evidence to illustrate the broader impact of marketing strategies. This approach acknowledges the complexity of marketing as a mix of measurable and qualitative components, recognizing that not all marketing outcomes can be directly quantified, especially when it comes to brand and content ROI.

The marketing landscape is increasingly recognizing the limitations of focusing solely on direct, measurable outcomes. Marketing ought to be viewed as a holistic mix, where qualitative elements complement quantitative data. Acknowledging the value of each component in the marketing mix allows for a more nuanced understanding of brand and content ROI.

Again, this means that ongoing dialogue with executives is paramount. Marketers can better understand executive priorities and tailor their strategies by engaging in these conversations. This open communication also fosters alignment and ensures marketing efforts are calibrated toward business objectives.

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4. The Impact of Brand Positioning on ROI and Market Differentiation

When it comes to identifying the channels and efforts that yield the best brand and content ROI, the consensus is towards the foundational importance of brand positioning—what the brand stands for and how it differs from competitors. This underpins not just marketing but sales, product development, and customer success, making it the cornerstone of a successful business strategy.

David Ogilvy asserted decades ago that positioning must precede any advertising efforts. Ogilvy's insight into the fundamental questions surrounding a product's purpose—such as whether Dove soap is intended for dry skin or simply to clean hands—illustrates the pivotal nature of clear positioning in determining the direction of marketing strategies and the selection of appropriate channels and messages.

In a saturated market, differentiation through clear, compelling brand positioning is critical. Marketing efforts can become disjointed and less effective without a clear understanding of brand positioning. Many of these issues stem from a lack of proper positioning, which is either neglected or viewed as a tedious task to be revisited infrequently.

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5. Creative Strategies to Secure C-Suite Buy-In for Brand & Content

According to Mark Evans, convincing C-suite executives to embrace creative and new ideas in their marketing strategies requires a multifaceted approach that merges education, engagement, enlightenment, and entertainment.

As Evans suggests, by observing how successful B2B and SaaS companies like MailChimp and HubSpot incorporate entertainment into their campaigns, marketers can demonstrate the value of aligning with cultural interests to make brands more personal and authentic. These examples serve as evidence that entertainment is not solely the domain of B2C brands but is a potent tool for B2B companies to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.

Innovative, even unconventional, approaches like influencer marketing can significantly enhance brand and content ROI by reaching decision-makers in more engaging, relatable ways. Professional contexts do not necessitate dry, uncreative content. Whether through engaging copywriting or innovative campaigns, companies can stand out and captivate their audience more effectively.

For example, Salesforce’s concept of Trailblazer exemplifies how a brand can adopt an encompassing and impactful identity without necessarily being humorous but still engaging and distinctive. This approach suggests that the key to gaining executive buy-in might not solely lie in being fun but in embracing a broader, more engaging brand persona that can transform every aspect of the business, enhancing brand and content ROI.

To convince executives, marketers need to present a compelling case that creativity and entertainment can coexist with business objectives and KPIs.

This can be done by demonstrating that creative marketing strategies can lead to differentiation in the market, deeper customer engagement, and, ultimately, business growth.

Marketers must be prepared to navigate skepticism by providing evidence of success and, if necessary, be willing to push boundaries and advocate for a strategic evolution of the brand's voice and identity.

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Achieving Executive Alignment Beyond the Bottom Line

For CMOs and marketing leaders aiming to maximize brand and content ROI and secure executive buy-in, the journey involves educating, partnering, and strategically aligning with the C-suite to underscore the long-term value of branding and content initiatives.

As the marketing landscape evolves, so too must the strategies employed by CMOs and marketing leaders. The key lies in constant dialogue, a willingness to explore new metrics, and an unwavering commitment to align marketing efforts with broader business objectives.

By doing so, marketers can secure the necessary buy-in from the C-suite and navigate their brands toward a future where brand and content investments yield substantial and measurable returns. The journey beyond the bottom line is not only possible but essential for those ready to lead their brands into a new era of marketing success.

Looking for more strategies to boost your brand and content ROI? Catch the replay of our coffee chat on the “True ROI of Brand Positioning and Content.”

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