How do you influence the C-Suite to get more resources?

In order to influence the C-Suite to get more resources, your case has to be backed by data and a clear story on how it will support the desired business outcomes. While this has always been the case, it is even more so in today’s economy. Here are some tips to start with:

• Identify the need and the goal

• Understand the priorities and perspective of the C-Suite

• Articulate a clear plan and associated goals

• Communicate the value and how it impacts business goals

• Build relationships along the way

It’s critical to frame your request based on the C-Suite’s priorities and goals (not yours).

This is another hard one.

Securing incremental resources for your marketing efforts involves making a compelling case to your executive leadership team. And sometimes these asks are absolutely critical to achieving the big, hairy ambitious goals you are being asked to achieve. Consider this step-by-step approach to making your case:

Understand your needs: Start by thinking through exactly what resources you need and why. Whether it's a larger budget, additional staff, or access to new tools, developing a detailed and realistic (read: don't pad) understanding of how these resources will help you effectively make your case.

Align with business objectives: Be sure your argument demonstrates how the incremental requests align with the broader business objectives and strategic goals of the company. I'd almost always recommend you start by emphasizing positive impacts to revenue growth - it's a language that everyone speaks.

Build a business case: This is a critical skill to learn, early in your career! Write out a concise business case that outlines the expected return on investment (however your company prefers to measure that) for the proposed resources. Use historical data to support your projections wherever possible (and industry benchmarks where you cannot) and demonstrate the potential impact on the KPIs that you know matter most to your exec team.

Highlight past successes: If you've got them, include similar, previous, successful initiatives that resulted in positive business outcomes. This helps build credibility and confidence in your team's ability to effectively utilize additional resources.

Address pain points: Identify the pain points your team is facing that could be alleviated with additional resources. Clearly articulate how resolving these issues will lead to better business outcomes.

Benchmark against competitors: If it's relevant, provide clear examples of what your competitors are doing.

Prioritize: Prioritize your resource requests based on their impact on critical company objectives. Do your best to connect your request to established company priorities and justify how your ask contributes to achieving these goals.

Demonstrate scalability: If you can, illustrate how the proposed resources will enable efficient scalability. For growth-stage companies, this is an especially powerful argument.

Show a path to success: Outline a roadmap for how the additional resources will be utilized and the expected milestones along the way. This helps the executive (and finance!) team understand the timeline involved in achieving success.

Share in advance and request a meeting: Sharing your materials - or at least an exec summary - in advance can help executive stakeholders come prepared. Make your case in a short, dedicated follow-up meeting. Ensure that key decision-makers are present, and allocate sufficient time to thoroughly discuss your proposal.

Be open to questions, feedback, and compromise: Super important! Anticipate questions and be prepared to address any concerns the executive team may have. Be open to feedback and willing to adjust your proposal based on the discussion. My goal and rule of thumb is always to aim to get 80% of what I have asked for :)

Follow up: After the meeting, follow up, and summarize the key points discussed, including the requested resources, their justification, and the expected outcomes. Recap any decisions that were made in the meeting and answer any outstanding questions. Where possible, repeat what next steps you agreed to.

Remember, effective communication, data-driven insights, and a strategic approach are key elements in securing additional resources for your marketing efforts. Tailor your message to resonate with the priorities of the executive leadership team and emphasize how the investment will contribute to the overall success of the organization. You got this!

P.S. Extra credit - finding a champion on the exec team (or someone close to them) can make or break your efforts. It's worth taking the time to figure how who can help be your advocate!