How do you get finance to allocate budget to programs that we haven’t proven out yet, but are experimental?
We recently brought on a CFO and they are asking us to add timelines for ROI to many of the programs that have not yet begun (like influence marketing).
1 Answer
Ignacio Castroverde
Cisco Senior Director, Global Virtual Sales Strategy and Operations • October 17
How I go about getting budget for these experimental programs really comes down to the CFOs style. If they are risk averse and very data-oriented, I will:
- View From Other Side: Imagining their most frequent worry. Do they want numbers set in stone, or are they OK with a potential payoff and some risk?
- Pilot: I recommend starting with a pilot. A smaller investment is easier to justify, and we want to get some proof of concept data.
– Keep Flexible: In my offer, I state that we are prepared to make changes or temporarily halt the program considering results and proving our understanding of a company's money.
When I cater to their style, and try not to get too fancy with the conversation it is usually easier for me to propose my innovations.
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