Drowning in Data, Starving for Insight
Leaders don’t want more dashboards; they want proof that marketing spend drives revenue and profit.
65% of CEOs don’t trust their CMOs.[1] And they’re right not to. Too many marketing leaders still show up with vanity numbers—clicks, impressions, leads—that the board couldn’t care less about.
When profits fall short, marketing is first to take the hit. 45% of the time, your budget gets cut before anyone else’s.[2] Why? Because leadership doesn’t believe you can prove impact. In a downturn, you’re seen as a discretionary spend, not a growth engine.
There is the existential crisis facing every marketing leader.
Global data creation is exploding past 180 zettabytes this year.[3] We’re richer in data than at any time in history, but poorer than ever in insight. That’s the paradox: You’re not starved for numbers; you’re drowning in them. But most organizations can’t turn their vast wealth of information into actionable business insights.
Only CMOs who can draw a straight line from marketing activity to EBITDA will survive. The rest? Cost centers waiting to be cut.
The time for ruthless KPI accountability has begun.
What’s Really Holding Marketing Back?
Too many metrics, too little meaning: Disconnected tools and siloed scorecards inflate “engagement” while obscuring pipeline and revenue.
Spend without clarity: Teams struggle to show which channels, partners, and campaigns actually drive qualified leads and conversion.
Fragmented accountability: Agencies and internal teams optimize for activity rather than business outcomes.
The KPI Reset Leaders Are Making
Tie every metric to value: If a KPI can’t ladder to pipeline, margin, or velocity, retire it.
One source of truth: Integrate CRM + marketing systems so Finance, Sales, and Marketing manage to the same numbers.
Outcome-based partners: Link agency scopes and compensation to business KPIs, not outputs.
A 90-Day Action Plan to Align Marketing, Sales, and Finance on the KPIs That Matter
The board doesn’t want another glossy road map. They want proof that marketing can move the business. CMOs who can reframe the conversation around business outcomes and show measurable progress will secure their seat at the table.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. The key is to start small, move fast, and show tangible impact within 90 days.
The Outcome: After executing this 90-day plan, CMOs can prove the new discipline they’ve brought to the marketing organization with credible numbers:
- Growth rate: Highly aligned companies grow 19% faster and are 15% more profitable.[4]
- Revenue impact: Sales–Marketing KPI alignment drives up to 208% more revenue from marketing campaigns.[5]
- Campaign impact: Martech integration boosts data accuracy and utilization by 25%–30%, enabling smarter decisions and faster optimization.[6]
In the end, the choice is simple:
- Align to profit.
- Or keep chasing activity and watch your budget, and then your seat, disappear.
Discover more ways to optimize KPI management and regain C-suite confidence. Take the next step and contact the A&MPLIFY team today.
[1] Jason Galloway et al., “65% of CEOs Don’t Trust Their CMOs. It’s Time to Shake Things Up.” Alvarez & Marsal, September 16, 2025.
[2] “The CMO Survey: Despite Uncertainty, Marketing Budgets Rebound,” Duke | Fuqua School of Business, November 12, 2024.
[3] “15 digital marketing metrics and KPIs to track in 2025,” Usermaven, November 18, 2024.
[4] Phil Harrell, “A Sales Executive’s Perspective on Alignment: Outdated Stereotypes, Pipeline and Revenue Goals for Marketing,” Forrester, March 4, 2020.
[5] Hannah Wesson, “Marketing and sales alignment: KPIs and integrated funnel,” CMO Alliance, February 21, 2023.
[6] “Martech Integration: A Comprehensive Guide to Unite Your Marketing Technologies,” Elevation Marketing, June 24, 2024.
