Marketing Reports: What to Share with Your CMO and CEO

When presenting marketing reports to your CMO and CEO, the key is to keep them concise, strategic, and results-driven. Executives don’t need to know how much effort went into gathering data; they want clear insights that drive decision-making. They also don’t have time to review every number you can collect—focus on the most relevant metrics that inform strategy and impact business growth. Here’s how to structure an effective marketing report.

Understanding Marketing Reports and Their Goals

Marketing reports serve different purposes based on their frequency and intended audience. The goal is to present meaningful insights that help executives make informed decisions. Here are the key objectives of a marketing report:

• Measure performance: Track marketing effectiveness using key performance indicators (KPIs).

  
  

• Support strategic planning: Provide data-driven recommendations for future initiatives.

  
  

• Ensure accountability: Demonstrate how marketing efforts contribute to business goals.

  
  

• Optimize resources: Identify high-performing channels and areas requiring improvement.

  
  

• Refine future strategy: Use performance insights to adjust marketing tactics, improve targeting, and enhance overall efficiency.

Types of Marketing Reports

Different reports serve distinct purposes based on their frequency:

• Monthly Reports: Focus on short-term performance, highlighting campaign effectiveness, lead generation, and engagement metrics.

  
  

• Quarterly Reports: Provide deeper analysis, including comparisons with previous quarters to identify trends and growth patterns.

  
  

• Yearly Reports: Offer a comprehensive overview of marketing performance, incorporating year-over-year comparisons and long-term strategic insights. Each report type varies in depth and analysis. Monthly reports focus on immediate performance metrics, while quarterly and yearly reports provide deeper insights with comparative analysis of previous periods.

  
  

Yearly reports, in particular, should highlight long-term trends and strategic shifts. Keeping each section concise and focused on insights that drive decision-making ensures executives get the most relevant takeaways. Your CMO and CEO are busy, so highlight the biggest wins, losses, and lessons learned upfront.

Key Reports Executives Need

Darrell Alfonso provides valuable insights on the key marketing reports executives need. His research highlights the most critical metrics and reporting structures that help CMOs and CEOs make informed decisions. Below is a summary of his key points to ensure marketing reports focus on actionable insights and strategic value.

His original post provides valuable context and can be accessed here. He highlights the 9 key reports CMOs and marketing leaders need to effectively lead marketing and turn insights into action:

Pipeline Funnel - Tracks conversion rates between lead lifecycle and sales stages. Identifies sales and marketing misalignment or process inefficiencies.

Marketing Contribution to Revenue - Measures marketing's impact on revenue compared to other sources. A strong benchmark is 30-50% of revenue from marketing efforts.

Multi-Touch Attribution - Distributes credit for conversions across multiple touchpoints to assess the impact of different channels.

Pipeline Velocity (Sales Cycle Speed) - Compares the speed of sales cycles by channel to prioritize short-term revenue opportunities.

Marketing ROI by Channel - Evaluates return on investment per marketing channel, guiding budget allocation decisions.

Revenue Performance by Customer Segment - Breaks down revenue by industry, persona, or product to optimize marketing focus.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) vs. Lifetime Value (LTV) - Ensures the acquisition model is sustainable by balancing customer costs with long-term value.

ABM Engagement by Target Account - Measures engagement levels in account-based marketing to refine targeting strategies.

Churn Segmentation by Industry - Identifies churn rates by industry, allowing for customized retention strategies.

One key takeaway is that marketing leaders should focus on providing strategic, high-level insights rather than drowning executives in data. Instead of overwhelming reports, they should emphasize key results, challenges, and next steps.

Start with the most important insights.

Your CMO and CEO are busy, so highlight the biggest wins, losses, and lessons learned upfront.

• What’s working well?

• What needs improvement?

• Any unexpected trends?

Example: "Our latest campaign increased lead conversions by 25% in Q1, but engagement on social media declined by 12% during the same period. We need to revisit our social strategy to maintain a balanced growth." We need to revisit our social strategy to maintain a balanced growth."*

Reporting on Marketing Activities

Before diving into specific actions, it's important to provide a brief overview of what the marketing team has been focusing on during the reporting period. This sets the stage for what was accomplished and helps executives understand the broader context.

What Was Done

Summarize the key actions taken during the reporting period. Stick to high-level initiatives rather than granular tasks.

• Campaigns launched

• Content published

• Channels activated

• Budget allocated

Example: "We launched a LinkedIn ad campaign targeting B2B decision-makers, published three industry reports, and optimized SEO for top-converting pages."

Results Achieved (Key Performance Indicators)

This section should answer, "Did our actions drive measurable impact?" Use data-driven insights but keep them easy to digest. When selecting KPIs, align them with the company's business objectives. For example, if the goal is revenue growth, focus on revenue impact, conversion rates, and ROI.

If brand awareness is a priority, track website traffic, engagement, and brand mentions. Prioritizing relevant KPIs ensures that the report delivers actionable insights rather than overwhelming executives with excessive data. Including real-world case studies or industry benchmarks can provide additional depth to these insights.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Track:

• Revenue Impact: How much revenue did marketing contribute?

  
  

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): How much does it cost to acquire a new customer?

  
  

• Return on Investment (ROI): Are our marketing efforts cost-effective?

  
  

• Lead Generation & Conversion Rates: How many leads were generated and how well are they converting?

  
  

• Website Traffic & Engagement: Are visitors increasing and engaging with content?

  
  

• Customer Retention & Churn Rate: Are we keeping customers or losing them?

  
  

• Brand Awareness Metrics: How is our visibility growing in the market?

  
  

• Campaign Performance: Which channels and campaigns delivered the best results? This section should answer, "Did our actions drive measurable impact?" Use data-driven insights but keep them easy to digest. Including real-world case studies or industry benchmarks can provide additional depth to these insights.

  
  

This section should answer, "Did our actions drive measurable impact?" Use data-driven insights but keep them easy to digest.

Most Important Metrics to Cover:

• Revenue Impact: How much revenue did marketing contribute?

  
  

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): How much does it cost to acquire a new customer?

  
  

• Return on Investment (ROI): Are our marketing efforts cost-effective?

  
  

• Lead Generation & Conversion Rates: How many leads were generated and how well are they converting?

  
  

• Website Traffic & Engagement: Are visitors increasing and engaging with content?

  
  

• Customer Retention & Churn Rate: Are we keeping customers or losing them?

  
  

• Brand Awareness Metrics: How is our visibility growing in the market?

  
  

• Campaign Performance: Which channels and campaigns delivered the best results?

  
  

Example: "The LinkedIn ad campaign generated 500 qualified leads with a 3.5% conversion rate, resulting in a projected revenue increase of $150,000."

This section should answer, "Did our actions drive measurable impact?" Use data-driven insights but keep them easy to digest.

• Revenue impact

• Lead generation and conversion rates

• Website traffic and engagement metrics

• ROI of marketing efforts

Example: "The LinkedIn ad campaign generated 500 qualified leads with a 3.5% conversion rate, resulting in a projected revenue increase of $150,000."

What Wasn’t Done

Transparency is key. Acknowledge any planned initiatives that weren’t completed and explain why.

• Roadblocks or constraints (budget, resources, priorities)

• Low-impact initiatives that were deprioritized

• Any missed opportunities

Example: "We planned to launch an influencer partnership, but due to contract delays, the rollout has been postponed to next quarter."

What’s Next

Outline the next steps to maintain momentum and address challenges. This keeps leadership informed and aligned.

• Key initiatives for the next period

• Adjustments to the current strategy

• Expected outcomes

Example: "Next quarter, we’ll test a new PPC strategy, improve social engagement through short-form video content, and refine email automation for better nurturing."

Business Benefits from Marketing Actions

CMOs and CEOs need to see the bigger picture—how marketing drives growth and supports overall business goals.

• Revenue impact and ROI

• Brand awareness and positioning

• Competitive advantage

• Customer acquisition and retention

Example: "Our SEO improvements increased organic traffic by 40%, reducing paid ad dependency and lowering customer acquisition costs by 18%."

Final Tip: Keep It Visual & Actionable

Where possible, use visuals like charts and concise tables to present data. Tools like Google Data Studio, Tableau, or Power BI can help create professional reports that make complex data easy to understand.

Always conclude with actionable insights that help executives make informed decisions. Where possible, use visuals like charts and concise tables to present data. Always conclude with actionable insights that help executives make informed decisions.

Summarize: Adapt Reports to Your Goals

Always consider the specific goals of your report and tailor these tips accordingly. Different reports serve different purposes, so adapt your structure, depth of analysis, and key insights based on your marketing objectives and business needs.

Whether it's a monthly, quarterly, or annual report, ensure it delivers clear, strategic insights that drive informed decision-making.

For additional tips on strategic marketing communication, visit our marketing insights blog for expert guidance and industry trends.