As marketing leaders, transparency isn’t optional - it’s essential. Regular reporting is how we build trust, keep momentum and prove value. Over the years, I’ve learned a few things that make all the difference:

1. Get ahead of the ask. Don’t wait until someone chases you for an update — especially if things aren’t going to plan. Proactively share progress at a consistent cadence (weekly, monthly, quarterly).

2. Lead with KPIs, not activity. At Adobe I learned this early: optics matter. If you want to be seen as a revenue marketer, start with the numbers. Activities are the “how,” but KPIs are the “impact.”

3. Put the “TA-DA!” first. Too many reports bury the results at the end of a long story. Flip it. Open with the key outcomes. Then show the context. It’s like a sales pitch: tell them what you’ll show, show it, then remind them what they saw.

4. Always start with an exec summary. At Microsoft, Adobe, VMware every 20-page QBR lived or died on its front page. Assume most leaders won’t read past the summary, so make it count.

And don’t just wait for big reviews. A short, weekly update makes a huge difference. I’ve used everything from quick “selfie'“ video snippets to a one-pager in email, Slack, or WhatsApp.

Here’s a framework I’ve found works:

𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

🎯 2–3 board-level targets + MTD progress
🎯 Key highlights for the week
💡Think about what the HIPPO (Highest Paid Person's Opinion) cares about

𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

🎯 2–3 next-level down targets + MTD progress
💡 Think engaged web traffic and branded search.

𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

🎯 6–10 targets along the buyers journey + MTD progress
💡 Think pipeline and closed revenue rather than MQLs and downloads.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀

🎯 Activity updates across awareness, acquisition, conversion, retention
💡 This is where you can celebrate well attended events and campaigns going live.

It’s not rocket science, but it works. And it will hopefully make your job a lot easier.