Strategy resource
The Marketing Budget Test Pack
Sort, test and sign off next year's marketing spend with an evidence standard marketing and finance both accept.
About this resource
Practical material for leadership teams
A working pack for CEOs, finance directors and marketing leads to use before next year's marketing budget is signed off. It sorts every material line of spend into four pots, tests each one against six plain questions, sets the level of evidence it needs to reach, and gives you a fixed quarterly review format for the year ahead. Complete it digitally, print it for a leadership session, or use the Excel ledger to track spend, evidence and decisions through the year.
What this resource covers
- The four budget pots and the right measure for each
- A pot sort worksheet for up to 25 lines of spend
- Six sign-off questions to answer before any line is funded
- The five-level proof ladder, with low-cost tests an SME can run
- Leading indicators for brand and demand creation spend
- A one-page budget sign-off summary for the leadership team
- A 90-minute quarterly review agenda with a trigger and reallocation log
- An Excel ledger that totals spend by pot and evidence level automatically
Who it is for
Founders, executives and boards working on strategy priorities.
Use the document as working material for an individual review or a structured leadership conversation. It is provided without registration and can be revisited whenever the underlying decision or operating context changes.
For further analysis and practical guidance, browse our latest Insights.
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