A client said something in a meeting this week that’s been sitting with me:
“It’s not just about the idea—it’s about where the budget will come from.”
At first, it sounds like a finance question.
But it’s not.
It’s a focus question.
I’ve seen this play out more times than I can count.
- The team with a brilliant campaign idea—but no clarity on what they’re cutting to fund it.
- The marketing calendar packed with “high-priority” initiatives—until none of them get the focus they deserve.
- The budget that gets spread thin across channels, not because that’s the strategy, but because no one wanted to make the hard call.
I remember a project where we launched a demand generation program called “Pipeline Pulse.” It was designed to create high-intent leads through account-based marketing. But here’s the catch—we launched it alongside three other “critical initiatives”:
- A brand awareness push meant to elevate top-of-funnel engagement.
- A content syndication effort to drive thought leadership.
- A series of webinars aimed at accelerating mid-funnel conversions.
It looked great on paper—diversified channels, multiple touchpoints.
But here’s what really happened:
- No single initiative got enough budget to truly scale.
- Teams were stretched thin, juggling priorities instead of owning them.
- When performance dipped, we didn’t have a clear answer—not because the ideas were bad, but because the focus was blurry.
That’s when it hit me:
Budget isn’t the problem. It’s just the scoreboard for your priorities.
The real question isn’t: “How do we find budget for this?”
It’s:
- “What are we willing to deprioritize to make space for this?”
- “Are we funding what’s truly impactful—or what feels urgent?”
- “Are we spreading resources thin because it’s easier than saying no?”
The best marketing strategies I’ve seen weren’t the ones with the biggest budgets.
They were the ones where every dollar had a purpose—because someone had the clarity (and the courage) to make the hard calls.
And honestly, that’s the work.
Not the strategy decks.
Not the creative brainstorms.
It’s in the decisions no one wants to make.
