April marks the start of the new financial year for many UK businesses. Sales targets are agreed, budgets allocated, and expectations set. If you’re in the leadership seat—whether CEO, COO, CFO or CMO —you’re already thinking: How are we going to hit these numbers?
And while marketing often gets its moment in the boardroom, it’s usually during planning or budgeting season. Once that moment passes, there’s an assumption the plan will quietly hum along in the background. But too often, the reality is different: activity ramps up, dashboards fill with data, yet the results don’t always match the ambition.
So before Q1 gets into full swing, now’s the ideal time to take a step back and ask:
Are we truly set up to win this year?
Here are five questions I encourage leadership teams to reflect on right now.
1. Are our marketing plans genuinely aligned with our growth objectives?
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often I see a disconnect between the business plan and the marketing plan. The leadership team agrees to a bold growth agenda, but marketing is still focused on BAU campaigns, reactive content, or vanity metrics.
If you’ve got ambitious commercial goals—be it market expansion, launching a new product, or driving repeat revenue—marketing needs to be fully dialled in. That doesn’t just mean a line on a slide. It means clear priorities, resource allocation, and KPIs that map directly to business outcomes.
⚠️ If your marketing team can’t clearly explain how their work ladders up to revenue, growth, or strategic priorities, it’s time to dig deeper.
2. What framework are we using to evaluate success—and are we using it consistently?
Far too many teams still confuse activity with progress. But being busy isn’t the same as being effective.
Are you looking at channel-level performance? Cost-per-acquisition benchmarks? Funnel drop-off rates? Content engagement by segment? Or is reporting still centred on open rates and impressions?
To make smart decisions—especially in a tight budget environment—you need a framework that gives a clear view of what’s driving performance, what’s underperforming, and where to double down.
🔍 Measurement isn’t just a marketing problem—it’s a leadership opportunity. If you can’t see clearly, you can’t steer the ship.
3. Have we pressure-tested our big bets—and built in contingency?
Every good plan has big bets. A campaign that’s going to move the needle. A new channel strategy. A bold investment in a partnership or rebrand.
But have those bets been validated? Have the underlying assumptions been challenged? And—critically—what happens if they don’t deliver?
If your entire year’s growth is riding on one initiative landing perfectly, you’re walking a tightrope. Smart planning means building in flexibility. Knowing what levers to pull if Plan A stalls.
🛠️ Hope is not a strategy. Contingency gives you room to breathe, pivot, and stay on track.
4. Are we overlooking untapped opportunities already within reach?
Sometimes, growth doesn’t require a new idea—it just needs a fresh lens. I often find businesses sitting on valuable data, customer insights, or underleveraged channels without realising it.
That could mean:
- A CRM that’s not being used to its full potential.
- An organic audience that’s not converting.
- High-performing webinars or content pieces not being repurposed or optimised.
- Warm leads that never made it into a proper nurture journey.
💡 In uncertain markets, the smart money is often found in optimising what you’ve already got.
5. Are we genuinely using AI to accelerate marketing—or just talking about it?
AI has exploded into marketing over the past 18 months. But for many leadership teams, it’s still stuck at the buzzword stage.
Real AI integration means using it to:
- Generate campaign variations in seconds (not days).
- Improve segmentation and personalise at scale.
- Predict churn or purchase behaviour.
- Automate reporting and uncover insights you’d otherwise miss.
You don’t need to overhaul your stack tomorrow—but you do need to start embedding it in the day-to-day. Otherwise, you’re falling behind.
🤖 AI won’t replace marketers. But marketers who use AI smartly will absolutely outpace those who don’t.
So… is your marketing truly ready to deliver?
At Broden.ai, I work with leadership teams to bridge the gap between ambition and execution. That means stress-testing your marketing plans, aligning them with commercial goals, and making sure you’ve got the frameworks, tools, and focus to deliver.
Whether you need a one-off marketing audit, a clearer roadmap, or support optimising your team’s performance, I’m here to help.
🔗 Let’s connect. You can find me at broden.ai or drop me a message to set up a 30-minute marketing diagnostic session.
