6. Return on Investment

For many marketers, proving the return on investment (ROI) for marketing has long been a thorn in their flesh. Those outside of the marketing department are uniformly in favor of having marketing report its ROI. They want the same level of ROI accountability for marketing as for every other department. Those within the department tend to have mixed opinions. Some marketers embrace ROI calculation and reporting as the best means of validating marketing’s work. They recognize that having the ability to accurately report on marketing’s ROI creates acceptance, and if the return meets or exceeds expectations, it makes justifying budget and resources much simpler. ROI has the potential to depoliticize marketing funding and operations.