Bonkers Budgets in Marketing | E74 with Jamie Pagan

In this episode of Blame It on Marketing, Emma, Ruta, and guest Jamie Pagan dive into the gritty realities of marketing budgets. From the awkward dance of asking for money to the headaches caused by mismatched sales and marketing priorities, they unpack the budgeting struggles marketers face daily. Jamie shares practical advice from his years in B2B marketing, offering insights on educating leadership, proving ROI, and making the most of lean budgets.

This episode tackles why tight budgets make for tight-lipped marketers and how better communication and alignment with sales can turn things around. 

If you’ve ever had to justify your existence to the finance team, this one’s for you.

Takeaways:

• Budgeting in marketing is often ignored until there's a problem.
• Misalignment between marketing and sales creates budget gaps.
• Sales cycles heavily influence budget timing and strategies.
• Proving ROI isn’t just nice; it’s non-negotiable.
• Educating leadership on marketing's value is critical to securing funds.
• Shoestring budgets lead to lackluster engagement and retention.
• Free tools and creativity are lifesavers when the budget is tight.
• Building trust with leadership pays off in future budget negotiations.
• Regularly tracking and sharing your impact builds a case for investment.
• Negative past experiences with marketing can skew leadership's perception.