The Questions Every Managing Director Should Ask Their Marketing Team

If your marketing feels busy but isn’t delivering results, the problem might not be effort. It could be a lack of focus, alignment, or direction. The right questions can uncover what’s working, what’s not, and where the real growth opportunities are hiding.

These are the essential conversations to have with your marketing team to stay sharp, accountable, and on track for progress:

1. What Are Our Goals, and How Will We Measure Them?

Set clear objectives and indicators, whether that means lead volume, conversion rate, or return on marketing investment (ROMI). Ask your team to explain not just what you're aiming for, but how success will be tracked on a weekly and quarterly basis.

2. Which Metrics Are We Hesitant to Measure and Why Should We?

Avoid ignoring uncomfortable data. Whether it’s churn, acquisition cost or underperforming channels, the metrics we shy away from often hide the biggest opportunities for improvement.

3. Are We Solving Real Customer Problems or Our Own Assumptions?

Ensure your marketing answers genuine market needs, not internal assumptions. Ask the team how they’re validating pain points and whether they’ve challenged untested beliefs.

4. Who Are We Really Targeting and Would They Recognise Our Positioning?

Customer segments evolve. Confirm that your segmentation still makes sense, resonates with the market and informs the strategy across campaigns.

5. How Are We Linking Marketing Activity to Business Outcomes?

Demand accountability. Marketing must demonstrate its value through metrics like customer acquisition cost, conversion rate and ROI, not just vanity metrics like impressions.

6. What Risks Might Derail Our Strategy?

From budget constraints to internal bottlenecks, make sure you get ahead of blockers. Question the team about potential execution risks and whether contingencies are in place.

7. Which Competitors or Trends Should We Be Watching?

Market intelligence is about more than broad awareness. It’s a strategic insight. Ask your team to monitor competitor moves, identify gaps in your offer and tap into emerging trends.

8. Are We Future-Ready? Especially Where Data and AI Are Involved?

Brands are under pressure to justify every pound spent. Marketing must be driven by data, AI-ready and agile, combining innovation with accountability.

Why These Questions Work

​These questions aren’t abstract; they trigger accountability, strategic thinking, and alignment. They help sharpen focus on outcomes rather than just activity, bring hidden blind spots, risks, and assumptions to light, and keep the conversation centred on market needs and value instead of simply on output.

Next Steps

Use this list as a quarterly checklist. When these conversations are part of how you lead your team, marketing becomes more focused, more accountable, and far more effective.

If you’d like support defining these KPIs, setting up dashboards or building a system that translates these questions into action, JDR Group is ready. We specialise in designing solutions that align marketing with growth, providing the clarity, execution and measurable impact you need.

To take the next step, please contact one of the specialists at JDR today by clicking here or by calling 01332 343281.