I'm making a $14,500 marketing investment
See what it is—and more importantly, why I’m making it.
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I always wondered what a CMO's dashboard looks like. Now I know.
Dave Gerhardt shared his CMO dashboard, revealing what he tracks and why.
You can see it here.
It's like getting special access to DG's brain.
There's a video walk-through, plus screenshots with explainers.
This dashboard will help you measure the performance of your marketing program and prove marketing’s contribution to executive leadership.
See Dave Gerhard's CMO Dashboard here.
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I decided to make a $14,500 marketing investment.
That's a good chunk of my marketing budget in one swing.
It's also the biggest marketing investment since quitting my day job five months ago to work full-time at The Reeder.
So today, I’m sharing what that investment is—and, more importantly, why I’m making it.
I believe that every marketer should be able to look at anything they're doing and conveniently answer why they're doing it.
Because intentional decisions lead to meaningful outcomes.
(This is the difference between investing and spending.)
My career accelerated once I learned how to make, communicate, and defend my decisions to my CEO, CMO, and manager. Today revealing my rationale so you can do the same.
Let's start with what I'm doing.
On Monday I'm recording season 2 of Reed Between The Lines.
And I am STOKED.
Season 1 was well received by my audience and sponsors—even more than I anticipated.
(You can check it out on my YouTube channel.)
So I'm continuing the long-form video series that features deep-dive conversations with my favorite marketing pros and entrepreneurs. Deliverables include for this shoot include:
- 4 fully edited episodes
- 8 short-form clips per episode (TikTok style)
- 8 two-minute segments
- 1 promo video
- 4 “Devin & Friends” videos (more on this later)
This content will be:
• Hosted on YouTube (primary channel)
• Distributed on LinkedIn, The Reeder newsletter, Instagram, and TikTok
I’ll also repurpose the video and transcript to fuel my content strategy over the next few months.
Now let's talk about why I'm doing it.
Why invest in high-production, long-form video content?
For three reasons: relationships, mindshare, and trust.
1. Build deeper relationships
Social platforms are great for discovery, but they mostly reward obvious tips and dopamine hits. That limits the relationship I can build with my audience. But long-form content lets me:
- Create meaningful, impactful connections
- Deliver education and inspiration that sticks
I’m not aiming for “fast food” content. You know, stuff that feels good for a moment but gives you a bellyache later.
Instead, I'm focused on delivering entertaining and educational conversations that leave people feeling more creative, empowered, and motivated to do their best work.
2. Maintain mindshare
I don’t take my audience's attention for granted. And I don’t expect that they think about me nearly as much as I think about them. (This is actually a good thing by the way).
So those short-form clips and segments distributed over social media help me stay top of mind so when people move in market and need my services or products, they reach out.
3. Showcase expertise
As a content strategist, I need to walk the talk. Too many service providers talk big and make empty claims. Not me.
Producing and distributing high-quality content for The Reeder proves I know how to execute—and helps prospects see me as the go-to expert.
4. Audience Growth
Great content across my distribution channels also helps me grow my channels. Varying the CTA will also help me drive newsletter subscriptions, which is the #1 marketing metric I track.
How will I measure success?
I’m going to give you the annoying answer first, then the practical one.
The honest answer is that I'm not tracking metrics to decide whether this project is successful.
I label it "annoying" because I didn't have that luxury as an in-house marketer.
But I'm really hoping to answer:
- Did I push myself creatively?
- Did I produce the best content I can at this point in my career?
- And am I proud of what I produced?
If I answer yes, then I'm happy. I feel like a winner.
That creative push is the ultimate measure of success for me.
And I know that if I like it, and my audience likes it, then sales and clients will come.
That said, here's the more practical answer:
Even though I don't have hard goals, here are the three metrics I'm monitoring to see how it's resonating with my audience:
1. Plays per episode – Are people finding the content relevant and engaging?
2. Subscribers (YouTube/Podcast) – Is the content good enough to make them want more?
3. Social engagement – Do the repurposed clips resonate on LinkedIn?
What I’m not tracking: revenue ROI.
Instead, I’m focused on qualitative feedback (DMs, comments, texts) and whether I created the best content of my career.
Recap: How To Make Smarter Marketing Investments
- Focus on audience growth and mind-share
- Be intentional with your decisions
- Think long-term, not short-term
- Look beyond revenue ROI
- Push yourself creatively
Do you want to see who my guests are?
I just announced them here 👀
Holler at you next Saturday,
Devin
My Growth Took Off Once I Started Creating Content That Converts
Every content engine needs fuel.
The best fuel is highly engaging content.
I took 30+ content plays — including templates, examples, and frameworks — that helped Gong and The Reeder:
-Grow from 12,000 → 180,000+ LinkedIn followers
-Drive an average 1,200+ webinar registrants
-Convert audience into qualified pipeline and revenue
And put them all inside my digital playbook, Content That Converts.
Each “mini-chapter” is carefully written to be easily read, understood, and applied that day — so you see results in hours, not weeks.
You can get your copy here.