Reporting Turned on Its Head

Let's be real: getting actionable value from reporting is rare.

You're either drowning in data or missing the insights that actually matter. The result? Reports from your agency only gather dust, and no meaningful action is taken.

To be honest. I fell into this trap too. In my zoomed-in view I tried to provide as much information, I created reports so complex they became counterproductive.

Last year, I flipped my approach with what I call "Reporting Turned on Its Head" and it's been a game-changer. Let me walk you through this reporting rebellion.

The New Reporting Approach

1. Start with the Action

Before you request a report, pause and ask yourself: What do I actually want to do after reviewing this report?

Are you looking to:

• Reallocate your budget?
• Adjust sales allocation based on paid campaign leads?
• Refine target audiences?
• …

Write these actions down.

2. Based on What Data You Decide

You know what decisions you want to make. Now, what data you need for that. List to all actions the “North Star Metrics”. (sounds cheesy, but you know what I mean)

Some decisions require strictly precise past data. Like the real signed contract value of payign customers form last year.

Some decisions require forward-looking predictions (like predicted ARR from opportunity), some current metrics like MQL volume and if the serves as leading indicator (for example to opprotunities in next month) what is the Previous period's MQL-to-opportunity conversion rate you can based the prediction. List down the last metric for the decision.

3. Use Scenario Planning

Here's a powerful technique: Generate hypothetical reports, including some that directly contradict each other. Then challenge your management with pointed questions like, "If these were the numbers, what would you do?" … and “what would you do in the second scenario”

This approach accomplishes two key things:

1. Identifies the precise data needed to take action
2. Reveals whether decisions are truly based on the data you thought they are

4. Get Clear on Data Sources

Data limitations often paralyze decision-making. The trick? Understand and align on these limitations upfront. Ideally mangement never dispute the measurement but only argue over the evaluation and the next steps.

Key strategies:

• Unify Data: Standardize how you track metrics (e.g., revenue by invoice date vs. lead generation date)
• Connect Data Sources: Bridge CRM, product, and marketing systems
• Contextualize Data: Show data from different sources (or attribution models) side by side
• Disclose Predictive Indicators: Definitely use leading indicators but state on what correlation or assumtion the predicted value is based

Fun Fact: For one client I report four different customer attribution models in the dashbaord to get approval for significant budget decisions. It really helps.

5. Determine the Right Format

Once you know what data matters, consider:

• Required level of detail (for example breakdowns by country)
• Preferred visualization (tables vs. funnel charts)
• Reporting frequency (daily, monthly)

Remember: More granularity means larger sample sizes, which takes more time.

And the Format does matter. I worked with managers that wanted eeeeverythign in tables and with some that hates it. Clarify even this.

6. Implementation and Automation

After proving the report's value you can get to work.

Do the traditional process. Making a first report, adjust based on the feedback. But this time, the feedback will be about the actual actions it leads to.

Once you know it delivers the value, automate the process. Like scheduling data collection scripts, storing in BigQuery, and fine-tuning in visualization tools (like Looker).

The Golden Rule

Start with the action you want to take. Then work backward to build a report that genuinely drives decisions.

The old approach: Build a report and hope it's useful.

The new approach: Know the critical questions, then craft a report that gives you insights you can decide on.