<![CDATA[Marketed]]>https://marketednewsletter.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pYkP!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8d0443dc-51e9-4716-a627-e375f1c61fca_1280x1280.pngMarketedhttps://marketednewsletter.substack.comSubstackTue, 30 Jun 2026 00:28:48 GMT<![CDATA[THE MARKETING FUNCTION TEST]]>https://marketednewsletter.substack.com/p/the-marketing-function-testhttps://marketednewsletter.substack.com/p/the-marketing-function-testMon, 29 Jun 2026 12:29:12 GMTA mediocre marketer in a well-structured function will outperform a great marketer in a broken one. Every time.

I’ve seen this play out more times than I can count. A talented Head of Marketing joins a scale-up, gets handed a team and a budget, and spends the next eighteen months fixing things that were broken before they arrived. Not campaigns. Not messaging. The function itself. How it’s structured, what it’s measured on, how it sits inside the business.

The problem is nobody hands you a diagnostic when you walk in the door. You’re expected to start producing. Show momentum. Prove your worth. And so you do. And six months later you’re firefighting problems that were already there on day one.

I built this framework because I needed it myself.

What is the marketing function test

The Marketing Function Test is a self-administered diagnostic that helps you assess your marketing function across five dimensions. Each dimension gets a score. The total tells you where you are and what to fix first.

Run it in your first 90 days in a new role, at the start of a planning cycle, or whenever something feels off but you can’t name what.

A clean white infographic titled “THE MARKETING FUNCTION TEST” in bold black capital letters with orange accents. At the center is a five point radar chart with three concentric pentagon layers representing scores of 1, 2, and 3. The five dimensions are positioned around the chart: Strategic Clarity, Internal Credibility, Fuel and Engine Balance, Team and Structure, and Measurement. A scoring guide labels 1 as Broken, 2 as Partial, and 3 as Working. At the bottom, a scoring key explains that total scores of 5 to 8 indicate a Structural Problem, 9 to 12 indicate Mixed performance, and 13 to 15 indicate a Strong Foundation. The footer displays “MARKETED” between two dotted horizontal lines.

The five dimensions

1. Strategic Clarity
Does the function have a clear mandate tied to commercial outcomes? Or is it mostly reactive, responding to requests from sales, product, and the CEO rather than driving its own agenda?

Signs it’s broken: marketing’s priorities change every quarter based on what sales is asking for. Nobody outside marketing can explain what marketing is actually trying to achieve this year.

Signs it’s working: there’s a clear plan tied to revenue, and the rest of the business knows what marketing is focused on and why.

2. Internal Credibility
Does the rest of the organisation understand and respect what marketing does? Or does marketing spend more time explaining itself than leading?

Signs it’s broken: marketing is treated as a service org. Requests come in, output goes out. Nobody asks marketing for its strategic opinion.

Signs it’s working: marketing has a seat at the table before decisions are made. The CEO talks about marketing as a growth driver, not a cost centre.

3. Fuel and Engine Balance
Is the function producing the right content for the right channels? Or is it massively over-indexed on one at the expense of the other?

Signs it’s broken: the team produces a lot of content that goes nowhere, or runs a lot of channels with nothing worth distributing. Volume without impact.

Signs it’s working: there’s a clear connection between what the function creates and how it gets distributed. Content and channel decisions are made together, not separately.

4. Team and Structure
Are the right people in the right roles? Or is the structure a patchwork of hires made reactively, without a clear picture of what the function actually needs?

Signs it’s broken: there are obvious gaps nobody is filling, or people doing work that doesn’t match their skills. The org chart reflects who was available, not what the function needs.

Signs it’s working: the team has clear ownership, the right mix of strategic and executional capability, and a structure that maps to what the function is trying to achieve.

5. Measurement
Does the function measure what actually matters? Or is it reporting vanity metrics to make the dashboards look good?

Signs it’s broken: weekly reports are full of impressions, followers, and open rates. Nobody can connect marketing activity to pipeline or revenue.

Signs it’s working: marketing has agreed commercial metrics it owns. The link between marketing activity and business outcomes is visible and tracked.

A professional two column table infographic on a white background titled “THE MARKETING FUNCTION TEST: HOW TO READ EACH DIMENSION.” The left column, labeled “Signs It’s Broken,” uses dark colours and grey cross icons. The right column, labeled “Signs It’s Working,” uses orange accents and orange checkmark icons. Five marketing dimensions are listed in rows: Strategic Clarity, Internal Credibility, Fuel and Engine Balance, Team and Structure, and Measurement. Each row compares behaviours and outcomes associated with weak versus effective marketing functions. Thin horizontal lines separate each section. The footer features “MARKETED” centered between dotted horizontal lines.

How to score it

For each dimension, score yourself from one to three.

1: Broken. This is a real problem holding the function back.
2: Partial. Some things are working but there are clear gaps.
3: Working. This dimension is solid.

Add up your scores.

13 to 15: Strong foundation. Your function is set up to perform. Focus on optimising, not fixing.

9 to 12: Mixed. You have real strengths but also real gaps. Prioritise the dimensions scoring one or two before adding anything new.

5 to 8: Structural problem. The function needs rebuilding before it can perform.

What to do with the results

The score isn’t the point. The conversation it starts is.

Take the diagnostic to your leadership team. Show them where you scored yourself and why. The dimensions that generate the most debate are usually the ones that need the most work.

Then fix in order. Strategic Clarity first, Internal Credibility second. Without those two, the other three dimensions can’t hold.

A white background infographic titled “THE MARKETING FUNCTION TEST: FIX IN THIS ORDER.” A five step staircase rises from bottom left to top right, illustrating the recommended sequence for improving a marketing function. Step 1, Strategic Clarity, and Step 2, Internal Credibility, are highlighted in orange to indicate priority. Steps 3, Measurement, 4, Team and Structure, and 5, Fuel and Engine Balance, appear in dark grey and black. An upward arrow runs alongside the staircase, reinforcing progression. Below the diagram, a note states that Strategic Clarity and Internal Credibility are non negotiable foundations for everything else. The footer displays “MARKETED” centered between dotted horizontal lines.

One question to take into your week

If your CEO had to explain what marketing is trying to achieve this year, without looking at a slide deck, what would they say?

MARKETED is a weekly newsletter for senior marketing leaders who want to think and act at the CMO level. If someone forwarded this to you and you want to receive it directly, subscribe here. If it made you think of someone, forward it. That’s how good things travel.

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