32: Strategies to link marketing to revenue: Insights from Anaplan CMO Jim Freeze

How might your marketing strategy change if you could prove—with shared baselines and benchmarks—which efforts truly move the needle, and which don't? Anaplan CMO Jim Freeze explains how AI is evolving marketing workflows, elevating creative focus, and tightening the link to measurable outcomes. He details how his team sets explicit productivity goals and uses AI to support content development, enabling marketers to spend more time on strategy, creativity and smarter channel-mix decisions. He also dives into measurement fundamentals with practical advice leaders can act on now: establish transparent targets, align on baselines and industry benchmarks, and report progress regularly. The conversation also emphasizes tighter alignment with sales, stronger finance fluency for marketers, and preparing for the AI-driven search that will reshape content and site strategy.   In this episode, you'll learn:  Jim's tips to demonstrate marketing's value with metrics leaders trust   The importance of baselines, benchmarks and transparent reporting to earn credibility with the C-suite  The potential benefits of cross‑functional accountability and AI integration to pipeline velocity, win rates and team focus    Key highlights:  [00:00] Introduction   [01:40] Our first math major and second lawyer  [04:20] From programming in C to being a CMO  [07:55] The scope of Anaplan  [12:15] How Anaplan is using AI  [15:45] The evolution of the marketer role  [18:45] Demonstrating the value of marketing   [23:25] The importance of transparency  [26:55] Ways to improve your measurement framework  [30:00] An experience that defines you: Leaving law  [32:25] Advice to your younger self: Take more risks    [33:10] A topic marketers need to learn more about: Finance    [34:50] Trends and subcultures to watch: AI search  [35:40] Largest opportunity to marketers today: AI    Resources mentioned:    Anaplan    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Jim Freeze and Anaplan:  Jim Freeze on LinkedIn  Anaplan on LinkedIn  Anaplan on YouTube    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Alan Hart on X  Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Deloitte Digital on Threads