Most commerce strategies fail to secure executive buy-in not because the ideas lack merit, but because they are presented in marketing language while the C-suite evaluates decisions through a business outcomes lens. Mark Yessin, a media and marketing strategy leader with more than 15 years of experience driving performance growth across retail media, direct-to-consumer, and omni-channel commerce, has observed this pattern consistently across organizations of all sizes.
From scaling media mix modeling and retail media at Mars to shaping omni-channel strategy for brands such as Gap and Wreck-It Ralph, Yessin focuses on connecting data, media, and strategic narrative to deliver measurable results. His experience shows that executives do not reject commerce innovation out of risk aversion. They reject it when the business case lacks clarity and the path to ROI is unclear.
Translate Marketing Objectives Into Business Outcomes
The first critical mistake marketers make is leading with execution details instead of strategic impact. Presentations often emphasize retail media tactics, DTC expansion plans, or omni-channel roadmaps without clearly linking them to executive priorities. The C-suite evaluates strategies based on their contribution to growth, margin expansion, and market share, not on channel complexity or tactical novelty.
“When presenting a commerce vision, the first step is translating marketing goals into business outcomes,” Yessin explains when advising leaders preparing for budget approval discussions. “Executives care about growth, margin, and market share. Not impressions or engagement.” This shift requires discipline but fundamentally changes the conversation. Rather than leading with tactics, successful teams begin with quantifiable impact such as how a strategy will increase transactions, grow basket size, or improve return on advertising spend. At Haynes, Yessin tied retail media investment directly to e-commerce lift, delivering more than 30 percent performance gains. That direct connection between spend and outcome is what builds executive confidence and unlocks funding.
Build Predictive Models, Not Retrospective Reports
The second area where marketers lose credibility is measurement. Traditional reporting emphasizes past performance, campaign results, channel attribution, and conversion metrics. While useful, these reports do not answer the question executives are actually asking: what will work next. “The C-suite does not want a recap of last quarter,” Yessin notes when discussing how he secured funding at Mars. “They want confidence in future performance. That is where advanced frameworks like Unified MMM and Commerce Mixed Modeling matter.”
At Mars, Yessin implemented this approach across Amazon, Walmart, Target, Albertsons, and Kroger, generating more than 25 percent ROI gains. The true strategic value was not only improved performance, but forecasting capability. By predicting returns before budgets were deployed, leadership gained the confidence to approve larger investments without prolonged negotiations.
Establish Cross-Functional Alignment as Strategic Infrastructure
The third challenge emerges when departments optimize in isolation. Individual teams may perform well, but results fall short because objectives are misaligned. “I have seen too many strong strategies stall because teams were working toward different goals,” Yessin says. “At Gap, we built a cross-functional foundation that unified media, finance, and brand planning. That alignment unlocked a new level of efficiency and cultural relevance in our campaigns.” When organizations operate with shared measurement frameworks, consistent KPIs, and aligned definitions of success, performance accelerates across the system.
Strategic Vision Requires Measurable Execution
Securing C-suite buy-in for commerce strategy requires more than a compelling vision. It demands translation into business language, predictive measurement, and cross-functional alignment. “To win the C-suite, your commerce strategy has to do more than inspire,” Yessin concludes. “It needs to deliver. Speak their language, predict the ROI, and align the organization. Do that, and you will not just gain buy-in. You will drive real transformation.”
Connect with Mark Yessin on LinkedIn for more insights.
