Proven Frameworks to Maximize Your Team’s Time & Energy
Working in startup marketing means you're no stranger to the constant juggling act required to balance priorities, budgets, and time constraints.
You wear a lot of hats.
You spin a lot of plates.
You run the circus.
You are the human embodiment of a Swiss Army knife.
How can you get a little relief?
Well, one way to wrangle the mess of a startup work life is to employ frameworks to the job. Marketing teams especially are often caught in the crosshairs of competing demands, with requests pouring in from various stakeholders, each claiming their project is the top priority, meanwhile the growth targets and ROI expectations just keep climbing.
Marketing leaders are the focus for all that angst.
As a leader, it is in your job description to figure out how to manage your finite resources to get the most out of your people, your budget, and your precious time. To keep the chaos at bay, you can apply the following decision-making and responsibility frameworks that will help quiet the noise and help raise your impact.
Here’s a list of all that we’ll cover:
DACI and RACI frameworks for project management and clear ownership
The 70-20-10 framework for resource allocation
The Eisenhower Matrix for deciding what’s urgent vs. important
Reforge strategic framework for investing in marketing channels
The DACI framework
This project-management framework is designed to clearly define roles on a project.
Here are the four roles and what DACI stands for:
D = Driver
A = Approver
C = Contributor
I = Informed
The Driver is the person responsible for making the project happen. They may have various levels of involvement in the execution of the project. Their primary job is to lead the project from beginning to end.
The Driver's responsibilities may include:
Scheduling kickoff meetings and recurring standups / check-ins
Collecting advice from those inside and outside the project
Creating the project plan and scope
Communicating project updates regularly
The Approver is the person who makes decisions about the project. They have veto power. The approver is typically a department head or founder / CEO.
Contributors -- also sometimes called "Consulted" -- are subject area experts whom the Driver should include in her or his advice process. Contributors have a voice, but no vote.
And informed teammates are told of the project status or final decision. They don't have the authority to change any outcomes.
When implemented effectively, the DACI framework brings clarity and structure to project management by eliminating common pain points around decision-making and accountability. By clearly defining who drives the project (Driver), who makes the final calls (Approver), who provides expertise (Contributors), and who needs to stay in the loop (Informed), teams can move faster and with more confidence. No more wondering who’s in charge of this campaign or that email series!
Note: This framework is particularly valuable in fast-moving organizations where multiple projects are happening simultaneously and roles might otherwise become unclear. The key to success with DACI is communicating these roles clearly at the project's outset and ensuring everyone understands their level of involvement and authority throughout the project lifecycle. You, as the marketing leader, kind of have to play DACI cop—along with others in leadership who are bought in to the system—in order to enforce the DACI roles the first few times before the system sticks.
The RACI framework
Similar to DACI, the RACI framework is popular in project management and strategic decision-making, especially at higher levels of company strategy and major projects.
Here are the four roles of RACI and what the acronym stands for:
R = Responsible
A = Accountable
C = Consulted
I = Informed
As you can see, there's a lot of overlap between the DACI and RACI frameworks. Among the chief differences is, obviously, the first letter: Responsible vs. Driver.
In the RACI framework, the Responsible teammate (or teammates) is the one who does the work to complete the task. They can delegate the work, if needed. There's a version of RACI called RASCI, which includes an "S" for those in Supporting roles.
Another difference between RACI and DACI is with the "A" role: Accountable vs. Approver. In RACI, the Accountable teammate is the one who must answer for the proper completion of the project or the correct decision. In most cases, this level of accountability makes this person also the approver, since they are the ones who must answer for the outcome.
There are a lot of neat articles about these frameworks.
For instance, here's how the Fictiv team uses DACI in Asana:
Each task in Asana (our task management system) is assigned to a Driver.
Approvers and Contributors are clearly listed in the description of the task.
Informed persons are added as “followers” to the task so they’re notified of project updates and progress.
The 70-20-10 framework (created by Coca Cola’s marketing department)
The 70-20-10 framework was originally developed by Coca-Cola in the mid-2000s. It was pioneered during the digital transformation of their marketing strategy, with their CMO Joe Tripodi being one of its key advocates.
Was the 70-20-10 framework the reason Coke beat Pepsi?
We’ll never know. :)
The 70-20-10 framework is one my all-time favorite ways to manage marketing team resources. I use it all the time for things like budget, programs, hiring, and content.
At its most basic, the 70-20-10 framework suggests that companies should allocate their marketing resources in the following manner:
70% of the budget should be dedicated to core marketing activities that have proven successful in the past. These are the tried-and-true tactics that have consistently delivered results and form the backbone of your marketing efforts.
20% of the budget should be allocated to emerging or adjacent opportunities. This portion allows for experimentation with new channels, platforms, or strategies that show promise but have not yet been fully explored or validated.
10% of the budget should be reserved for innovative or disruptive ideas. This portion encourages risk-taking and embraces the potential for game-changing breakthroughs, even if the chances of success are relatively low.
By adhering to this framework, marketing teams can strike a balance between capitalizing on their existing strengths, exploring new avenues for growth, and fostering innovation. The 70% allocation ensures that core marketing activities remain well-funded and consistent, while the 20% and 10% portions provide flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions and consumer preferences.
When applied to marketing resource allocation, the 70-20-10 framework can help teams prioritize their efforts and allocate resources effectively. For example, the 70% might be dedicated to proven channels like email marketing, search engine optimization, and social media advertising, while the 20% could be used to test emerging platforms like TikTok or influencer marketing. The 10% could be reserved for experimental campaigns or cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality or voice-based marketing.
The Eisenhower Matrix for deciding what’s urgent vs. important
The Eisenhower Matrix, also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix, is a simple yet effective tool for prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively. Developed by former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this matrix helps you categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance, allowing you to focus your efforts on the most crucial activities.
The matrix consists of four quadrants:
Urgent and Important: This quadrant represents tasks that require immediate attention and have a significant impact on your goals or objectives. Examples include crisis situations, pressing deadlines, or critical meetings.
Not Urgent but Important: This quadrant includes tasks that are important but not time-sensitive. These activities contribute to your long-term goals and priorities, such as strategic planning, professional development, or building relationships.
Urgent but Not Important: This quadrant consists of tasks that demand your attention but may not be directly aligned with your goals or priorities. Examples include unnecessary meetings, interruptions, or low-priority requests from others.
Not Urgent and Not Important: This quadrant represents activities that are neither urgent nor important. These tasks can often be delegated, outsourced, or eliminated altogether, as they may be time-wasters or distractions.
SUPER prioritize section #1.
Keep sections #2 and #3 on your to-do list.
IGNORE AT ALL COSTS section #4.
Reforge strategic framework for investing in marketing channels
The key to sustainable growth isn’t just choosing the right marketing channels, but knowing when and how to invest in them. That’s where I use this Payback vs. Risk Framework from the folks at Reforge
This matrix helps marketing leaders make smart, strategic decisions by balancing two key factors:
Payback Period (X-Axis) – How quickly will this investment generate returns?
Risk vs. Long-Term Upside (Y-Axis) – Is this a high-risk, experimental strategy, or a proven, steady performer?
By plotting marketing channels on this framework, you can prioritize your resources effectively and avoid wasting time on low-return initiatives. Here’s how to think about it:
1. High Priority: Testing & Learning (High Risk, Short Payback)
These are high-risk, high-reward experiments that can deliver results quickly—but they’re not guaranteed to work. Think of tactics like:
Testing a new paid acquisition channel (e.g., TikTok Ads for B2B)
Running aggressive short-term promotions
Trying a new partnership or influencer strategy
Since these initiatives are fast-moving, they should be measured carefully—if they show promise, you can scale them. If not, cut your losses quickly.
2. High Priority: Long-Term Investments (Low Risk, Long Payback)
These strategies take longer to pay off but offer massive upside over time. Examples include:
SEO & content marketing
Building an organic LinkedIn presence
Email nurture sequences & lifecycle automation
Startups often neglect these because they don’t deliver instant results—but a strong content and SEO foundation will lower acquisition costs and create compounding growth over time.
3. Always-On: Low-Risk, Short Payback
These are the bread-and-butter marketing channels that are proven, reliable, and continuously generate leads or sales. Examples:
Google Ads & retargeting
Referral programs
Product-led growth loops (e.g., viral signups, free trials)
You should keep these running at all times and optimize them incrementally. They’re safe, scalable, and drive predictable revenue.
4. Deprioritize: Long Payback, Low Upside
These are the trap investments—slow to pay off, but without the long-term upside to justify the wait. Examples might include:
Sponsoring niche industry events with low ROI
Unproven social media platforms with no traction
Overinvesting in brand campaigns without clear KPIs
If a channel falls into this bucket, it’s better to redirect those resources elsewhere.
How to Apply This Framework
Map your current marketing efforts onto this matrix.
Double down on Always-On & Long-Term Investments—these are your foundation.
Run small-scale tests in the Testing & Learning quadrant, but be ready to pivot.
Cut anything in the Deprioritize quadrant—free up your budget for higher-impact initiatives.
By using this approach, you’ll make data-driven, strategic marketing decisions that balance short-term wins with sustainable, long-term growth. Super user tip: Once you have plotted your channels onto this matrix, you can apply the 70-20-10 framework to determine your ideal portfolio balance. I like to use the following:
70% are always-on channels
20% are long-term
10% are test-and-learn
Closing thoughts
Effective resource allocation is a delicate balancing act between maintaining core marketing activities and pursuing exploratory initiatives. On one hand, dedicating too many resources to established channels and tactics can leave your startup stagnant, failing to adapt to evolving market trends and missing out on potential growth opportunities. However, over-investing in unproven or experimental initiatives can drain valuable resources from essential marketing functions, jeopardizing your startup's stability and market position.
The key lies in striking the right balance, allocating sufficient resources to sustain and optimize your core marketing activities while reserving a portion for exploring new avenues.
Hopefully these frameworks give you a sense of where to begin with making those tough tradeoff decisions and key priority calls with you and your team!
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