A few weeks ago, I shared a post on LinkedIn saying that the best analysts are those that know how to influence, build visibility, and persuade.

Then I got a (snarky) comment about how this is only true in big tech, where “the quality of research itself is less important than the socializing.”

Mmm… nope. Sorry, dude.

Of course the quality of the work matters. That’s the baseline.

But if you want your work to land, to have any sort of impact, you need to know how to engage and persuade.

The challenge is… no one teaches us how.
Well, not in analytics at least.

But marketing does.

Influence is their whole game. And they’ve built frameworks, formulas, and entire playbooks around it.

So today, I’m sharing 5 influencing tips, all based on marketing principles proven to get your work noticed and acted on.

#1: Your slide titles are copy

Marketing principle: Great headlines sell the story, not just summarize it.

Most analysts treat slide titles like file folders:

• “Revenue by Product Line”

• “Q2 Attrition Trends”

• “Survey Results – Engagement”

But marketers know that headlines are prime real estate.
Use them to grab attention and deliver the “so what.”

Try this:

• Instead of: “Q2 Revenue by Region”

• Try: “Europe Drove 80% of Our Q2 Growth”

Pro tip: Scan your deck top-to-bottom.
Can someone get the whole story just from your slide titles?

#2: Repeat your message like a marketer

Marketing principle: People need to hear a message multiple times before it sticks (hello, Rule of 7).

In marketing, repetition builds recognition.
In data storytelling, it builds clarity.

Your audience should hear your key takeaway:

• In your slide titles

• In your charts

• In your voiceover

• In your written notes

• And again in your summary

One strong message, repeated well, beats five scattered findings.

#3: Use copywriting formulas to frame your insight

Marketing principle: Proven story structures (like AIDA and PAS) make messages more compelling.

You don’t have to wing it.

Try one of these go-to formulas next time you’re presenting a complex point:

AIDA (Attention → Interest → Desire → Action)

• Attention: “Churn rose 15% in Q2.”

• Interest: “It’s highest among high-value accounts.”

• Desire: “Fixing this could save $1.2M.”

• Action: “Here’s what we recommend…”

PAS (Problem → Agitate → Solution)

• Problem: “Engagement dropped 25%.”

• Agitate: “And our competitors are gaining traction.”

• Solution: “This campaign could reverse the trend.”

Use these to make your insights clearer, tighter, and more persuasive.

#4: Add urgency or opportunity

Marketing principle: People act faster when something feels time-sensitive or scarce.

Instead of sharing insights like a neutral observer, add a layer of why it matters now:

• “We can recover $500K in lost revenue—if we act before Q3.”

• “Only 12% of users engage with this feature. Here’s why that matters today.”

Urgency creates momentum.
It nudges your stakeholders from “That’s interesting…” to “We need to act.”

#5: Lead with the value, not the finding

Marketing principle: People buy outcomes, not features.

In analytics, it’s easy to stop at the what.
But stakeholders care about the so what.

• Instead of: “32% of users clicked the new banner.”

• Try: “The new banner drove a 3x increase in conversions. Here’s how we can build on that.”

The first reports a metric.
The second tells a story with clear business impact.

Always answer: Why does this matter? What should we do with it?

The bottom line

Great analysts know how to run the numbers and land the message.

Next time you’re building a deck, borrow a few pages from the marketing playbook:

✅ Use headlines to sell your story
✅ Repeat your message across formats
✅ Structure your story with copywriting formulas
✅ Create urgency
✅ Translate findings into business benefits

You got this marketers analysts,
Morgan