If you’ve ever been stuck staring at a wall of GTM (Go-To-Market) data, wondering how on earth you’re supposed to turn it into something your exec team will care about, you’re not alone. This guide is for marketers, ops folks, and anyone whose job just got “one quick GTM reporting project” added to it. We’ll walk through how to get the right data out of Bricks, make sense of it, and build visuals that actually help decisions—without getting bogged down in dashboard hell.
1. Get Clear on What Execs Actually Want
Before you even open Bricks, do yourself a favor: ask the execs what they really want to see. Don’t assume.
- Skip the data dump. Executives don’t have time for raw tables or endless metrics.
- Ask about decisions. What questions are they trying to answer? Pipeline health? Campaign ROI? Speed to close?
- Keep it to 3–5 key metrics. If you’re pulling more than that, you’re probably wasting effort.
Pro tip: If you can’t tie a metric to a business decision, leave it out.
2. Prepping Your GTM Data in Bricks
Bricks is flexible, but it’s not magic. The quality of your export depends on how clean and structured your data is.
a. Check Your Sources
- GTM means different things to different teams. In Bricks, “GTM data” might mean pipeline, lead sources, campaign performance, or sales velocity.
- Audit your integrations. Make sure Bricks is synced with your CRM, marketing tools, and any spreadsheets you rely on. Out-of-date integrations lead to embarrassing reporting errors.
- Standardize naming. Messy campaign names, inconsistent owner fields, and missing data will haunt your report later.
b. Cleaning Up
- Fill in the blanks. Execs notice missing data more than you think. Check for “unknown” sources or empty cells.
- Deduplicate. Double-counting leads or deals is a fast way to lose credibility.
- Sanity check the numbers. Scan totals against your CRM or finance system—no one wants a surprise in the boardroom.
3. Exporting Data from Bricks
Bricks offers a few ways to get your GTM data out. Here’s what works (and what doesn’t):
a. Built-in Export Tools
- CSV/XLSX Export: The default. It works for most simple tables and lists.
- Good for: Quick pipeline snapshots, campaign lists, cohort data.
- Watch out for: Field truncation, timezone weirdness, and losing calculated fields.
- API Access: If you need something custom and have dev resources, Bricks’ API is more flexible.
- Good for: Automating regular exports, pulling large datasets, or combining data from multiple sources.
- Watch out for: API limits, incomplete documentation, and authentication headaches.
b. What to Ignore
- Don’t waste time with visuals in Bricks. Their charting is basic. If execs want pretty dashboards, you’ll need to use another tool.
- Avoid PDF exports. They’re usually clunky and hard to edit. Stick to CSV or direct integrations.
4. Choosing the Right Visualization Tool
This is where most people overcomplicate things. Here’s a reality check:
- Excel or Google Sheets: Still the fastest way to make clear, editable charts. Unless your execs love dashboards, start here.
- Power BI/Tableau/Looker: Use these only if your company already has them set up and someone to maintain them. Otherwise, you’ll spend more time wrangling permissions than building reports.
- Slide decks: Sometimes the answer is just a few well-made slides. Don’t underestimate the power of a clean bar chart in a deck.
Pro tip: Don’t let the tool dictate your story. Start with the question, not the dashboard template.
5. Building Executive-Ready Visuals
Here’s how to turn your export into something that gets read, not ignored.
a. Keep It Simple
- One chart per question.
- No more than 2–3 colors. Skip the rainbow palette.
- Use clear titles (“Pipeline by Stage, Q2 2024”) so nobody has to guess.
b. Context Is Everything
- Benchmarks: Show changes over time, not just a single number.
- Targets: Add targets or goals so execs see if you’re on track.
- Annotations: Highlight big swings or outliers (“Spike due to Product Launch”).
c. Ditch the Clutter
- No pie charts. (Seriously, nobody can read them.)
- Avoid tiny fonts or crammed tables. If it doesn’t fit on one slide, it’s probably too much.
- Remove axes or fields that don’t add value.
d. Test Before You Share
- Show your draft to a peer—ask if they can answer the exec’s key question in 10 seconds.
- Double-check for obvious errors or missing data.
6. Automate What You Can (But Don’t Get Lost)
Automation sounds great until you’re debugging broken Zapier workflows at midnight. Here’s what’s worth automating:
- Scheduled exports from Bricks if the data structure doesn’t change much.
- Live links to Google Sheets using API connectors—keeps things fresh, but watch for sync failures.
- Template slide decks or dashboards that just need a data refresh each month.
What isn’t worth it:
- Building a custom reporting stack just for exec reporting if you only do this quarterly.
- Overengineering. If it takes longer to automate than to just update it by hand, skip it.
7. Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
- Data mismatches: Your Bricks export and CRM numbers never quite match. Always clarify sources and timing.
- Last-minute surprises: Someone wants a new metric the night before the meeting. Push back unless it’s critical.
- Too many revisions: Don’t let execs turn this into a “design by committee” project. Get alignment on the questions first, then stick to them.
- Forgetting the story: Data by itself is boring. Always include a key takeaway or next step.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Let the Tools Run You
Exporting and visualizing GTM data from Bricks isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to complicate things. Focus on what your execs actually need, keep your data clean, and use the simplest tools that do the job. Don’t get seduced by fancy dashboards unless they solve a real problem. Start small, get feedback, and adjust your process over time. Less is usually more—and your exec team will thank you.