How do you talk numbers? Why Most Reporting Meetings Fail

Tim Ceuppens at the Digital Analytics Summit 2025

At the Digital Analytics Summit 2025, Tim shares his take on why so many meetings fail to land, and what analysts can do differently to make their insights truly resonate — especially with non-technical stakeholders.

Mismatched worlds, missed connections

One core issue? Everyone’s speaking a different language.

“A Google Ads rep lives in click-through rates, an SEO in rankings, a branding agency in reach. No one connects those metrics to how the business earns money. That disconnect kills impact.”

Tim suggests a shift in mindset, starting with the people in the room.

“Quick tip: ask your stakeholders what their bonuses are tied to. Then find where your world intersects with those goals. That’s where you can deliver meaningful data that improves decisions.”

Too many numbers, too little value

Another common trap: presenting too much data, too fast.

“One time I briefed an account manager on how to present to the executive committee. I said: keep it simple — one KPI per slide. Don’t drown them in numbers.”

But just before the presentation, the agency head panicked — and added slides full of dense matrices.

“It backfired. The non-technical people zoned out. The number nerds fixated on irrelevant details. Nobody listened.”

Why the change?

“They didn’t feel like one number per slide proved their value. But flooding the audience with metrics only undermines that.”

What to break: bad habits in data presentation

So what’s the first habit analysts should let go of?

“Stop showing the same numbers to people outside your team that you’d share internally,” Tim says. “Ask yourself: what does this person or team need to make a better decision?”

The key is clarity over completeness.

“Do they need CTRs by keyword, or just a sense of CPA performance by campaign? Show the minimum you need to make your point. That’s the maximum you should present.”

And always be ready — but selective.

“Sure, have a printout with detailed numbers in your back pocket. But they don’t all need to be on the screen.”

Analysts and AI: augmentation, not replacement

With AI evolving rapidly, some fear reporting will become fully automated. Tim isn’t one of them.

“The reports of the death of analysts have been greatly exaggerated,” he says. “Not just because AI is still bad at math — but because context matters. Analysts bring strategy and nuance.”

That doesn’t mean AI won’t change the work — far from it.

“AI will make our jobs easier and more efficient. Like what spreadsheets did for bookkeepers.”

He’s especially excited about using AI to tailor reporting to stakeholder profiles.

“Helping people evaluate options and make decisions faster — that’s a huge leap forward compared to the way we run reporting meetings today.”

Want to rethink your reporting?

Catch Tim Ceuppens live at the Digital Analytics Summit 2025 on October 9 in B. Amsterdam.

🎟️ Get your ticket now

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