The Marketer’s Guide to a Post-Mortem That Actually Improves Things
Fix the only meeting everyone hates but no one dares to cancel.
What’s the most expensive lesson your team keeps learning on repeat?
You’ve probably said “We’ll do it better next time” more than once.
But what if the problem isn’t execution?
What if it’s how you end things, not how you start?
Quick note before we dive in:
I meant to send this last week, but a short health issue held me back.
All good now. Thanks for sticking around.
Let’s get back to the kind of work we usually avoid talking about how marketing teams reflect, or pretend to.
Why this matters
A post-mortem should be the most useful moment of a campaign.
In reality, it’s often where nothing useful gets said.
We open with “let’s reflect.”
Then we avoid what actually needs reflection.
We say “be honest.”
Then we sugarcoat everything to keep the peace.
We say “next time.”
But the same issues come back with a new name and a better slide.
This isn’t a scheduling problem.
It’s a structure problem.
So here’s something better. It won’t fix the whole system.
But it might make the next review less polite and more productive.
What this gives you
A simple review structure your team can actually use
Questions that lead to clarity, not confusion
A script to keep the meeting honest without making it hostile
A way to turn lessons into actual change
Step One: Before the Meeting
Most post-mortems fail before anyone joins the call.
Because they’re rushed, unstructured, and everyone is guessing what’s on the agenda.
Here’s how to start stronger:
Book it early. Ideally within a week of the campaign ending
Send three open questions ahead of time. Keep it anonymous
Let someone neutral facilitate. Not the campaign owner
Share a simple agenda. No prep means no purpose
Step Two: In the Room
Start with what worked. Give people space to acknowledge the effort.
Then get into what could have worked better.
Try this flow:
What did we learn
What cost us more than expected
What should we change for next time
And most importantly:
What are we not going to repeat
If no one can answer that last one, the meeting didn’t do its job.
I once watched a post-mortem end with a quiet “Thanks all.”
The screen went dark. No actions. Just polite silence.
Step Three: After the Meeting
Make three decisions. Not seven.
Assign a name to each one.
Set a deadline that lands before the next planning cycle.
Then check back in.
Not when someone remembers.
At the start of your next kickoff.
Otherwise, you just held a very expensive group therapy session.
Use this with your team
Want to test your last campaign?
Here’s a quick AI prompt to help you reflect with clarity:
Paste your wrap-up notes or summary. Then ask:
Did we define success clearly Were we aligned on outcomes, or just deliverables
Are we learning from patterns, or just reacting to symptoms
Who owns the next step and when does it happen If you can’t answer those, your debrief may need its own debrief.
Final thought
Most post-mortems drain energy because they hide behind process.
But the good ones build trust by showing what’s really going on.
Not because everyone agrees.
But because everyone sees the same thing and chooses not to ignore it.
If that’s what you’re aiming for, you’re exactly who I’m writing for.
Let me know what’s worked or quietly failed in your team’s post-campaign reviews.
And feel free to share this with anyone who’s tired of pretending the wrap-up meeting worked fine.
-Emre