Goal Setting and Measuring Metrics

Research shows revenue is the ultimate metric. Marketers who aim their goals to Revenue or Customer Acquisition targets are more confident they will hit revenue goals than those who plan to MQLs or Leads.1

Almost 56% of marketers who plan to Revenue or Customers, indicated the primary metric they use to measure marketing performance is  . . . well, Revenue or Customers.1

Metrics capturing more of the funnel—sales opportunities, pipeline, and revenue—are increasingly the primary marketing metrics for planning, optimizing execution, and measurement.2

Pipeline marketers are more likely to:2

  1. Hit revenue goals
  2. Report alignment with broader business objectives
  3. Be aligned with their sales counterparts

Key revenue-related metrics that help accomplish these goals include:

 

Marketing Lead Metrics

Inquiries or Raw Leads are often the first metric that matters. Because this is where the marketing team begins the qualifying process3

 

Sales Lead Metrics

Sales Accepted Leads (SALs) are MQLs the sales team has qualified and moved into the sales pipeline. SALs are an important indicator that marketing and sales agree on what they consider a qualified lead.3

 

Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)

SQLs are moved into the sales pipeline and actively worked by sales reps. This metric is critical for both the sales and marketing teams. It is where leads are entered onto Salesforce.com or another CRM. A lead here is often associated with potential revenue value.3

 

Conversion Metrics

Higher conversion rates—moving leads from one funnel segment to the next—especially as leads move from opportunities to customers indicates effective marketing and helps the sales team hit its numbers.3

 

Nurturing Metrics

Lead nurturing engages with leads not ready to buy. Re-engagement metrics include:

  1. Leads that don’t score high enough to convert to MQLs
  2. SALs that turn out to be invalid

Timely placement of leads in a nurturing campaign, and eventually moving them back into the sales pipeline ultimately suggests revenue growth.3

 

Everybody on the Same Page

Metrics demonstrate: 3

  1. Campaign performance.
  2. Spending impact points.
  3. How a campaign impacts the sales pipeline.

 

It is important that sales and marketing are aligned on definitions, said Kari Seas, senior consultant for Seas Marketing, adding, it’s important to define success jointly with the sales and the executive teams.

Connect with CloudCreative. We are your answer to web and graphic design, SEO/SEM, social media, and digital marketing. We’ll help you use marketing strategies, such as pipeline marketing to generate sales and build your business. Contact us today.

 

Sources: