For the Wrong Reasons

"Metrics" has been a buzz word in marketing circles for a long time.  It seems that more than ever, marketers are chasing the elusive ROI metric so they can prove that marketing really does make an impact on sales.  I won't argue that metrics are vital for marketing, or that companies would do well do invest in new processes and systems for measuring their effectiveness.   As a matter of fact, most executives I speak to know that they need to measure.  What kills me, however, is the REASON they say they want the metrics.

Too often, when I speak with marketing executives about metrics, and I ask them why they want to measure, the number one reason usually comes back as a  military metaphor: 

• - "I want to arm my marketing team so they can combat sales' when they
     attack, when they tell us that we don't provide any real value."
• - "I need the metrics to battle sales when they say that we don't generate
     enough leads for them."
• - "Having metric data allows me to defend my position."

(And we wonder why there's a gap between marketing and sales?)

Rather than using the metrics to arm yourself for battle, use metric data to improve upon past successes and avoid past failures. I rarely speak with or consult marketers whose mindset is to use metrics in this fashion. But it makes sense.  When it comes to metrics, the process should be…

Launch – Measure – Analyze – Adjust – Re-launch.

If your primary use of metrics follows this formula, you will exponentially improve the value of your marketing dollars. 

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