Are your marketing efforts paying off? These 3 metrics will tell you
As a marketer in a results driven economy there are three questions you must be able to answer.
As B2B marketers we must rely on practical, proven metrics to demonstrate value and drive smarter decision-making. Tracking the right data isn’t just about measuring success, it’s your best leverage for justifying budgets, optimising campaigns and aligning marketing with business goals. When you can clearly show your stakeholders the impact of your efforts, you’re far more likely to win additional budget and support. Without the numbers? Good luck getting a "yes."
Here are the top three ways every B2B marketer can measure and maximise marketing success:
1. Return on Investment (ROI): Are you getting your money’s worth?
ROI tells you how much money you made compared to what you spent on marketing. For example, you set up an expo stand at an industry event. You invest in the stand design, build, promotional materials, staffing, and of course, your employees’ time out of the office.
Let’s say you spend $30,000 on all these inclusions. If you land new business worth $90,000 as a direct result, your ROI is 300%. That means for every dollar you spent, you got three dollars back.
Why does it matter? ROI helps you see which marketing activities are really paying off, so you can do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
2. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Are your customers worth the investment?
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the average amount you spend to win a new customer.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total revenue you expect to earn from a customer over the whole time they do business with you.
Let’s say you want to impress a potential customer, so you buy them a $1,000 ticket to a hospitality box at a major event. This ticket gives you the chance to build a relationship in a relaxed setting, answer customer questions and showcase your company’s value. After the event, the client decides to sign a contract with you. Over the next few years, that client spends $100,000 on your services.
In this case:
Your CAC is $1000 (the cost of the hospitality box ticket).
Your CLV is $100,000 (the total revenue from that client).
Why do they matter?
If you spend $1,000 to acquire a customer who brings in $100,000 over time, you’re making a smart investment. Your CLV is much higher than your CAC! But if you spend $1000 and the customer doesn’t spend any money with your organisation, you’re losing money. Comparing CAC and CLV helps you make sure your marketing is profitable and sustainable.
3. Lead to customer conversion rate: Are you turning interest into sales?
Not everyone who shows interest in your business becomes a customer. Your conversion rate tells you what percentage of your leads actually make a purchase.
Think about all the ways you capture leads: people who visit your expo stand, download a brochure from your website, or fill out a contact form after an event. If you collect 100 business cards at the expo and 20 people download your product guide, you have 120 leads. If 12 of those leads become paying customers, your conversion rate is 10%.
Why does it matter?
A higher conversion rate means your marketing is doing a great job of turning interest into real business. Tracking how many leads you capture whether through interaction at the expo stand, downloads, or online forms and how many of those leads become customers helps you see where your marketing is most effective. If your rate is low, you might need to tweak your approach, messaging or follow-up process.
Quick Recap
Here’s a handy summary:
Final Tip:
Start by tracking these three metrics. They’ll give you a clear picture of what’s working, what’s not, and where you can improve. As you get more comfortable, you can dive deeper, but these basics will set you up for B2B marketing success!
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