Can Metrics Really Measure your Success?

As the technological world evolves, it has proven that nearly everything can be measured via a metric system. This ranges from Facebook likes, to twitter followers, to YouTube views just to mention a few. In a world full of data, metrics drive our behavior and everyone is keen on getting that extra number. Although metrics are great in determining ad or website performance on social media, it tends to kill marketing when one focuses on the metrics only. They make most business owners lose sight of their business goals. Most marketing success stories are a result of multiple actions regardless of the product in question. One cannot expect a direct measure of success from a single marketing action. One needs to cultivate properly in order to reap the benefits of good marketing strategies.

If it’s not working maybe you are doing it wrong. However, it is important to note that some marketing strategies may fail to work because they are not being used correctly rendering them inefficient. Time and actions need to be put in place to research the real meaning of dismal metrics. Is your twitter page not getting enough interaction? How about checking the pages of other people in the same industry and find out what they are doing differently to attract audiences. Researching this may shed some light on particular trends that are working for others that you can try.
Bottom-up marketing. Another issue that arises from blindly following the metrics could be saying no to good and potential opportunities that may be a huge benefit to the company in the long run. Mark Victor Hanson, the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, did every single radio interview that came his way and never turned down a single opportunity. He and his co-author managed to build an empire through bottom-up marketing. It is beneficial to the business to allow exposure to build the brand. Small business owners should say yes to every single opportunity that comes their way.
Stop doing things that do not matter. Business owners should focus time and money on effective ways that will build the business. It is unwise to implement marketing efforts simply because they feel easy. For example, running social media ads may be easy and may feel productive, but ads will only bring in customers if they are creative and interesting enough to pique their interest. Business owners should be realistic with their pitching efforts. A perfect pitch means one has researched the outlets they hope to attract and considered how the product fits into those outlets. Pitching big for a startup may not always be the wisest move, as the business may be overwhelmed and fail to reach its expected potential.
Coordinate the marketing efforts. One quick way of killing a product is by failing to effectively promote it. Testing different marketing efforts separately to see how effective they are can be appealing but the issue is that it is metrics driven and does not build momentum. It is advisable to try different marketing options together to see which one works best as it also saves on time.
Slow and steady wins the race. Business inconsistency is one sure way of making a business fail. Build up your marketing options and without a doubt, you are bound to find out which one best sells the brand then focus on it.
Understand that people like what they like. Client reviews are something that business owners should focus on. Testimonials and reviews are almost as good as a word of mouth recommendation. Many potential clients also take reviews seriously as they use them to gauge if they should go forward with the brand.

As much as metrics are a powerful tool, it is important to review them with some perspective. It is also important for business owners to be consistent with their marketing efforts. Metrics should also be used to identify which areas of marketing need improvement. Also, allow time for marketing efforts to build and sell the brand. Success is rarely built on one course of action but through a set piece of actions.

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