The 5 marketing metrics that matter

Simplify Your Marketing: Focus on What Yields Results

Build your brand awareness: The 7X rule

Metric #1: Aim for 7X Impressions

Prospects need to see your business seven times before they remember you. It’s like reminding kids to clean their room – repetition is key. The easiest way to achieve the 7X rule is to keep track of your impressions, or digital eyeballs, as I refer to them.

Track your digital eyeballs by adding up impressions from:

• Google Search Console
• Paid advertising, and
• Social media platforms

To determine if you’re achieving a 7X success rate, divide total impressions by your target audience size.

Impressions are crucial because if prospects don’t see and recognize your business, it will never lead to sales. While there are many other ways to measure brand awareness, such as website searches, new users, engagement, conversions, ‘digital eyeballs’ is a metric that everyone can understand including your board of directors, customer success, and sales teams. Plus, you’ll know quickly if you’re on the right path to achieving the 7X rule. If you’re off track, it’s time to adjust your strategy. Brand visibility and awareness is the first step towards converting prospects into customers.

Identify your lead generation target

 Metric #2: Strive for 10x leads

Every business always needs more leads, but defining what constitutes a good lead and determining how many you need takes significant effort. Typically, marketing hands over marketing-qualified leads to sales, but frustration arises when these leads don’t convert into new revenue. This frequent disconnect between marketing and sales weakens your marketing funnel.

To address the common frustration that arises when marketing efforts don’t translate into sales conversions, it’s essential to focus aligning lead generation strategies with prospective customers want. A lead is often someone who has already engaged with your message multiple times and is ready to learn more. Determining what a good lead looks like for your business requires significant effort. It might be:

• Website clicks for a flagship product
• Phone calls
• Demos or free trials
• Online appointments
• eBook downloads
• Webinars, or
• Referral leads

Setting a smart lead generation target

When establishing a lead generation goal, it’s crucial to set a target that aligns with your business growth objectives. To define a lead generation goal, aim to generate 10 times the number of leads you need for each new customer. For example, if you want to acquire 10 new clients this year, you should strive for 100 leads, assuming a conversion rate of about 10%. Not every lead will result in a sale, but sustained effort and consistency will ultimately produce measurable results.

To stay on track, ask yourself monthly if you’re on pace to meet your lead generation target. If not, bring your sales and marketing teams together to collaborate on strategies that will improve your results. By working together and focusing on delivering valuable content prospects care about, you can convert leads into clients.

Make customer satisfaction a core metric

Metric #3: Track, measure, and improve customer satisfaction

People associate marketing primarily with customer acquisition—generating awareness and leads. However, retaining existing customers is an even more critical indicator to monitor closely.

Prioritizing customer satisfaction is necessary to avoid giving your customers a reason to consider a competitor. While it may seem obvious that satisfied customers are essential for growth, many businesses overlook the period immediately after a sale—when satisfaction is most at risk because you haven’t yet delivered on your promises.

Measure customer satisfaction with the Net Promoter Score (NPS)

To effectively track customer satisfaction, you need a straightforward method. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a proven and reliable way to measure how your customers feel about your business. You’ve likely encountered NPS surveys yourself: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to family or friends?” Customers who respond with a 9 or 10 are your “promoters”—your strongest advocates who actively recommend your business.

Your customer’s loyalty is in your hands

I recommend sending a concise customer satisfaction survey with just three questions:

1. How likely are you to recommend us?
2. What can we do better?
3. What do we do well?

Send this survey promptly after onboarding new customers—that’s when they’re most likely to experience uncertainty or doubts. Repeat the survey regularly (at least annually) to track progress over time. This approach provides clear data rather than relying on assumptions or guesswork about customer satisfaction.

NPS scores range from -100 to +100. Typically, B2B companies achieve scores between 50 and 60.

Pay close attention to customers who respond with scores from 0 to 6—these “detractors” may negatively impact your brand reputation through word-of-mouth criticism. Reach out proactively, listen carefully to their concerns, and address their issues promptly.

Equally important is nurturing your promoters—those scoring you highly. Keep them satisfied by consistently providing exceptional value and service. Their loyalty is essential for sustainable growth.

Are you losing customers after they buy from you?

Metric #4: Keep an eye on your customer retention rate

Your repeat purchase rate is the fourth critical metric to track. This number, of course, will vary for every business. Repeat purchases directly correlate to the previously mentioned customer satisfaction measurement. If customers aren’t satisfied the first time and you don’t know why, or didn’t ask, repeat purchases will be impacted. This is easy to overlook, especially if you just received a big order or signed a contract with a new customer.

Encourage repeat purchases by monitoring customer behavior

Analyzing your customers’ purchasing patterns regularly is crucial. For businesses with frequent transactions, declining repeat purchases can easily go unnoticed—especially when new products temporarily boost overall sales. Ask yourself: Are your biggest customers ordering significantly less than they were three, six, or twelve months ago? Has revenue from your flagship product quietly declined?

If your business typically involves single transactions, shift your attention to referrals. Referrals indicate trust and satisfaction—key components of sustainable growth for many small businesses. Don’t wait until the holiday season to show appreciation; nurture these relationships consistently.

Additionally, tracking your Net Promoter Score (NPS) can provide valuable insights into customer loyalty and lifetime value.

Take action on your customer retention data

Pay close attention to customers whose purchasing frequency or spending has decreased noticeably. Reach out proactively to understand their concerns and fix these issues immediately. Equally important is nurturing your most loyal customers—those who repeatedly buy from you or regularly refer others. Protect these relationships by consistently delivering excellent service and value.

By regularly monitoring customer retention and taking proactive steps based on real data, you’ll build stronger relationships that safeguard long-term customers.

Google reviews are essential for attracting new customers

Metric #5: Increase customer reviews and testimonials

The quantity and quality of customer feedback—whether through Google reviews or testimonials—are critical digital marketing metrics. Google heavily factors reviews into its ranking algorithm, meaning more positive reviews can directly impact your search visibility. At the same time, testimonials provide an alternative way to build trust and credibility, especially if Google reviews aren’t a viable option for your business. Why does this matter? Because potential customers rely on both reviews and testimonials to make purchasing decisions.

While negative feedback is inevitable, what’s most important is how you respond—quickly, professionally, and courteously. Whether it’s a review or a testimonial, thoughtful responses demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction and can positively influence both your reputation and Google rankings.

Your review process should be simple and easy with multiple options for customers to complete reviews.

Proven review methods for local businesses

One effective review method is to create a QR code that directs customers to leave reviews or feedback. You can place this QR code on the back of business cards, in thank-you emails, at your retail counter, or on your website. However, this approach may not work for every business—especially if your clients prefer privacy, such as in industries like mental health services, or legal counsel. In these cases, focus on securing testimonials instead.

To make it easier for clients to provide testimonials, consider drafting one for them. For example, you could say: “I took the liberty of drafting a testimonial for you. Would you review and approve it?” Once approved, post the testimonial on your website, marketing collateral, retail store displays, and social media platforms. Testimonials are a powerful tool for building trust and credibility with prospective customers.

Another tip is to include a line item in your client master services agreement asking for permission to use testimonials, success stories, or case studies. This ensures you have the necessary approval upfront and makes it easier to showcase your results later.

By focusing on building a steady stream of authentic reviews and testimonials—and responding thoughtfully—you’ll improve your online reputation, strengthen trust with potential customers, and enhance your marketing efforts.

In closing: Use these 5 marketing metrics to make effective marketing decisions

Check out the ‘Small Business Marketing Practices‘—a quick, actionable checklist of key marketing activities and must-use digital tools to keep your strategy on track.

By concentrating on these five metrics—impressions, lead generation, customer satisfaction, repeat purchases, and customer reviews—you can develop a customer-centric marketing strategy that is both effective and manageable. This focused approach ensures your efforts are directed toward activities that truly matter for your business’s success.

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