Metrics play an essential role in every B2B marketer’s practice. But are we measuring the right things?
Leadtail’s Danielle O’Neill and Mike Maynard, an expert in B2B marketing and the co-founder of Napier, a full-service PR and lead marketing agency based in the UK, discuss why—and which—metrics matter for effective B2B marketing. You can listen in on their conversation in this episode of Agents of Change.
Mike and Danielle dive into the importance of metrics in B2B marketing and how the Napier agency approaches measurement and evaluation with clients.
Understanding the True Value of Metrics
Metrics are vital in B2B marketing, but it’s essential to reevaluate what truly matters.
Drawing from his engineering background, Mike emphasizes the need to focus on meaningful metrics rather than being overwhelmed by the vast amount of data available.
He explains, “What really matters in metrics is understanding what the campaign is supposed to achieve and then measuring as close as you can whether you actually did what you wanted to do.”
Aligning Goals with Client Objectives
Effective measurement depends on how closely marketers align their goals with the client’s business objectives. Mike emphasizes the importance of discovering the “why” behind a campaign and understanding the client’s unique perspective.
He shares an example of a client in the data center planning industry who aimed to appear in national newspapers in the UK. While this might seem unconventional, it aligned with their goal of gaining exposure within the financial sector for a potential acquisition. By uncovering the client’s motivations, marketers can offer tailored strategies that align with their objectives.
The Gold Mining Process: A Four-Step Approach
Napier follows a structured four-step process with its clients, including involvement from both marketing and sales teams to gain diverse perspectives.
The process begins with the “Determine” phase, focusing on a comprehensive situation analysis to identify campaign goals. The subsequent “Focus” phase emphasizes audience and messaging alignment.
The third step is the “Deliver” phase, where the work is executed.
Finally, Napier incorporates an “Enhanced” phase during the campaign, actively using real-time feedback to evaluate campaign performance. Mike explains, “Whilst we’re running the campaign, we try to use feedback from how well we’re doing versus our metric to try and understand whether the campaign’s working.”
Sales and Marketing Alignment
The pandemic has highlighted the growing importance of marketing in the B2B sector. With limited in-person interactions, sales teams now rely on marketing to engage prospects during the early stages of the customer journey.
Mike notes that savvy salespeople actively collaborate with marketing to identify strategies that drive inquiries and meetings. This alignment between sales and marketing ensures a holistic approach to campaign success.
Metrics play a crucial role in measuring the success of B2B marketing efforts. However, shifting our focus from sheer data volume to meaningful insights aligned with campaign objectives is essential.
Marketers can establish clear goals and leverage metrics effectively by understanding the “why” behind each campaign and involving both sales and marketing teams.
Napier’s four-step process is an excellent framework for achieving this alignment and continuously improving campaign performance.
As B2B marketers, embracing a new perspective on metrics allows us to deliver measurable results that align with the client’s business objectives.
After all, the true power of metrics lies in understanding what matters most and using them as a tool for strategic decision-making.
Want to have a conversation about how to measure and optimize your B2B social media marketing? Reach out to us!