subject: I've Got A Number In Mind: The Most Important Marketing Metric [print this page] I've Got A Number In Mind: The Most Important Marketing Metric
Let's just say I have a number in mind and I haven't hit it yet.Ryan Bingham, Up In the Air
We look to numbers to show us progress, to serve as a gauge of how far we've come, and the remaining miles in the journey.
I've worked with a lot of numbers and they served me well; number of raw leads that need to be generated, number of leads being nurtured, number of qualified leads turned over to sales, and sales conversion ratios.
There are a lot of numbers that serve as a rule of thumb; you really need at least 3,000 email contacts to see results in your email campaigns, you need at least 2,000 followers in Twitter to begin to see amplification of message, etc.
And, much like Bingham proudly sorting through his loyalty program cards, we all get excited as we approach our numeric goals. I'm no different, but I have felt for a long time that a shift has happened (at least in B2B where I play), and there foundation of sound, results-oriented marketing is micro-focused rather than macro-focused.
Most smart marketers have already looked to implement vertical marketing. It provides a stronger message, it allows you to develop a high-touch integrated marketing plan, and direct you to the associations and events that are populated by your target market.
But what I'm suggesting is that the move to make is even more defined than simply a vertical; that the message has to become individual.
Radical thought, I know. I think the next "it campaign" will be the personal marketing plan. How do I as an individual influence and develop a relationship with the "one" with whom I want to do business? And as a result, how do I best interact and look for an opportunity to serve and provide value?
The personal marketing plan relies less on numbers and more on character. It's going to be a more sophisticated approach. What a wonderful thing for our customers and prospects to look forward to.
