Strategy and Marketing KPIs: 3 Steps to Building The Playbook and Measuring Performance

As the CEO, you want to know you have the right GTM strategy. 

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 ↳ You want to know how to set OKRs and KPIs. 
 ↳ You want to know you can measure their performance.
 ↳ You want to know and understand why the team are doing what they’re doing. 

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I had a call on this subject with a CEO who needed answers. 

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Here is what we discussed and my recommendations. 

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Context: There is a limbo state now (which happens often). In the coming months, they’ll be a clearer picture of ICP, positioning, narrative and GTM motions. But in the interim, how can marketing start ramping up with a view to a fuller GTM strategy in 6-weeks? 

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Here are the 3-steps to “removing some unknowns” and how to think. 

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1. First step. Don’t over-complicate. 

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Get marketing to provide an interim plan based on these questions. 
 ↳ How can we make sales easier? 
 ↳ How do we broaden the scope of the teams' impact?
 ↳ Pick the most significant problems (right now) and eliminate them one at a time. 
 ↳ How do we get ready to go faster (i.e., remove existing blockers so you can get going? 

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2. Next step. Build a lean “strategic” playbook. 

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This should be when the clarity on the new ICP, market and GTM motion arrives. To build such a playbook, follow these essential steps:

  ↳ Understand your revenue goals and work backwards to determine the necessary metrics, even if you have to make assumptions.
  ↳ Define your North Star, a strategic vision for the upcoming period (1H or annually). Break down into objectives and focus. 

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  ↳ Design the architecture of your marketing strategy, considering all channels and their connections.
  ↳ Specify the strategic ideas and tactical execution for each channel in your marketing machine.
  ↳ Set up milestones to track progress throughout your plan.
  ↳ Clearly outline what actions you will take.
  ↳ Document and prioritise blockers and challenges to address.
  ↳ Create a campaign calendar that integrates all the elements of your plan.
  ↳ Categorize your Go-To-Market (GTM) initiatives into three buckets: Evergreen to BAU, Experiential, and Big Bets, aligning them with your strategic plan.
  ↳ Write an executive summary that articulates your vision, outlook, metrics, planned actions, and support needed from the business.

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3. Next step. Create a system for weekly/monthly measurement. 

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↳ Get agreement on the correct leading / lagging indicators (Tip: You’ll need leading before lagging, especially when starting from scratch).

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Examples below.

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‍LEADING:

‍- Website Traffic

- Time-on-site

- Linkedin Engagement

- Blog posts/engagement

- Number of webinar/event attendees

- Number of leads/pipeline volume: this is the most used leading indicator.

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‍LAGGING:

- MQL/SAL/SQL

- Budget/Spend

- Campaign ROI

- Cost per Lead

- Revenue

- Velocity

- Client Lifetime Value

- Conversion Rates

- Pipeline Contribution

- Marketing Mix ROI

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  ↳ Create a scorecard (Example of a CRO scorecard but can adapt). 
  ↳ Run effective GTM meetings each week. See below. 

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60-minute GTM Meeting

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→ Metrics  

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What's the pacing of the pipeline?
-  How many leads are flowing through the funnel? (Quantity, or Flow)
-  What is our conversion rate for someone who enters the funnel into a closed deal? (Conversion Rate)
- What is the Cost of Acquiring a Customer? (CAC).

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→ Individual updates (@all)
What's the real challenge for you this week?

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→ One sentence answers to the following:
1. (i) most valuable learning:
2. (ii) priorities for the week:
3. (iii) project confidence:
4. (iV) stakeholder health:
5. (Vi) GTM alignment:

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→ AOB 
How can we make sales easier? 
As a team, what should we STOP / START / CONTINUE doing?
How do we broaden the scope of the teams' impact?

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Remember, the marketing strategy IS the company strategy. 

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Ensure teams are aligned, focused on the right actions. 

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Not a million things. 

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If you get this right, you’ll improve your chances of GTM success.