Number 95: April 6, 2005

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This week in Katydid:

• Measure Twice Cut Once
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Measure Twice Cut Once
This old saw from carpentry applies especially to marketing. In our work, we cut programs; and we cut them to save money. Marketing is expensive work and the more we can measure, the faster we can cut ineffective efforts. And we know what to do with the money left over.

Still, I'm taken aback by the results of a study by the CMO Council that said that only 17 percent of technology companies use technology to measure their campaigns' effectiveness. I would have hoped with the resources and talent available to them that these companies would be at the forefront of measurement.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that technical people know something about how difficult it is to get a true measurement of marketing. If you take a scientific approach, you may find yourself soon flustered by the inability to establish true controls and capture all the data. Yet, some incomplete information is better than no information.

For example, if you have a campaign that drives people to a web page, you may not be able to say with certainty that everyone who visited that page came because of that campaign. However, you can still compare that activity against the typical activity of that page.

Additionally, some companies may not be able to afford a technical solution for tracking campaigns. Yet, most web sites have the tracking software in place already that you can use to measure your campaign. You can usually get the reports you need for the price of a large espresso, or tickets to the trekker convention.

Linking campaigns to web sites is not only an easy way to track them; it's also become a part of the sales flow. People use the Web to educate themselves before a purchase. Even if your web site's call to action is an e-mail or a phone call, you can easily track these spikes in activity. You may not be able to attribute all the calls and e-mails to your campaign, but if you time your programs not overlap too much, you'll get a good idea which ones are most effective.

Besides, do you really think that many people find your company by just stumbling across it? Some avoid measuring because they believe a large number of people find their company through search engines. While I believe search engine positioning has a valid place in the marketer's toolbox, the volume of traffic for most B2B companies is negligible.

Measurement for marketing is inherently noisy. It's difficult to control for. But if you've lost campaigns in the background noise, that at least is your first indication that you need to try something else. Because when you do it well, you'll get a clear and unmistakable spike, for which most will gladly give you full credit.

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Kind regards, 
Kevin Troy Darling

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