Measure What Matters: Chapter Three

At this point in the book, Paine discusses seven main steps she uses every time she develops a measurement program.

Step One: Define Your Goals and Objectives. You must include a date, budget, and desired audience rather than just the desired outcome. Most problems come when groups have mixed objectives.

Step Two: Define Your Environment, Audience and Influence. Social media has torn down the wall between marketing and sales; everyone is much closer in contact with the customer, no matter the department. 

Step Eight: Be as happy as these stock photo models
about your awesome new measurement program!

Step Three: Define Your Investment. Ideally, you should be spending between five and seven percent of your marketing budget on measuring that specific program, opposed to the 4.5% average. 

Step Four: Determine Your Benchmarks. Choose benchmarks so that you can track the results of a specific event, rather than random dates that will not give an effective read of your progress.

Step Five: Define Your Key Performance Indicators. Because you are super awesome, your objectives have all been very specific and measurable- which means that you need to pick a way to measure them, whether it be through shares through social media, event attendance or sales. 

Step Six: Select the Right Measurement Tool. Measurement tools are what you use to collect data. You will want to find something that is appropriate for what you want to do and is affordable.

Step Seven: Analyze Data. Measurement is a continuous improvement process; this means that you cannot wait until the end of your timeframe to reflect on how you did. Paine includes ideas for different tactics in the book.

All of this information may seem intuitive. However, I am the type of person that likes to make checklists and write things down, so I think that it is awesome to have a resource like this that I can go off of. It is also important as a company to have a clear idea of what you want across the board, and having a plan cut into clear, basic steps will help promote larger awareness.

Until next time!

Kathryn