KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
The specific, measurable numbers that actually matter to business health. What you look at to know if the strategy is working.
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a critical, quantifiable metric used to measure progress toward achieving strategic commercial goals.
Essential Marketing KPIs
- Pipeline Value Generated: The total dollar worth of qualified sales opportunities initiated by marketing efforts.
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Payback: The number of months required for a customer's gross margin to recoup their acquisition cost.
- Organic Search Visibility: High-intent organic traffic growth and top-3 keyword rankings.
- Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) to Won Deal Rate: Downstream sales pipeline velocity.
Effective teams track a limited set of North Star KPIs rather than obsessing over superficial vanity metrics.