Marketing Metrics: Should 'The Bottom Line' Be The Real Bottom Line

In recent times I seem to have had several discussions on metrics with different people.
Why do we need them, which are the ones most people use,  are some more appropriate based on the  different stages stages in the sales process, and so on. All good questions to be sure.

Interestingly in every case I have found that each of these individuals were most focus on the proverbial bottom line as a definitive metric  to measure the success or failure of their social media and electronic campaigns. No problem there you say. True but consider this.

Despite the fact that the lifeblood of any business is it's ability to earn, sustain and grow its profitability over time, at any given point this level of profit is a historical marker that granted is the ultimate metric for what has happened to this point.  However there is a more dynamic and predictive marker for future profitability i.e. satisfaction.

How satisfied are your clients, customers, patients, key accounts or members?

Quite conceivably your profits especially during the launch, re-branding or  restructuring phases may be modest and tracking below budget, however if your client base is genuinely satisfied and pleased with your work, there is a tremendous capacity to leverage this goodwill to drive future sales.

Despite its obvious importance to few businesses (and especially SME's  routinely benchmark, set goals for and measure the level of satisfaction within their most important resource. Their customers.
 Please don't also make that mistake. Until next time.
Good marketing and good luck.