eMarketer just released data from a Hendrick & Struggles survey of C-Level executives.Their focus in 2009? No surprise: it’s the customer.

The challenge? How to: 1) acquire new ones; 2) retain existing ones and 3) improve customer lifetime value, in that order.

• 88 and 87% of executives said that net-new acquisition and customer retention were important
• On a scale from 1-5, “expand to new geographies” was lowest-rated at 2.62
• Optimizing the marketing mix was the top-rated factor in achieving growth targets

According to this survey, few executives appear to be sold on their company’s effectiveness; 85% responded something other than “very satisfied” on this metric.

This widespread concern over effectiveness is driving a tactical focus on ROI, web analytics, CRM and SEO.

To drive marketing effectiveness, consider these four keys to success:

1. Agree on KPIs, measure them consistently, and regularly
   All marketers have had the experience of producing multiple reports that aren’t read, understood and utilized. Keep reporting to core KPIs; the reports must drive insights leading to action.
2. Clarify roles and responsibilities–make people accountable
   The old adage “if everyone is responsible, no one is responsible…” couldn’t be more accurate. Project plans become more important than ever in an age of staff and budget consolidation—when team members may be asked to take on new tasks.

3. Create a strong, consistent and viable process to generate leads and measure ROI
   What process do you currently have for tracking leads? Are youmeasuring revenue generated by program and campaign? How often do you generate reports? Consider the value of qualified andnurture leads when considering ROI, and establish a consistent time frame for measurement. Analyze by channel, as well as specific campaign. Experiment with your marketing mix to ensure that you are driving optimal results and remember that gaining exposure in different venues allows you to reach different audiences, at different points in the sales cycle while building brand equity.

4. Create buy-in—foster an atmosphere where folks are willing to be accountable and innovative in order to optimize results
   The team must agree to stress measurement: embracing reporting and owning their numbers. In turn, management must be open toworking with struggling team members in order to improve performance.

   A “culture of accountability” does not mean that team members not meeting KPIs are immediately dismissed, or penalized. Assisting in personnel development and collective improvement, while supporting innovation, goes a long way toward building consistently good results. Work to do post-mortems on unsuccessful efforts, debrief with your team and build a “marketing playbook” to help your weaker players learn from others’ success.

Tags: Marketing Effectiveness