Measuring Marketing ROI: Metrics That Matter

Proving Marketing Value

Every pound spent on lead generation should be accountable. Understanding which metrics matter helps optimise campaigns and demonstrate value.

Why Measurement Matters

Justify marketing investment
Optimise campaign performance
Allocate budget effectively
Identify what works
Improve over time

Essential Marketing Metrics

Lead Generation Metrics

Total leads – Volume of leads generated
Lead quality score – How well leads match ideal profile
Cost per lead (CPL) – Total spend / leads generated
Lead source breakdown – Where leads originate

Conversion Metrics

MQL to SQL rate – Marketing to sales qualified conversion
SQL to opportunity rate – Qualified leads becoming opportunities
Opportunity to close rate – Win rate
Overall conversion rate – Lead to customer

Revenue Metrics

Revenue generated – Sales from marketing leads
Average deal size – Typical contract value
Customer lifetime value (CLV) – Long-term customer worth
Marketing-sourced revenue % – Proportion from marketing

Calculating Marketing ROI

Basic ROI Formula

ROI = (Revenue - Marketing Cost) / Marketing Cost × 100

Example Calculation

Marketing spend: £10,000
Leads generated: 100
Conversion rate: 5%
Customers: 5
Average deal: £8,000
Revenue: £40,000
ROI: (£40,000 - £10,000) / £10,000 × 100 = 300%

Channel-Specific Metrics

Telemarketing Metrics

Telemarketing measurement:

Calls made
Conversations (decision-maker connects)
Conversion rate (conversations to outcomes)
Appointments set
Cost per appointment

Email Marketing Metrics

Email performance:

Delivery rate
Open rate
Click-through rate
Conversion rate
Unsubscribe rate

SEO Metrics

SEO success indicators:

Organic traffic
Keyword rankings
Organic conversions
Domain authority

Appointment Setting Metrics

Appointment setting KPIs:

Appointments booked
Show rate
Appointment to opportunity rate
Cost per appointment
Revenue per appointment

Attribution Models

First-Touch Attribution

Credits the first interaction:

Good for awareness campaigns
Simple to implement
Ignores later touchpoints

Last-Touch Attribution

Credits the final interaction:

Good for conversion campaigns
Common default
Ignores awareness building

Multi-Touch Attribution

Distributes credit across touchpoints:

More accurate picture
Complex to implement
Requires good tracking

Building a Measurement Framework

Step 1: Define Goals

What does success look like?

Step 2: Identify KPIs

Which metrics indicate progress?

Step 3: Establish Baselines

Where are you starting from?

Step 4: Set Targets

What are you aiming for?

Step 5: Implement Tracking

How will you measure?

Step 6: Regular Review

How often will you assess?

Reporting Best Practices

Regular reporting cadence
Clear visualisations
Actionable insights
Benchmark comparisons
Trend analysis

Transparent Reporting

XL Marketing provides detailed reporting on all lead generation activities. We believe in measurable results and transparent performance data.