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B2B and B2C marketing measurement are not the same

Some frameworks carry over. The models underneath them need to get more complex.

Can some of the same measurement frameworks apply to B2B and B2C? Of course. But the models that power B2B measurement need to be more complex. Here's what tends to break.

Last-touch attribution

In B2B, a deal might close nine months to years after the first touchpoint. The CFO who signed the contract has no idea that one of her engineers met a salesperson at a conference two years earlier. Last touch would tell you the webinar you ran the week before close drove the deal, when it very likely did not.

What you actually need is a model that brings all of those touchpoints into a single framework. Much easier said than done.

Revenue as a conversion signal

Revenue is too far removed from marketing spend to use as the KPI in any model you build. An MMM can work in B2B, but the signal needs to be different. A lead signal, like MQLs or SQLs, can be the dependent variable, telling you how much volume each channel drives. From there, you need to build an understanding of how valuable those leads are. Again, easier said than done.

Feedback loop timing

You can run a B2B campaign and not have a sense of real business ROI for years, versus a B2C campaign that shows results in two weeks. Developing leading indicators is necessary to make sure the marketing decisions you make today are the right ones for long-term growth.

The stakes are higher in B2B, but the measurement challenges are more fun. If you're building out measurement for that kind of go-to-market motion, I'd love to compare notes.

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