The One Metric That Tells Clients Whether Their Marketing Is Working

"When a company chooses to increase scope, involve a partner in new initiatives or continue a relationship as the business evolves, it reflects something deeper than performance against short-term key performance indicators. It reflects confidence. Leaders don't expand relationships unless they believe the work is reducing risk, improving decision making and supporting where the business is headed."

"In the first, marketing hits its lead targets quarter after quarter. On paper, performance looks solid. But internally, the client team still debates what to prioritize, leadership questions whether the strategy is right and every new initiative feels like starting over. When renewal time comes, the relationship stalls or shrinks despite 'good' numbers."

"In the second scenario, results may fluctuate as the business grows and adapts, but the partnership deepens. Marketing is brought into earlier conversations. New channels are tested with confidence. Budgets shift toward initiatives that align with long-term goals rather than short-term pressure. Over time, the scope expands not because someone sold harder, but because trust has compounded."

Marketing dashboards often display strong performance metrics, yet many client leadership teams question whether the work genuinely advances business objectives or merely maintains activity. Client expansion—when companies increase scope, involve partners in new initiatives, or deepen relationships—reveals deeper truth than traditional KPIs. This expansion reflects confidence that work reduces risk, improves decision-making, and supports business direction. Two scenarios illustrate this: one achieves lead targets but generates internal debate and stalls at renewal; the other shows fluctuating results yet deepens partnership through trust. Both may produce similar dashboards, but only the second generates expansion. This distinction matters because expansion captures the complete working relationship experience, not isolated metrics.

Read at Forbes