Calculating Marketing KPIs

Forrester has identified a set of KPIs that can be used to demonstrate the business impact of marketing. To ensure accurate benchmark calculations and comparisons, we have developed detailed definitions for each KPI. By agreeing with sales on how marketing contribution is calculated, marketing can ensure that any reports/dashboards generated will be viewed more credibly.

When it’s time to defend marketing’s value, using the right measurements and defining them clearly to key stakeholders are both musts. Not showing calculations when it comes to marketing reporting can raise doubts in two areas: accuracy and trust. It will be difficult to get past either until there’s a clear explanation for what was measured, how it was measured, and how various inputs were obtained. In this report, we explain how to calculate five KPIs used to demonstrate and benchmark marketing’s business impact.