In a performance-driven world, traditional marketing, brand campaigns, and in-person events often get a bad rap. Why? Because their impact isn’t always instantly traceable like paid digital ads. But that doesn’t mean they don’t work—it means we need to be more intentional about how we define success and measure ROI.
At Arant Ventures, we believe every marketing initiative, whether it’s a billboard or a brand refresh, deserves a clear, customized framework for impact. Here’s how to do it.
1. Traditional Marketing: Print, Radio, TV & Direct Mail
Success Metrics to Track:
- Lift in Direct Traffic: Monitor spikes in website traffic from regions or ZIP codes where traditional campaigns are live.
- Phone Calls / SMS Responses: Use unique call tracking numbers or response keywords per campaign.
- Coupon or QR Code Redemption: Offline channels can still convert, if you give them a measurable call to action.
- Location-based Sales Increases: If you run ads in a specific geography, compare POS data before, during, and after the campaign.
ROI Formula:
Pro Tip: Tie direct mail to digital by including a custom URL or QR code that leads to a dedicated landing page.
2. Brand Marketing: Awareness, Perception, & Trust
Success Metrics to Track:
- Share of Voice (SOV): How much of the conversation your brand dominates compared to competitors.
- Branded Search Volume: Use Google Trends or Search Console to see if more people are searching for your brand by name.
- Social Listening Sentiment: Tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social help gauge brand sentiment over time.
- Survey-Based Brand Lift: Pre- and post-campaign surveys asking, “Have you heard of ___?” or “Would you consider buying from ___?”
ROI Consideration:
ROI here is often indirect and should be paired with longer-term business metrics:
- Lower CAC (customer acquisition cost)
- Higher LTV (lifetime value)
- Increased close rates in sales conversations
Pro Tip: Use brand tracker studies every 6 months to benchmark perception and awareness shifts.
3. Event Marketing: Trade Shows, Activations, Community Events
Success Metrics to Track:
- Leads Captured: Number of qualified contacts added to CRM (badge scans, QR signups, etc.)
- Appointments Booked On-Site or Post-Event
- Engagement Rate: Booth traffic, dwell time, giveaways redeemed
- Content & PR Impact: Social shares, media pickups, or UGC (user-generated content)
ROI Formula:
Pro Tip: Use a pre/post-event campaign to warm up and nurture leads so you’re measuring pipeline velocity, not just lead count.
Blended Measurement = Smarter Strategy
In a multichannel world, no one metric tells the whole story. Pair quantitative KPIs with qualitative insights. Use attribution models to spread credit fairly across channels, and embrace the idea that brand drives performance, and performance fuels brand.
If you’re unsure where to start, begin with one question:
What would success look like for this campaign in 90 days?
Then reverse engineer the metrics that reflect that outcome.
Tools We Recommend:
- CallRail (call tracking for offline campaigns)
- Airtable or HubSpot (custom campaign tracking)
- Google Trends & Search Console (for brand search volume)
- Sprout Social or Brandwatch (for sentiment analysis)
- Lead capture apps like iCapture/Cvent (for events)
Don’t Let “Unmeasurable” Be an Excuse
When traditional, brand, or event marketing lacks metrics, it’s not a reflection of the tactic, it’s a reflection of the plan. The right fractional growth partner will build in accountability and results from Day 1.
Need help designing a campaign measurement system? That’s what we do. Let’s talk.