In 2000, the Advertising Research Foundation probably didn't realize that their report about marketing's ability, or lack thereof, to measure its value and contribution would initiate numerous studies, conferences, and products on the topic. 

This year's joint VEM/ITSMA Marketing Performance Management Survey* , which looks at how marketers and C level executives would rate marketing's value, revealed that 85 percent of the nearly 400 study participants are seeing increased pressure for marketers to measure marketing's value and contribution. 
 

 
A key component of the annual study looks at the comparison of the number of marketers earning an ‘A' grade from the C-Suite for their ability to impact the business and measure their value with their counterparts who are falling short. The grades remained relatively consistent with prior years, with only a quarter of the marketers earning an ‘A' for their ability to measure and report the contribution of marketing's programs to the business. 
 

 
By now one would think this journey would be nearing completion, but there appears to still be plenty to learn.  Over the years, the study has revealed that ‘A' marketers exhibit a number of differences from their colleagues–they are better at alignment, accountability, analytics, automation, assessment, and alliances. 

The investments in these capabilities and how they approach the work of marketing has enabled them to serve as value creators for their organizations.  On the other hand, the marketers in the "middle of the pack" focus more on enabling sales, and the laggards operate primarily as campaign or program producers.

In this day and age, with all the technology that marketers have at their fingertips, it begs the question "Why can't ‘B' and ‘C' marketers get close to C-level executives and show their value?"
 
Become a Value Generator
 
Marketing organizations that create value are proactive.  The ‘A' marketers hold themselves accountable for contributing to business outcomes even if senior leadership doesn't. They believe it is their responsibility to identify, investigate, evaluate, recommend, and prioritize market and customer opportunities.

These marketers implement continuous change to maximize the organization's success, and enable it to stay abreast or ahead of market, customer, and competitor moves.  ‘B' and ‘C' marketers don't seem to do that, don't ask the right questions, or don't know how to show their value.
 
Make Marketing Performance Management a Priority
 
According to the data, organizations that are performing well when it comes to customer value and business growth, are those where the marketers excel at performance management. 

‘A' marketers prioritize performance management, establish a clear roadmap for performance improvement, and focus on aligning marketing to the business not just sales. They have regular two-way dialogue with senior leadership and are motivated to select and report on the metrics that matter most.
 
Here are three qualities of this elite group that any marketing organization can emulate:

1. Be a business person first, a marketer second
2. Provide customer and market insight to inform business strategy, in addition to enabling sales
3. Tap experts to hone skills and improve capabilities
 
Join the conversation with VisionEdge Marketing and ITSMA in our webinar, The Link Between Performance Management and Value Creation, Tuesday, June 17th, from 10:00-11:00am CST.
 
*VEM has been conducting the survey for 13 years. ITSMA has co-sponsored the survey for the past three years.

Laura Patterson is president and co-founder of VisionEdge Marketing, Inc., a recognized leader in enabling organizations to leverage data and analytics to facilitate marketing accountability. Laura's newest book, Marketing Metrics in Action: Creating a Performance-Driven Marketing Organization (Racom: www.racombooks.com ), is a useful primer for improving marketing measurement and performance.

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