Measuring Return On Investment

...or Is My Brand Working?

To measure the impact and effectiveness of marketing and branding on the bottom line alone is a mistake. There are far too many facets of the success equation. It is easy to lose enthusiasm and focus if there are no intermediate benchmarks of success for activities that will ultimately affect the bottom line.

The value of reputation, relationships, brand awareness and consumer attitudes related to your business, are impossible to measure just on financial return.

A thorough evaluation of where your business is now and the identification of the most important next goal is a good place to start.

Other measures of ROI are:

-number of leads generated

-total sales revenue generated

-change in awareness of your brand ? attention form the media

-change in market share

-change in buying pattern re products, days etc.

-change in intent to buy

-increase in incremental sales revenue

-customer retention

Look for ways to track your progress keeping the end in mind. It is all about prioritizing and being able to identify and sort the factors that are crucial to your success, from the insignifcant details it's so easy to get caught up in.

It may feel more productive to be doing, but it is actually more constructive to be planning. The odds of achieving marketing success increase exponentially if you are aware of what has succeeded and failed in the past. 80 to 90% of effort is well spent on identification, planning and determining the success metrics, with the balance on execution and assessment.

The owner of a successful business or product is often reported as saying, "It seemed to develop a life of it's own and just take off." It could be a lucky break but often it's the result of years of experience and thought finally put into action.

Nancy Fraser is the President of Nota Bene Consulting a marketing and advertising firm that encourages their clients to "First Ponder, Then Dare". Sign up for the free ezine at http://www.notable-marketing.com

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/lma----metropolitan-philadelphia-chapter/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B47029CBF-F1A1-486B-A70A-8DEB744D99F5%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1258140512ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNFxng1VhcfgbPxgLTdNJ1G_Qtj1BgLMA -- Metropolitan Philadelphia Chapter Presents Insight on b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Mastering conversational bbranding/b is one of the smartest things a growing firm can utilize.quot; Mastering Conversational bBranding/b will be held on October 16th b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/msds-suggests-5-essentials-building/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BC5772BBC-47EA-4AE9-9C9C-3944CAB1DDBA%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1258132810ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNGKozmhXMSlE5T3-pr3wBnWdllBmgMSDS Suggests 5 Essentials to Building an Effective Non-Profit bBrand/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The importance in consistently delivering on a bbrand#39;s/b promise and advancing its mission is essential to building the kind of long-term bbrand/b loyalty b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/rocky-mountain-chocolate-factory-cold/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BF4559046-9D7D-46BB-AAE7-EB8FFD456120%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1258195747ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNGefjjFLpIsLNnjG5JrTmCxamUeYwRocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Cold Stone Creamery to Test b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;We are delighted to have the possibility to enter into a co-bbranding/b test with Cold Stone Creamery,quot; stated Bryan Merryman, Chief Operating Officer of b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nma.co.uk/Articles/39975/Oxfam%2Brolls%2Bout%2Bmajor%2Bonline%2Bbranding%2Bdrive.htmlcid=1258032466ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNG1XFdiNN_dG6DG_EUnVvVPjbAYugOxfam rolls out major online bbranding/b drive/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew Media Age,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Oxfam has launched its biggest-budget bbranding/b drive as it pushes its Be Humankind message online. The global relief organisation has launched its most b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.innisfilscope.com/news/2008/1015/news/003.htmlcid=0ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNEtFn89Nhqtbg8AW5Cb28JYJdoKnQEDAC frustrated by bbranding/b delays/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fInnisfil Scope,nbsp;Canadanbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Council will discuss the implementation of a new bbrand/b for the municipality during an upcoming meeting. The move comes after an Innisfil committee turned b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2008/10/15/58262.htmlcid=0ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNHiRqCD5ZW7u5U6KCpv8h5TfeRUjwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=QAaVO4zNwjEJimgurl=www.alarabiya.net/files/image/large_53491_58262.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Al-Arabiya/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2008/10/15/58262.htmlcid=0ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNHiRqCD5ZW7u5U6KCpv8h5TfeRUjwRe-bbranding/b globalization/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAl-Arabiya,nbsp;United Arab Emiratesnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Under the old bbrand/b of globalization many assumed that the world will be united under US hegemony, in an end-of-history kind of way. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/10-youth-digital-branding-donts.htmlcid=0ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNFvXJis01fJuc5YLiCMm_VtPdv1XAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=hBeGFlLkZDIJimgurl=www.psfk.com/wp-content/uploads/authors/93.jpg width=69 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2PSFK/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/10-youth-digital-branding-donts.htmlcid=0ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNFvXJis01fJuc5YLiCMm_VtPdv1XA10 Youth Digital bBranding/b Don’ts/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPSFK,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrOct 14, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Don’t target a small age range, allow your bbrand/b to grow with its users. Don’t blatantly rip and appropriate youth-produced content onto your site. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://news.stv.tv/environment/34346-voluntary-carbon-offsetting-not-yet-crisis-victim/cid=1257736211ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNEVs_KkaQp41j_U0qlIBRzE9DTSAQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=zLPXfIgDaWcJimgurl=news.stv.tv/assets/img/feedImg/34346-voluntary-carbon-offsetting-not-yet-crisis-victim-200.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2stv.tv/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE49E6PM20081015cid=1257736211ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNF2wpLH3V8dBCeLL2OUIx2g-pooxgVoluntary carbon offsetting not yet crisis victim/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Spending on carbon offsetting as part of what is known as quot;green bbranding/bquot; is also quite low in comparison to other costs. quot;Most companies shouldn#39;t feel b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://in.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idINIndia-35962220081014cid=1257736211ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNEwfAYqsIUYlK47Hpa9kh3T8p2HvQEU, Kyoto carbon registries to connect on Oct 16/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters India/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1257736211hl=ennobrall 7 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.twice.com/article/CA6605784.html%3Fdesc%3Dtopstorycid=1257929941ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNEdPehMhb1EQ4NqtgQyybIRwMaASgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=GDtkZnbwG7kJimgurl=a330.g.akamai.net/7/330/2540/20081015182901/www.twice.com/articles/images/TWICE/20081015/sandiskslot_web.jpg width=80 height=58 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Twice/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.itwire.com/content/view/21174/1103/cid=1257929941ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNE4mJlV88Mc1A17R0M_iYLv2Aic_ASanDisk wants microSD cards to displace CDs, launches “Shuffle b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fiTWire,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1What’s new is the slotMusic player itself, on sale without any artist bbranding/b (ie SanDisk only bbranding/b) for US $20, or with artist bbranding/b pre-packaged b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://newsticker.welt.de/index.php%3Fchannel%3Dfin%26module%3Dsmarthouse%26id%3D793789cid=1257929941ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNFYZ7t76o4HT6KdXOpPl003QN3sMQslotMusic Cards Now Shipping: More Than 40 Top Artists Available b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWELT ONLINE/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/337/C16401/cid=1257929941ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNHQRVeI3UYartk29Bl9xPcG4fpTVASanDisk Sansa slotMusic MP3 Player Loves slotMusic Cards/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMobile Magazine/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1257929941hl=ennobrall 65 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ldpbusiness.co.uk/commercial-property-liverpool/commercial-property-news/2008/10/15/auction-firm-aims-to-capitalise-on-new-branding-deal-96026-22036215/cid=1258033654ei=B0v2SOfxBo_u6gP7zpmWCQusg=AFQjCNG9x-e4ad8cKlXEko8IkWbAAHhn1QAuction firm aims to capitalise on new bbranding/b deal/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLDPBusiness,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1SMITH and Sons has announced that, from December, 2008, its property auctions will be held under the bbrand/b, Auction House Smith and Sons, after negotiating b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
branding - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Brand Equity

Brand equity can be defined in many different ways. I... Read More

How Will Your Visitors Remember You And Your Business? Brand Yourself From The Crowd...

Big and Yellow 'M' reminds you McDonalds... 'DELL' with oblique... Read More

The Trust Issue In Marketing

One of the prime motivating factors in the purchase decision... Read More

Brand Warfare is More of a War than You Think

We will discuss Brand Marketing for a minute. In this... Read More

Whats In A Name? When It Comes To Your Business, Plenty!

Q: How important is the name of a business? Should... Read More

Hummer is an Excellent Brand

What size is your Hummer? Hummers Come in All Sizes;... Read More

Brand Identity and Brand Image - Brand Identity Guru

It is important to distinguish between corporate identity, brand identity,... Read More

Great Brands Depend On Attention To The Brand Architecture

Do you have the architecture in place to make sure... Read More

How Do You Define a Good Logo Design?

Everyone wants his company logo to be the best but... Read More

Brand Image ? Brand Identity Guru

Having a brand image is not a "have or have... Read More

Brand Value Plan - Brand Identity Guru

Developing brand value is critical to every organization and when... Read More

Strategy and Tips for a Successful Logo Design

Visual processing is the most important way for gathering information... Read More

Brand Boring or Brand Buzz?

I heard an advertisement on the radio the other day... Read More

Branding: All My Exs Live In...

...my senses. I know, you were thinking 'Texas'. Well, if... Read More

Which Of These Words Attract Your Clients

Whether it's your business card, tagline, article title, web site... Read More

Branded Email: Email Branding is the Next Generation of Email

All You Need is Branded Email Or Always Branded Email... Read More

Branding ? Brand Identity Guru

Brands are important aspects of any business, but unlike money... Read More

Self-Marketing: The I Focus

Ever had one of those conversations where you wondered what... Read More

What is Private Franchising? It is Nothing Someone Made It Up

The Federal Trade Commission has an obligation to the general... Read More

Image is EVERYTHING

The absolute foundation of your small business is your image.... Read More

Is It Legal? - Indecent Naming With Tradition

When Mitsubishi launched a new car with the name "Pajero"... Read More

Multi-Brand Franchises in the QSR Sector

Well not everyone is aware that McDonalds also owns several... Read More

Nike / Sears / Kmart

The Sears-Kmart merger hopes to fabricate some sort of silver... Read More

Brand Building 101

Building your brand into a brand leader isn't easy. There... Read More

Choosing the Right Color Palette

Color is a highly personal experience ? everyone has favorite... Read More