– Will Stokes CEO, Blue Craze Media
If you’re a founder or executive who still relies on likes, impressions, or vague “brand lift” metrics to justify your marketing spend — it might be time for a gut check.
Conversations I’m having with other CEOs these days aren’t just “how do we get more leads?” It’s also: “how do we know what’s actually working — and how do we do more of it?”
That mindset is changing how leadership teams are thinking about marketing from the top down.
The Problem with Metrics That Don’t Move Revenue
For years, companies measured marketing by sheer volume — more traffic, more webinar signups, more MQLs. But the truth is, if those numbers aren’t moving your pipeline forward, they’re not helping your bottom line.
I’ve seen teams celebrating record-breaking engagement numbers while quietly missing revenue targets. It’s not about how loud your marketing is! It’s about how well it’s actually working.
That’s why more and more CEOs are shifting their focus to better questions. Not “how many leads did we get?”—but “how many of those leads were actually qualified?” Not “how many people downloaded our content?”—but “how many are moving toward a meaningful sales conversation?”
It’s no longer enough to know that your campaigns are generating attention. You need to understand the full journey: where your prospects are coming from, what’s influencing their decisions, and which touchpoints are driving actual revenue.
Performance Over Vanity
The industry is moving, finally, toward performance metrics that actually matter to businesses. CAC payback period, pipeline contribution, lead-to-close rate—these are the numbers that reveal whether your marketing engine is built for scale or just noise.
At BCM, we see it every day. When a team knows how long it takes to pay back their acquisition costs, they stop throwing budget at low-quality channels. When they focus on marketing’s contribution to a qualified pipeline—not just lead volume—they begin to build smarter, more sustainable funnels. And when they track lead-to-close rates, it becomes obvious which content or campaigns are actually moving deals forward.
This isn’t data for data’s sake. These are the indicators of whether your marketing strategy is supporting growth—or just burning budget.
What the Best Teams Are Doing
We’re seeing some of the most effective teams make bold changes. They’re hiring revenue-focused CMOs who sit across marketing, sales, and operations—not just creative leads. They’re investing in closed-loop attribution tools that show exactly which campaigns and channels are delivering returns. Some are even embracing fractional CRO or CMO models to bring in senior-level strategy without long-term overhead.
Most importantly, they’re holding even their top-of-funnel efforts accountable. Yes, brand matters. But the best marketing teams are connecting brand-building efforts to pipeline generation—and making sure they can measure that link.
Full-Funnel Visibility Is a Growth Strategy
If your team doesn’t have a clear attribution model in place, you’re operating with blind spots. You should be able to answer questions like: Where did that lead come from? What content did they engage with before talking to sales? How long did it take to convert? And what did it cost?
Your marketing team should be fluent in both creative strategy and sales performance. Because full-funnel visibility isn’t just about reporting—it’s the foundation of repeatable growth.
We work with brands to close this gap—connecting top-of-funnel efforts to real business outcomes. If you’re ready to build a marketing engine that delivers clarity, confidence, and real ROI, let’s talk.