In the last couple of editions of Vik’s MIX, I’ve talked about holiday campaigns, viral strategies, and the campaigns you can run as we roll into 2025.
But amid the mad rush to launch those year-end campaigns, let’s not forget the one thing that truly matters.
Performance.
Too many companies blow their budgets on campaigns without ever drilling down into what actually drives results. When the dust settles, what’s left?
Popularity, buzz, maybe even a bit of brand recognition.
But none of those can be deposited in the bank.
In edition #28, I’m diving into the 7 key performance criteria you need to consider before launching any marketing campaign.
Because even if your campaigns are world-class, and your business model is solid, you could still be leaving a huge chunk of potential on the table.
That’s why, once again, I’m bringing in the legendary Jay Abraham in this edition to talk about his approach to business model remodeling.
And since these two topics are heavy enough to max out your mental energy, I’ll end this edition on a lighter note.
Here’s what you’re going to discover:
Campaigns Crushing or Losing?
Business Model Remodeling
Hitting Home with awkward, relatable humour
Let’s go in for the details.
Campaigns Crushing or Losing?
Let’s face it – knowing if your B2B marketing is really paying off can feel like trying to catch smoke.
You’re hustling hard, pouring time and cash into campaigns, but how can you tell if they’re actually moving the needle?
To get a real handle on your results, you’ve got to go beyond surface-level metrics and dig into numbers that reveal what’s really happening.
Here’s your roadmap for figuring out if you’re crushing it – or if it’s time to tweak.
1. Show Me the Money – ROI
First up, the big one: Return on Investment (ROI). If there’s one thing every exec cares about, it’s ROI. This number shows whether you’re making more money than you’re spending. It’s simple:
ROI = (Net Profit/Cost of Investment)×100
High ROI? Nice work. That means your marketing is paying off. If it’s low, though, it’s probably time to rethink where those marketing dollars are going.
2. Lead Quality – MQLs and SQOs
Not every lead is a golden goose. Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) are interested but maybe just window-shopping, while Sales Qualified Opportunities (SQOs) are those hot prospects on the verge of buying.
Keeping an eye on these can help you see if your leads are worth the chase. If MQLs aren’t moving to SQOs, it might be time to adjust your message or find a better audience.
3. Conversion Rate – Who’s Biting?
This one’s about action. Conversion rates track what percent of visitors actually do something – whether it’s signing up for a demo, filling out a form, or booking a call. Here’s how you figure it out:
Conversion Rate = (Conversions/Total Visitors)×100
High conversion rate? Awesome – you’ve got people engaged and ready to take the next step. Low conversion rate? It might mean your calls-to-action or landing pages need some love.
4. CPA – The Cost of Winning Customers
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) is all about what you’re spending to bring in each new customer. Calculate it like this:
CPA = Total Marketing Costs/Number of New Customers
A lower CPA means you’re bringing in customers without burning through cash. But if your CPA’s looking a little high, it could mean you’re overspending on channels that aren’t pulling their weight.
5. Website Traffic and Engagement
Traffic is great, but engagement? That’s where the magic is. You want to see how long people stay, how many pages they check out, and if they’re sticking around or bouncing off.
High engagement usually means your site is worth a second look, while low engagement could mean it’s time for a refresh.
6. Lead-to-Close Rate
This is your conversion goldmine – the percentage of leads that actually turn into paying customers. It gives you a sense of how well both marketing and sales are working together.
If leads are flowing in but not closing, you might have a disconnect between what marketing is promising and what sales is delivering.
7. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) tells you how much revenue you can expect from a customer over the long haul.
Higher CLV means they’re loyal, which is exactly what you want. Knowing this number helps you decide if it’s worth spending more on acquisition to pull in these high-value customers.
Tools to Make It Happen
Using tools like Google Analytics, CRM systems, and multi-touch attribution software makes tracking this stuff easier.
They’ll give you a bird’s-eye view of which channels are driving results, helping you zero in on what’s working and what’s not.
Measuring B2B marketing success isn’t about a couple of vanity metrics; it’s about zeroing in on what drives real results.
Jay Abraham’s Guide to Business Model Remodeling:
Sometimes, a business model just needs a little shake-up—a fresh look to help it perform better and stay ahead. Jay Abraham’s “Business Model Remodeling” is all about doing just that.
Think of it as a deep clean: identifying hidden assets, tuning up underused parts, and getting agile enough to adapt on the go. Here’s his six-step plan to get there, plus a few real-life B2B examples to see it in action.
1. Comprehensive Assessment
Step one: know exactly what’s helping and what’s dragging you down. Abraham’s approach starts with taking a hard look at your current setup.
Take Dropbox, for example—they realized they were sitting on a massive base of free users but hadn’t capitalized on it.
So, they introduced premium features and upsells that encouraged users to upgrade. By assessing every corner of their model, they turned a non-paying crowd into a whole new revenue stream.
2. Identifying Opportunities for Change
Once you’ve mapped the landscape, it’s time to spot where the gold might be hiding. Abraham loves this part—it’s all about finding potential you’re not tapping into.
For instance, Shopify saw they were known mainly as the go-to for small businesses. They dug deeper and saw that they were missing out on the big players.
So, they launched Shopify Plus to cater to larger companies, essentially creating a whole new market for themselves without reinventing the wheel.
3. Strategic Restructuring
Next up is the big shift: once you’ve identified your opportunities, you start reshaping to suit the market.
Slack went through this by targeting not just small teams but big corporations, shifting to enterprise-wide subscriptions.
By focusing on entire organizations (think IBM and Oracle), they moved into high-value territory, securing long-term contracts that boosted their reach and recurring revenue.
4. Leveraging Existing Resources
Abraham’s all about squeezing the most out of what you already have. Look at Microsoft and their shift to Microsoft 365.
They took their classic products and turned them into an ongoing subscription model—no huge, one-time price tag but a steady, monthly income stream.
It’s the same product, just reimagined to deliver continuous value to customers and consistent revenue for the company. Talk about making the most of your assets.
5. Implementation of Innovative Practices
Now comes the cool stuff—adding fresh practices that put you ahead of the curve. T
ake Adobe, which went from selling boxed software to creating Adobe Creative Cloud, a suite offered through subscriptions with cloud storage and updates. Not only did this keep them competitive, but it also set them apart as they embraced digital transformation.
A smart move like this can make all the difference, especially in an industry where everyone’s racing to stand out.
6. Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation
Last but not least, stay flexible. Abraham’s model isn’t about a one-time fix; it’s about checking in, tweaking, and staying nimble.
HubSpot is a champ at this—they listen to customer feedback and make continuous adjustments to their platform, expanding from CRM into full sales, marketing, and service hubs as their users’ needs grew.
This commitment to staying on top of what works (and ditching what doesn’t) keeps them sharp and relevant.
Why Slack’s Mockumentary Ad Hit So Close to Home
Slack’s “So Yeah, We Tried Slack” ad was a great hit.It took the everyday grind of work and gave it a sitcom glow-up.
Imagine if The Office had a love child with Parks and Rec—that's exactly the vibe.
This wasn’t just an ad; it was a mirror for every team out there trying to juggle chaos, miscommunication, and endless messages. Slack knew its audience and went straight for the funny bone. Here’s how it hit all the right notes.
Office Humor Done Right
Forget dry, lifeless B2B ads. Slack tapped into that awkward, relatable humor that makes us laugh because, well, we’ve all been there.
The characters could’ve been lifted right from any real office, stuck in meetings they don’t need, or drowning in emails that never end.
Instead of pushing features, they made us chuckle and say, “Oh yeah, that’s me.” It was refreshing, relatable, and impossible to ignore.
Real Folks, Real Talk
What really made the ad work? Slack didn’t bring in actors to sell you on its product. Nope. They roped in a team from Sandwich Video, folks who actually use Slack daily.
The result? It felt authentic, like a buddy explaining why they can’t live without it. We weren’t getting some polished pitch—we got the real deal, quirks and all.
And that’s a rare find in the B2B world, where most ads can feel, well… too polished.
Tackling the Headaches
Ever feel like office communication is just noise? Slack gets it. They didn’t shy away from the classic gripes—lost messages, endless back-and-forths, confusion galore.
And they didn’t preach; they showed. We got to see how Slack smooths things out, making work life feel a little less messy. ]
They solved problems without shouting about it—just by showing us real people handling real issues.
Tapping into Work Culture
Slack’s vibe hit home because they used the kind of humor that feels like a good meme—something you’d share with coworkers just to say, “This is so us.” It wasn’t trying too hard, it wasn’t in-your-face.
It was laid-back but spot-on, like a casual wink to everyone who's had a chaotic workday.
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