Getting Prepared
Tying it together​
OKRs and KPIs should be combined in order to help focus your marketing efforts, track progress and reach your top-level business goals.
The diagram looks complex and overwhelming, but it really boils down to a few simple steps to set up and reach your B2B marketing objectives effectively.
- Set a marketing objective that is aligned to a business goal. For example, if the goal is to increase revenue, the objective may be to generate more enquiries.
- Define a key result for that goal using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) framework. So our original objective may become 'Increase enquires by 20% in the next 3 months'.
- Figure out what metrics can be used to measure progress towards achieving the objective. For example, number of website visitors.
- Add a target to the metric for granular tracking and benchmarking such as 'double traffic every 3 months'.
You can find more detailed instructions in the practical guide further on in this section.
Are Key Results and Key Performance Indicators the same?​
Not exactly. While Key Results (KRs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are both used to measure performance, they serve different purposes, yet they are related.
For example, a KR can be based on a KPI, meaning a KPI can be used as a measurable way to track progress toward an OKR. Example: If a company's OKR is to "Increase customer retention," a KR might be "Improve NPS from 50 to 70," and NPS (Net Promoter Score) itself could also be a KPI.
Key Differences Between KRs and KPIs​
| Key Result (KR) | Key Performance Indicator (KPI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Define measurable outcomes that indicate progress toward an ambitious objective. | Track ongoing performance in specific areas to ensure business health. |
| Scope | Change frequently (often quarterly) and are tied to specific, time-bound goals. | Are usually long-term and continuously monitored. |
| Focus | Define what success looks like for a particular goal. | Help monitor the business’s overall performance. |
| Analogy | Think of OKRs as a road trip. The Objective is the destination, the Key Results are the milestones along the way. | KPIs are like the fuel gauge, speedometer, and GPS—helping you understand if the car is running smoothly. |
Golden rules to getting the planning process right​
- Goals should represent more than incremental improvements. Make them ambitious and try to stretch your organisation. Set aggressive targets, but still ensure they have the SMART qualities.
- Conversely, don't bite off more than you can chew and overdo the KPIs. 5–7 is more than enough for most SMEs, it will keep your reporting concise and actionable.
- Stick to the plan. Once you have it set, do not deviate. At least, not until you periodically review every 3, 6 or 12 months. This rule is crucial and cannot be understated. The number of companies that we've seen waste their investments by changing tack prematurely is astounding. Just don't do it!
