Any marketers about? - The dreaded KPI’s

[Thesnacklady]

Ok so I have never actually posted on here before, but I really need some insight into this and not 100% sure where else to go. So here goes…

I work in marketing. I do love it it has its ups and downs been doing it now for about 8 years plus. Long time. Quite experienced.

I have recently secured a position that is more digital focused which is great I enjoy the analytical and data side, reporting etc. - My issue is, is that I have been set completely unrealistic KPIs.

They are so far beyond any reasonable expectation it leads me to believe that they want some sort of magician and what worries me more is that they believe this ‘magician’ probably exists!

I have some idea of what I need to do to address the issue and any advice is welcome - But my main question is, has anyone else ever experienced something like this? Where the expectation placed upon a sole individual at work is so far beyond the realms of reality it leaves you questioning so many things! I would question my own capability but I know I am incredibly capable so it leaves me wondering if where I work is simply clueless? Surely that’s a massive red flag 🚩

The reason I say marketers in the title is because I imagine it’s possibly quite common in marketing, but I expect anyone could experience the same.

I guess I need to know from others if you have experienced something similar and what was the outcome.

Thanks if you got this far.

I’d ask where the KPIs have come from and what the benchmarks are. It wouldn’t be the first time someone has pulled random numbers out of the air because why not.

By challenging / querying these numbers on the way in, you possibly have an opportunity to reset the playing field now but if not, at least you will have flagged your concerns early on ie before you fail to achieve them!

We're you aware of the KPIs when you accepted the job- did you question them at the time if so?

If not you need a conversation with your line manager to explain that these aren't realistic. Perhaps suggest some more realistic targets that can be achieved in say 6 months. With a commitment from you to work with your manager and produce some long term KPIs that are challenging, but achievable and meet the aims of the company.

I agree flag early that they are unrealistic, it is easier if you can find some benchmarks. Could you share what the KPI metrics are so not the targets but whether they are visitors or clicks somewhere etc as people might be able to share places to get benchmarks.

Totally immoral option is digital is easy to game the metrics if your KPIs are based on those rather than sales for instance.

And yes agree with pp re benchmarks.

Are you able to get a benchmark of the current performance and recent few years to compare against the KPI metrics?

If they are ridiculously different they need to explain why they've set you these KPIs - for example, are they giving you a huuuuuge new budget to work with? Are they expecting this budget to produce results very quickly?

Agree. You need benchmark stats to ensure that the kpi's are achievable.

Are they sales focussed?

@LadyPeppermint - thanks for responding! Yea that’s totally something I plan on doing. It wont be difficult to put a report together, and I’ll be looking at competitors like for like metrics (where I can find them) as a benchmark essentially to show them ‘look you are asking me to do x but these guys, and these guys can only get y’ - this amongst other things, I feel like I’d have to do the research for them. Which is fine.

But it doesn’t feel good. Managing expectations can be tough. I like to be able to say yes.

Not to mention the amount of work required to do said research and reporting, most likely outside of work hours.

To answer some of the above questions. @titchy no they never mentioned the KPIs until I accepted the job.

@ChubbyMsSunshine - nah it’s a new role they’ve introduced so I can see that they have just plucked the figures out of the air. But they can/could have quite easily done what I now have to do. The organizing of data as such is still fairly new so it will be my role going forward to ensure the marketing is ‘tracked’ for want of a better word.

@AHobbyaweek @idontlikealdi - thankfully NOT sales targets just marketing metrics so that’s a plus.

All other advice - thank you! I am reading with interest.

In that case rather than you spending your spare time researching benchmarks, can you agree to deliver benchmarked, realistic KPIs over the course of the next year? And make sure you take some measures of your company's current performance!

Say you’re concerned about the kpis but you’re keen to make real progress, so it would be good to do a bit of research to establish a proper baseline before you start. And ask if they have budget to pay for the research. It’s absolutely not a good use of your time when you could be forward planning and developing strategy.

Ps you can still say yes! I always say yes, even when the real answer is no! I don’t say “no, I can’t do that” - I say “sure I can help with that. What I can do is….” Then outline how I can help. Even if it’s not what they wanted me to do; even if it’s just pointing them in another direction, I find that people always walk away from a conversation like this feeling like they got a win.

@titchy - it’s a bit of a catch 22 I guess. In order to set realistic KPIs I’d have to at least do some of the work in setting them myself as they haven’t managed to. I fully intend on looking at performance and to a degree I can go back and look at past performance myself.

@LadyPeppermint - I could ask if they could get someone in to do the data digging.