The C-Suite wants answers about your Co-op Marking Funds & Market Development Fund (MDF) investments. Is the investment targeted properly across lines of business? Are we incentivizing the right channel partners? Are we providing the right amount of funding? Few topics generate as much interest as how to measure spend effectiveness. In today’s hyper-competitive marketing landscape, you need a powerful advantage: DATA. More importantly, you need the ability to interpret that data and demonstrate ROI. In our view, there are three analytical pillars that should be in place within a channel organization: operational, program performance, and investment analysis.
By following the pillars, the metrics move along from an assessment of tactical, or operational health of the program to an assessment of strategic health or, put another way, the return on channel investment.
How do you get started?
Operational (Point-in-Time): The operational pillar assesses the operational health of the program by monitoring each transaction’s progress through the program workflow.
Program Performance (Trending): The program performance pillar measures trends and predicts upcoming needs in terms of business rule modifications, resourcing or problem-solving.
Investment Analysis (Decision-Making): This investment analysis pillar provides information and analysis that enables executives to make investment decisions, whether the investment decision is at the program or partner level. An investment analysis is undertaken to determine "where do I place my bets".
How do you get started?
- Decide what questions need to be answered
- Build the analytical data set
- Add enhanced metrics
- Determine correlations
- Identify control groups
- Calculate, refine, repeat
You’ll also gain unprecedented visibility into channel program performance, training you how to leverage your data and make fact-based decisions that:
- Drive revenue
- Control costs
- Minimize leakage
- Streamline processes