Marketing metrics that don’t exist (but should)

After years of working in and with small businesses, I’ve learned that most owners have a complicated relationship with marketing numbers. You log in to check your analytics, see a list of clicks, impressions and conversions, and wonder what any of it really means. One post can get a flurry of likes yet deliver nothing tangible, while another that barely registers online quietly brings in your next loyal customer. It is easy to feel that the numbers are telling only half the story.

The truth is that marketing is both measurement and instinct, logic and creativity. The science has given us plenty of data, but the art of marketing still hides between the lines. If we could create a few new metrics, they might help capture the parts of marketing that really make a difference to how people think and feel about your business.

Here are a few that I wish existed…

Return on Creativity (ROC)

Return on Creativity would tell us how much extra value comes from taking a creative risk. It would reveal the benefit of the slightly unconventional idea, the bolder tone of voice or the piece of content that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. For small businesses without large budgets, creativity is often the only real competitive advantage, and it would be satisfying to see that advantage expressed in measurable form.

Customer Delight Ratio (CDR)

The Customer Delight Ratio would capture the positive surprise that turns a transaction into a relationship. It would measure the small moments of charm: the friendly note in the delivery box, the thoughtful follow-up email or the way your team remembers a returning customer’s name. These touches rarely appear in analytics reports, yet they create the kind of loyalty that advertising alone cannot buy.

Brand Whisper Index (BWI)

The Brand Whisper Index would measure how often people talk about your business without naming it directly. When someone tells a friend about “that lovely little café by the station with the incredible brownies”, that is marketing in its purest form. It shows your brand has made an impression deep enough to travel by word of mouth.

Patience to Impact Ratio (PIR)

In the rush for quick results, we often forget that the most effective marketing work develops quietly over time. The Patience to Impact Ratio would remind us that building visibility, trust and reputation cannot always be accelerated. It would show how consistent, thoughtful communication can grow in value long after a campaign’s official end date.

Team Excitement Score (TES)

Marketing energy starts inside the business. The Team Excitement Score would measure how proud your people feel to share your message. When a team believes in what it is promoting, that enthusiasm naturally extends to customers. A low score here would be an early sign that your story needs refreshing.

Confidence to Spend Ratio (CSR)

Many small business owners approach marketing expenditure with understandable caution. The Confidence to Spend Ratio would track how secure you feel about where and why you are investing your marketing budget. When you understand your audience and have a clear sense of purpose, every pound feels more productive.

Why these metrics matter

Although none of these numbers exist yet, they point towards something important. Real marketing success cannot be fully captured by charts and dashboards. It is seen in how your business makes people feel, how memorable your message becomes and how much enthusiasm it inspires both inside and outside your organisation.

Clicks and conversions have their place, but they are the surface. The real story lies underneath, in the creativity, patience and care that build trust and loyalty over time. Those are the qualities that small businesses can express better than anyone else, and they deserve to be recognised, even if we have to invent a few new metrics to do it.

If you’re curious about which metrics genuinely matter for your business, we’d be happy to help you find clarity. Book a free 30-minute call with our team and we’ll talk through the numbers that make sense for your goals, your customers and your stage of growth.