Hi there,

More startups are adopting OKRs to keep their teams focused on the things that matter most (we hope you are too).

But not all OKRs are created equal.

Marketing should be accountable for lagging metrics like pipeline, new revenue, and customer retention. But we’ve seen many scenarios where key results set teams up for failure because they aimed too high too soon or too low for too long.

Like a company should prioritize goals based on its growth stage, your marketing OKRs should reflect the sophistication of your marketing function.

The most critical part of OKRs is making sure you have the right key results. Once you’ve picked your go-to-market strategy and defined the growth levers to use, you need to define realistic milestones based on the maturity of your marketing program.

Let’s walk through an example.

Your goal is to get more revenue from inbound. You’ve decided to invest in building an expert blog to capture organic search traffic. You're building it from scratch.

So, which key results would you tie to this effort in the first quarter? The number of comments? Time on-page? MQLs? Revenue attributed to specific articles?

We use this framework to help answer these questions:

New program (Starting)

For new efforts, key results should focus on leading indicators that prioritize completion and regular ‘shipment’. When you’re building something from scratch, creating sustainable momentum is crucial.

Using the blog example, your quarterly OKR could be:

Objective: Build a sustainable organic search channel

• KR 1: Publish 12 new blog articles
• KR 2: Rank 10 high-priority keywords with 20+ monthly searches in the top 5 SERPs
• KR 3: Attribute 500 new website sessions to organic search
• KR 4: Interview 10 customers for content topics

Middle-aged program (Scaling)

Once you’ve built a base for the flywheel, now you can use middle-of-the-funnel (MOFU) metrics to measure success. While you might start seeing some bottom-of-funnel results at this stage, keep your attention on MOFU metrics. This helps your team stay focused on snowballing their momentum without accidentally incentivizing them to cut corners for quick wins.

Using the blog example, your quarterly OKR could be:

Objective: Build a sustainable organic search channel

• KR 1: Get 200 newsletter subscribers from organic search
• KR 2: Get 50 confirmed ICP-fit prospects who exchange information to download tools/resources on the blog
• KR 3: Attribute 15 MQLs to organic search

Developed program (Optimizing)

You’ve validated the channel by creating an engine that consistently delivers both TOFU and MOFU results. Now your attention should shift to converting those results to revenue.

Using the blog example, your quarterly OKR could be:

Objective: Build a sustainable organic search channel

• KR 1: Generate 50 content-sourced free trials
• KR 2: Attribute 5 new sales opportunities to organic search
• KR 3: Create $XX,XXX in qualified new pipeline

Lastly, hurry, but don’t rush

Remember to take care when crafting your OKRs. OKRs should be drafted, reviewed, and validated. We like to share them across the company for visibility and accountability. Make sure to consider each initiative’s stage and your company’s overarching growth goals. Set yourself up to scrutinize success, and challenge your assumptions.

Did you find this tip useful? Let us know. 

Incoming: Masterclass series

Earlier today, we released the early access page for our new initiative, the T2D3 Masterclass series.

This program is designed for existing (and aspiring) B2B SaaS CMOs, CEOs, founders, and growth leaders who want to understand and maximize the role that marketing plays in their company's success.

It’s designed to give you everything you need to build, execute, and manage a complete go-to-market for your B2B SaaS company. It’s also the same methodology all of Kalungi’s Associate CMOs use to lead marketing functions for their clients.

Each lesson expands on a fundamental go-to-market concept from the book. Every module includes 1–2 hours of self-paced learning material, tangible frameworks, templates, and meaningful assignments to help you individualize your learnings and apply them to your own company's scenario.

Learn more about the program and join the waitlist here. The early access program will start rolling out on February 14.

As a thank you for being an early member of our community, you’ll have the chance to experience the lessons early at a significant discount that will be announced next week.

Sincerely, 

The T2D3 Team 

T2D3.pro

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