We don’t sell direct, but our end-users are consumers. As we try shifting from relying only on co-op to brand + demand, how are you showing the value of consumer marketing in a B2B2C model?

This is a general solution because whether the channel was online, offline or a mix wasn't defined. The shift to direct brand and demand marketing for the end consumer in a B2B2C model is justified by linking investment directly to revenue and channel action. There are 2 key steps to this. One is to look at lagging indicators of performance. The other is to look at leading indicators. The process breaksdown roughly like this:

1. Key Value Metrics (lagging indicators) where the proof of value lies in financial and inventory movement.
- Marketing-Influenced Revenue (MIR): this is the single most critical metric. It quantifies the total sales revenue generated where the consumer was demonstrably touched by a marketing campaign.
- Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI): is the efficiency metric, measuring the net financial return on consumer marketing dollars spent.
- Channel Sell-Through Rate: this proves that the demand created is successfully moving inventory from the channel partner to the end consumer.
- Data Imperative: achieving these requires integrating POS Data (from partners), CRM, and a robust Attribution Platform.

2. Key Action & Opportunity Metrics (leading indicators) - after deploying this ask for a raise ;-)
- These metrics ensure the created demand is strong and successfully utilized by the channel partners.
- Look at end-consumer engagement score / MQL Volume. This measures the pipeline health by quantifying purchase intent and actionable leads created directly by marketing efforts before the sale.
- Channel partner marketing utilization rate: The "Secret Sauce" --> it tracks the percentage of partners actively using the consumer-facing marketing materials. It proves the demand signal is both relevant and being adopted by the channel. A low rate signals a critical handover challenge. Something your partner or channel owner will need to address.

To put a bow on it, success is proven when marketing efficiently creates measurable consumer demand (high MIR/ROMI) that is successfully converted by the channel (high sell-through and utilization levels).

Social Media is a big focus and being able to partner with distribution and retailers to drive demand focused on projects. From an ecommerce standpoint, our Buy it Now partnership with customers helps drive that demand to retail as well.

We focus on connecting digital advertising budgets to the outcomes that are a priority for our clients and their partners. Depending on your goals, there are ways to measure impact at each stage of the funnel. At the top, you can use metrics like incremental reach and frequency overlap to show that your campaigns are extending brand awareness. In the middle, metrics like brand lift and engagement metrics such as clicks provide insights into interest and consideration. And at the bottom of the funnel, online and offline sales signals, and conversion lift data, tie directly to sales/conversions.