Leadership-brand value is inherently intangible, so how do you measure ROI?

Measuring the impact of human-brand building can’t be approached in the same way as money spent on marketing campaigns versus the revenue those campaigns generate because brand value is inherently intangible, making it difficult to quantify, and unlike tangible assets, brand perception and loyalty are based on consumer emotions and experiences, which are not easily to evaluate.?

Many factors influence brand perception, including word-of-mouth, and isolating the impact of each factor to measure the overall brand effect is complex; when you pair this with long-term impacts that are not immediately visible (for example, a marketing campaign might boost brand awareness today, but the actual effect on sales and customer loyalty might not be seen for months or even years), the challenges of measuring the impact of human-brand strategy become more obvious.

And then there’s subjective perception to consider!

The brand value can vary significantly among different consumer segments, and what one group perceives as a strong brand might not resonate with another in the same industry, adding another layer of complexity to measurement.?

How do you disentangle the effect of your personal brand from all the other value-add activities your company is engaged in?

While there are tools and methods to measure brand value, such as surveys, social media analytics, and media mix modeling, they often come with limitations. Surveys can be expensive and slow, and analytics may not capture the full picture of brand perception, so when it comes to human brands and leaders in organisations, most companies resort to vanity metrics.

Metrics like page views, social media likes, and shares are often used to gauge brand impact, but they don’t necessarily translate to brand loyalty or sales, and they can be skewed or misleading if not interpreted correctly.

Strong leadership brands can lead to increased customer loyalty, higher sales, and a competitive edge in the market so despite these challenges, it’s essential to continue investing in brand-building efforts and finding ways to measure their impact.

Measuring the ROI of a leadership brand strategy involves both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Here are some key methods to consider:

Quantitative Metrics

• Website Traffic: Track the number of visitors to your leadership content, such as blog posts, whitepapers, and videos
• Social Media Engagement: Measure likes, shares, comments, and followers on platforms where leadership content is shared
• Lead Generation: Count the number of leads generated from leadership content, such as webinar registrations or whitepaper downloads
• Conversion Rates: Calculate the percentage of leads that convert into paying customers or clients
• Revenue Influenced: Attribute specific sales and revenue to leadership branding efforts by tracking lead sources and using UTM parameters in content URLs

Qualitative Indicators

• Media Mentions: Monitor the number of times your leaders are mentioned in news articles, industry publications, or podcasts
• Inbound Invitations: Track the number of requests for your leaders to speak at conferences, webinars, or other events
• Client Feedback: Collect and analyse feedback from clients or prospects about your leadership content
• Reputation and Brand Perception: Surveys and sentiment analysis to gauge how your target audience's perception has shifted. This might involve customer feedback, peer reviews, and industry acknowledgments
• Industry Influence: The size and prestige of events you're invited to speak at, participation in panels, and acknowledgments in industry publications
• Networking and Relationships: New partnerships, collaborations, or relationships attributable to enhanced visibility and reputation
• Talent Attraction: An increase in applications or enquiries from top talent interested in joining your organisation

Business Outcomes

1. Customer Acquisition: Measure the rate at which new customers are acquired through leadership branding efforts
2. Customer Retention: Assess the impact of leadership branding on customer loyalty and repeat business
3. Employee Engagement: Evaluate how leadership branding influences employee morale, engagement, and retention

A leadership brand represents the reputation and identity of a company's leaders., and leadership brand strategy programmes deliver mutually beneficial results so tracking leadership brand ROI can help businesses prove the value of their marketing investments and adjust their strategies to have the most impact.

Use these 6 Steps to Calculate ROI:

1. Define Objectives: Establish clear goals for your leadership brand strategy
2. Identify Key Metrics: Determine which quantitative and qualitative metrics to track
3. Collect Data: Gather data on the identified metrics
4. Calculate Investment: Sum up all costs associated with the leadership branding efforts
5. Measure Results: Compare pre- and post-strategy performance
6. Calculate ROI: To calculate the ROI, you can use the following formula:

By systematically tracking these metrics and analysing the data, you can effectively measure the ROI of your leadership brand strategy and make informed decisions to optimise your efforts.

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