There is a wide array of tools out there to choose from. And it is critical to understand your marketing needs to help you choose the right tools for the job at hand. With a range from SEO and SEM to ROI calculators and online scorecards, the options require a good look.
The scorecard idea is an old one, revamped for today's needs. According to Lauren Gibbons-Paul, author of In Pursuit of Marketing ROI, Microsoft uses scorecards to quantify how well the company is doing in converting sales to leads in each marketing area. But scorecards may be an oversimplification. Scorecarding is neat, but it doesn't allow for overlap: one type of marketing or advertising impacts another in developing an impression in the mind of the potential buyer. Scorecards may focus too heavily on a single marketing tactic, missing other key ROI factors.
