Impact reporting strategy: KPIs

A little more on impact reporting. We've already talked benefits and strategy.

I want to drill down on this part of the strategy:

Identify your key performance indicators (KPIs): How will you know if you're getting closer to achieving your stated goals and objectives?

Once you've identified the goals and objectives that you'll pursue in support of your mission — and that you want folks to help you achieve — it helps next to think about how you'll know if you're on track to achieve those goals.

Let’s say you're aiming to increase your membership rolls by 15% in the coming year. Obviously, you'll be tracking total membership numbers as you go along.

But what are some early indicators that you can measure in support of that goal? The answer depends entirely on your membership strategy, but here are some examples:

• Are current members engaging more with your content and programs, and thus more likely to feel value in renewing?

• Are members and advocates referring more new people to your organization, and thus increasing the number of people who may be considering membership?

• Is your content and programming getting increased readership and participation, so more potential members are learning about the benefits of membership?

These are all activities that are upstream from actually joining or renewing a membership.

If you believe that increases in these measurements will lead to increases in total membership, it's smart to monitor them along the way.

Here's the thing:

Whatever goals and objectives you're targeting in support of your mission, it's very unlikely that they will just materialize at the end of your timeline without some earlier indicators that you're on the right track.

There are surely some precursor activities leading up to the achievement of those goals.

By measuring along the way, you'll have an opportunity to adjust your strategy, and to report those early-indicator successes to your stakeholders.

And it's them that you need to inspire, not just about the end goal, but about the progress you're making along the way.

All the best,
A.