Brand marketing often gets labeled a “soft” investment — but for Grant Johnson, a veteran CMO and strategist, proving brand value is a hard-edged discipline.
Over his decades in marketing leadership — including roles in high-growth SaaS and FinTech firms — Grant has developed and refined a comprehensive brand performance measurement framework. His approach directly connects brand initiatives to revenue and pipeline results.

Here’s how he breaks it down:

1. Market Presence: Are We Getting Found?

At the top of the funnel, Grant measures market visibility and awareness using metrics like branded and unbranded search, earned media, and social media reach.
“Your brand should represent your market opportunity,” he says. “If you’re easier to find — if your share of voice is growing — you’re going to see more inbound activity, engagement, and pipeline velocity.”
Grant’s framework incorporates classic brand metrics like awareness, reputation, and perception. He emphasizes that progress here fuels the rest of the funnel, helping the brand “move business forward.”

2. Brand Strength: Are We Being Chosen?

Beyond visibility, Grant focuses on what drives engagement and preference — things like sentiment, association, customer loyalty, and how often prospects choose your brand over others.
At Emburse, he tracked these inputs quarterly for two years. “Not everything went up every quarter,” he notes, “but by improving brand reach, engagement, and customer advocacy, along with pipeline health, we saw a 52% lift in marketing performance over two years.”
His advice to marketers? Pick one or two variables that show impact and resonate with the executive team. “You lose people if you bring in five or six metrics. Stick with what clearly connects brand marketing to outcomes.” Less than 10% of most targets are ready to buy in any given quarter, so you need to be top of mind when the deal is on the line.

3. Pipeline Health: Are We Converting?

Grant connects the dots between brand performance and downstream sales. He monitors four pipeline progression metrics: MQL to SQL, SQL to SQO, velocity of close rate, and win rate versus top competitors.
“If the pipeline isn’t growing as fast as bookings targets, you’re behind,” he explains. “But with the right brand visibility and positioning and compelling offers, you can improve conversion efficiency.”
His Marketing Performance Index (MPI) tracks all of this, giving leadership a real-time view of whether brand investments are creating lift across the entire customer journey.

In conclusion, Grant’s framework turns brand measurement into a strategic, data-driven discipline. By aligning brand health with pipeline outcomes, he makes a compelling case that brand marketing isn’t just awareness — it’s growth, performance, and provable ROI.