One of the most common (and to be fair, reasonable) questions we hear from our clients is: “What’s the return on investment (ROI)?”

But what does ROI mean to you? Some people assume that ROI is only about monetary gains, but the true value of ROI goes beyond numbers – it includes those hard-to-measure perks like brand image, customer interactions, strategic advantages, and smoother operations.

Several factors should be considered when assessing marketing success: your target audience, marketing channels, budget allocation, positive customer feedback, and the competitive landscape. 

An effective B2B campaign unlocks long-term value beyond mere sales figures, particularly in consultative, human-led telemarketing, where strategy, timing, and collaboration are essential.

Performance measure expert Stacey Barr argues that ROI isn’t only about monetary profit. She stresses the importance of accurately measuring intangible benefits. The essential question in any ROI evaluation, she points out, is “Was it worth it?” By asking this, we can explore many meaningful ways to assess success beyond mere financial gain.

“ROI is no longer confined to its traditional financial realm. It has evolved into a multidimensional metric encompassing monetary and non-monetary returns. These intangible gains, from improved brand reputation to enhanced employee morale and customer loyalty, contribute to a company’s resilience and long-term sustainability.”

Unveiling the Hidden ROI, Yiannis Papadopoulos, CFO.University[1]

B2B marketers, around 2 in 5, find it challenging to measure ROI across various stages of the buyer journey. Successful B2B marketing, outreach and campaigns, offer lasting strategic value beyond just closing deals – it fosters trust, influence, reputation, insight, momentum and brand awareness.[2] 

Outreach Success Starts Before the First Call

A campaign’s outcome is only as strong as its foundation. Success in B2B outreach depends on:

• Robust data,
• A strong value proposition,
• Well-defined target personas,
• Persuasive messaging that addresses customers’ pain points.

These elements must be in place before you even pick up the phone. Lead generation completes the process.

“62% of marketers say that clearly defined audience targeting and message alignment are the top predictors of successful outreach outcomes.”[3]

A skilled marketer should help refine your message, align your teams, and ensure your offer is market ready. They should act as an extension of your brand, using your voice, embodying your values, and speaking your customers’ language. Your role is vital in this partnership.

Why Financial ROI Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

What’s the Difference between Financial and Strategic ROI?

• Financial ROI looks at the direct monetary return from an investment — for example, how much revenue a campaign generates compared to what it cost.
• Strategic ROI focuses on the broader value of an activity over time. This could include things like brand awareness, customer engagement, or the number of quality leads generated – even if these don’t result in immediate sales.

Numerous campaign strategies – such as telemarketing, content creation, promotional drives, customer support, and social media — continue to generate leads and sales even after the campaign concludes. Many marketing evaluations overlook this, often rushing to judge success or failure too soon.

Sales, yes – But Also Brand, Insight and Strategy

The average sales cycle in most sectors lasts 6 to 12 months[4]. That means the conversations we start today may not translate into revenue until much later. However, they are invaluable for customer insights, warm leads, and building long-term success. Businesses should assess the entire duration of a marketing campaign instead of making hasty assessments.

Effective campaigns build momentum through:

• Brand visibility & credibility with key decision-makers
• Rich customer insights that improve your strategy
• A faster route through the pipeline
• Warm, qualified leads who are ready to talk

These are tangible outcomes, even if they don’t show up on your spreadsheet right away.

When it comes to priorities, 37 per cent of marketers say building a high-quality lead pipeline is their top priority[5]. Don’t just focus on volume – focus on value. Often, one high-quality conversation can outperform 20 mediocre ones. If your typical client brings in a lot of revenue, just a few well-targeted wins can lead to significant ROI.

What Influences Your Campaign ROI?

A great ROI is achievable – but it depends on a few things:

• Is your product or service ready to sell at scale?
• Can your team follow up leads quickly and confidently?
• Do your sales and marketing teams work together?
• Are you entering a popular market or carving out a new one?

A B2B marketing campaign’s outcome is only as strong as its foundation. Success depends on robust data, a strong value proposition, well-defined target personas, and persuasive messaging that addresses customers’ pain points.

A skilled marketer should help refine your message, align your teams, and ensure your offer is market ready. They should act as an extension of your brand, using your voice, embodying your values, and speaking your customers’ language. Your role is vital in this partnership.

ROI isn’t just about marketing and sales either – it’s also about what happens next. When your internal team are aligned, the messaging is clear, and there’s a process for nurturing and converting interest, the results can be transformative. And remember: if you sell something high-value, you don’t need hundreds of leads – you just need the right ones!

The Hidden Value: Beyond the Numbers

When evaluating campaigns, our clients are often surprised by the significant value we deliver beyond the financial ROI. Have a look at some of our successful strategies and results below:

Market Intelligence

• Each call offers us real-time insight into what’s landing and what isn’t. We provide feedback on objections, questions, competitor mentions, market appetite and how your value proposition connects with your audience.

Database Accuracy

• Many clients start with outdated, incomplete, or irrelevant contact data, hindering their sales efforts and marketing campaigns. We help clean and update these records to ensure accuracy, segment your contacts smartly to target the right audiences effectively, and build a comprehensive prospecting list for future outreach.

Strategic Feedback

• Our campaign reports provide rich information on response rates, performance across different sectors and audiences, barriers to engagement, and resonating hooks. This strategic feedback provides exclusive insights to guide your future strategies and decisions.

True Partnership

• Our senior team boasts more than 100 years of combined experience across public, private and third-party organisations. We handle calls, offer consultations, challenge the status quo, share insights, and pool resources with our clients. This explains why many of our clients stay with us for years rather than weeks.

The Real Measure of Success

• Financial ROI is noteworthy, but so are readiness, relevance, and long-term outcomes. At Blueberry, we join forces with you to create a campaign that delivers results and paves the way for future success. We believe that the true value of a quality outreach campaign lies in the deals you secure, the insights you gain, the connections you make, and the reputation you build for your business.

If you want to understand how we’ve supported others with ROI and added value outcomes, call us on +44 (0)113 487 7013 or email us at info@blueberryms.co.uk

[Copyright © 2025 Angela Kunawicz & Blueberry Marketing Solutions. All rights reserved.]

SOURCES 

[1] CFO.University is an online platform and community dedicated to enhancing the skills and knowledge of CFOs and their teams.

[2] The B2B Marketing Organization of Tomorrow – 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark (also 3 & 6)

[4] Why Email Marketing Still Delivers the Highest ROI in 2025

[5] 89 B2B Marketing Statistics You Need to Know in 2025

ADDITIONAL READING 

Why Email Marketing Still Delivers the Highest ROI in 2025

 The LinkedIn B2B Intelligence Hub

How to Prove the ROI of Community Management (According to Experts)