Businesses rely on various promotional metrics to gauge the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Baseline sales represent the average sales without any promotional efforts, while incremental sales measure the increase in sales resulting from a promotion. For example, if a product typically sells 300 units and a promotion increases sales to 400 units, the incremental sales are 100. This distinction is crucial for evaluating the true impact of promotional activities.

Impressions count the number of times an ad is displayed, while Cost per Thousand Impressions (CPM) indicates the cost to reach a thousand viewers. For instance, a 3-dollar CPM costs three dollars to get a thousand people. In addition to these cost metrics, reach measures the number of unique viewers exposed to the ad, while frequency tracks how often each person sees it. For example, an ad campaign might reach 10,000 unique viewers with an average frequency of 3, meaning each viewer saw the ad three times. High frequency can enhance brand recall but may diminish returns if overdone, as repeated exposure might cause viewer fatigue.

Coupon redemption rates indicate how effectively a promotion drives consumer action. A high redemption rate suggests strong engagement and successful promotional strategies, whereas a low rate might indicate a need to adjust the offer or marketing approach. For instance, a redemption rate of 20% might be considered high in the retail sector, signaling strong consumer interest.

Together, these metrics provide a comprehensive view of campaign performance. For example, high impressions combined with low reach and high frequency could suggest ad fatigue, indicating a need to adjust the campaign to maintain viewer engagement. By understanding and leveraging these metrics, businesses can optimize their marketing strategies for improved outcomes.