Rise and shine, contrarians! Let's turn this Monday into a masterpiece. (Or at least make it slightly less Monday-ish.)

Last week, we broke down the CRO playbook’s three pillars: strategy, alignment, and execution. Catch up on article #1 here.

Now that we’ve established the foundation, it’s time to dig into the numbers—because even the best strategy falls apart without the right metrics to guide it.

Let’s dive into the Metrics, part 2 of 3. 

Metrics. They’re the love language of every Chief Revenue Officer.

If you’re not obsessed with numbers, you’re probably in the wrong job.

But let’s be honest: not all metrics are created equal. Some are game-changers, and others?

Well, they just make your dashboards look busy.

Even if you’re not a CRO (yet), mastering the right metrics can transform how you approach revenue growth—whether you’re in sales, marketing, or anywhere in between.

So how does a CRO cut through the noise and focus on the numbers that matter?

Let’s break it down into three buckets: investor metrics, financial metrics, and performance metrics.

These are your tools for unlocking growth, avoiding surprises, and proving to everyone that you’re worth your salary.

1 - Stakeholder Growth Metrics: Keep Them Happy

If you’ve ever had a conversation with executives, board members, or investors, you know they care about one thing: results.

But even if you’re not in the boardroom, understanding these metrics helps sales and marketing teams align their strategies with what truly drives growth.

They don’t want fluff—they want cold, hard data. Here are the metrics they’re watching like hawks:

• ARR/MRR Growth Rate: This is the holy grail. How fast is your revenue growing?

  Stakeholders want to see consistent upward momentum. No pressure.

• Customer Retention & NRR (Net Revenue Retention): It’s not just about acquiring customers—it’s about keeping them.

  If your customers are bailing faster than they're signing up, you’ve got a problem.

  NRR tells you how much revenue you’re making from your existing base after factoring in upsells and churn.

• CAC Payback Period: How long does it take to recover the cost of acquiring a new customer?

  The shorter, the better. It’s like the fast-food drive-thru of metrics—speed wins.

• Rule of 40: Growth rate + profit margin = 40%.

  Hit this, and you’re golden. Miss it, and, well, expect some awkward leadership meetings.

Why it matters: These numbers are your scoreboard. Nail them, and your stakeholders—whether they’re investors, board members, or owners—will stay off your back (mostly).

2 - Financial Metrics: Your Company’s Health Check

While stakeholders care about growth, you care about keeping the lights on and the ship afloat.

And if you’re in sales or marketing, knowing these numbers makes you more valuable—because revenue isn’t just a finance problem, it’s a team effort.

Financial metrics are your compass:

• Revenue & Gross Margin: Basic but critical. Are you making money, and is it enough to cover your costs while still turning a profit?

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Are you spending more to acquire customers than they're worth?

  Keep an eye on this to avoid turning growth into a black hole for your budget.

• Lifetime Value (LTV): How much is each customer worth over the long haul? The golden ratio is LTV:CAC of at least 3:1.

  Anything lower, and you might be paying customers to hang out.

• Sales Efficiency: For every dollar you invest in sales and marketing, how much revenue are you getting back?

  Anything above 1.0 is solid. Below 1.0? Time to re-evaluate.

Why it matters: These metrics tell you whether your growth is sustainable or if you’re running a glorified Ponzi scheme.

3 - Performance Metrics: The CROs Toolbox

If financial metrics are the what, performance metrics are the how.

Whether you’re leading a team or closing deals yourself, tracking these metrics will help you refine your approach and hit your targets faster.

They show you what’s working, what’s broken, and where to focus.

• Sales Pipeline Coverage: How much pipeline do you have compared to your quota? A 3:1 ratio is the gold standard. Anything lower, and you’re rolling the dice.

• Win Rate: What percentage of opportunities actually close? If it’s too low, your team might need more qualified leads, different positioning in the market, etc.

• Sales Velocity: How fast are deals moving through the pipeline? Speed matters. The faster you close, the faster you grow.

• Ramp Time for Reps: How quickly can you turn a new hire into a revenue machine? Less time means more revenue, faster.

Why it matters: These are your levers. Pull the right ones, and you’ll hit your targets (and maybe even impress your CEO).

The Art of Mastering Metrics

It’s not enough to track these metrics, you need to actually use them. Here’s how:

1. Simplify your dashboards: If your dashboards look like NASA mission control, simplify them. Focus on the metrics that drive decisions.

2. Communicate metrics often: Share progress with your teams. When everyone knows the score, they’re more likely to stay aligned.

3. Leverage AI for insights: Stop manually crunching numbers (unless you have someone for that). Let AI tools do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on strategy.

Turning Numbers into Action

Metrics are your roadmap to success as a CRO.

Even if you’re not in the CRO seat, thinking this way will help you connect the dots between strategy and execution—making you a stronger marketer, seller, or leader. 

They tell you where you’ve been, where you’re headed, and where the potholes are.

Master these investors, financial, and performance metrics, and you’ll not only grow revenue, but you’ll also grow confidence from your team, your CEO, and your investors.

Now, go make those dashboards sing. And maybe take a coffee break while your AI tools crunch the numbers for you. You’ve earned it.

Until next time, keep swimming against the current!