The 8-Step KPI Dashboard Guide
by Brett Linnenkohl
Dashboards are a crucial way to get a pulse on your entire business and make smart decisions based on tests, investments and team performance.
This guide will lay out the steps you need to take to build a comprehensive dashboard for your business.
STEP 1
Define Roles Your Business Needs
Most small businesses do a poor job separating roles and responsibilities. While this provides flexibility, it causes 2 key issues:
Measurables are only clearly defined when they’re tied to a clear role.
If no one is responsible for a measurable, there’s no accountability.
Take the time to define roles and place a name to every single one. If you’re running solo, it might be your name on every line. That’s OK – now you’ll know where you’ll need to replace yourself in the future.Take the time to define roles and place a name to every single one. If you’re running solo, it might be your name on every line. That’s OK – now you’ll know where you’ll need to replace yourself in the future.
STEP 2
Define the Functions of Each Role
What is the output you want from each specific role? In marketing, this could be generating leads, creating lead magnets, managing ad spend, etc. The larger your company is, the more you may need to break roles down into subspecialists responsible for narrower sets of responsibilities.
STEP 3
Assign Measurables to Each Role
Start coming up with measurables tied to success in every role. Think of objective numbers that can’t be disputed. To continue the marketing example, track the number of leads generated or even the cost per lead generated. Don’t be afraid to go overboard; list everything you can think of.
The important thing to remember is that EVERY role in your business has an objective metric that can be tracked. Don’t worry about how to track these metrics just yet – just think of anything that could provide you value, even if you don’t know how to measure it yet.
STEP 4
Refine Your Measurables
Lay these measurables out in a spreadsheet and brainstorm with your team (if you have one). Here are some questions to bring to the brainstorming session:
If this measurable is low, how do we fix it? If no one can think of a specific action to fix it, you need to make that measurable more specific, combine it with another datapoint to make a better metric, or delete it altogether.
Where can we find this measurable? Usually, this will happen:
At the source - built into a platform
In the process - part of a “dependency step” that team members must go through before proceeding with a task
Self-reported - reported manually by the person in the role (only use if necessary)
What are my weekly goals for this measurable? Weekly reporting is manageable and useful for most metrics you will use to gauge performance. Extrapolate your goals to months, quarters and so on to see if you’re on track or adjust workloads if necessary.
STEP 5
Set Up Your Dashboard
You’re almost there. Create a spreadsheet and make a column for each of these variables:
Role
Person Responsible
Measurable
Weekly Goal
Update Dates
STEP 6
Capture Metrics & Keep It Up-to-Date
Now we need to import data into the dashboard. You can automate this, which is highly recommended, but it adds a level of complexity that requires knowledge of Excel formulas, no/low-code automation, conditional formatting and a few other pieces of software.
We’ll keep it simple for now with a mostly manual process:
Create a Loom video that shows team members where to find each measurable (or who to ask for the data)
Task a team member to collect data and keep the dashboard up-to-date. It’s worth hiring an assistant to take care of this if your team doesn’t have the bandwidth.
Record yourself going through the update process and share the Loom with your team to properly train them to look out for errors.
STEP 7
Using Your Dashboard
Each week, review the dashboard as part of a team meeting. If any goals are not being met, you need to schedule a deep dive with the person responsible to make sure their numbers get back on track. This could include finding out the tools and resources they need to succeed (including outside consultancy if the problem spreads).
If goals are consistently not being met, and you know the goal is reachable, you may need to make the tough decision to replace the team member. If you’re rolling solo, this means you may need to fire yourself from the role and hire a replacement!
STEP 8
Make Your Dashboard Visual (Optional)
If you get more value from visualizations, adding this step can lead to a huge payoff. Connect your spreadsheet to software like Google Data Studio, Databox or DashThis to generate automated visualizations that can be easier to follow.
If your business is stuck in the weeds, a KPI dashboard is the perfect way to give you the perspective you need to succeed. Even though it requires a lot of deep thinking, there’s a reason it’s my first suggestion to every client – it’s one of the best investments you can make.
If you’re struggling to break through a revenue goal or you need help scaling your business, let’s talk. You can learn more about Evergreen Strategic Systems at [URL] or book a call with the button below.
The 8-Step KPI Dashboard Guide
by Brett Linnenkohl
Dashboards are a crucial way to get a pulse on your entire business and make smart decisions based on tests, investments and team performance.
This guide will lay out the steps you need to take to build a comprehensive dashboard for your business.
STEP 1
Define Roles Your Business Needs
Most small businesses do a poor job separating roles and responsibilities. While this provides flexibility, it causes 2 key issues:
Measurables are only clearly defined when they’re tied to a clear role.
If no one is responsible for a measurable, there’s no accountability.
Take the time to define roles and place a name to every single one. If you’re running solo, it might be your name on every line. That’s OK – now you’ll know where you’ll need to replace yourself in the future.Take the time to define roles and place a name to every single one. If you’re running solo, it might be your name on every line. That’s OK – now you’ll know where you’ll need to replace yourself in the future.
STEP 2
Define the Functions of Each Role
What is the output you want from each specific role? In marketing, this could be generating leads, creating lead magnets, managing ad spend, etc. The larger your company is, the more you may need to break roles down into subspecialists responsible for narrower sets of responsibilities.
STEP 3
Assign Measurables to Each Role
Start coming up with measurables tied to success in every role. Think of objective numbers that can’t be disputed. To continue the marketing example, track the number of leads generated or even the cost per lead generated. Don’t be afraid to go overboard; list everything you can think of.
The important thing to remember is that EVERY role in your business has an objective metric that can be tracked. Don’t worry about how to track these metrics just yet – just think of anything that could provide you value, even if you don’t know how to measure it yet.
STEP 4
Refine Your Measurables
Lay these measurables out in a spreadsheet and brainstorm with your team (if you have one). Here are some questions to bring to the brainstorming session:
If this measurable is low, how do we fix it? If no one can think of a specific action to fix it, you need to make that measurable more specific, combine it with another datapoint to make a better metric, or delete it altogether.
Where can we find this measurable? Usually, this will happen:
At the source - built into a platform
In the process - part of a “dependency step” that team members must go through before proceeding with a task
Self-reported - reported manually by the person in the role (only use if necessary)
What are my weekly goals for this measurable? Weekly reporting is manageable and useful for most metrics you will use to gauge performance. Extrapolate your goals to months, quarters and so on to see if you’re on track or adjust workloads if necessary.
STEP 5
Set Up Your Dashboard
You’re almost there. Create a spreadsheet and make a column for each of these variables:
Role
Person Responsible
Measurable
Weekly Goal
Update Dates
STEP 6
Capture Metrics & Keep It Up-to-Date
Now we need to import data into the dashboard. You can automate this, which is highly recommended, but it adds a level of complexity that requires knowledge of Excel formulas, no/low-code automation, conditional formatting and a few other pieces of software.
We’ll keep it simple for now with a mostly manual process:
Create a Loom video that shows team members where to find each measurable (or who to ask for the data)
Task a team member to collect data and keep the dashboard up-to-date. It’s worth hiring an assistant to take care of this if your team doesn’t have the bandwidth.
Record yourself going through the update process and share the Loom with your team to properly train them to look out for errors.
STEP 7
Using Your Dashboard
Each week, review the dashboard as part of a team meeting. If any goals are not being met, you need to schedule a deep dive with the person responsible to make sure their numbers get back on track. This could include finding out the tools and resources they need to succeed (including outside consultancy if the problem spreads).
If goals are consistently not being met, and you know the goal is reachable, you may need to make the tough decision to replace the team member. If you’re rolling solo, this means you may need to fire yourself from the role and hire a replacement!
STEP 8
Make Your Dashboard Visual (Optional)
If you get more value from visualizations, adding this step can lead to a huge payoff. Connect your spreadsheet to software like Google Data Studio, Databox or DashThis to generate automated visualizations that can be easier to follow.