What if Your Best Customers Aren’t Even on Your Radar?
In our ongoing race to hit our target metrics—more clicks, higher impressions, better open rates—we may be celebrating the wrong wins. The truth is the metrics we obsess over each day might actually blind us to the bigger picture and distort our customer view.
This isn’t just a random thought, it’s a known theory. British economist Charles Goodhart captured it perfectly in what’s now known as Goodhart’s Law:
“When a metric becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”
Take a moment to think about this: every time we optimize for a specific goal or number, we’re changing and shaping our behaviors to reach that number. And in doing so, we risk ignoring the customers who matter most—the ones who need time, trust, and a deeper connection before they’ll engage.
In marketing and loyalty, this plays out when we prioritize achieving specific numbers—like cost-per-click or conversion rates—over what those metrics represent. Imagine a brand that focuses on boosting click-through rates by simplifying its message or offering steep discounts. While the numbers look great, these tactics may be attracting the wrong audience or alienating loyal customers who value substance over flash. The result? Success by numbers, but failure in building meaningful, long-term relationships.
Kobie’s 2024 Consumer Research Report, The Heart of Loyalty, underscores this risk. We found that 26% of the respondents in the study disengaged early on and said they joined a loyalty program because of the introductory offer and didn’t have any intention to participate beyond that. Those introductory offers are likely the work of marketers trying to hit enrollment numbers or improve open rates. But did they achieve their goal, what did they accomplish?
In our drive to hit better numbers we may often lose sight of what truly matters: building lasting connections with customers.
What Are Your Numbers Really Costing You?
When brands set certain goals that aim to improve engagement through low-cost channels like social media, email, or digital ads, they often focus on reaching as many people as possible as affordably as possible. These channels are great for fast interactions, drawing in people that engage quickly and require minimal persuasion, usually impulse buyers and discount hunters.
But when we focus too much on these fast wins, we get a distorted view of who our “ideal” customer really is and where to find them.
We start to believe the ideal customer is the one who reacts quickly to promotional offers and prefers low-touch, transactional relationships. Sure, this approach helps brands hit short-term goals for those clicks, opens, and impressions. But over time, it paints a false picture of our customer base—one that excludes high-value customers who need more engagement, time, or trust to convert.
By prioritizing easy-to-reach customers, we overlook others who may not fit into these fast-response categories but are far more valuable in the long run.
Go From Quick Wins to Lasting Relationships
To build a successful long-term strategy, we need to step back and ask: who are our real customers? What do they need from us?
As marketing expert Rory Sutherland says:
(Insert sophisticated British accent here) “The better way to do marketing is to define your customer universe—your potential customer universe—and then to sell to as many of those people as you can profitably over time.”
In other words, it’s not enough to focus on efficiency—like getting the lowest cost-per-click. Brands need to think strategically about expanding their definition of the customer and taking a more holistic view of their audience. I would change Rory’s words just a bit and say, “It’s about defining your holistic customer universe, and then engage as many of them as possible over time.”
Here’s where the distortion becomes especially clear. When we define our audience based only on who’s easiest to reach, we miss out on broader opportunities. The real “ideal” customers are often those who trust us, engage deeply, and connect with our brand’s values—not just those who click quickly. Just because someone doesn’t engage with every single communication you send, it doesn’t mean they are not one of your most loyal customers.
Think about Nike. In its early days, the brand focused on professional athletes and serious sports enthusiasts. But over time, Nike broadened its appeal to anyone who values personal achievement—regardless of fitness level. They didn’t focus on quick wins and looked for ways to build long term relationships with their customers. Today, Nike speaks to weekend joggers, yoga lovers, and anyone striving to live an active lifestyle.
Apple is another example. They don’t limit their marketing to tech-savvy customers who are already ready to buy. Instead, Apple creates an ecosystem of beautifully designed, user-friendly products that appeal to a wide range of people—from hardcore tech enthusiasts to those who just want functional, reliable devices.
Both brands avoided the trap of overoptimizing for quick wins. Instead, they invested in broadening their audience and building long-term relationships with their customers that has created lifelong loyalty from an astounding number of people across the globe.
Four Steps to Rethink Success
How can brands avoid falling into the trap of overoptimizing for the wrong metrics?
- Change What Success Looks Like: Don’t focus only on metrics like click-through rates and cost-per-acquisition. While useful, they shouldn’t define success. Include measures like customer retention, lifetime value, and brand engagement over time. Try to think about what success looks like from the customer point of view and the business point of view.
- Expand Your Customer Universe: Don’t limit yourself to customers who are easiest to acquire. Broaden your focus to a wider “customer universe” and develop strategies for engaging different segments, even if some require more effort to convert. Try to get a more complete picture of your customers by collecting transactional, behavioral, and emotional data.
- Invest in Relationship-Building (Cough, cough… Loyalty): It’s not just about transactions—it’s about relationships. Build trust and loyalty through campaigns that emphasize storytelling, brand values, and emotional connection. Craft loyalty programs that focus on building these over time.
- Balance Efficiency and Effectiveness: Low-cost digital channels are powerful, but they shouldn’t dominate your strategy. Combine them with approaches like experiential marketing or personalized outreach to build deeper, more meaningful connections.
Metrics Matter, but Relationships Matter More
Metrics aren’t the enemy—but they’re not the whole story, either. Goodhart’s Law reminds us that metrics are important for guidance, but they shouldn’t dictate our entire strategy. At Kobie, we are grounded in data, and we also know it’s the meaning behind the data that drives real impact. Focusing too much on short-term or easy wins distorts our understanding of the customer, leaving out those who need more time, trust, and engagement to become loyal brand advocates.
The solution? Look beyond easy metrics. Broaden your audience, deepen your relationships, and focus on the bigger picture. By shifting your focus, you’ll do more than hit targets—you’ll create something lasting. Something meaningful. Something your customers will care about long after the metrics fade.
Chat with a member of your Kobie team today to learn more.
