There Is No Average Customer, So Rethink Your Approach

You know you love a good dashboard. Heck, every B2B marketing pro does. What’s there not to love: engagement rates, MQLs, bounce rates, time on page … Data gives us the illusion of control. But here’s the catch: Most of the data we collect is designed to paint a picture of the average customer. And in B2B, there is no average customer.

Each customer is a complex constellation of needs, decision-making dynamics, industry-specific pressures, and budget timelines. When we reduce them to aggregate numbers, we risk optimizing for the wrong outcomes. So if the “average customer” is a myth, how do you know your marketing is actually working?

The problem with the aggregate snapshot
Typical marketing analytics are helpful—but limited. They show us trends, not truths.

• A 3% clickthrough rate? Great. But who clicked?
• A white paper download? Cool. But why did that person care?
• An uptick in web traffic? Fantastic. But is it the right audience?

Data like this is useful for directional guidance, but it rarely reveals what’s happening at the individual or account level, where real buying decisions are made. As Rory Sutherland, vice chairman of Ogilvy UK puts it, “Metrics, and especially averages, encourage you to focus on the middle of a market, but innovation happens at the extremes.”

In other words: By focusing on averages, we might overlook unique customer insights that drive true innovation and effective marketing strategies.

There is no funnel, only friction

Let’s stop pretending every customer glides neatly through a funnel. B2B buyers don’t behave in stages. They jump around. They ghost. They loop back. They gather internal consensus. They consult peers. They read, listen, ignore, and engage unpredictably.

So instead of measuring how well prospects conform to our neat little journey models, it’s time to start measuring how well we’re reducing friction for the people we want to reach.

What B2B marketers should be tracking: Five effective measurements

1. Account-level engagement. Use ABM tools to track how entire accounts are interacting with your content and campaigns. Is your marketing resonating across buying groups? Are technical leads, procurement managers, and execs all engaging in their own way?
2. Content pathways, not just clicks. Don’t just measure clicks—map behavior. What journey do real people take once they land on your site or content? What’s their sequence of interest? Use this to identify content that creates momentum—and where friction stops progress.
3. Time to signal. How long does it take for a new contact or account to show meaningful buying signals after first exposure? Measuring the velocity from first engagement to first intent signal can be more useful than just looking at volume.
4. Sales touchpoint feedback. Ask sales what’s working. No, really. What content is making conversations easier? What’s prompting questions or objections? Marry this qualitative input with quantitative data to understand effectiveness on the front lines.
5. Pipeline influence by persona. Not all leads are created equal. Track how specific personas contribute to opportunities and closed deals. This tells you whether you’re reaching the right people, not just more people.

The real question: Did we help the customer decide?

Ultimately, marketing effectiveness isn’t about how many people saw your campaign or clicked a CTA. It’s about how many of the right people you helped move forward in a buying decision.

That takes more than aggregate metrics. It takes insight, empathy, and a willingness to measure what actually matters. As Sutherland aptly puts it, “Don’t design for average.”

So yes, keep your dashboards. But don’t fall in love with averages. The real power of marketing lies in knowing your customer deeply—not statistically.

Want to understand what your real customers care about—not just what the data says? We’re here to help. Let’s dig in together.

And for further insights on understanding B2B buyer behavior and enhancing your marketing strategies, explore these CMD Agency blog posts:

• How to Decode B2B Buyer Behavior Better and Faster
• The Trust-Content-Revenue Love Triangle