If you’re running go to market campaigns and you don’t trust your numbers, you’re just guessing. This guide is for anyone who wants to stop guessing—and start using custom reports in Charm to actually figure out what’s working. Whether you’re in marketing, sales ops, or just the “analytics person” on your team, you’ll get concrete steps, pitfalls to avoid, and a few honest takes on what’s worth your time.
Why Custom Reports in Charm Matter (and When They Don’t)
Charm’s built-in dashboards are fine for a quick pulse, but if you want to answer real questions—like which campaign actually drove pipeline, or whether that expensive event was worth it—you need custom reporting. Out-of-the-box reports tend to smooth over the details, and you’ll miss the nuance (or the ugly truth) about your campaigns.
But let’s be real: Not every metric you can measure is worth measuring. Don’t waste hours building reports no one will use. Focus on the stuff that drives decisions, not vanity numbers.
Step 1: Decide What You Really Need to Measure
Before you touch a single button in Charm, get clear on your questions. “How did our Q2 webinar series impact opp creation?” is a lot more useful than “What was our total reach?”
Start with: - What decisions will this report help you make? - Who’s actually going to read it? - Which campaign touchpoints do you want to track—email, events, ads, something else?
Pro tip: If you can’t name a direct action someone will take based on the report, skip it.
Step 2: Get Your Data in Order
Custom reports are only as good as your data. If your campaign names are a mess, or your CRM fields are half-filled, you’ll get garbage out.
Checklist before building reports: - Campaign naming: Standardize names (seriously, do it now). “2024 Q2 Webinar: ABM” is clear; “Webinar2” isn’t. - Data hygiene: Make sure campaign statuses, dates, and attributions are filled out. - Integrations: Connect your other tools to Charm. If you’re pulling in Salesforce, HubSpot, or ad platforms, double-check the sync. Missing data = missing insights.
What to ignore: You don’t need to clean every single field. Focus on the data that ties campaigns to leads, opps, and revenue.
Step 3: Build the Custom Report in Charm
Now, let’s get into the weeds. Charm’s custom report builder is flexible, but it’s easy to get lost in the options. Here’s how to keep it simple and useful.
3.1. Choose the Right Report Type
Charm offers several starting points: - Campaign Performance: For top-line stats (impressions, clicks, conversion). - Attribution: For seeing which campaigns drove pipeline or revenue. - Funnel Analysis: For tracking movement from lead to closed-won.
Pick the one that fits your question. Don’t try to cram everything into one monster report.
3.2. Select Your Data Sources
Charm lets you pull from: - CRM data (deals, contacts, accounts) - Marketing platforms (ad spend, clicks) - Custom fields
Tip: If you’re mixing data sources, double-check how fields align. “Campaign Name” in Salesforce isn’t always the same as in your ad platform.
3.3. Filter Relentlessly
This is where most reports go off the rails. More filters = more focus. - Date ranges: Only include the relevant campaign period. - Campaign types: Filter by channel (email, event, etc.). - Segment: Slice by region, product line, or whatever matters to your team.
Don’t get cute with dozens of filters—stick to what you actually care about.
3.4. Pick the Right Metrics
There are a million numbers you could show. Here’s what usually matters for go to market campaigns: - Leads generated - Meetings booked - Opportunities created - Pipeline (revenue) sourced - Closed-won deals
Skip “likes,” “time on page,” or other fluff unless you have a concrete reason.
3.5. Visualize Clearly
Charm’s charts are pretty flexible, but don’t overthink it: - Use bar or line charts for time trends. - Use tables for raw numbers (sometimes ugly is better for making a point). - Avoid pie charts for anything with more than 3 slices.
If you’re making something for an exec, add a headline number or quick summary. But don’t try to impress with fancy visuals—clarity beats flash.
Step 4: Share and Automate (But Don’t Spam)
Once your report looks good, set up sharing. Charm lets you: - Share a live link with your team. - Schedule automatic email updates (weekly or monthly). - Export to CSV for the spreadsheet crowd.
What works: Regular cadence, so people expect and use the report. What doesn’t: Blasting everyone with daily updates. You’ll train them to ignore it.
Pro tip: Get feedback. If no one’s using your report after a month, ask why. If it’s not useful, kill it or tweak it.
Step 5: Iterate Ruthlessly
Your first report won’t be perfect. Campaign priorities change, data gets messy, and someone always wants “just one more metric.” Don’t be precious—update your reports as you learn what matters.
- Drop metrics no one cares about.
- Add new filters if you spot patterns (or confusion).
- Archive reports that are outdated or ignored.
Reporting is a living thing, not a “set it and forget it” job.
What to Watch Out For (Common Pitfalls)
Here’s where people trip up: - Tracking too many metrics: Leads to confusion, not insight. - Ignoring attribution logic: If your campaigns overlap, make sure you’re crediting the right ones. - Chasing “perfect” data: You’ll never have 100% clean data. Good enough is good enough if trends are clear. - Letting reports get stale: Outdated numbers kill trust. Keep things fresh or take them down.
Real-World Example: Measuring a Multi-Channel Launch
Say you just wrapped a product launch with email, paid ads, and a webinar. You want to know: What drove the most pipeline?
How you’d set this up in Charm: 1. Report type: Attribution, filtered to “Product Launch Q2.” 2. Data sources: CRM for pipeline, marketing platform for spend. 3. Filters: Only include relevant dates and campaign names. 4. Metrics: Pipeline sourced per channel, cost per opportunity. 5. Visualization: Simple bar chart comparing each channel.
What you’ll learn: Maybe email drove the most leads, but paid ads drove more high-value opps. Or maybe the webinar flopped. Now you know where to focus (and where to cut spend) next time.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Honest
Custom reports in Charm are powerful, but don’t let that tempt you into reporting for reporting’s sake. Start small, measure what matters, and be ready to ditch what doesn’t work. The goal isn’t a perfect dashboard—it’s making better decisions, faster.
Skip the fluff, trust your gut, and let the numbers back you up. That’s how you actually measure go to market campaign success.