Picture this: You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect cadence, hitting send, and eagerly waiting for your inbox to light up with replies. But days pass, and the results aren’t quite what you expected. What went wrong? Is it your messaging, your targeting, or something else? 

For Full Cycle Sellers, cadence performance can often feel like a mystery. But with the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks, the answers can become more evident.

Let's walk through the key metrics that can turn confusion into clarity:

Bounce Rate (2%)
Imagine sending emails, but they never reach your prospects. That’s exactly what happens with a high bounce rate. A bounce rate over 2% means something’s off—whether it’s outdated contact information or invalid emails, your message isn’t getting through.
 

The fix: It’s time to dig deeper. Check your data sources, consider refreshing them, and explore other channels to reach your prospects. Think of it as rerouting a letter that’s been sent to the wrong address.

Open Rate (20%)
You’ve crafted a killer subject line (or so you thought), but the open rate isn’t where you want it to be. In fact, maybe it’s even falsely inflated, which makes it harder to gauge your real performance. So what does this metric actually tell you?
 

Open rates reflect the first impression your email makes. A typical range is 18-24%, but if you’re falling short, it’s time to rethink your approach.
 

The fix: Test different subject lines, optimize the preview content, and ask yourself—are you sending this to the right audience? The open rate is a sneak peek into whether or not your email is getting the attention it deserves.

Click Rate (2.6%)
You’ve caught their attention, but are they engaging with what you’re offering? Click rate measures just that—whether your email offers enough value for someone to take the next step and click through.
 

But here’s the catch: you need clickable links for this to matter, and sometimes the rate can be inflated. Still, a low click rate signals that something’s missing.
 

The fix: Communicate the value clearly. Why should they click? What’s on the other side? This is your chance to guide them toward action.

Reply Rate (3-6%)
Now we’re getting to the heart of engagement—whether your prospects are actively replying to your engagement. Whether the responses are positive or negative, a reply rate of 3-6% shows you’ve got their attention.
 

The fix: If your replies are on the low end, tweak your messaging. Ask direct questions, spark curiosity, and experiment with subject lines. The goal is to open the door for conversation.

Call Connection Rate (12-15%)
There’s nothing quite like getting a prospect on the phone, but are you connecting as often as you’d like? A connection rate of 12-15% suggests your engagement might need some fine-tuning.
 

The fix: Think of it as trial and error. Test different times, days, and sources for phone numbers. The more often you connect, the more opportunities you have to make an impact.

Meetings Booked Rate (Varies)
This is where the rubber meets the road. Booking a meeting means your messaging resonated, and the prospect is interested enough to take the next step.
 

The fix: If you’re not seeing the numbers you want, it’s time to revisit your messaging, targeting, and offer. It’s all about aligning what you’re offering with what your prospects need.

Influenced Pipeline & Revenue (Varies)
Finally, the big picture—how much pipeline and revenue are you driving from your cadence efforts? This metric isn’t just about today; it’s about understanding long-term effectiveness.
 

The fix: Compare your cadence performance over time. Retire what’s not working, amplify what is, and never stop testing. In the end, this is the true measure of whether your cadence is helping drive results.

By tracking these KPIs, you're not just guessing anymore—you’re steering your cadences toward success with data-driven decisions. So the next time you hit send, you'll know exactly what to watch for, and more importantly, what to do when things don't go as planned. Every cadence is a story in itself—make sure yours has a winning ending.

How are your cadences performing? Start tracking these KPIs and benchmarks to ensure you're hitting the mark. Share your experiences and success stories with cadence performance in the comments below—let’s keep optimizing together!

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