Now you get the idea. The point of measurement and evaluation is to help you make better, more informed decisions. A measurement report should help your business first, enhance your career second, and justify your existence third. If you focus on the first goal - improving your business, you will always get funding for the next research program.

Here are 10 things that some of the country's best-known companies have done with the help of a measurement program:

1. Find a reason for flagging sales
2. Put a halt to market share slippage
3. Turn around a company
4. Making better decisions, and saving some shrimp (and money) along the way
5. Help the board make better decisions
6. Save a program that works
7. Help establish leadership positioning
8. More effectively allocate resources
9. Manage your agencies better
10. Getting to say "I told you so"