I’ve been keeping track of my outreach—how many messages I send, how many coffee chats I schedule, that kind of thing. But I’m realizing that just counting activities doesn’t tell me if I’m actually getting closer to a PM role or just staying busy.
Like, I could send fifty messages and get five coffee chats scheduled, but are those chats actually moving me forward? Or am I just having interesting conversations that feel productive but lead nowhere?
I want to set up some actual metrics that matter. Not vanity stuff like “number of coffees,” but real signals that I’m making progress. What should I actually be measuring? And what’s a baseline for “this is working” versus “I need to change my approach”?
Has anyone built out a real system for tracking networking effectively? I’m thinking conversion rates, quality of feedback, leads that turn into referrals—that kind of thing. But I want to know what other people have actually found useful.
Track these specific conversion metrics: outreach-to-coffee rate (aim for 10-15%), coffee-to-second-meeting rate (aim for 25-40%), and coffee-to-referral rate (aim for 15-25%). Beyond conversion, measure feedback quality—are people giving you actionable advice on your pitch, resume, or interview approach? That’s more valuable than a polite conversation. Also track warm introductions generated from each person you meet. One coffee that leads to three introductions is worth ten coffees that lead nowhere. Plot these metrics monthly. If your conversion rates are consistently below benchmarks two months running, your targeting or approach needs adjustment.
Create a simple database: contact name, company, date of chat, key feedback, referrals generated, follow-up status. Use it to identify patterns—which types of people are most likely to refer you? Which companies are most receptive? Which questions generate the most useful guidance? This data becomes your roadmap for where to focus next. You’ll quickly see what’s working and what’s theater.
Metrics are important, but don’t over-optimize for them. The real signal is this: after each conversation, do you have a clearer sense of what PMs are actually looking for? Can you articulate your pitch better? Do you understand the gaps in your background more sharply? Those are the intangible measures that matter. Track them qualitatively. Write a one-paragraph summary after each conversation—what you learned, what surprised you, what to work on. Six months in, you should be able to look back and see genuine evolution in how you think about PM and how you talk about yourself. That’s the measure of real progress.
honestly if youre measuring stuff this hard, you might be overthinking it. just ask yourself: am i getting closer to actual interviews or offers? yes or no? if yes, keep it up. if no after six months, something needs to change. everything else is just noise to make yourself feel productive.
ooh this is smart. measuring conversions instead of just coffee count makes so much sense. im gonna set up a sheet rn!
Love that you’re being intentional about this! Clear metrics keep you motivated and show where you’re winning. You’ve got this!
I started tracking this stuff halfway through my networking sprint, and it was eye-opening. I realized that most of my coffees were friendly but not leading anywhere. Then I noticed a pattern—the conversations where I asked specific questions about their biggest product challenges led to way better follow-ups and more referrals. So I changed my approach. Started asking better questions instead of just pitching myself. Suddenly my referral rate went up. The data helped me see what was working and what wasn’t.