Trend indicators show you whether your metrics are improving, declining, or holding steady over time. Understanding how to read these signals is crucial for proactive management and continuous improvement.
What Are Trend Indicators?
Trend indicators are the change badges and comparison text that appear on KPI cards when baseline comparison is active. They answer the question: "How does this period compare to my baseline period?"
Components:
Percentage change - The magnitude of change
Direction arrow - Visual indicator of trend
Color coding - Green (positive), red (negative), gray (neutral)
Comparison text - Context (e.g., "vs. last month")
Types of Trend Indicators
Positive Change Indicator (Green ↑)
Visual appearance:
Green background
Up arrow (↑)
Plus sign and percentage (+X.X%)
Example: "+15.3%"
What it means:
The metric increased from baseline to current period
Upward trend
Calculation example:
Baseline period: 100 leads
Current period: 115 leads
Change: +15 leads
Percentage: (115 - 100) / 100 × 100 = +15%
Negative Change Indicator (Red ↓)
Visual appearance:
Red background
Down arrow (↓)
Minus sign and percentage (-X.X%)
Example: "-8.7%"
What it means:
The metric decreased from baseline to current period
Downward trend
Calculation example:
Baseline period: 200 leads
Current period: 183 leads
Change: -17 leads
Percentage: (183 - 200) / 200 × 100 = -8.5%
Neutral/No Change Indicator (Gray)
Visual appearance:
Gray background
Dash symbol (—) or "0%"
No arrow
What it means:
Metric changed less than 1% or stayed exactly the same
Stable performance
When you'll see it:
Baseline: 100 leads
Current: 100 leads (0% change)
OR
Baseline: 1000 leads
Current: 1005 leads (+0.5%, rounds to no change)
How to Interpret Trend Indicators by Metric Type
For Growth Metrics (Higher is Better)
Metrics:
Total leads enriched
Enrichment success rate
Average Catchlight Score
Projected client revenue
High-value lead count
Green ↑ = Good
You're growing, improving, succeeding
Continue current strategies
Identify what's working and do more of it
Red ↓ = Concerning
Performance declining
Investigate causes
Take corrective action
Gray = Context Dependent
If you're at target: Good (maintaining)
If you're trying to grow: Concerning (stagnant)
For Problem Metrics (Lower is Better)
Metrics:
Failed enrichment count
Low confidence match count
Leads with insufficient data
Green ↑ = Concerning!
Wait—green usually means good, right?
NOT for problem metrics!
More failures = worse performance
Don't be fooled by the green color
Red ↓ = Good!
Fewer problems = better performance
Red can actually be good here
Declining failures = improvement
Important: Always read the metric name along with the indicator. Context is everything!
For Efficiency Metrics
Metrics:
Average time to enrich
Cost per lead
Response rate
Interpretation varies:
Consider your goals and targets
Some situations require different interpretations
Understanding Percentage Magnitudes
Small Changes (0-5%)
Typical meaning: Normal variance
Examples:
+2.3% enrichment rate
-1.8% average score
What to do:
Note it, but don't overreact
Look for patterns over multiple periods
One small change isn't a trend
When to investigate:
Multiple consecutive periods in same direction
Change in a critical metric
Coincides with other changes
Moderate Changes (5-15%)
Typical meaning: Notable movement
Examples:
+12.5% total leads
-7.4% success rate
What to do:
Investigate the cause
Determine if intentional (e.g., new campaign)
Look for explanations in recent activities
Questions to ask:
Did we launch something new?
Did we change processes?
Is this seasonal?
Significant Changes (15-30%)
Typical meaning: Major shift
Examples:
+28.3% projected revenue
-19.2% enrichment volume
What to do:
Immediate investigation required
Likely caused by specific action or event
Document findings
Possible causes:
Major campaign launch
New lead source
Process improvement
System issue
Seasonal factor
Dramatic Changes (30%+)
Typical meaning: Fundamental change or anomaly
Examples:
+150% lead count
-45% success rate
What to do:
Urgent review needed
Verify data accuracy
Identify root cause immediately
Possible causes:
Major business initiative
Data import or system change
Error or data quality issue
Acquisition or partnership
Seasonal extreme
Context Is Critical
The same percentage change can have different meanings depending on context:
Example: +50% Change
Scenario 1:
Baseline: 2 leads
Current: 3 leads
Change: +50%
Interpretation: Only 1 additional lead; percentage is misleading due to small baseline
Scenario 2:
Baseline: 1000 leads
Current: 1500 leads
Change: +50%
Interpretation: Significant growth of 500 leads; very meaningful
Lesson: Look at absolute numbers, not just percentages, especially with small datasets
Example: -10% Change
Scenario 1: Failed Enrichments
Baseline: 100 failures
Current: 90 failures
Change: -10%
Interpretation: GOOD! Fewer failures is positive.
Scenario 2: Total Leads Enriched
Baseline: 1000 enriched
Current: 900 enriched
Change: -10%
Interpretation: CONCERNING. Lower enrichment activity.
Lesson: Always consider what the metric represents
Using Trend Indicators Strategically
Daily Quick Check
What to do:
Open dashboard
Scan KPI cards for red arrows
Any red in critical metrics? Investigate.
Any green in growth metrics? Note what's working.
Time required: 2-3 minutes
Weekly Review
What to do:
Set date range: Last 7 Days
Set baseline: Previous Period
Review all trend indicators
Document significant changes
Share wins with team
Questions:
What improved this week?
What declined?
Why?
What should we do differently next week?
Time required: 15 minutes
Monthly Deep Dive
What to do:
Set date range: Last 30 Days
Set baseline: Previous Month
Analyze trends across all sections
Create trend report
Identify action items
Analysis:
Which trends are sustained over multiple weeks?
Are we hitting our monthly targets?
What needs course correction?
Time required: 30-45 minutes
Quarterly Strategic Review
What to do:
Set date range: Current Quarter
Set baseline: Previous Quarter
Review long-term trends
Assess strategic initiatives
Plan next quarter based on data
Strategic questions:
Are we on track for annual goals?
Which strategies are working?
What should we start, stop, continue?
Time required: 1-2 hours
Combining Multiple Trend Indicators
Don't look at trends in isolation—examine patterns across metrics:
Pattern 1: Across-the-Board Growth
Observations:
Total leads: +20% ↑
Success rate: +5% ↑
Average score: +8% ↑
Projected revenue: +25% ↑
Interpretation: Healthy, broad-based improvement
Likely causes:
New high-quality lead source
Improved targeting
Successful campaign
Better data quality
Action: Document and replicate what's working
Pattern 2: Volume vs. Quality Tradeoff
Observations:
Total leads: +40% ↑
Success rate: -15% ↓
Average score: -10% ↓
Projected revenue: +10% ↑
Interpretation: Growing volume but sacrificing quality
Likely causes:
Broader targeting (more leads, less qualified)
New lower-quality lead source
Quantity-focused campaign
Action: Decide if tradeoff is acceptable or refine targeting
Pattern 3: Quality Improving, Volume Declining
Observations:
Total leads: -20% ↓
Success rate: +15% ↑
Average score: +12% ↑
Projected revenue: Flat 0
Interpretation: Better quality, but missing growth opportunity
Likely causes:
Stricter qualification criteria
Focusing on fewer, better sources
Natural market contraction
Action: Find ways to increase volume while maintaining quality
Pattern 4: Processing Issues
Observations:
In Progress count: +200% ↑
Failed enrichments: +50% ↑
Success rate: -25% ↓
Completed enrichments: -15% ↓
Interpretation: System or data quality problem
Likely causes:
Technical issues with enrichment
Batch of bad data submitted
API or integration problems
Action: Contact support, audit recent submissions
Trend Indicator Best Practices
Do:
Look for patterns over time
One period isn't a trend
Three consecutive periods in same direction = trend
Consider baseline selection carefully
Compare equal-length periods
Account for seasonality
Use consistent baselines for regular reporting
Investigate significant changes
Don't ignore red arrows
Understand green arrows (what caused success?)
Combine with absolute numbers
+100% of 2 is less impressive than +10% of 1000
Document your findings
Note what caused changes
Build institutional knowledge
Don't:
Don't panic over small changes
1-5% might just be variance
Don't ignore context
Red isn't always bad, green isn't always good
Don't compare incompatible periods
Don't compare 7 days to 90 days
Don't assume causation
Correlation ≠ causation
Dig deeper to understand "why"
Don't forget seasonality
December vs. November may not be meaningful
Consider year-over-year comparisons
Troubleshooting Trend Indicators
Problem: All trends show huge percentages
Likely cause: Small baseline numbers creating large percentage swings
Example:
Baseline: 5 leads
Current: 10 leads
Change: +100% (but only 5 more leads)
Solution: Focus on absolute numbers when baselines are small
Problem: No trend indicators showing
Cause: Baseline comparison is set to "None"
Solution: Select a baseline from the dropdown and click "Apply"
Problem: Trends seem backwards (red when things are good)
Cause: You're looking at a "problem metric" (like Failed Enrichments)
Solution: Read the metric name carefully; fewer failures = good, even if red
Problem: Can't remember what baseline is active
Solution: Look at comparison text below the trend badge ("vs. last month")
Next Steps
Explore related features:
Baseline Comparison - Set up the comparisons that power trend indicators
KPI Overview - Understand what each metric measures
Enrichment Metrics - Specific trends in enrichment performance
Revenue Potential Metrics - Track financial opportunity trends
Pro Tip: Create a screenshot dashboard ritual—every Friday, screenshot your KPIs with weekly trend indicators. Over time, you'll have a visual history of your growth!