What does “move the needle” mean?

The phrase “move the needle” is widely used in the business world to refer to having a major influence or making quantifiable progress in a certain area or facet of an organization. The phrase is frequently used to highlight how crucial it is to put policies or plans into action that produce observable and advantageous results, such as higher sales, more productivity, or better performance.

 

Origin of the term

The phrase “move the needle” comes from the audio technology of broadcasting and recording. The needle here is a metaphor for the stylus found on record players, which is used to trace the grooves on vinyl records. Its progression across the record is symbolic of advancement. Since then, the corporate world has come to use this metaphorical idea to denote notable developments or enhancements over time.

 

Example of the term

  1. Customer Retention:
    • Enhancing customer support services is crucial to moving the needle on customer satisfaction and retention.
  2. Market Share:
    • Launching targeted marketing campaigns can move the needle in gaining a larger share of the market.
  3. Innovation and Research:
    • Investing in research and development will move the needle in terms of product innovation and competitiveness.

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