It’s easy to start a new year thinking, “This year will be different! I’m going to stay on track with my marketing, and really get the word out about my business.” Yet once again, the months fly by and by the time you reach mid-year, you find yourself wondering if what you’ve been doing is working. Are people more aware of your business? Are the places where you’re putting your efforts making a difference? How can you tell if the marketing you’re doing is on track?
Part of the Get Clients Now! 28-Day Program is setting a finite goal that’s specific enough to measure and using a tracking worksheet that allows you to check your progress at a glance. This type of planning and accountability is extremely helpful, but it may not tell the whole story about whether your marketing overall is as effective as it could be.
Measuring is crucial when evaluating your progress. Here are four elements you may want to measure:
1. Measure Results Tangibly and Qualitatively
Measuring tangible results can be easy, because they’re something you can see: more money, more clients, more bookings on the calendar. Have you considered measuring qualitative things, too? Results such as more joy, more free time, more fulfillment?
What you measure often grows. Measuring both types of results will give you a more accurate picture of how well what you’re doing is working. Be careful not to get caught in the trap of thinking that because it isn’t tangible, it doesn’t matter.
2. Measure Effort vs. Return
You can fool yourself into thinking you’re doing plenty of marketing when you’re making an effort, yet the results you get are ultimately more important than the amount of effort you expend.
As an example, two of my coaching clients choose to post flyers to build their businesses. They both put out the same amount of effort, yet only one got business as a result, giving her a good return on her investment. Measuring your return will let you know where to continue to put your efforts for maximum return.
3. Measure What Energizes and What Drains You
Enjoying what you do is extremely important. If you fill your days with activities that energize you, you’ll have more fun, be more productive, and effect greater change in your business and for your clients.
Keeping your marketing on track means doing activities that disproportionately energize you. Don’t love email marketing? It’s time to stop doing it. Love writing articles instead? Hello, writers group! Remember to put your efforts where you’ll get an energetic boost; you don’t get extra points for making things hard.
4. Measure Results with a Tracking System
The ultimate form of measuring is tracking your efforts and outcome. There are many fancy tracking systems out there, yet how you track is far less important than the fact that you track. Whether you use a spreadsheet, notebook, software, or 3 x 5 cards, remember that measuring gives you valuable feedback on your progress, allowing you to easily make the changes that will give you the best results.
Noticing where your marketing efforts are going, and where you’re getting the best returns, enables you to streamline your efforts and make yourself more effective and successful. Start measuring your marketing today and see what a difference it makes!
