When you hire a marketing agency to manage your advertising campaigns, you trust them to act in your best interest. Unfortunately, not all agencies operate ethically. Some engage in practices that can severely disrupt your business. In this post, I’ll shed light on these practices and provide actionable steps to protect your business.
Follow these 7 steps to ensure your Google Ads account remains secure and under your control.
Unethical Practices: A Real-Life Scenario
Here’s a real-life example (without specific client details for confidentiality). We were onboarding a new client whose former agency promised to transfer all their materials and assets to us by a certain date. Anticipating potential issues, we built backup campaigns from scratch. Just a day before the handoff, the agency informed the client they wouldn’t transfer the assets or the Google account. Fortunately, our newly created campaign outperformed theirs, despite having no account history. This wasn’t the ideal approach. We would have preferred to optimize the existing account for potentially even better performance with the benefit of historical data. The agency’s refusal seemed driven by self-serving motives rather than any legitimate reason like outstanding payment.
Long-Term Impacts of Unethical Practices
Working with an unethical agency can have serious long-term consequences. Initially, their actions might seem minor, but over time, you’ll find their interests conflict with yours. They may make it difficult for you to leave, effectively holding your accounts hostage. Moreover, you might miss significant opportunities by not working with an ethical agency sooner. Being proactive is crucial—either prevent these situations or have a well-thought-out exit plan.
If you’re even questioning your overall digital marketing strategy, you can also read more about selecting the best lead generation channels based on your goals, for a fresh perspective.
Verifying Compliance with Google’s Third-Party Advertising Policy
To ensure your agency complies with Google’s third-party advertising policy, follow these steps:
Consult an Expert: I’d be happy to offer my expertise (at no obligation).
Read the Policy and Your Contract: Familiarize yourself with Google’s third-party advertising policy and thoroughly review your contract.
Use my Checklist:download my checklist to confirm as a quick guide before signing a contract.
Red Flags: Be wary if the agency doesn’t want you to pay Google directly. Your Google spend should be invoiced directly from Google or charged to your credit card.
Steps to Take if Your Agency Withholds Your Google Ads Customer ID
If you discover that your agency is not providing the customer ID for your Google Ads account, take immediate action:
Seek a Reputable Agency: Start looking for a reputable agency.
Ensure Direct Billing: Insist that Google bills your credit card directly. Inform the agency of your new internal payment policy for advertising spend.
Reach Out for Help: Feel free to contact me. I’m happy to guide you through the process.
Benefits of Owning Your Google Ads Account
Owning your Google Ads account from the start offers long-term benefits:
Control: You maintain control over your account, ensuring a balanced relationship with your agency.
Transparency: It indicates that the agency is transparent and has your best interests in mind.
Raising Awareness of Unethical Agency Practices
Surprisingly, I’ve encountered three large agencies, including two general and one in the EDU sector, that engage in these unethical practices. This prevalence is concerning. To raise awareness:
Share This Blog Post: Inform your team and contacts.
Check Your Agreements: Regularly review your contracts and agreements.
Speak Up: Discuss these issues within the industry at conferences and other events.
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I’ve also expanded the discussion on LinkedIn:
How are you combating with AI? 👊
Generative AI is a powerful tool, but it’s scary.
You might be wondering: “Is it here to take your job?”
“How will you…
🫵 How do you decide when to embrace new technology?
The gap (or “chasm”) between the early adopters,
who are enthusiastic about new technology,
and the early majority, who are more cautious
and value reassurance from previous adopters.
Crossing this chasm is crucial for a product’s
long-term success and market adoption.
Charlie Parker and Bryan Kofsky on value of partnership with Aviation Institute of Maintenance.
I received my first negative comment on YouTube and this is where my brain went.
It’s not every day that the world of hip-hop clashes with digital marketing strategies. Picture this: it’s the early 2000s, and the hip-hop community is electrified by the intense rap battle brewing between Jay-Z and Nas. Jay-Z releases The Takeover filled with sharp words and public scrutiny, mirroring a critical aspect of today’s digital world – online reputation management.
This scenario begs the question: how might Nas’s response to Jay-Z have changed if he had followed a marketer’s playbook? Oh, what might have been.
Good thing you don’t have to initiate the rap battle of the ages to follow along with my strategy for managing your online presence and reputation:
Comprehensive Strategy for Online Reputation Management
1. Proactive Measures
Strengthen Digital Brand Presence:
Regularly update and optimize your website and social media profiles.
Publish engaging, relevant content that aligns with your brand values.
Own the Google SERPs:
Implement SEO strategies for higher visibility.
Monitor and manage the narrative around your brand online.
Promote Reviews:
Prompt satisfied customers to leave reviews on various platforms.
Highlight positive testimonials across digital channels.
Solicit Simple Feedback:
Regularly ask for quick ratings (1 to 5) post-purchase or service.
2. Reactive Measures
Establish a Monitoring System:
Set up alerts for mentions across platforms.
Regularly check review sites and social media.
Develop a Response Plan:
Create guidelines for addressing negative feedback.
Assign team members to manage responses.
Prioritize Transparency and Accountability:
Acknowledge errors and be transparent about rectification steps.
Focus on Timeliness:
Respond promptly to show customers their feedback is valued.
Train Your Team:
Educate staff on handling reviews and the importance of customer feedback.
Tactics for Effective Online Reputation Management
1. Proactive Tactics
Segmentation Based on Initial Feedback:
Encourage customers with positive ratings to leave detailed reviews.
Direct customers with lower ratings to customer service.
Leveraging Positive Feedback:
Use high ratings as marketing tools on your platforms.
Create customer stories or case studies from positive experiences.
2. Reactive Tactics
Personalized Responses:
Address specific concerns raised in negative feedback empathetically.
Problem-Solving Approach:
Offer solutions and, if possible, move the conversation to a private channel for resolution.
Follow-Up on Resolutions:
Ask customers to update their reviews after resolving their issues.
Learning and Improvement:
Analyze feedback for patterns and areas for improvement.
Make changes based on constructive criticism.
Engage with All Feedback:
Respond to both positive and negative reviews to show engagement.
Legal Considerations:
In cases of false or defamatory reviews, seek legal advice.
This comprehensive approach ensures that you not only effectively manage negative feedback but also proactively build and maintain a positive online presence, leading to enhanced customer trust and brand loyalty.
Hey, if you liked my video leave a YouTube comment. If you aren’t satisfied, I’d love to hear from you: contact me here.
Ever wonder why your LinkedIn video posts get high impressions regardless of engagement? I have. My video posts have half the engagement of posts with other content types and still have the most reach. Why?
This question extends beyond LinkedIn and has everything to do with video.
LinkedIn Video content receives more impressions but lower engagement rates.
Theory:
Video view metrics hold more algorithmic weight than likes, comments, and reposts. These are metrics like views, viewers, and minutes viewed (we’ll expand on these soon).
Deciphering Video Low Engagement
So then, that brings the question, why would someone watch the video, but not engage?
There could be several reasons:
The videos themselves might not be engaging
The content might not resonate with my audience
The video might be too long causing people to lose interest before engaging.
What if there’s a hidden explanation? What if my target audience is actually taking an invisible action?
The Elusive Power of Zero-Click Content
Now, what if I told you that regardless of the engagement rate, I receive the most value from video? LinkedIn has its own (self-serving) motives for how it presents its reporting and I won’t be bound to it. The purpose of its reporting is for you to make post optimizations based on their goals. These goals include keeping as many people engaged on their platform as possible.
Posting video has brought me a multitude of benefits. An increase in traffic to my blog, offline and email conversations, and word-of-mouth.
Boost in Bryan’s Blog traffic since posting on LinkedIn.
These benefits align with what Amanda Natividad at SparkToro coined “Zero-Click Content.” “Content that offers valuable, standalone insights (or engaging material), with no need to click.” Create great content without diverting users away and you’ll receive value in return. It’s important to understand, that this value is in the form of a “hard-to-measure brand lift.”
Now, Amanda included “engaging material” in her definition. LinkedIn defines engagement as likes, comments, and reposts. I insist this also expands into video view performance.
My goal is deeper than numbers. It’s about fostering genuine connections with marketing professionals and business leaders. This would be in the form of potential clients, collaborators, and mentors. The indirect actions of Zero-Click Content support that.
So, what if I optimize based on LinkedIn reporting in a vacuum?
There might be some hidden metrics we can calculate.
Analyzing LinkedIn Video Metrics
LinkedIn provides the following metrics for video:
Impressions: Total number of times your post was displayed
Engagements: Total number of engagements on your posts, including reactions, comments, and reposts.
Views: Number of times this video was watched for more than 2 seconds
Viewers: Number of unique people who watched this video for more than 2 seconds
Minutes Viewed: Total minutes this video has been watched for views more than 2 seconds.
To add extra insights, I calculated the below metrics:
Engagement Rate:
Engagement/Impressions
Video View Rate:
Views/Impressions
Avg Repeat Viewer Rate:
Viewers/Views
Avg % Viewed:
(Average View Time Per Views/Video Duration)*100
Total possible view time: Views * Video Duration
Average view time per viewer: Minutes Viewed/Viewers
Optimizing for Reach and Staying Aligned with Goals
What if I wanted to expand my reach and work on gaining more impressions?
Here’s how I would use the extra insights:
Engagement Rate:
Check whether my message resonates with my audience. Optimize for a clear and compelling call to action.
Video View Rate:
Ensure the first line of my post (the headline) is compelling enough to drive people to view the video. Consider the effectiveness of my thumbnail. Anything I can do to stop someone from scrolling past (look at me! Look at me!)?
Avg Repeat Viewer Rate:
Was the content of my video valuable enough for someone to want to watch it again? In other words, what’s the replay value?
Avg % Viewed:
Did my video hold viewers’ attention? Should my videos be more concise?
Then, I would review which videos performed best in each metric, make hypotheses on why, and test.
Heatmap insights into video LinkedIn post performance.
Here’s a potential pitfall: if I narrow my focus to LinkedIn metrics. I may expand my reach but how would I know how this impacts the reach of my target audience? What if it expands my reach, but is a turnoff for my intended audience? LinkedIn gives little reporting to understand that.
In conclusion, many marketing tacticians get tripped up in the weeds. While platform metrics help, our primary goal – serving our target audience is vital. Instead of ‘feeding the algorithm,’ let’s focus on valuable content for our audience. Strategic focus is number one.
Bryan: “Instead of “feeding the algorithm,” let’s focus on valuable content for our audience.”
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Firstly, the start of this journey has been incredible. I’ve connected with a variety of people, including industry leaders who’ve kindly given me advice and support. I’m truly grateful for their generosity (seriously, wow!). Additionally, I’ve engaged with clients, prospective clients, and potential collaborators. This was exactly my goal. I even engaged with two friends: one who I haven’t connected with since high school, and another from elementary school (who I even Zoom called with)! Both seem to be doing incredibly well, which was awesome to see.
In this post, I’ll dive into:
Strategies I used
Challenges I faced
Results I achieved
Metrics highlighting my progress.
How I Crafted My Content Strategy
As an experienced sales and marketing professional, I realized it was time to assert control over my digital footprint.
My Goals:
Increase my visibility and network within my industry.
Engage with prospective clients, current clients, and peers.
Build a Google footprint for people to easily search, find, and validate who I am and what I do.
Relying on my marketing intuition and years of experience, I was optimistic about how this would positively impact my ROI goals. I understood, however, that precise attribution would be nearly impossible. Before jumping into tactics it was important to consider this big picture. You can also read my post on how to align your marketing strategy with your business goals, which digs into another example.
Shifting Focus: Initially, my primary goal was broad. I later decided that focusing on blog update subscriptions would be a more practical way to gauge the impact of my content (hey, it’s easy to measure and you can Subscribe Here to Stay Updated 😁👍). This was a KPI I had not originally planned on focusing on. In addition to it being a gauge of my content quality, I have another reason. I don’t want LinkedIn (or any platform) to have full control over how I communicate with my connections.
The Channels I Chose and Why:
Blog: For full control over my content.
I didn’t want to be at the mercy of LinkedIn or other platforms, especially given the ever-changing nature of social media algorithms. This stance was further validated as I read “Content Inc” by Joe Pulizzi, which I highly recommend.
LinkedIn: Because that’s where my core audience is.
My primary channel for exposure, leveraging the visibility of my posts toward my blog.
YouTube: An effective medium for quick video showcases.
Why I Led with Video Content:
Countless case studies confirm that video works.
I suspected the LinkedIn algorithm would favor video.
Not everyone is comfortable making videos, giving me a possible edge.
Our company offers a video solution designed to increase conversions (walking the walk).
I genuinely enjoy making videos!
Content Plan
Blog post every other week featuring a video hosted on YouTube.
Post the video on LinkedIn, accompanied by a teaser that stands alone in providing value.
On alternate weeks, post at least once on LinkedIn with what I call “premium content,” such as videos, carousels, infographics, or thoughtful polls.
Just three months in, my primary focus has been on establishing proof of concept and gathering early metrics for success.
The Unforeseen Advantages of My Content Journey
An unexpected, yet perhaps obvious, benefit has been the expansion of my thinking. In my role as a sales system engineer, I not only focus on selling marketing tools and services but also various facets of internal marketing. This broader perspective has significantly improved my collaboration with the team and has generated new ideas outside of my day-to-day work.
I’ve been experimenting with various tools like Canva, Filmora, Notion, WordPress, MailPoet, and Feedly, expanding my skillset and enhancing my content along the way. This journey has also led me to deepen my knowledge base through books, podcasts, blogs, LinkedIn creators, and more. (Stay tuned for a future blog post diving deeper into these).
And just as importantly, I’ve been having a blast.
Challenges and How I Overcame Them
Idea Generation and Consistency
When I started, I was filled with enthusiasm and a few promising ideas. However, I soon realized that consistently generating quality content would be a challenge. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, I understood that a well-planned content schedule would be essential. I also found that imposing deadlines on myself ensured that I was getting work done, preventing perfection from being the enemy of completion. Although consistency was crucial, it was equally important to be forgiving when I missed a deadline. I realized it’s more productive to move on to the next task than to waste time in self-criticism.
Streamlining the Creative Process
To address these challenges, I researched to find an efficient process that would be manageable as a one-person side project. I eventually implemented a system in Notion that allows me to effortlessly capture new ideas, vet their worth, and streamline the entire creation-to-publishing cycle. This prevented the process itself from becoming draining, saving energy for idea generation.
Discovering My Content Tilt
A significant part of my strategy is discovering my Content Tilt, a term defined by Joe Pulizzi in his book “Content Inc.” as “The area of little to no competition on the web that actually gives you a chance to break through the noise and be relevant.” This concept is just one piece of the puzzle that Joe details, though a critical piece I’ll need for success.
Audience Perception
For those on my team reading this—thank you! I also learned the importance of revisiting my posts through different lenses. For example, a post I wrote about past challenges was intentionally vague to protect client confidentiality. However, I realized that this could be misconstrued as a commentary on current projects. I quickly revised the post as I was pushing my deadline, ultimately improving both the article and my overall thought process.
Balancing Work and Life
I’m committed to maintaining a balance between this project and my primary responsibilities, which include quality time with my family. I had to research, consume content, and generate ideas without affecting my existing obligations. I spend a significant amount of time nearly ‘living in my head,’ which is beneficial for creativity, but setting boundaries to protect family time is a work in progress—likely the subject of a future blog post.
Engagement
Lastly, I aim to improve my interactions with clients, prospective clients, and other creators. While I’ve done a satisfactory job in some cases, there’s room for improvement. I’m keen on enhancing my level of engagement throughout my network.
Digging into the Results and Metrics
Out of the gate, it’s worth repeating that I believe most of this will not be directly attributable to ROI. And this is okay given my understanding of their collective contribution to my long-term objectives; building a foundation and networking. Also, while these metrics are interesting, I cannot allow them to divert my focus. For example, I don’t need to go viral, even though it would temporarily increase my visibility. I place a higher priority on setting up my digital foundation so when someone looks me up, my area of expertise is more easily understood.
Key Wins
Dominating the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for my name.
Includes: Sitelinks, Google Knowledge Panel (which I claimed), images, and videos.
Owning the SERPs for my name is important to me. It allows me to control my personal brand, opens new opportunities, and establishes credibility. Often, it’s the first place clients or collaborators look for me online.
Screenshot of the SERPs for Bryan Kofsky, annotating Bryan’s Blog Sitelinks and Bryan’s Google Knowledge Panel.
Performance
My LinkedIn impressions and engagements saw a notable increase. From virtually zero at the start of the year, they spiked to 32,157 impressions and 369 engagements during June-August. While this may have been expected, it offers a glimpse into the positive impact of my recent efforts.
Line Graph showing Impressions by time over this year with an arrow showing the spike where I started this new initiative.Line Graph showing Engagements by time over this year with an arrow showing the spike where I started this new initiative.
Small Steps, Big Leaps: The Power of Consistency
Before I started posting regularly at the end of May, my average daily new followers were hovering at about 0.23. Since then, this number increased to an average of 2.25 daily new followers—a growth rate of 878%.
Now, I know that these numbers might seem small, or that the growth might seem astronomical. However, the increase shows that I’ve moved from negligible daily engagement to establishing a consistent and growing audience, which aligns perfectly with my objective of increasing my visibility and network within my industry.
Line Graph showing New Followers by time over this year with an arrow showing the spike where I started this new initiative.
A similar story appears when reviewing my Profile Views graph, but LinkedIn doesn’t appear to allow me to export the data to report on this metric in a similar fashion.
Line Graph showing Profile Views by time over this year with an arrow showing the spike where I started this new initiative.
Similar growth can be seen for traffic to my blog. However, I expect the visible impact here relating to blog traffic to trail behind the previous metrics in gaining traction.
Line Graph showing unique users to my blog by time over this year with an arrow showing the spike where I started this new initiative.
Following these findings, I plan to maintain momentum. Given the positive response to following through on my tactical plan, I will continue and improve this activity of value-driven content to maintain this upward trajectory. I will also continue to evaluate how it impacts my longer term goals.
* The noticeable spike in users during June correlates (and is confirmed in Google Analytics) with when I cross-posted content on Facebook. While the numbers were higher, it’s worth considering the quality and relevance of the engagement. I’m not yet convinced that continuing on Facebook will be beneficial, as the increased traffic is likely not from my target audience.
A Look at Content Type
I’m going to start with a caveat for the following. It’s premature to assess content type for several reasons:
Not enough posts of each type
Not enough variety of topics per type
The newer posts need more time to mature.
I’m interested in revisiting this in another 90 days.
As of now, it looks like my top-performing posts are all videos, followed by carousels, a branded selfie, and an animated infographic (the newest post).
Bar Graph showing Avg Impressions & Engagements by Content Type.
I’ve come to believe even more strongly that LinkedIn’s algorithm favors video content, which aligns with my view that video is an exceptionally powerful medium. Think about all the nonverbal cues in communication that can’t be done in any other digital format (today). What’s going to catch someone’s attention in half a second? Anything moving or incredibly eye-catching. This appears to be the case in these results. I will continue the path, but perhaps instead of reposting (which appears to have the least impact), I will comment on other posts, unless it is an absolute must or if it’s a cause or topic that I want to support.
Top Performing Posts
Based on impressions and engagement gained in my first 3 months.
Bryan’s LinkedIn post discusses the applications of ChatGPT as a personal stylist and a professional problem solver in fields like Sales Engineering and Marketing Tech.Bryan’s LinkedIn Post: Learn how to integrate ChatGPT into your daily routine for efficiency.Bryan’s LinkedIn Post: Unlocking the untapped potential of your email inbox for networking and growth.
The Next Steps: Subscribe to Stay Updated!
Before I wrap up, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a part of my ongoing journey. If you’ve found value in this post, imagine what you could gain from future insights, strategies, and even some of my missteps (we all make them, right?).
To stay in the loop, click the ‘Subscribe’ button now and be the first to know when new content drops!
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You’ve committed countless hours to refining your craft. You meticulously designed a strategy for success and watched as the metrics improved in your digital channel(s). Your cost per lead has gone down, and the number of leads has skyrocketed. It seems you’re on top of your game. Yet, zooming out from individual success to a broader organizational perspective, a different narrative unfolds. How did things go astray?
Your strategy wasn’t aligned with the company’s overarching goal.
Sometimes the person you’re reporting to, whether that’s a client or your manager might not even understand (or have insight into) how their goal ties directly to the business goal. This is why you have to ask why. It’s critical to have an understanding of YOUR goal and how it rolls up to the business goal…or it could cost you.
When Marketing Goals Miss the Mark: A Personal Tale
In one of my previous roles, I encountered a situation that, unfortunately, isn’t uncommon. The marketing and sales teams, while vital, operated in silos. We had clear targets – reduce the cost per lead and increase the number of leads. On paper, we were achieving these goals, but (as you can guess) a larger picture emerged. Despite our success in lead generation, the company was missing its sales targets, including targets by product. Now, we did request lead to opportunity data and were unable to get it from the client.
Subtle Indicators: The Sales and Marketing Disconnect
To be clear, along the way, the indicators were more subtle that things were amiss. You wouldn’t notice them on any dashboard or monthly report we had at our disposal, but instead, they were rooted in the intangible dynamics between the sales and marketing teams. Here’s how the misalignment manifested:
Silent Accountability
Post-lead generation, there was a clear sentiment that whatever transpired afterward was solely the sales team’s responsibility. This belief created a silent chasm where marketing felt its job was done once the lead was handed over, leading to a lack of ownership of how the leads generated might be affecting the sales team.
Feedback Void
The absence of regular feedback from the sales team meant marketing operated in an information vacuum. Without insights into the quality of leads or challenges faced during the conversion, marketing strategies remained uninformed beyond lead conversion.
Assumption of Incompetence
Due to the lack of communication, there was a lurking assumption that the sales team might be dropping the ball. Without concrete data or insights from sales, it was easy for the marketing team to inadvertently attribute missed sales targets to sales inefficiencies.
Lost Opportunities for Optimization
Without a clear understanding of the sales process post-lead generation, the marketing team missed out on opportunities to optimize campaigns. This could be in terms of lead quality, nurturing strategies, or even the channels used for targeting potential customers.
Fragmented Goal Orientation
Both teams, while working towards the company’s growth, ended up having fragmented objectives. The sales team aimed at converting the leads, while marketing aimed purely at generating them, leaving a grey area in between.
Addressing these subtleties requires more than just a strategy tweak; they call for a cultural shift. A shift towards open communication, shared ownership of the lead-to-sale journey, and collaborative goal-setting between sales and marketing.
Understanding Your Strategy’s Backdrop
Understanding the current state of affairs is essential to tailor an effective strategy. These are the questions you should ask:
Revenue and Growth
What are our revenue targets for this year?
Over the next 3-5 years?
How do we envision achieving this growth?
Who forms the core target audience?
This isn’t just about demographics but understanding their needs, behaviors, challenges, and aspirations.
Who and what constitutes the competition, both directly and indirectly?
Recognizing your competitors helps in distinguishing your offerings.
What’s the valuation of an average customer?
Understand the lifetime value and the potential revenue each customer brings.
Priority Products/Services
Which products or services are identified as key growth drivers for the company?
Are there specific ones we’re emphasizing more than others?
Growth vs. Scale
Is the business currently more focused on growth or on scaling existing successes?
What is the current marketing approach?
Dive into the current platforms and approach employed across channels.
How do customers move through the buyer’s journey from beginning to end?
Understand the touchpoints and interactions of a customer.
What technology stack is employed to streamline this journey?
Technology can be a boon when used rightly, ensuring the journey is smooth and the analytics are clear.
Defining Clear Goals
For any marketing strategy to be effective, it must be rooted in clear, actionable goals. These aren’t just indicators of what you want to achieve; they also provide direction, motivation, and a framework for decision-making. Here’s a guide to setting well-defined goals for your marketing endeavors:
1. Timeline and Milestones:
Every goal should have a clear timeline. When is the target date for achieving this? Break down larger goals into interim milestones, acting as checkpoints to gauge progress and adjust strategy if necessary.
2. Precision in Definition:
Aim for specificity. Instead of a vague goal like “Boost our online presence”, go for “Increase website traffic by 25% over the next six months”. Quantifiable goals offer clarity and a definite target to hit.
3. Alignment with Business Objectives:
Each marketing goal should be a reflection of broader business objectives. Whether it’s expanding into a new market segment or increasing product sales, marketing must support these overarching ambitions.
4. Grounded in Reality:
Ambition is the driving force behind growth, but it’s essential to temper that ambition with realism. Assess your resources, current market conditions, and organizational strengths when setting goals. They should be challenging, yet attainable.
5. Prioritize for Maximum Impact:
In scenarios with multiple objectives, rank your goals. Which, if achieved, would have the most transformative impact on your business? This prioritization ensures resources and efforts are channeled effectively.
6. Evolution and Adaptability:
Markets evolve, technologies advance, and consumer behaviors shift. In this ever-changing landscape, revisit your goals regularly. Adapt and refine them in response to internal data insights and external market changes.
Setting Clear Expectations
For a marketing strategy to succeed, it’s crucial that everyone involved knows what to expect and when to expect it. Setting clear and realistic expectations can be the difference between a winning and losing strategy. Below are some key areas to consider:
1. Campaign Maturation Timeframes by Channel:
Different marketing channels mature at varying rates. For example, while PPC campaigns might yield quicker results (90 days being typical), SEO efforts generally require a longer runway (6 months to 1 year). Understand the specific maturation periods for each channel to set realistic benchmarks for when results will become evident.
2. Typical Conversion Rates and Performance Promises:
Familiarizing yourself with average conversion rates for your industry is valuable. However, it’s essential to approach any promises of definite results with caution. No marketer or agency can guarantee specific outcomes beyond adhering to best practices and a well-executed strategy. Over-promising and under-delivering is a path straight to failure.
3. Change Management Process:
Transparency in how changes to the strategy are introduced, reviewed, and tested is vital. This iterative process ensures continuous refinement and adaptation to the market’s shifting dynamics.
4. Feedback Intervals:
Regular feedback is the cornerstone of a successful strategy. Establish clear intervals for feedback sessions and strategy reviews. These checkpoints not only ensure alignment with set goals but also offer opportunities for timely adjustments and course corrections.
5. Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders:
Clearly defining roles aids in streamlining the entire process. Decide who will be the primary point of contact for feedback, who’s responsible for decision-making, and any other critical roles. This clarity reduces overlaps and ensures smoother communication.
6. Budgetary Considerations:
Financial clarity is critical. Understand the budgetary constraints at the outset and discuss how they might influence campaign choices, durations, and intensities.
The Importance of Reporting
To ensure you’re on the right track, maintain a clear view of your impact. While the tech stack provides metrics, understand them in the buyer’s journey context. Don’t settle for vanity metrics; seek concrete evidence.
It’s essential to link performance metrics directly to ROI, ensuring a clear alignment with primary business goals. This alignment enables the team to receive consistent feedback and continuously test and refine strategies for better outcomes.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Alignment of strategy with company goals is essential. Regularly review your approach, engage in discussions with your team, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
As you move forward, remember that the most effective strategies are fluid. They adapt, shift, and evolve in tune with the company’s evolving goals.
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I want to share my Coffee Setup Buyer’s Journey and analyze it from a sales and marketing perspective. It’s amazing that even with all of the knowledge I have, emotional decisions and biases still played a part in the decision-making process and how marketing and sales assisted (or at times could have assisted) me in finding the best solution.
Problem Identification: The Steep Cost of Convenience
My wife and I realized we were spending a surprising amount on Nespresso coffee pods. It might not sound too lavish at $1.25 per pod, but when you add it up, if we’re both enjoying a cup per day, that’s $2.50 a day, roughly $75 a month, and around $1,000 a year. We realized this was an absurd amount to be spending on coffee made at home and decided to reinvest this money into a solution that offered both value and quality.
Bryan highlights the expenses of daily Nespresso coffee pods by comically feeding two dollars into the machine – a tongue-in-cheek nod to the $1.25 cost per cup.
Marketer’s Insight:
Understand customer value perception and frame pricing accordingly.
Highlight long-term savings to make one-time investments seem more appealing.
The Consideration Phase: Down the High-End Rabbit Hole
Our initial solution was simple: acquire a high-end coffee and espresso machine. A refurbished machine email promotion acted as a catalyst that led us further down this path. We were sure it would give us better quality coffee and save money in the long run. In crunching the numbers, between $500 and $800 seemed like a viable investment. Given our annual Nespresso expenditure, we could justify the cost within a year, including the cost of coffee beans. But just as we were on the brink of purchase, we came to a halt. This halt could have been avoided by the common sales tactic known as the Puppy Dog Close.
The Puppy Dog Close: Almost Hooked, Line, and Sinker
The Puppy Dog Close is a sales tactic where the customer takes the product home on a trial basis, confident that once the customer uses it, they won’t want to give it up. This approach plays into the psychological aspect of risk aversion. Before experiencing the product, most potential customers perceive a certain level of risk in terms of the product’s value and suitability for their needs. This perceived risk often makes them hesitant to make a purchase and more likely to explore other options. Once they have the product in their hands and have experienced it, the perceived risk diminishes.
We called the company, and a sales representative told us we couldn’t try the machine and would face a restocking fee if we returned it. Had we had the machine in hand, and seen it deliver what I suspected it would (and after tasting the coffee), there’s a good chance we would have made the purchase AND been happy. Yet the limitations of not being able to try it, coupled with the prospect of a restocking fee, held us back. This made us stop to consider, and as my mentor says, “Time kills all deals.”
Marketer’s Insight:
Address customer pain points directly to build trust.
Offer trial periods or address common objections in marketing materials.
Consider flexible return policies to reduce customer risk aversion and potentially close sales.
Returning to the Consideration Phase: The Reddit and YouTube Influence
A trip down memory lane reminded me of my time as a barista, using simpler brewing methods like the French Press. Back to the drawing board we went, diving deeper into research, drawing on Reddit communities, and following influencers like James Hoffmann. His expertise, passion, and deep dive into everything coffee—from different types of coffee and roasts to temperatures and brewing methods—was infectious.
Bryan, wrapping up his career as a barista, beams with pride while serving a holiday coffee at Starbucks in 2010, marking his transition to an internship with the Florida Panthers.
Here, we can see an informal competitor analysis in play. I evaluated alternatives such as the French press, v60, Aeropress, and Clever Dripper based on my specific needs. Influencer endorsements and community feedback played a significant role in the decision-making process.
Marketer’s Insight:
Be aware of conversations about your brand and competitors in online communities and influencers.
Engage with influencers and maintain a positive online presence.
Utilize endorsements and community feedback in marketing strategies.
Decision Phase: Arriving at the Perfect Solution
It was a blend of expert content, reviews, community discussions, and eventually social media remarketing ads that guided and reinforced our choice of the right equipment—a burr grinder, an electric kettle, a scale, a coffee bean canister, and a pour-over brewer. We found a high-end brand that perfectly aligned with our taste (see what I did there?) and interest. The total cost? Less than $350, with each cup costing less than 30 cents (50 cents if we’re going crazy). Our zigzagging customer journey had led us to invest less than our initial consideration, and we arrived at a setup that suited us far better and was more sustainable in the long run.
Our winding customer journey was not only a search for the perfect coffee setup but an ongoing competitor analysis as we weighed different products against each other.
Marketer’s Insight:
Understand that modern buyer’s journey often involves comparison shopping.
Ensure information about your product, especially comparisons with competitors, is easily accessible.
Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences.
Actively engage with customers online to build relationships.
The Ultimate Coffee Experience: Beyond Expectations
Today, our new coffee setup is not just a part of our morning routine, but a delightful, tailored experience that leaves our taste buds and wallets happy. Plus, our sleek, matte black coffee equipment is a statement piece on our kitchen counter.
This journey underscores the power of marketing in guiding decision-making. Moreover, it is important to recognize that the customer journey has become more complex these days. Consumers have varied preferences and paths through which they want to engage and move. As a marketer, it’s crucial to accommodate these preferences and create a customer-centric approach that allows the individual to have a seamless and personalized experience. In marketing, aligning strategies with business objectives is vital. Learn more in my post on aligning marketing with business goals.
Fostering goodwill in the community, engaging with influencers, and delivering quality products all powerfully shape customer perceptions and decisions. Catering to the modern complexities of the customer journey can ensure that they are provided with options that best suit their needs and wants. This, in turn, can translate into creating a loyal customer base.
As a sales manager and marketer, analyzing my buying journey is a fresh reminder of consumer behavior, the strength of communities, and the value of authenticity and expertise. In fact, if you’re curious about how I’ve enhanced my content marketing strategies in recent times, take a peek at my post on achieving breakthrough results with new content in my first 3 months.
If you enjoyed this analysis and found it insightful, let’s grab a virtual cup of coffee and chat more about the fascinating world of sales, marketing, and tech, including the nuances of the modern customer journey. After all, there’s nothing like a great conversation over an even better brew.
Bryan’s Coffee Station featuring a blend of Fellow and Hario equipment, highlighting simplicity and functionality, June 2023.Caught in the moment! Bryan, radiating happiness as he crafts the perfect cup of coffee with his new, sleek setup. #CoffeeJoy #MorningRitual
