Decoding Success

Metrics for measuring marketing efforts

Marketing is the cornerstone of a successful business, yet many struggle not only with crafting effective strategies but also assessing their impact. For the pool industry, measuring marketing efforts is crucial to ensure every action contributes to results.

Why Measure Marketing?

Developing and executing a marketing plan isn’t enough; assessment is key. Josh Harmening, senior account manager for The Get Smart Group, says the most important way of measuring marketing success is evaluating your number of conversions — and step one is to be honest and realistic. 

“You don’t need to tell anybody else, but be honest with yourself,” Harmening says. “Until you are honest with yourself and start tracking things, you won’t have any idea what your close rate is.” 

The Power of Data and Execution

Before embarking on marketing strategies, setting realistic goals demands data. 

“You can think you’re good at something, but until you’re actually tracking it, we take it with a grain of salt,” Harmening says.

Once you’ve collected data, use it to forecast future endeavors, but keep in mind that execution is just as key as metrics. 

“The planning is important, but the most important part of the planning is how you’re going to execute,” Harmening says. “Most plans are pretty good. Most execution is not. So focus on the execution.”

Most plans are pretty good. Most execution is not. So focus on the execution.” Josh Harmening, The Get Smart Group

Tracking Systems for Success

Defining metrics for success and adhering to company values plays a vital role in tracking the impact of your marketing efforts. Sarah Garrahan, marketing manager for Blithe Sales Co., emphasizes the company’s mission statement’s role in developing plans and fostering relationships beyond sales. 

“For us, success is three things: a satisfied end-user, a dealer with new referrals and reorders for our suppliers,” she explains. “Our mission statement: ‘Communicate, inspire, and embrace continuous development for our customers, suppliers, and ourselves’ is behind everything we do.” 

Garrahan also says tracking what happens after a sale or closed deal is just as important as tracking what led to it. “A sale is often a finish line for other business models but in our case, it’s just the beginning,” she says. “Ultimately, success is a new relationship or partnership between ourselves and our dealers.”

Marketing Tools and Strategies

For those ready to begin tracking their efforts who are looking for marketing ideas, Harmening recommends a few platforms. 

“The platforms that we see working are Google ads, organic traffic and email,” he says. “But if you want to actually get leads and convert them into sales, it’s search engine marketing. It’s your customer relationship management software, like HubSpot and ActiveCampaign and FusionSoft.”

Garrahan recommends social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Whatever marketing method you choose, you must actually work the leads you generate, Harmening says. 

“The clients we see be successful are really leveraging their customer relationship management software,” he explains. “The more you maximize every single opportunity, the farther marketing dollars will spread.”

Strategies for Smaller Companies

For smaller enterprises, delegating marketing tasks is instrumental. 

“If we’re talking about small teams or owner-operators, [ask yourself], ‘How are you going to get yourself to a place where you can delegate?’ because everybody knows that in the summer, you’re not going to have time to do this,” he says. 

A good option for small businesses is to grow email lists. 

“If you don’t know what else to do, do whatever you can to get more people on your email list because you own that,” Harmening explains. “Social media [and Google] can bump you off, kick you off, change algorithms, do whatever they want, but your website and your email lists are yours.”

Harmening also reminds businesses of the power of video content. 

“Get comfortable in front of a camera,” he says. “You’ve got to provide a little bit of transparency and behind-the-scenes content and be OK with it not being crazy polished.”

Navigating Seasonal Shifts

If this sounds daunting, Harmening recommends using the offseason to make a plan for video content. 

“In the on-season is when you’re seeing the exciting stuff happen that’s worth videotaping when you’re out in the field, but you have to have the awareness of what would be worth putting on the internet,” he says. 

Harmening also recommends using the offseason to build out your CRM. 

“[Successful companies] have that process [as] a well-oiled machine, and they’ve gotten that all dialed in over the winter,” he says. “Then in the summer, when they’re crazy busy, it becomes automatic. They can at least keep up and then clean it up a little bit later.