“It’s a numbers game!”
It finally happened – someone cold pitched my client and y’all, she didn’t care for it. Not because it was mean spirited or ultra vague, but because the promise she received felt out of this world and gave her the willies. “Did she really just promise me thousands of new followers in 100 days without knowing a thing about my business?”
Yes, she did, and its a mistake on her part because it triggered a massive red-flag in my client’s mind (which I am super proud of).
Thankfully before jumping in feet first, my client asked for another opinion – MINE.
Cold-pitches with massive promises isn’t a new thing. Hundreds of thousands of emails go out every single day promising the moon and back to unsuspecting business owners everywhere (or highly suspecting ones like me).
If a certain number of followers is promised, always wonder… what type of follower will they be? Will they be pre-teens looking for Justin Bieber music videos (or Shawna)? Or members of your ideal market? Asking questions like these are what exposes snake-oil promises… or inexperience.
Here are the numbers I pay attention to:
- Income
- Website traffic
- Referrals
Knowing how much money you have coming in is far more critical than the number of views you have on your latest Instagram boomerang. Do you have a spreadsheet that projects your closing income for the year? No? Get that done because whether you want steady or rapid growth, track everything. Oh, and don’t forget to factor in variables like COVID and seasons.
Are you wondering about website traffic? Your numbers should be increasing annually for visits to your website. It’s always wise to figure out where your viewers are coming from. Why? Because its an easy way to decide where you should be showing up too! That’s marketing 101 😉. Also, keep track of what pages they land on and how long they stay. If they’re leaving just as quickly as they arrived, it may be time to revise your copy or switch up your offer.
But *gasp* what if your traffic is almost non-existent on your site? I got you covered. Here are easy-to-follow steps to drive organic traffic to your website.
Lastly, referrals. Ah yes, the simplest way to grow your business organically – doing good work that people love to talk about. Referrals are the lifeblood of your business (amongst other things) because they’re based on your reputation, your quality of work, and if you have many I am willing to bet you have impressive client retention numbers. You legend! Not only does knowing your referrals numbers give you a warm fuzzy feeling, they also help you stay in contact with previous clients. You couldn’t ask for an easier way to encourage repeat business.
Knowing your numbers is an essential part of growing your business because they highlight what’s working well, where you could improve, or which process is ready to put on autopilot! But remember, do not get caught up in vanity numbers that don’t matter – such as the number of likes you get or how big your email list is.
The best way to continue making money – regardless of your vanity numbers – is to show up, stay consistent, and give your real audience value! They’ll love you for it.
And if numbers freak you out, or you’re not sure how to properly read the information you’ve collected, let’s chat! I’m a secret numbers-nerd and would love to crunch a few with you.
Lisa M Gale Digital Marketing helps service professional business owners improve their online presence and visibility to attract new clients. We develop systems and processes to improve digital marketing efforts and help entrepreneurs reach their business goals. Download your Digital Marketing Made Simple for free here >>
