Hot on the Trail Learn three easy ways to track your advertising results, and find out if you're really getting the most for your money.
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If you're running a comprehensive marketing program, with asolid combination of advertising media plus direct mail and e-mail,chances are you've got leads and responses coming in from justabout everywhere. So how can you tell which of your marketingtactics are stellar performers and which need to be replaced?Tracking your marketing responses is easier than you think, andit's the smartest way to save marketing dollars by cutting thefat and eliminating any nonperforming media and tactics.
The best way to track your advertising responses is to key eachad with a unique code, so every sale or lead can be identifiedaccording to its original source. Here are three ways to make everylead identifiable:
1. Apply keycodes. Key codes are used in print advertising and directmail. Suppose you were running an ad campaign in a group ofmagazines. In order to track the responses from individualpublications and issues, you would need to include a different keycode in each of the response mechanisms. Your direct-response printad in the January issue of Builder magazine could be coded"BL-1," while another ad in the February issue ofRemodeling magazine might be coded "RE-2." Thesecodes would appear in the "reply to" section of the ads,so when responses were generated, you could immediately determinethe source of each lead.
Key codes are often incorporated into the bounce-back mechanismsof direct mail. The next time you receive a direct-mail package,take a closer look. Chances are, you'll see that the responseenvelope is imprinted with a code (consisting of letters and/ornumbers), and you'll also find that code on the order form orthe response card.
2. Provide a uniquenumber or URL. It's a good idea to acquire severaltoll-free numbers for use in different aspects of your marketingprogram. For example, you might track the results of adirect-response TV campaign by using a unique, memorable toll-freenumber--and use a different number to track the leads from aconcurrent print or radio campaign. For larger campaigns, inboundcall centers can provide reports showing the number of calls toeach toll-free number, including the percentage and number of callsfrom every state and by time of day.
Another way to track responses from offline campaigns is toprovide unique URLs. By taking advantage of "domain parkingand pointing," you can have multiple versions of your domainname or different URLs that all point to a designated landing pageon your Web site. For instance, respondents to an outdoor adcampaign might type in a simple URL that's easy to remember,such as "MyBoat.com," and then be instantly forwarded toyour primary site. Your Web logs would reveal the number ofresponses that came to each URL.
3. Track onlineresponses. Whether you're monitoring the results ofonline ads or an e-mail campaign, it's important to have uniquetracking codes for each. One way to measure responses to anindividual ad or e-mail is to track hits to your Web pages byincluding a "?" after the URL, plus your code. Forexample, instead of using "mydomain.com," your coded linkmight be "mydomain.com?A." This will in no way alter thelanding page, and it will show up in your log files. Anotheralternative would be to create multiple copies of your landingpage--each with a different file name--then link from your e-mailsolicitations or online ads to specific landing pages.
Of course, the bottom line isn't merely to measure how manyleads you generate, but how many convert to sales. By tracking allresponses according to their sources, you can test individual adcampaigns to see which marketing approaches and offers produce themost profitable results for your company.
