In June, Dog Star Media clients tracked 1123 incoming phone calls using our tracking telephone numbers. These numbers continue to be the strongest component of most of our clients’ marketing plans. Knowing which marketing endeavor is bringing in phone calls is helping these clients sharpen the sword each month.
Since March, 2009 when we started gathering tracking information, our clients have tracked 3142 calls. This has helped them determine if certain ad purchases are successful or unsuccessful in generating calls. In many cases, it has validated the importance of their Internet strategy, as usually, the strongest call responses come from their web sites.
Big picture, the wide dispersal of these tracking numbers geographically has helped us establish some benchmarks for performance. For clients in our coaching and retainer programs, there is a remarkable consistency in call responses depending on the market size and overall marketing budget (which are things I know in detail in both coaching and retainer programs). Knowing these benchmarks has helped me give better advice based on the performance of certain tracking numbers.
You’ve heard it the saying “Information is power.” Well, this is some pretty strong information. Tracking numbers work out to be $40/month. In our program that price is locked whether or not you have a toll-free number and there are no usage fees for minutes. So, each month you use a tracking number, you are spending $40 to monitor and understand the results of the hundreds or thousands of dollars you are spending on the ads or on a particular medium, such as a web site.
This month, the pro-rated cost is $280 for a number. That fee will last you until February when each number renews for a full year. It is a one-time payment of a few hundred dollars that can tell you how your thousands or tens of thousands in marketing endeavors are performing. On that point alone, it is one of the most highly recommended marketing tools available. Do you want a tracking number for your web site and/or your ads? If so, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
