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How to Measure the Success of Content Marketing

by trip3980
8 replies
So I have a client that asked the dreaded question how do I pay you in a manner of measurable success? IE my results equals sales. My client runs a hotel and motel chain and what I know is that organic content marketing is not the same a traditional marketing methods such as a coupon. My initial approach is to use Email marketing for current customers which doesn't equate to my ability to make a sale because the main goal is to get the customer to do direct bookings and once that happens the owner doesn't see why he needs me anymore.

I know that organic marketing is something that targets consumer behavior IE influencing a consumer in a way that makes him think about a product or service in a positive manor hopefully a manner that causes him to buy the product or service. Ultimately leading to more sales.

Some hotels he has have a repeat customary base others do not. This motel is a small hotel out in the middle of nowhere but is connected to a military base which means business travelers and drive an hr in any direction you reach travel destinations so tourist come from all over the world to visit this aria IE lake Isabella, sierra mountains and death valley. So the location has potential but most visitors are those who stay once and leave.

The problem I have is he wants only pay me on my ability to make a sale which I get from a business standpoint but not all marketing success is measured by direct immediate sales, but the potential of future or repeat sales.

Currently I read a blog entitled "How to Measure the Success of Content Marketing." the advice I got was good but it still didn't answer my question.
Content Marketing Measurement Tips for Metrics

Because the age old question is how do I get paid if my potential client only wants to pay me based on "measurable success." Weather business people like it or not content marketing is king especially true for the motel and hotel industry.

Anyways any advice would be greatly appreciated.
#content #marketing #measure #success
  • Profile picture of the author mpressmeinc
    How do people usually find out about the hotel? The model that he has presented will almost never make you money. Is the client willing to offer any promotions or discount for advance booking? There has to be some kind of value exchange between the business and the customer in order for the customer to consider spending their money in advance, especially when the property really has no unique appeal to it AND if you expect to make money, you must explain to your client you need some fuel to drive these conversions.

    In today's market you've gotta give to get .

    Best of luck to you! I'd love to hear the outcome. #mpressme
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    • Profile picture of the author trip3980
      Originally Posted by mpressmeinc View Post

      How do people usually find out about the hotel? The model that he has presented will almost never make you money. Is the client willing to offer any promotions or discount for advance booking? There has to be some kind of value exchange between the business and the customer in order for the customer to consider spending their money in advance, especially when the property really has no unique appeal to it AND if you expect to make money, you must explain to your client you need some fuel to drive these conversions.

      In today's market you've gotta give to get .

      Best of luck to you! I'd love to hear the outcome. #mpressme
      He knows about the loyalty programs and such discounts etc. Don't get me wrong hes a smart business man but he can only see in numbers. but only wants to pay me if I can increase his numbers in a measurable way.
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      • Profile picture of the author mpressmeinc
        Great, if he's aware of the loyalty programs and discounts, which one is he willing to implement. This is pretty much the only way you will be able to track which customers are leads you generated. Try to meet in the middle, charge a setup fee to run the campaign. You will need to create the campaign, conversion funnel, ads, landing pages, etc., you should get paid for that no matter what. Then work out an additional royalty for each new and returning customer you bring in.
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  • Profile picture of the author kimanierick
    maybe you can come up with a book where the customers register their details and how they got to that hotel. How did they get the information and what attracted them most. But this will depend if you are doing your job well and you are sure that your techniques usually work. If the customers wont come again later, let them give their reason just to be sure who to put the blame on. by these you can measure the failure and success of each worker and marketer.
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    • Profile picture of the author trip3980
      Originally Posted by kimanierick View Post

      maybe you can come up with a book where the customers register their details and how they got to that hotel. How did they get the information and what attracted them most. But this will depend if you are doing your job well and you are sure that your techniques usually work. If the customers wont come again later, let them give their reason just to be sure who to put the blame on. by these you can measure the failure and success of each worker and marketer.
      The problem here is i am relent on the memory of a costumer and his willingness to divulge said information. Plus it takes time which most consumers don't have or are willing to provide.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve B
        Like it or not, your client is right in wanting some measurable way to understand and determine if your marketing effort is making any positive impact upon his business.

        As a marketer, it's your responsibility to "prove" your worth. Before you take on a marketing client your should be very "up front" and clear about any methods or performance metrics you plan to use to show the worth of your effort. Since none of us know how you landed the client or what you promised to deliver, we can't tell you now (after the fact) how to convince your client that he ought to pay you.

        In the future, I would be very clear about my deliverables and how they would be measured and tracked.

        Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnnyFanta
    Content marketing is a slow burn, you might have to wait 12 months of constant articles before you see a return on SEO.

    If he wants to see measurable results, he's going to have to start driving traffic to the site, great if there is already traffic going there.

    Create a landing page where this traffic will hit, with a special offer, have a couple of lead generators on the page.

    Now you can show results by the number of leads generated and the number of people who took the offer, I'm sure that he's not going to care where the sales come from.

    Then set up some email campaigns and track traffic back to the website through them, then you have another proof of your marketing working.

    The idea of SEO and content is great but it's a hard sell, when you 3 months in and the owner still doesn't see returns.
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    • Profile picture of the author trip3980
      Originally Posted by JohnnyFanta View Post

      Content marketing is a slow burn, you might have to wait 12 months of constant articles before you see a return on SEO.

      If he wants to see measurable results, he's going to have to start driving traffic to the site, great if there is already traffic going there.

      Create a landing page where this traffic will hit, with a special offer, have a couple of lead generators on the page.

      Now you can show results by the number of leads generated and the number of people who took the offer, I'm sure that he's not going to care where the sales come from.

      Then set up some email campaigns and track traffic back to the website through them, then you have another proof of your marketing working.

      The idea of SEO and content is great but it's a hard sell, when you 3 months in and the owner still doesn't see returns.
      I totally get you hear. The problem is he has a web developer who takes 10 % of review from direct sales on the site. I am trying to figure out how to tap in to that with out stepping on the developers toes.
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