To test a specific tactic like out-of-home or connected TV, focus the entire campaign within one geographic region. By establishing a performance baseline before the campaign and then measuring the incremental lift in branded search or sales in that area, you can better isolate the tactic's true effect.
Applying a single attribution model, like last-touch, to all channels is a mistake. It undervalues top-of-funnel activities and can lead to budget cuts that starve the pipeline. Instead, measure each channel based on its intended outcome and funnel stage.
Local service businesses should use organic social media as a testing ground for ad creative. Post helpful, authentic content consistently. When a post naturally gains significant traction (e.g., 5-10k views), invest a small, targeted ad budget ($100-$500) to amplify that proven winner within a tight geographic radius to generate leads.
To get C-suite buy-in for long-term brand investment, marketers should run small, ring-fenced test campaigns. By isolating a market segment and layering brand tactics on top of demand generation, you can demonstrably prove superior growth compared to a control group, de-risking a larger investment.
To prove marketing's ROI, run geo-fenced ad campaigns targeted at a specific set of retail locations. By comparing sales in these "test" stores against a control group of similar stores, you can measure the direct, incremental sales lift caused by your creative, providing black-and-white accountability.
A blended CAC across all channels hides crucial information. By calculating CAC for each individual platform or method (e.g., paid ads, content, outreach), businesses can identify their most efficient channels. This allows them to reallocate budget and effort to the highest-performing areas for more profitable growth.
To drive sell-through for a new CPG product in retail, run hyper-local video ads featuring the founders telling their story. Directly address shoppers in a small (e.g., 5-mile) radius of each specific store, calling out the city by name. This personal, targeted approach creates an emotional connection and drives immediate foot traffic.
To find the real impact of your marketing, intentionally exclude a small percentage (e.g., 5-10%) of your database from all campaign activities. By comparing the conversion rate of this "holdout group" to the group that received marketing, you can calculate the actual performance delta and determine if your efforts generated a genuine lift.
Capitalize on heightened local excitement by tailoring marketing messages and content specifically to the geographic areas of the teams playing in the Super Bowl. Viewership and engagement are exceptionally high in these markets, making geo-targeted campaigns highly effective.
To maximize ROI on their out-of-home spend, Float's media buying was highly scientific. They physically mapped the office addresses of their existing customers across the country, identified clusters in cities like Toronto, and then concentrated their billboard buys in those specific regions.
Shift the mindset from a brand vs. performance dichotomy. All marketing should be measured for performance. For brand initiatives, use metrics like branded search volume per dollar spent to quantify impact and tie "fluffy" activities to tangible growth outcomes.