Regular reporting is key to ongoing marketing success. Not only does the practice help clients see where efforts are concentrated, it helps the marketing team adjust strategy based on learnings from the data.
How “regular” this reporting should be is up for debate. The vast majority of our reports are delivered quarterly. The simple reason; scrutinizing data too often can lead to assumptions and hasty decisions based on data sets that are too small or not yet mature enough to reveal patterns.
This isn’t to say that we don’t look at specific campaigns more often and provide a snapshot as needed. But providing an overview of key metrics every quarter, versus weekly or monthly, enables us to adapt and refine our approach in response to emerging trends. Our goal is to give clients the information they need to thrive in their competitive markets. We want our clients to feel empowered and prepared for long-term marketing benefits.
Here are a few more specific benefits to quarterly reporting:
Provide Transparency
Arguably the number one benefit for reporting is to keep clients in the loop. Clients want to see exactly how marketing efforts are making a tangible impact on their business. Regular reporting creates a feedback loop that supports continuous improvement. By identifying areas for work, we make changes to optimize our clients’ strategies over time.
Re-focus the Big Picture
Marketing can move fast at times and involve multiple elements or multiple people. It’s good to provide a refresher on the goals set for the current or preceding quarter and why. Imagine if we only updated our clients once a year — they’d miss out on understanding how different marketing strategies impact their performance in real-time. By providing quarterly reports, clients get a comprehensive view of the entire picture. Plus, it fosters better collaboration by constantly being on the same page.
Review Benchmarks and Competitive Analysis
Quarterly reports often include insights into the competitive landscape. Understanding how a client’s marketing performance compares to industry benchmarks is valuable for planning in the future. It also lets them know how they are doing compared to previous quarters and years.
Share What We’re Learning and Educate
Keeping our clients in the loop isn’t just about throwing numbers their way. In our reports, we segment data into categories such as social media, email marketing, website, etc. and discuss the performance as well as overlap of each. We compare relevant Quarter Over Quarter or Year Over Year data to spot patterns and document recommendations. When a client can see the bigger picture and track the growth of our marketing efforts, they have solid proof that their investment is paying off.
Fine-Tune the Game Plan
The marketing world can shift very fast. With quarterly reporting, we can figure out what is hitting the mark and what needs work. This gives us a chance to fine-tune strategies and make sure we’re putting resources where they’ll be most beneficial.
In the ever-evolving realm of marketing, the importance of regular reporting cannot be overlooked. By offering snapshots of key metrics and insights on a quarterly basis, we empower our clients to navigate their marketing efforts with confidence and clarity, ensuring that they are not just equipped for short-term gains, but for success in the long run.