“I don’t have a choice. The best information I can get about where I should be putting my ad budget comes from the radio, TV, and newspaper reps that are beating down my doors every day.”

At one point or another, every small business owner has had a similar epiphany. The thought that follows is somewhat disturbing. “Do I really want to trust such a large amount of cash with a person who works on straight commission?”

The answer, in short, is “No.”

If you are wondering how to effectively track the impact your ads are having on your profit, and maybe even reallocate some of those dollars to make what’s working perform even better, it’s time to educate yourself about using a Call Tracking Service.

A few simple google searches will define Call Tracking for you, so what we’ll focus on here is how to make the process work for you. The business owner has to hold up her end of the deal. That means paying attention to the data that’s presented even if it doesn’t exactly line up with expectations. Yes, you may love your local newspaper and those lovely print ads really pop on the page. But if that phone number you used for your spring campaign shows that less than 5% of your calls came from the paper, you must respond accordingly.

Call tracking is a valuable tool, but in order for it to be worth your investment, you must respond to the data it presents in an unemotional way. So clear your mind, run the campaign, and let the data speak. You may be surprised at what you learn.

If you are curious about what Call Tracking can do to help you evaluate your advertising budget, contact us.