Don’t waste your money on marketing

Three simple steps to ensure every marketing dollar counts

Nobody likes wasting money, especially on marketing. 

But here’s the thing: many businesses dive into marketing without a clear plan, and that’s where things can go sideways. 

When you skip the fundamentals, you risk spending money on campaigns that don’t deliver results or, worse, leave you wondering what went wrong.

At Crisp, we really take pride in a strategic, analytical approach to marketing. It’s all about making sure your effort and investment go to the right places and deliver tangible outcomes.

So before you spend any money on any marketing activities, here are three essential steps you need to take to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.

1.Define clear business and marketing goals

Before you even think about launching a campaign, get crystal clear on your goals. What do you actually want to achieve?

Avoid vague goals like “more engagement.” Instead, ask yourself:

  • Do I want to grow my email list?
  • Am I looking to book more discovery chats?
  • Is the goal to gain new clients or referrals?


Being specific helps you choose the right activities to match your objectives. When you know your destination, it’s much easier to map out the journey!

2.Benchmark your current analytics

Before making any changes, take stock of where you’re starting from. This means diving into your analytics and recording your current performance.

Track things like:

  • How many people are visiting your website organically?
  • What pages are they visiting, and how long are they staying?
  • How many followers do you have on social media, and where are they coming from?


Document this data in a spreadsheet or some other system system so you have a baseline to compare against further down the line. This could be in two weeks, a month, or six months, or at the end of a campaign. This is your way of measuring whether your efforts are making a difference.

3.Track everything

This step is often overlooked, but it’s crucial.  It’s also directly related to step 2. Make sure every marketing activity is trackable so you can see what’s working and what’s not.

For example:

  • If you’re running Facebook ads, install the Meta Pixel on your website.
  • Using print ads? Include a trackable QR code.
  • For email campaigns, monitor click-through rates and conversions.


By comparing this data to your baseline, you’ll get a clear picture of what’s driving results and where to tweak your strategy for better outcomes.

The Bottom Line

Marketing isn’t about throwing pasta at the wall and hoping something sticks. By defining clear goals, benchmarking your analytics, and tracking everything, you’ll have a solid understanding of what’s working, what’s not, and where your money is making the biggest impact.

These three steps will help you avoid wasted marketing dollars and ensure you’re getting the best return on your investment. 

Ready to start making your marketing work smarter, not harder? Book in a Marketing Kickstarter call with Abi today!

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