In the E-Myth Revisited, Michael Gerber tells of his stay in a remarkable hotel.

It turned into one of the most extraordinary hotel experiences of his life. He recounts:

• Off-the-charts customer service

• Unmatched attention to detail

• Immaculate rooms and facilities

What was the hotel’s secret? Actually, four things... a match, a mint, a cup, and a newspaper.

How did the hotel use these items?

A MATCH

In his room was a fireplace with an oversized match lying across the hearth.

When he returned from dinner, the oak logs had already been lit.

A MINT

As the fire crackled, he noticed someone had turned down his bed quilt.

On top of each plumped pillow was a mint.

A CUP

When he awoke the next morning, a coffee pot gurgled in the bathroom.

Triggered by an automatic timer, it provided his favorite brand of coffee.

A NEWSPAPER

While sipping from his mug, there came a polite knock at the door.

On the mat was a copy of the New York Times, his preferred newspaper.

Michael Gerber says every time he returns to the hotel, he experiences the same scenario without fail.

But what makes the staff so attentive and consistent?

Checklists.

When he spoke to hotel leadership about their exemplary service, the manager pointed to an operations manual. It overflowed with checklists for every imaginable situation. Each staff member embraced the system. And the result? An unforgettable guest experience.

Let this hotel spark inspiration for your marketing.

Great marketing is more than pretty graphics and clever ideas. Below the surface, there lies a disciplined approach.

And the discipline is in the follow-up.

What is marketing follow-up? It’s setting the priority to study results and apply what you learn. Follow-up is asking the right questions, such as:

• Why did this ad work when others didn’t?

• Who responded?

• What medium worked best?

• Was there a message that resonated better than others?

• Which price point was most effective?

Consider it a treasure hunt. When you seek answers to important marketing questions, your effectiveness skyrockets. And you’ll stop spending money on guesswork.

No, follow-up isn’t sexy.⁣ While Super Bowl ads and glossy websites sashay around the club in their stiletto heels, follow-up huddles in the corner by the punchbowl.⁣
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But yet it’s essential to successful marketing.⁣ Without follow-up, your ads will flop like a fish on a pier.⁣
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Just like the hotel’s “secret” was obsessing over checklists, these 5 follow-up secrets will launch you into a new marketing orbit:

SECRET #1: REVIEW YOUR WEBSITE ANALYTICS

• How much traffic?

• Where did the traffic come from?

• What days did traffic spike? Why?

• What keywords brought traffic to my site?

• Which are my most viewed pages?

• Which buttons are clicked the most?

⁣SECRET #2: RESEARCH YOUR EMAIL CAMPAIGN STATS

• How many opens?

• How many bounces?

• How many unsubscribes?

• How many click-throughs?

• How many sales conversions?

• What days and times worked best?

SECRET #3: STUDY YOUR ONLINE AD METRICS

• How many impressions?

• What is the cost-per-thousand impressions?

• How many clicks?

• What is the cost-per-click?

• How many conversions?

• What is the cost-per-conversion?

• What is the cost-per-acquisition?

SECRET #4: TEST YOUR CALL-TO-ACTIONS

• ⁣Which website buttons convert best?

• Which colors perform best?

• Which trigger words drive more clicks?

• Where are the best placement locations?

• What type of graphics increase clicks?

• How many landing page forms are submitted?

SECRET #5: ENGAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

• How many post likes?

• How many shares?

• How many comments?

• How many replies?

• How many ongoing conversations?

• How much off-platform communication?

• How many website visits?

• How many new followers?

• How many lost followers?

Place these five priorities as ongoing appointments on your calendar. Start with once a month. Take notes and save them for reference. It will pay off. Over time, the data will provide a rich path for future marketing success. And you’ll look like a genius.

Follow-up takes time. But it provides a spine to otherwise jello marketing.⁣

Stay disciplined in the little things. Everything big starts small.

Remember: a match, a mint, a cup, a newspaper.

NEED SOME INSPIRATION WITH YOUR MARKETING?

About Me
Hey, I’m Brian, co-founder of Genie Jar Digital. Born a Tar Heel but now a Virginian, I’m a father of five and the husband of one amazing lady. My family has a thing for Golden Retrievers. Given the right circumstances, I can do a mean moonwalk on a slick kitchen floor.