Are Your Marketing Efforts Actually Working?
We’ve officially hit the halfway point of the year—and before you sprint toward fall launches or holiday campaigns, it’s worth hitting pause. Because here’s the truth: throwing content into the void (and hoping it sticks) is not a strategy. But don’t worry—this isn’t a guilt trip, it’s a gut check.
This is your invitation to do a quick mid-year marketing check-in. No jargon, no stress—just a simple pulse on what’s working, what’s not, and what small shifts can set you up for a stronger second half of the year.
The Work-cation Toolkit
First Things First: What Even Is a KPI?
Let’s demystify it. KPI stands for “Key Performance Indicator”—a fancy way of saying: How are we measuring success? Think of KPIs as the mile markers on your marketing road trip. They help you know whether you’re cruising toward your goals… or stuck in traffic.
Here are a few common KPIs for service-based businesses:
Website traffic: Are people finding your site?
Email open & click rates: Are they engaging with your emails?
Social media engagement: Are people liking, commenting, or sharing your content?
Leads or inquiries: Are new potential clients reaching out?
Conversion rates: Are those inquiries turning into real business?
You don’t need to track everything, but you do need to track something.
Ask Yourself These 5 Questions
Before you dive into the data, ask yourself:
What’s growing—and what’s flatlining?
Look at your top platforms and channels. Are they trending up or holding steady?Which marketing efforts are bringing in actual clients?
Likes are nice, but which posts or emails actually led to bookings or sales?Are you reaching the right people?
You might be getting traffic but are they your ideal audience?Is your content sparking connection or just filling space?
If it feels like you're talking into the void, your content might need a refresh.Are your goals still relevant?
If you set big goals back in January, it’s okay to shift them based on what you know now.
What We’re Tracking at Lawson House
At Lawson House, the KPIs we track always depend on the client’s goals. If someone wants to grow their audience, we’re watching things like social media engagement, follower growth, and email list signups. If the goal is to book more sales calls, we’re digging into website click-throughs, landing page views, and form submissions. Selling a course or service? Then we’re tracking conversion rates, checkout completions, and even abandoned carts. It’s never one-size-fits-all—we tailor what we measure based on where you’re trying to go.
Make a Tweak—Not a Total Overhaul
Good news: you don’t need to burn it all down. You just need a few smart tweaks. Here are some ways to realign your strategy without starting from scratch:
Double down on what’s working. If email is killing it, put more effort there.
Repurpose strong content. Take that popular reel and turn it into an email or blog.
Freshen up your visuals. Sometimes a little design polish makes a big difference.
Try one small experiment. A new call-to-action, a pop-up on your site, or a different posting time could reveal something new.
Tools That Make Tracking Less Annoying
You don’t need a dashboard the size of NASA’s control room to track your KPIs. These simple tools can help:
Google Analytics – for seeing where your web traffic is coming from
Instagram/Facebook Insights – built-in data on post performance and audience
Flodesk or Mailchimp – easy email tracking tools
Notion, Airtable, or Google Sheets – keep a monthly log of what you’re tracking
Want something easier? Start with a “What’s working / What’s not” notes page. Simple is effective.
Here’s Your Permission Slip to Adjust
Your marketing doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be intentional. Checking in now gives you space to realign before the fall rush and holiday season hit.
Need help seeing the big picture? We offer content audits, KPI tracking tools, and strategy sessions to help business owners like you make sense of what’s working (and what’s just making noise). Let’s talk!
You’ve still got six months. Let’s make them count.
