Simple analytics

Measure what leads to customers. This lesson applies the same principle to three distinct stages of business.

Why it matters: Illustrative example: 300 profile views, 18 phone clicks, six conversations and two bookings represent four different stages. Views alone do not establish sales.

Read the journey carefully: 300 views, 18 phone clicks and six conversations do not mean 18 purchases. The gaps suggest questions: were calls answered, was the offer clear, were appointments available? Do not claim one cause without evidence.

Illustrative calculation: 18 clicks / 300 views = a 6% click-to-view ratio; six conversations / 18 clicks ≈ 33.3%. Neither proves income. If a campaign cost $120 and led to three verified new customers, observed acquisition cost is $40 per customer; margin and customer value are still needed to assess profitability. Compare equivalent time periods and avoid double-counting actions.

Practical steps: 1. IDEA: pick a meaningful goal such as conversations with five potential customers. 2. STARTING: record weekly views, inquiries, appointments and sales; define each metric consistently. 3. ESTABLISHED: compare campaigns by useful inquiries and real customers while accounting for seasonal effects and costs. 4. PRACTICE — Make a four-stage funnel: saw → asked → booked → purchased. Mark unknown data as unknown instead of making it up. 5. REFLECT — What decision would you change today, and what real information do you still need before spending money?

An important note: Metrics and attribution methods vary by platform. Limit personal-data collection to what is necessary.