<div><p>Hands down, the biggest mistake we see on web sites is the failure to close the marketing loop. Most people are laser focused on how much web traffic they get on their site but they fail to follow the numbers all the way. By using a unique tracking telephone number on your web site. You know EXACTLY how many calls came from your web site because...</p></div><div><p>Hands down, the biggest mistake we see on web sites is the failure to close the marketing loop. Most people are laser focused on how much web traffic they get on their site but they fail to follow the numbers all the way. By using a unique tracking telephone number on your web site. You know EXACTLY how many calls came from your web site because the phone number on the site is unique and it is hooked up to tracking technology. More than one location or number, use two unique numbers. The concept is the same. Tracking numbers can be pointed to any destination number and no calls are lost.&nbsp; THIS completes the loop.</p><p>Closed Loop Marketing means understanding the entire progression from investment to the generation of business.&nbsp; These days, a technology exists to measure each part of the process. Here is a typical, albeit simplified scenario. You make investments in advertising, that results in exposure which results in web traffic and phone calls in the short-term. Some web traffic will call after checking out your web site. Some people will call directly from the ad. If you do not use a technology, here are the classic analysis problems you invite:</p><p>1) Human Error: Maybe you are asking people where they heard of you. That data if faulty from the word go. Only a specifically assigned technology can tell you this for a fact. Good example: They saw your ad 10X, finally went to your web site and the web site is what convinced them to call. You asked them where they heard of you and they say the web site.&nbsp; Is that accurate?</p><p>2) Not Factoring in Readiness: You look at what you spend now and what it generates short-term. Another huge error.&nbsp; You run an advertising campaign online or in a broadcast medium and measure the result in how it makes the phone ring.&nbsp; What about the people who responded to the ad by going to your web site, then did nothing but continue to shop. And, among those, what about those who return later after bookmarking your site or visiting the site over a period of weeks or months? Was the ad useless? Did the web site do it&lsquo;s job?</p><p>There are many other permutations of analytical problems that come up when you do not try to close the loop with tracking technologies. The use of tracking numbers over a long period of time and the use of closed loop techniques help us determine the productivity of each marketing investment. How those levels of productivity work together is what I call your &ldquo;Marketing Cocktail.&rdquo;&nbsp; This is a combination of several ingredients that produce a consistent result. This cannot be achieved without a Closed Loop frame of mind AND the proper tracking technologies.&nbsp; Are you ready to try a tracking number for your web site? It will open your eyes to what is really going on. If you want to start with a tracking number or numbers for your web site, please email me today at <a href="http://dogstarmedia.com/index.php?option=com_contactenhanced&amp;view=contact&amp;id=1&amp;content_title=ZDcyZmM4NWU5M2IzZWNjYmFiMTRmYTk3ODc2YzM1MTRUR0YwWlhOMElHSnNiMmNnWlc1MGNtbGxjdz09&amp;content_url=ZDcyZmM4NWU5M2IzZWNjYmFiMTRmYTk3ODc2YzM1MTRhSFIwY0RvdkwyUnZaM04wWVhKdFpXUnBZUzVqYjIwdllteHZaeTlzWVhSbGMzUXVhSFJ0YkQ5bWIzSnRZWFE5Wm1WbFpDWjBlWEJsUFhKemN3PT0=&amp;encodedrecipient=7fa72b6b5f412f526f71e480bb777c86&amp;tmpl=component&amp;" class="ce-modal mailto2ce" rel="{handler: 'iframe', size: {x:800, y:480}} nofollow">donald@dogstarmedia.com</a>.</p></div><p><strong>Read more</strong>&nbsp;<a class="rssreadon" rel="external" title="Biggest Mistake on Web Sites" href="http://dogstarmedia.com/blog/entry/biggest-mistake-on-web-sites.html">http://dogstarmedia.com/blog/entry/biggest-mistake-on-web-sites.html</a></p>
