Maybe you post an ad on Facebook, target it to the exact right group, drive a 3% clickthrough rate to your website, convert 10% of visitors to leads by having them fill out a form, and once they hit the “thank you” page, the Facebook conversion pixel gives you a demonstrable ROI.
Maybe you invest some time and money to create an amazing piece of content. Then you go onto Linkedin and use the advanced search to find 200 highly targeted prospects. You send each of them the content, acknowledging the mutual connections you both share, and a few of them agree to meet for lunch. Several weeks later, one or two people agree to do business with you. Add the cost of the content, the cost of lunch and the value of your time, and compare that to the total value of the business you’ve brought in, and you’ll have a clear ROI.
These are measurable wins.
My Story
I started tweeting back in 2007, but I didn’t have a plan, I just liked talking to people.
I’ve been writing about my experiences on this blog since 2010, but I’ve never had a real plan, I just like to write.
I spend a lot of time giving away free advice, but I have no idea what the ROI on that has been since 2008, I just like to help people.
All of this has been valuable.
How valuable?
It’s hard to say, I never stopped to measure. I just focused on doing work I love, being generous to people with my time and knowledge, and not being afraid to try things.
The outcome?
I’ve built a loyal audience for my blogs, I’ve gotten the chance to travel and speak nationally and internationally, I’ve been featured in the New York Times…twice, I’ve met amazing people, I’ve been able to continually grown my company each year, and much more…
This is exactly why you shouldn’t wait to jump in. Just because you can’t measure the success, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.
Sometimes, it all works, even if it can’t be measured.