Focus on Results

Guest Post by Billy Hussey

Have you ever been bombarded with marketing jargon in a meeting? We marketers are good at creating fancy terms to make everything sound impressive. Instead of saying, “Your campaign failed,” we might say, “We improved your click-through rate (CTR) by X%, leading to more impressions and better SEO.” But what does that really mean? Maybe a few more people saw your ad, but when you look at the bottom line, you spent a significant amount with nothing to show for it.

Growth Marketing: A Different Approach

This is where growth marketing steps in. Instead of the traditional top-down funnel approach, we flip it around. The first question we ask is: “What is your cost per acquisition (CPA) and cost per lead (CPL)?” These metrics tell us how much it costs to acquire a student or get a response (phone call, text, or email).

Optimizing Your Funnel

If the numbers are good, a growth marketer can help maximize efficiency. However, the real opportunity lies when your CPA and CPL are high. Traditional marketing often leaves you juggling day-to-day tasks while struggling to understand fluctuating conversion rates. You’re left hoping the agency that boosted your click-through rate can somehow improve lead generation.

Growth Marketing is About ROI

Growth marketing focuses on consistent improvement. We aim to lower your cost per lead, from, say, $75 to $5. That’s a significant difference! Once we achieve that, we explore using existing databases, email sequences, and text campaigns to further maximize success. This laser focus on ROI sets us apart from traditional marketing, which often prioritizes spending over results.

Beware of Empty Jargon

Many agencies rely on complex jargon and meaningless data to justify high fees. They might show you fancy reports and then try to lock you into another long contract.

Ask the Right Questions

If you work with an agency, ask if they use the classic “awareness-consideration-lead generation” funnel. In this model, the only winners are the ad platform and the agency. You pay for brand awareness without capturing leads, then invest in additional efforts to nurture those leads.

Start with What Matters

Why not work backwards? Let’s first analyze your lead generation strategy. How are you capturing information? Is your landing page optimized? How many people abandon the form? Once we optimize lead capture and communication costs, we can then focus on less critical aspects like brand awareness campaigns.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of who you choose, make sure they prioritize your goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and revenue targets. Look for a team with a strong growth marketer who can simplify the process and deliver real ROI. You shouldn’t have to sit through another meeting where they brag about “impressions” while your enrollment numbers remain stagnant.

About the Author

Billy Hussey is a seasoned professional whose journey began with a prominent French startup. There, he was part of the team of four that spearheaded the US creation of an interactive virtual reality enterprise tool, securing $700,000 and cultivating partnerships with five Fortune 500 corporations.

Advancing to Jin, a distinguished French agency that facilitated the seamless transition of esteemed brands from the US to France, Billy played a key role. Notable names like Chipotle, Michelin, Bic, Halo Top, Europe Car, and Tinder found new frontiers through the agency.

Now, at Ducere Global Business School, Billy drives marketing initiatives and fosters financial growth. His strategic leadership propels the institution forward.

“Billy’s expertise in business expansion, honed through diverse experiences, underscores his value as we transition to serving non-profits and social impact organizations. With his proven track record of orchestrating successful ventures and guiding renowned brands, Billy brings a wealth of insight to our journey ahead and those of our clients.” – Amanda Holdsworth