As an agency leader, you know that setting the right expectations is crucial to keeping clients happy and campaigns on track.
When expectations are unclear, misalignment leads to frustration, wasted spend, and potential churn. To avoid that, it’s essential to take a structured approach that ensures both your agency and your clients are working toward the same goals—right from the start.
t’s explore three key steps to setting proper expectations for your next digital marketing campaign.
1. Evaluate Past Campaign Data
First things first—has your client run a similar campaign before?
If they have, great! This past data provides a goldmine of insights that can shape realistic expectations. Whether it’s analyzing past performance metrics, audience engagement trends, or return on investment (ROI), having access to this historical information helps you set achievable goals based on proven results.
If they haven’t run a similar campaign, that’s okay. This is your opportunity to establish a baseline by tracking key metrics early and adjusting as the campaign progresses.
Key Questions to Ask:
What worked well (or didn’t) in the past?
What platforms and tactics delivered the best ROI?
How has audience behavior changed over time?
Remember: Knowing where you’re starting is half the battle in determining where you can go.
2. Use Real Business Math to Set Goals
Success isn’t just about impressions and clicks—it’s about results that matter to your client’s business.
To set meaningful goals, it’s essential to move beyond surface-level metrics and focus on tangible KPIs that impact revenue. Ask yourself (and your client):
What is their average order value?
How many leads or sales are needed to make the campaign worthwhile?
What’s their customer lifetime value (CLV)?
Once you have these figures, use tools like Conduit’s Goal Calculator to turn vague objectives into quantifiable KPAs (Key Performance Actions). This approach takes the guesswork out of campaign planning and provides a clear roadmap for success.
Example: Instead of saying “We want more leads,” the goal should be: “We need 100 leads at a $50 CPL to achieve a positive ROI.”
Pro Tip: When you align campaign goals with real business numbers, you empower clients with clarity and build credibility for your agency.
3. Secure Client Buy-In with Transparency
Transparency is the key to building long-term relationships and reducing client churn. Once your campaign goals and KPAs are set, the next step is getting your client on board.
Ensure there’s a mutual agreement on success metrics—whether it’s a $50 cost per lead (CPL), a 3x return on ad spend (ROAS), or a percentage increase in website traffic.
When clients clearly understand the benchmarks and expectations from the start, they’ll feel more confident and trust the process.
Key Steps to Achieve Buy-In:
Review goals together and explain the rationale behind each KPI.
Outline a clear reporting structure to track progress.
Emphasize that marketing efforts require optimization and flexibility.
With a shared understanding of what success looks like, everyone is rowing in the same direction—and that alignment leads to stronger partnerships and better results.
Final Thoughts:
By taking the time to analyze past data, define clear goals, and gain client buy-in, you’re setting your agency up for long-term success and retention.
At Conduit Digital, we help agencies like yours streamline their operations with clear reporting, goal-based tracking, and full-service campaign execution.
Ready to streamline your agency operations and scale smarter?
Schedule a Discovery Call with us today.
Conduit Digital. Keep Clients Longer. Grow Them Faster.
