Presenting a low-performing digital marketing report is thankless but necessary.
Seeing low-performance reports It is a little frustrating, and we know that. Even though you control everything and know exactly why that negative result is there, you always overcome that fear about how to communicate it to the customer.
Will he understand it as an atypical and punctual question? Or will he think that his marketing investments are being wasted? Everything, of course, depends on how you present these results to him. So, in this article, we’ve put together three tips that can help improve the communication of underperforming reports to your client or decision-maker. Continue reading to check it out!
Negative results are not the end of the world
First of all, it is worth remembering that marketing strategies are not perfect, and it is very difficult to have only positive results, which shows growth in all reports. After all, every action is based on the “plan, test, fail/hit, analyze and re-plan” circle, leading us to understand the best paths to achieve the client’s goals.
If you control everything that happens within that circle, you are halfway there to know how to get around adverse situations and communicate them to your decision-maker.
Also, several factors can lead to negative results (such as a more expensive ad or a lower budget), but this does not have to be the end of the world every time growth or decrease rates appear in red.
In reality, metrics exist to help marketers and make their work more strategic.
So, even if they do not show that expected result the entire month for a campaign, try to see them as open doors for you to achieve success in your future actions.
Poor performance reports: 3 tips to get around the situation
First of all, we need to emphasize that communicating underperforming reports needs to be objective and, above all, honest.
As delicate as it may be, trying to curl up or create crazy justifications is riskier than explaining what happened, why it was done that way, and what are the solutions for the future.
1. Contextualize the results achieved
You probably already know what led to the underperforming report, but your client may not have that information so clearly in his head (even if you talk all the time about the progress of the project).
Therefore, the first step is to know how to contextualize these results. Go to the root of the problem, identify what caused the low numbers, and express it in words – whether in the open reviews of the report itself or in the meetings you usually have.
If you do not have a scheduled conversation and still want to make a different presentation, you can attach videos to the report to expose each point in a more humane and personalized way for the client. We are sure that he would be surprised by this initiative!
Now, if you want to go beyond the metrics, there is also the possibility to activate the Marketing Timeline and create a history with all the project’s actions.
With the client having access to this document, it will be easier to contextualize and always align the report with campaigns, decisions, and, of course, specific issues that led to poor performance.
2. Offer solutions to the problem
Mistakes and problems happen all the time. But what will differentiate you in these situations is your ability to solve them and turn them into learning for the future. Therefore, even before talking to the client about the poor performance report, it is necessary to reflect on possible paths based on these results.
In the previous topic, we talked about contextualizing the problem first. After that, then – whether in text, video, or meeting, you will indicate the project’s next steps based on what was discussed or planned with your team.
This step is extremely important for the client to trust your work and know that you care about his success. Also, make room for the decision-maker to clarify doubts, expose their opinions, and contribute to the project. After all, no one understands his business better than he does, right?
3. If possible, use the Sandwich Technique
Did you know that the order in which you deliver good and bad news can make a difference in the way customers/decision-makers receive it?
For example, the Sandwich Technique, widely used in feedback in companies, proposes that the “problem” be communicated between two positive news so that the recipient does not start the meeting with a negative surprise and does not run the risk of ending it unmotivated.
Our underperforming reporting scenario can also be adapted to balance good results and points for improvement for the client.
If you communicate an excellent performance on one social media, then show the negative results of another and, finally, talk about solutions to the problem. This is already a perfect way to insert the technique and reassure the client.
But that does not mean, of course, that it is always a rule of success. It is necessary to evaluate how situations can be fitted because not all people will receive the same information.
The report of Reportei offers the freedom to customize the template precisely to suit your customers’ needs and the best ways to communicate the results to them, whether positive or negative.
You can then use this functionality to apply the Sandwich Technique and other effective strategies to your project.
However, remember: honesty and your ability to offer solutions will always be the most important in this process.
Did you like to check out our tips on how to communicate poorly performing reports to customers? Then share with us, in the comments, suggestions from the methods used in your company or agency!
