ARQIL / Practical field note · General planning guidance

Advertising reports can show activity while leaving the business question unanswered: did this bring an opportunity worth pursuing?

Keep the stages separate

  • Visit: someone reaches the destination.
  • Contact action: someone clicks an email or WhatsApp link. A message may never be sent.
  • Enquiry: a real message or submission is received.
  • Qualified enquiry: the request matches your offer and qualification criteria.
  • Consultation or proposal: a meaningful next step occurs.
  • Customer: a sale is recorded under your actual business rules.

Agree on what “qualified” means

Write a short definition before comparing campaigns. It might consider service fit, location served, an achievable scope, and the ability to proceed. Do not change the definition just to make a report look better.

Connect the records carefully

A small lead log can start with the date, relevant source, requested service, current stage, and next action. Keep personal information limited and access controlled. Attribution may be incomplete when people move between devices or channels.

Use a diagnosis, not a single score

If visits increase but relevant enquiries do not, review the offer and landing page. If relevant enquiries arrive but consultations stall, review the response process. Each observation is a starting hypothesis, not proof of the cause.

Define the experiment

Choose one material change, the outcome you care about, and a sensible evaluation period before testing. Low volumes may not support a confident conclusion. Record uncertainty rather than announcing a winner too early.