Tips / Tip

Check you can measure the result before you write the campaign

By Michael Shreeves · 22 September 2026 · Web & SEO · 2 min read

"Raise awareness of the new service" is a goal that can't fail. Nobody can say it didn't work, because nobody said how they'd tell.

A better brief names one result and checks you can get the number. That second part is where plans often fall over. You decide the aim is "more bookings from the email", then find out the booking form doesn't record where people came from.

Paste your draft brief and ask the AI to be awkward about it.

Below is a draft campaign brief. Review it as a sceptical colleague.
1. List every goal or success claim in it.
2. For each, say what number would show it worked, and where that
   number would come from. Use only the data sources I list below.
3. Mark any goal where that data doesn't exist or can't be linked to the
   campaign as "CAN'T MEASURE", and say what would need to change.
4. Point out any vague word that a reader could take two ways
   ("engage", "reach", "awareness", "drive").
5. Suggest a single main measure and one that would warn us early if
   it's going badly.
Don't write the campaign.

Brief: [PASTE]
Data we have: [e.g. website analytics, booking system, email platform
reports, phone calls logged by reception]

You'll probably get at least one "CAN'T MEASURE". Fixing it is often a small job: a tracked link, a "how did you hear about us?" field, a different phone number on the leaflet.

Pick one main measure, so there's a clear answer to "did it work?".

Don't ask the AI to make up a target. "Increase bookings by 20%" is only a number until you know last year's baseline and what's realistic. That bit comes from your own figures.

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