Joana Dockute is a business development specialist and a business coach with a background in running her own direct sales and marketing company for 7 years. When it comes to helping her clients go to the next level Joana perfectly understands their problems, as she had to go through most business development stages herself before she became a business coach.
Have you ever wondered if the strategy you’re implementing for your business is delivering results? It's a tricky question because results aren't always instant or obvious. Think of it like going to the gym: you don’t throw in the towel two weeks in just because you don’t have a six-pack yet, right? Business growth works the same way, and it takes time and consistent effort.
In this article, we’ll explain how to evaluate whether your strategy is working and what signs to look for to ensure you’re on the right track.
Strategy vs. tactics
Here’s a key point to remember: strategy isn’t a tactic. A strategy is the big picture, while tactics are the steps you take to achieve your goals. For example, advertising, special offers, SEO, and social media are all tactics they’re important, but they’re just pieces of the puzzle.
Too many business owners ‘get lost’ in daily tactics and call it a strategy. Then, when the results don’t come quickly, they get frustrated and give up. Don’t be that person. Instead, focus on building a cohesive strategy that aligns your actions with your big goal.
Building trust
One of business owners' biggest mistakes is basing their marketing solely on special offers. Sure, it’s important to create a clear, compelling offer that part matters. But the timing is just as critical. Special offers work best when trust has already been established with your prospects. Without trust, your offer is just another message lost in the noise.
Think about this: the average person in America sees 25,000 marketing messages every single day. With so many choices, customers often ‘become numb’ to most offers. And here’s another challenge—if your prospects see your special offer alongside a competitor’s, they’re likely to compare prices. It’s tough to stand out in such a crowded market.
The only way to rise above the noise is by building trust first. When you establish yourself as an expert and authority, your prospects are far more likely to pay attention to your special offers. That’s exactly what happened with a local business I worked with, and I’ll share their story in the next section.
Case study: From zero to €30K
One of my clients, a tile shop owner, generated €30K in revenue with a single Facebook ad. But here’s the catch—it wasn’t just the ad that made it happen. The real magic was the six weeks of brand-building that came before it.
Each week, we focused on positioning his business as a trusted authority in his field. We answered his customers' most common questions through content, videos, and social media posts. By the time we launched the ad, his audience was already familiar with him and trusted his expertise.
The result? A highly successful campaign backed by a strategy that nurtured prospects over time. If you need help designing a marketing strategy, check out my article, ‘5 Steps to Design Your Marketing Strategy for High-end Offers.'
Signs your strategy is working
Not all progress is measured in sales right away. If you’re unsure whether your strategy is on track, ask yourself these questions:
Are you building a loyal audience or "fans"?
Are your prospects becoming more familiar with your brand?
Are you consistently sharing content that resonates with your audience?
Are you positioning yourself as a trusted authority?
What feedback are you getting from customers or followers?
Are you becoming more clear on your marketing process?
If the answer to these questions is "yes," you’re moving in the right direction even if the financial results haven’t shown up yet. Once you get the first positive feedback from your prospects it usually gives you this confidence boost and you start ‘knowing’ that it will work for you.
Be aware of time
One of the biggest mistakes I see entrepreneurs make is giving up too early. After just a few weeks, they get discouraged because they’re not seeing immediate success. Instead of staying the course, they switch to another strategy and start over.
On the flip side, some business owners stick to the wrong strategy for years out of habit. I once worked with a furniture store owner who was spending €2,000 per month on radio ads but saw little return. They were hesitant to stop because they’d been doing it for so long. After shifting their focus to Facebook ads, they saw significantly better results with less spend.
Sometimes, you need an outside perspective to identify whether your strategy needs tweaking or replacing. Sometimes, you just need to get into the habit of celebrating small wins because that will keep you focused and motivated to continue executing your strategy. Consistency is the key.
Things to watch out for
Don’t compare yourself to other businesses
Every business is unique. Even if you’re in the same niche as your competitors, you don’t know their full story. How strong is their business foundation? How much are they investing in marketing and advertising? How experienced is their team? Comparing yourself to others can be misleading and disheartening. Instead, focus on your own game and prioritize what matters for your business right now.
Don’t set unrealistic timelines
This is one of the biggest traps business owners fall into. They ‘want’ results yesterday. However, the speed of success often depends on the strength of your business foundation. Why does one strategy work faster for one business and not another? It usually comes down to preparation, resources, and consistency. Be patient and allow your strategy the time it needs to deliver.
Don’t fall for every shiny, new trend
It’s tempting to jump on the latest trends recommended by so-called gurus. But remember—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Trends like “You have to be on Instagram this year” only work if your customers are there. Following generic, “fashionable” advice without considering your audience can lead to wasted time and disappointment.
Stay consistent and get advice
So, how do you know if your business strategy is working? Measure your progress, but don’t rely solely on immediate financial results. Look at the bigger picture: are you building trust, engaging your audience, and staying consistent with your actions?
If you’re still unsure, don’t hesitate to seek expert advice. A quick consultation with someone experienced in business growth can save you hours of wasted effort and potentially a lot of money. If you need help or have another perspective on your current strategy, feel free to reach out to me via my website.
Remember, success takes time and persistence. Don’t throw in the towel too early. Rome hasn’t been built in a day. Give your business strategy time to kick in. You’ve got this. I believe in you!
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Joana Dockute, Business Development Specialist/ Business Coach
Joana Dockute is a business development specialist and a business coach with a background in running her own direct sales and marketing company for 7 years. When it comes to helping her clients go to the next level Joana perfectly understands their problems, as she had to go through most business development stages herself before she became a business coach. She loves helping business owners 'find their voice', design, and implement customized business systems and processes. Each business is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all. Joana's mission is to help entrepreneurs succeed without having 'to sell their soul'. Meaning, if the strategy doesn't align with your values you shouldn't even consider it.
