The Waiting Game: Setting Realistic Expectations for Your Results & Growth

One of the most common (and challenging) conversations in marketing is around ROI, or the Return on Investment. Every client wants to know: "When will I see results?" "How will we measure success?" "Is this really worth the cost?"

As marketers, it's our job to guide these conversations with clarity, transparency, and heart-felt education, beginning early on and continuing through the partnership. Whether you're a fellow marketer or a business owner considering marketing support, here how to see ROI in a way that sets everyone up for success.

Meaningful ROI takes time. Marketing is a journey, a process - NOT a mechanism for immediate results and instant sales.

The Long Game of Organic Marketing

Effective, organic marketing takes time. A good rule of thumb is to plan for at least three months/90 days of consistent, reliable data before making meaningful assessments.

Think of it like building a house - you don't want to rush and cut corners, as that will create double-work down the line.

• Months 1-3: Laying the Foundation (Audit & Align)

• Months 4-6: Building the Structure (Movement & Momentum)

• Months 7-12: Adding the Roof, Windows & Doors (Refining & Scaling)

Establishing this slow-growth mindset upfront helps avoid unrealistic expectations and keeps everyone focused on sustainable growth rather than instant wins.

Reminder: These benchmarks are based on ORGANIC growth. Paid ads may accelerate your results.

“Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign.”

Jon Buscall

Redefine ROI: It's More Than Direct Sales

ROI isn't always immediate revenue. In fact, some of the most valuable returns are less obvious at first:

• Time Savings: If a business owner saves 20 hours per month by outsourcing social media, and their billable rate is $150/hour, that's $3,000 worth of time freed up.

• Visibility & Credibility: A consistent online presence builds trust, authority, and a warm audience who are more likely to convert later.

• Lead Nurturing: Social media and content marketing often support other sales processes, like email signups, demo requests, or consultation bookings.

• Brand Validation: For some industries, active and inviting social channels can tip the scale when prospects are comparing options.

Look beyond sales and short-term growth. Real ROI looks at the long-term impact: gaining back time for billable work, quietly nurturing warm leads who trust your brand, and cultivating clear data to make smart decisions

Modify Your Metrics

No two businesses have identical definitions of success. For some, sales is the main metric. For others, it's brand awareness, thought leadership, or audience engagement. Work collaboratively to define what success really looks like deep down:

• What steps happen between awareness and sale?

• How does social media fit into the broader sales process?

• Which benchmarks feel meaningful and realistic?

While full ROI is about the long-term birds-eye view, you can track early progress with smaller, meaningful KPIs. Break your goals into shorter-term phases, looking at the early wins on a weekly or monthly level:

• Audience growth rates

• Engagement improvements (comments, shares, saves)

• Website traffic from social channels

• Lead magnet downloads or newsletter signups

• Event attendance or inquiry forms

Identify what micro-metrics matters most for your unique goals, and note the early wins to build confidence and demonstrate momentum.

Find the Right Fit

Not every business is really ready for the investment of marketing services. Some clients may not be a good fit if they're expecting instant sales from a few social posts per week. That's why these conversations are crucial during the sales process.

If a client isn’t open to education about marketing's long-term nature, they may need more foundational understanding before investing. Having these honest conversations upfront saves everyone frustration down the road.

At the end of the day, strategy + consistency = long-term ROI. The strongest growth takes time, and it's always happening subtly,incrementally behind the scenes. Keep going. Trust the process.

Wrapping It Up

Marketing is a process of building, testing, refining, and optimizing. With clear expectations and open communication, both marketers and clients can enter into partnerships that are collaborative, transparent, and ultimately, much more successful.

Whether you're a marketer refining your onboarding process or a business owner considering marketing support, remember: good marketing is a long-term investment. The more aligned you are from the start, the stronger your results will be over time.

With over 15 years of marketing experience across a variety of sectors and settings, I want you to know and trust that I am a true partner in your growth. Have patience and belief in the process. We're in this together!

Reminder: Patience Makes Perfect. In a perfect world we would always see the progress we are making, and there would be no stagnation or setback. But real growth is not linear, and looks different for everyone. So lean into the journey and continue the path with experience and effort. Your reward is just around the corner.

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Erin Ratliff is a holistic business coach and consultant specializing in organic growth + visibility for heart-led soul-preneurs and energy-sensitive self-starters in pursuit of personal and planetary healing.

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