Using call tracking to predict trends in buying behaviour

Many trends are naturally seasonal by nature: for example, occasions such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter, or even according to the time of year, such as summer or winter (BBQ’s and snow shovels anyone?).

These types of trends are easy to predict. But what about the trends you don’t know about?

As marketers, we know how using historical data allows us to identify and analyse seasonal trends, using these findings to forecast future performance. Call tracking data allows us to dig much deeper into those trends, helping to improve campaign planning and, consequently, response and ROI.

Identifying trends

Based on your analysis of previous campaign performance, sales and industry knowledge you will be aware of the specific times of year that your product or service is in high demand. Your website traffic and conversion rate will be testimony to this as well.

What about secondary trends? If you receive enquiries into your business that occur as a result of something else – such as a mention on social media or in the press – how would you know what led to these? Or how profitable it was?

Don’t forget about phone calls. Your web analytics software and CRM system won’t tell you what specific event caused a spike in telephone calls into your business. Using this information in conjunction with call tracking data, however, provides you with a complete view of your response levels – and the channels that produced the enquiries.

Improving campaign performance

Trends present businesses with the opportunity to exploit the increased interest in their services or products, turning that interest into conversions.

To support your trend analysis, or if you have limited – or no – historical data, Google Trends is an incredibly useful tool. This allows you to view how the popularity of a particular search term changes over time.

Your greatest tool is data on your campaign performance. Take the time to identify which products, services, campaigns and channels were most effective, then plan your new campaigns based on this analysis.