How-to
How to track phone and message enquiries from your ads
If customers phone, message or walk in rather than fill in a form, ads can still be measured. The simplest method is to ask every new enquiry how they heard of you and record it, then add tracking where it is worth the effort: a tracking phone number, a lead form or message objective, or an offer code unique to each ad.
Start with the simplest method: ask
Add one question to every enquiry, call script or booking form: "How did you hear about us?" Record the answer in a spreadsheet or your CRM with the date. It is imperfect, because people forget and often say "Google" or "Facebook" generally, but it costs nothing and reveals patterns quickly.
Methods compared
| Method | What it tells you | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Ask every enquiry | Self-reported source, by person | Memory and generic answers; relies on staff asking every time. |
| Lead form in the ad | Enquiries captured inside Facebook or Instagram, linked to the ad | Quality varies, so follow up fast and check which leads actually become customers. |
| Message objective | Conversations started from the ad | You still need to record which become customers. |
| Tracking phone number | Calls from a specific ad, page or campaign | A paid service; needs a number per source; may need a privacy note. |
| Offer code or keyword | Redemptions linked to one ad or concept | Only counts people who use the code. |
| Landing page per campaign | Form submissions and calls from that page | Does not capture people who see the ad and call later. |
Make it work in practice
- Choose one method you will actually keep up. A simple habit beats a complicated system nobody uses.
- Use consistent source labels. For example Facebook ad, Instagram ad, Google search, referral, walk-past, so the spreadsheet can be counted.
- Record the outcome as well. Whether the enquiry became a job or a sale, and its value, so you compare cost per customer, not just cost per enquiry.
- Review monthly. Line up the count of enquiries by source against what you spent on each.
Combine with online tracking
Where people do click through to your site, tag links so analytics shows the source. See the UTM tracking guide and the landing page checklist. Together with the asking habit, you get a reasonable picture even without perfect data.
Be honest with yourself
- Offline and word-of-mouth effects of ads are hard to measure. Do not claim certainty you do not have.
- Compare periods fairly: season, holidays and offers all change enquiry volumes.
- Tell people if you record calls or track them, and keep your privacy notice up to date.