Marketing plans provide direction, but without the right metrics, it becomes difficult to know whether your strategy is actually working.

This episode is part two of a three-part marketing series. After covering marketing plans in part one, Bradley Hamner now focuses on the core marketing metrics every small business owner should understand. He explains how to measure cost per lead, customer acquisition cost, and lifetime value, and why these numbers are essential for making informed growth decisions.

This conversation moves beyond planning and into measurement. How much should it cost to acquire a customer? What is the relationship between lifetime value and acquisition cost? And how do these metrics influence your ability to scale? If you want to make smarter marketing decisions backed by data, this episode is for you.

Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.

With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

In this episode, Bradley sits down with David Barnett, consultant, author, and longtime advisor on buying and selling small businesses. David shares his path from early interest in business to working in Yellow Pages sales, business brokerage, banking, and eventually building a consulting practice focused on helping people buy and sell Main Street and lower middle market companies.

They discuss how buyers think about business value, why multiples are only the first pass in evaluating a deal, and what separates a business that is merely profitable from one that is actually sellable. David also explains the difference between SDE and EBITDA, why systems matter so much in a sale, and how terms can be more important than headline price.

This conversation moves beyond valuation and into ownership itself. What makes a business attractive to a buyer? How do systems and delegation increase both freedom and enterprise value? And why do so many owners build businesses that only a younger version of themselves could buy?

If you care about building a company that is easier to run, easier to grow, and eventually easier to sell, this conversation is for you.

Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.

Learn more about David Barnett: https://www.investlocalbook.com/

Listen to David Barnett’s Small Business podcast: https://www.investlocalbook.com/p/in-media.html

Find David Barnett’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=David+C.+Barnett&i=audible&ref=dp_byline_sr_audible_1

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://www.coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

Marketing is one of the most confusing areas for many small business owners. While sales may come naturally, deciding how much to invest in marketing and where to allocate those dollars often feels unclear.

This episode kicks off a three-part series focused on helping business owners build a clearer marketing foundation. In part one, Bradley Hamner breaks down what a marketing plan actually is and how to build one in a simple, practical way. He explains how to determine your marketing budget based on revenue targets, why your budget should inform your strategy, and how to think about allocating dollars across different marketing channels.

This conversation focuses on bringing clarity to marketing decisions. How much should you invest in marketing? Should you prioritize direct response or branding? And how do you create a plan that supports growth without overcomplicating the process? If you want a straightforward framework for building your marketing plan, this episode is for you.

Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.

With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.