At FreshLime, we spend a lot of time publishing blog posts geared toward how to market your business. For example, we recently outlined the many reasons why small businesses need “big marketing” more than ever before.

While it’s important to create and carry out a comprehensive marketing strategy, there’s something you need to remember: there’s no guarantee of success.

Many companies neglect to track their marketing successes and failures, which costs them both time and money over the long run.

Fortunately, there are a variety of questions you can answer to determine if your marketing plan is working. Here are 10 of the most important:

• Are you generating more leads as a direct result of your marketing efforts?
• Are your marketing efforts resulting in more revenue and profit?
• Are you receiving positive feedback from your team, such as those who are responsible for carrying out the marketing strategy?
• Is your marketing strategy showing a positive return on investment (ROI)?
• Are you reaching (or working toward) your short and long term marketing goals?
• Are you receiving positive feedback from prospects and customers, or have they grown tired of your marketing efforts?
• Do your analytics prove that your marketing plan is working, or show that you have room for improvement?
• Are you achieving success through various forms of marketing, such as content marketing and social media?
• Has your marketing plan allowed you to reach a previously untapped audience?
• Are your competitors copying your marketing strategy in an attempt to generate the same results?

As you answer these questions in great detail, you’ll come to better understand if your marketing plan is working. Furthermore, you may pinpoint a few areas that deserve your attention, thus allowing you to achieve even more success.

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!