The repeatable process for diagnosing and recovering broken accounts

This framework emerged from running cross-team recovery calls across multiple accounts. When a client came in frustrated and performance was unclear, this was the sequence that consistently surfaced the real problem.

Step 1 — Identify the core complaint

Not the metric — the actual complaint.

• Is it lead volume (not enough)?
• Is it lead quality (wrong people)?
• Is it cost (spending but not converting)?
• Is it client confidence (they don't trust the numbers)?

These require different diagnoses. Starting with the wrong one wastes everyone's time.

Step 2 — Audit budget allocation before touching the campaigns

The first place most people don't look.

• Is Facebook receiving its intended allocation? Check actual daily spend, not the budget setting
• Is any channel being funded below the competitive threshold for its market?
• Does the allocation across channels match the campaign's strategic objectives?

In my experience, this step alone resolved the root issue in a significant portion of cases.

Step 3 — Evaluate channel roles

• Is search being used to capture demand or to generate it? (It can only do one)