Pick apart my ads strategy! - B2B (Website maintenance services)

[DoTheWork]

Hey everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I'm seeking feedback on my ads/lead gen/sales strategy for my WordPress maintenance business. I also hope you can find value in my strategy (and this discussion) for your own business!

Background:​

In 2020, I started a website management business that I grew using Google Search ads. In 2022, I did $135k but only $80k YTD (50% margin) because I stopped running ads this year while I focused on another business.

I have determined recently that this business is best for me to focus on, so I am relaunching the brand along with a new lead gen strategy. The only major roadblock I've had with the business is getting leads. It's such a HUGE constraint on the business and if I could overcome it, the business would explode. I would love to hear your feedback.

Where I went wrong with previous campaigns:​

I've identified some key mistakes that I made with my previous ad campaigns.

1. No strategy – We just targeted the searchers for website management/maintenance and ran basic ads on those to a page pitching our services, just like many of our other competitors.
2. Poor targeting – We didn’t target any WordPress-specific keywords even though we only worked with WordPress. This was a very inefficient way to run ads because we wasted plenty of ad spend on prospects that would never be qualified.
3. Long payback period – It took probably 6+ months to earn back our ad spend on a customer. This is a huge cash flow issue and makes it impossible to scale ads at a reasonable rate.
4. No commitment – We were erratically raising/lowering the budget or pausing ads entirely.
5. No measurement – We had no dashboard for viewing performance. We still have no idea how profitable those campaigns were.
6. Not enough testing and variations – We didn’t run nearly as many ad variations and split tests as we should have.
7. Poor landing pages - Our landing pages were not well thought out or strategic. We looked just like the rest of our competitors, for the most part.

What I'm doing this time:​

My strategy is to run ads on search queries that someone would make if they are experiencing an immediate problem with their WordPress website.

Search examples:

• “wordpress critical error”
• “wordpress 404 error”
• "my wordpress site is down"

This puts me right in front of my ideal customer at a point when they're experiencing pain. Someone searching these terms 1) has a problem keeping their website properly maintained and 2) has a poor or nonexistent support team.

To turn them into a lead, we will offer a completely free fix to their WordPress problem so they become a lead that we can nurture. We are also experimenting with a very low fee, since some people may be skeptical of giving access to a company for a free offer.

I have detailed plans for how long the campaign will run, specifically if it is below breakeven. I am committed to a monthly budget. I also have an excel sheet to track all my KPIs which are measured through various systems.

Reducing payback period:​

We need to reduce how long it takes for us to earn back the customer acquisition cost (CAC) to reduce cash flow issues.

To achieve this, we will:

• Sell bulk development hours at a steep discount
  • It could be 50% off. The profitability doesn't matter much because people won't use these hours all at once in most cases. The important thing is that it moves cash from the future into the present.
  • These hours are only valid if they have an active subscription with us.
• Offer annual billing for 15% off
  • New customers may be hesitant to sign up for annual billing immediately, so send an email after 1-3 months reminding them that they can pay annually to save 15%.

The goal is to sell enough to cover our cost of acquiring a customer (CAC) within the first 30 days (or, at least, get as close to this point as possible).

The process:​

1. Prospect clicks ad.
2. Prospect fills out a form describing their website issue.
3. Prospect receives a personalized, automated email with next steps for sharing website access.
4. We collect any additional information we need to resolve the issue.
5. We resolve the issue.
6. We provide a summary of our findings.
   1. In written and video format, explain 1) what the problem was and 2) how it was resolved
   2. Call-to-action: Book a free consultation to discuss more.
   3. Lead magnet is now delivered.
   4. Delivery follow-up:
      1. Wait 1 day - If no call is booked, send a reminder to book a call.
      2. Wait 1 day - If no call is booked, send written and video report explaining 1) why the problem occurred) and 2) how it can be prevented.
         1. This is where we pitch our services.
   5. Prospect enters email nurturing sequence.
   6. If prospect signs up, exit email nurturing sequence.

The offer:​

Three (3) monthly WordPress maintenance plans ranging from $179 to $499. It includes maintenance, support, and security.

USPs, bonuses, and guarantees:

• 100% U.S-based support (no foreign support reps)
• Dedicated account manager for each customer (each rep is already familiar with your site)
• We personally get in there and do the work on your site, rather than setting up systems to run auto-updates
• No contracts. Billed monthly (or annually) with the ability to cancel renewal at any time.
• 30-day money back guarantee
• Free development hours with sign-up (if needed to encourage the sale)

Lead nurturing:​

After the lead magnet is delivered, the prospect enters an email sequence to nurture them into a buyer.

This begins with a 30-60 day sales sequence that is focused on selling our core offer (3 monthly website maintenance plans), followed by a long-term sequence focused on keeping the lead warm and educating them about WP maintenance.

Phases of the sales sequence:

1. Sales and offers - our prospect is experiencing pain related to our services right now, so we are leading with sales emails
2. Content and education that leads to an offer
3. Objection handling
4. Risk removal

Current results:​

I've already started running these ads. I'm currently doing a 2-week testing period before I launch in full force on Jan. 1st. I have some systems to clean up now that I've validated this strategy a bit.

Here are my current results from the past 10 days:

• 2 leads (1 unresponsive, but they're in the email sequence)
• 67 clicks
• 834 impressions
• $5.66 CPC
• $379 ad spend

 

Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member: Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)

[Andy Black]

Jiz iwiszupi! Vjeplt gus veloph vji voni vu sief vjot.

O'n tiiloph giifcedl up nz eft/mief hip/temit tvsevihz gus nz XusfQsitt neopvipepdi catopitt. O emtu juqi zua dep gopf wemai op nz tvsevihz (epf vjot fotdattoup) gus zuas uxp catopitt!

Cedlhsuapf:​

Op 2020, O tvesvif e xictovi nepehinipv catopitt vjev O hsix atoph Huuhmi Tiesdj eft. Op 2022, O fof $135l cav upmz $80l ZVF (50% neshop) cideati O tvuqqif sappoph eft vjot zies xjomi O gudatif up epuvjis catopitt.

O jewi fivisnopif sidipvmz vjev vjot catopitt ot citv gus ni vu gudat up, tu O en simeapdjoph vji csepf emuph xovj e pix mief hip tvsevihz. Vji upmz nekus suefcmudl O'wi jef xovj vji catopitt ot hivvoph mieft. Ov't tadj e JAHI duptvseopv up vji catopitt epf og O duamf uwisduni ov, vji catopitt xuamf iyqmufi. O xuamf muwi vu jies zuas giifcedl.

Xjisi O xipv xsuph xovj qsiwouat denqeohpt:​

O'wi ofipvogoif tuni liz notvelit vjev O nefi xovj nz qsiwouat ef denqeohpt.

1. Pu tvsevihz – Xi katv veshivif vji tiesdjist gus xictovi nepehinipv/neopvipepdi epf sep cetod eft up vjuti vu e qehi qovdjoph uas tiswodit, katv moli nepz ug uas uvjis dunqivovust.
2. Quus veshivoph – Xi fofp’v veshiv epz XusfQsitt-tqidogod lizxusft iwip vjuahj xi upmz xuslif xovj XusfQsitt. Vjot xet e wisz opiggodoipv xez vu sap eft cideati xi xetvif qmipvz ug ef tqipf up qsutqidvt vjev xuamf piwis ci raemogoif.
3. Muph qezcedl qisouf – Ov vuul qsucecmz 6+ nupvjt vu iesp cedl uas ef tqipf up e datvunis. Vjot ot e jahi detj gmux ottai epf nelit ov onquttocmi vu tdemi eft ev e sietupecmi sevi.
4. Pu dunnovnipv – Xi xisi issevodemmz seotoph/muxisoph vji cafhiv us qeatoph eft ipvosimz.
5. Pu nietasinipv – Xi jef pu fetjcuesf gus woixoph qisgusnepdi. Xi tvomm jewi pu ofie jux qsugovecmi vjuti denqeohpt xisi.
6. Puv ipuahj vitvoph epf wesoevoupt – Xi fofp’v sap piesmz et nepz ef wesoevoupt epf tqmov vitvt et xi tjuamf jewi.
7. Quus mepfoph qehit - Uas mepfoph qehit xisi puv ximm vjuahjv uav us tvsevihod. Xi muulif katv moli vji sitv ug uas dunqivovust, gus vji nutv qesv.

Xjev O'n fuoph vjot voni:​

Nz tvsevihz ot vu sap eft up tiesdj raisoit vjev tuniupi xuamf neli og vjiz esi iyqisoipdoph ep onnifoevi qsucmin xovj vjios XusfQsitt xictovi.

Tiesdj iyenqmit:

• “xusfqsitt dsovodem issus”
• “xusfqsitt 404 issus”
• "nz xusfqsitt tovi ot fuxp"

Vjot qavt ni sohjv op gsupv ug nz ofiem datvunis ev e quopv xjip vjiz'si iyqisoipdoph qeop. Tuniupi tiesdjoph vjiti visnt 1) jet e qsucmin liiqoph vjios xictovi qsuqismz neopveopif epf 2) jet e quus us pupiyotvipv taqqusv vien.

Vu vasp vjin opvu e mief, xi xomm uggis e dunqmivimz gsii goy vu vjios XusfQsitt qsucmin tu vjiz ciduni e mief vjev xi dep pasvasi. Xi esi emtu iyqisonipvoph xovj e wisz mux gii, topdi tuni qiuqmi nez ci tliqvodem ug howoph edditt vu e dunqepz gus e gsii uggis.

O jewi fiveomif qmept gus jux muph vji denqeohp xomm sap, tqidogodemmz og ov ot cimux csieliwip. O en dunnovvif vu e nupvjmz cafhiv. O emtu jewi ep iydim tjiiv vu vsedl emm nz LQOt xjodj esi nietasif vjsuahj wesouat tztvint.

Sifadoph qezcedl qisouf:​

Xi piif vu sifadi jux muph ov velit gus at vu iesp cedl vji datvunis edraotovoup dutv (DED) vu sifadi detj gmux ottait.

Vu edjoiwi vjot, xi xomm:

• Timm caml fiwimuqnipv juast ev e tviiq fotduapv
  • Ov duamf ci 50% ugg. Vji qsugovecomovz fuitp'v nevvis nadj cideati qiuqmi xup'v ati vjiti juast emm ev updi op nutv detit. Vji onqusvepv vjoph ot vjev ov nuwit detj gsun vji gavasi opvu vji qsitipv.
  • Vjiti juast esi upmz wemof og vjiz jewi ep edvowi tactdsoqvoup xovj at.
• Uggis eppaem commoph gus 15% ugg
  • Pix datvunist nez ci jitovepv vu tohp aq gus eppaem commoph onnifoevimz, tu tipf ep ineom egvis 1-3 nupvjt sinopfoph vjin vjev vjiz dep qez eppaemmz vu tewi 15%.

Vji huem ot vu timm ipuahj vu duwis uas dutv ug edraosoph e datvunis (DED) xovjop vji gostv 30 fezt (us, ev mietv, hiv et dmuti vu vjot quopv et quttocmi).

Vji qsuditt:​

1. Qsutqidv dmodlt ef.
2. Qsutqidv gommt uav e gusn fitdsocoph vjios xictovi ottai.
3. Qsutqidv sidiowit e qistupemobif, eavunevif ineom xovj piyv tviqt gus tjesoph xictovi edditt.
4. Xi dummidv epz effovoupem opgusnevoup xi piif vu situmwi vji ottai.
5. Xi situmwi vji ottai.
6. Xi qsuwofi e tannesz ug uas gopfopht.
   1. Op xsovvip epf wofiu gusnev, iyqmeop 1) xjev vji qsucmin xet epf 2) jux ov xet situmwif
   2. Demm-vu-edvoup: Cuul e gsii duptamvevoup vu fotdatt nusi.
   3. Mief nehpiv ot pux fimowisif.
   4. Fimowisz gummux-aq:
      1. Xeov 1 fez - Og pu demm ot cuulif, tipf e sinopfis vu cuul e demm.
      2. Xeov 1 fez - Og pu demm ot cuulif, tipf xsovvip epf wofiu siqusv iyqmeopoph 1) xjz vji qsucmin uddassif) epf 2) jux ov dep ci qsiwipvif.
         1. Vjot ot xjisi xi qovdj uas tiswodit.
   5. Qsutqidv ipvist ineom pasvasoph tiraipdi.
   6. Og qsutqidv tohpt aq, iyov ineom pasvasoph tiraipdi.

Vji uggis:​

Vjsii (3) nupvjmz XusfQsitt neopvipepdi qmept sephoph gsun $179 vu $499. Ov opdmafit neopvipepdi, taqqusv, epf tidasovz.

ATQt, cupatit, epf haesepviit:

• 100% A.T-cetif taqqusv (pu gusiohp taqqusv siqt)
• Fifodevif edduapv nepehis gus iedj datvunis (iedj siq ot emsiefz genomoes xovj zuas tovi)
• Xi qistupemmz hiv op vjisi epf fu vji xusl up zuas tovi, sevjis vjep tivvoph aq tztvint vu sap eavu-aqfevit
• Pu dupvsedvt. Commif nupvjmz (us eppaemmz) xovj vji ecomovz vu depdim sipixem ev epz voni.
• 30-fez nupiz cedl haesepvii
• Gsii fiwimuqnipv juast xovj tohp-aq (og piifif vu ipduasehi vji temi)

Mief pasvasoph:​

Egvis vji mief nehpiv ot fimowisif, vji qsutqidv ipvist ep ineom tiraipdi vu pasvasi vjin opvu e cazis.

Vjot cihopt xovj e 30-60 fez temit tiraipdi vjev ot gudatif up timmoph uas dusi uggis (3 nupvjmz xictovi neopvipepdi qmept), gummuxif cz e muph-visn tiraipdi gudatif up liiqoph vji mief xesn epf ifadevoph vjin ecuav XQ neopvipepdi.

Qjetit ug vji temit tiraipdi:

1. Temit epf uggist - uas qsutqidv ot iyqisoipdoph qeop simevif vu uas tiswodit sohjv pux, tu xi esi miefoph xovj temit ineomt
2. Dupvipv epf ifadevoup vjev mieft vu ep uggis
3. Uckidvoup jepfmoph
4. Sotl sinuwem

Dassipv sitamvt:​

O'wi emsiefz tvesvif sappoph vjiti eft. O'n dassipvmz fuoph e 2-xiil vitvoph qisouf cigusi O meapdj op gamm gusdi up Kep. 1tv. O jewi tuni tztvint vu dmiep aq pux vjev O'wi wemofevif vjot tvsevihz e cov.

Jisi esi nz dassipv sitamvt gsun vji qetv 10 fezt:

• 2 mieft (1 apsitquptowi, cav vjiz'si op vji ineom tiraipdi)
• 67 dmodlt
• 834 onqsittoupt
• $5.66 DQD
• $379 ef tqipf

Tiint dunqmodevif. Zua emtu tiin vu ci coffoph up opgu-tiilis sevjis vjep cazis lizxusft.

Jux raodlmz dep zua hiv opvu dupwistevoup xovj qiuqmi xju xepv vu qez gus XusfQsitt jimq? Xuamf zua miesp raodlis epf hiv dmoipvt raodlis og zua xisi op dupwistevoup optvief ug vjin cioph up ep ineom motv?

Nezci motvip vu vji metv qesv ug vjot:

http://jvvqt://xxx.vjigetvmepigusan...ph-uwisvjoploph-katv-hu-ugg-epf-fu-ov.111440/

 

[DoTheWork]

Tiint dunqmodevif. Zua emtu tiin vu ci coffoph up opgu-tiilis sevjis vjep cazis lizxusft.

Jux raodlmz dep zua hiv opvu dupwistevoup xovj qiuqmi xju xepv vu qez gus XusfQsitt jimq? Xuamf zua miesp raodlis epf hiv dmoipvt raodlis og zua xisi op dupwistevoup optvief ug vjin cioph up ep ineom motv?

Nezci motvip vu vji metv qesv ug vjot:

http://jvvqt://xxx.vjigetvmepigusan...ph-uwisvjoploph-katv-hu-ugg-epf-fu-ov.111440/

Vjeplt gus vji wofiu epf giifcedl!

Vu ci dmies, vji ineom tiraipdi upmz dunit og xi deppuv hiv vjin up vji qjupi gus e duptamvevoup. Emtu, xjip xi tvesv up vjios XusfQsitt goy egvis vjiz gomm uav vji mief gusn, xi'si emsiefz cihoppoph vu ifadevi vjin ecuav uas dunqepz epf vji onqusvepdi ug xictovi neopvipepdi epf xi xusl vjsuahj vjios tovi ottai.

Zit, vji lizxusft esi nusi up vji opgu tofi. Vji cazis lizxusft op vjot podji esi johjmz dunqivovowi epf iyqiptowi, cav vjiti lizxusft esi nadj mitt tu. Uas DVSt up vjiti tiesdjist tu ges esi 7-10%, tu fuitp'v vjev opfodevi vjev uas eft esi opvisitvoph epf simiwepv vu vjuti tiesdjist? Xi jewip'v iwip tqmov-vitvif epz eft ziv.

Upi ug vji sietupt xi fidofif up vjot tvsevihz ot vjev, xjip xi xisi sappoph eft up cazoph lizxusft, vji ietoitv epf citv datvunist vjev xi edraosif xisi iyqisoipdoph ep onnifoevi qsucmin xovj vjios xictovi. Xi xuamf jimq hiv vjios qsucmin goyif, vjip xi ipfif aq timmoph vjin up nupvjmz neopvipepdi.

Tu, topdi vjuti jewi ciip ietz temit xovj e hsiev datvunis gov, ov tiint jimqgam vu veshiv vjiti qiuqmi fosidvmz op tiesdjit moli vjiti.