The Ad Strategy That Pays You To Get Clients

June 21, 2025

Read Time: 5 minutes

I used to think organic content was the "authentic" way to build an audience.

I was posting daily because that's what people were saying, going against what I'd always done which was running paid ads, but I tried it.

Engaging with comments. Building relationships one follower at a time.

I spent six months creating content that got decent engagement but barely moved the needle on my email list.

Meanwhile, my competitors were scaling past me using something I thought was "cheating."

Paid ads.

That's when I realized: Organic is slow. Ads are fast.

And in business, speed wins.

The Day I Stopped Being "Authentic"

It happened during a particularly frustrating week of content creation.

I had spent 12 hours crafting what I thought was brilliant content.

Posted it across all platforms. Engaged authentically. Followed all the "organic growth" advice.

Result: 23 new email subscribers.

The same week I launched a simple ad. It took me 30 minutes, I spent $100 and got 47 subscribers.

A fraction of the time. Way better results.

That's when it hit me: I wasn't being authentic to my business goals.

I was being authentic to outdated advice.

The Cold Traffic Advantage

Here's what most entrepreneurs miss about paid ads:

Cold traffic is better than warm traffic for validation.

Why? • No bias from existing relationships • True market feedback on your messaging • Scalable from day one • Data-driven optimization

When your mom shares your post, that's not validation.

When strangers pay to join your email list, that's validation.

The 99% Rule: Meta Ads Only

I've tested every platform. Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok.

For 99% of businesses, the answer is simple: Meta ads.

Why Meta Wins: • Easiest to set up and manage • Best targeting algorithms • Most data points for optimization • Lowest barrier to entry

YouTube requires high-production video content. Google requires high search volume keywords. LinkedIn costs 3x more for B2B.

Meta just requires good creative and copy.

Start there. Master that. Then expand if needed.

Layer 1: The Email Capture Formula

Your first layer has one job: Earn the right to speak to them.

The Winning Ad Formula: • Call out the audience • State the desire • Promise the payoff

Example Headlines: "Discover how coaches like you are doing $1M+ per year in under 20 hours a week"

"Sign up to my email list. Every Saturday, I share one tactical tip to grow your coaching business to $1M in revenue per year under 20 hours a week"

Creative That Converts: • Notes app screenshots • Fake social posts (Reddit, Quora, Slack) • Fake tweets • Simple testimonial graphics

Why these work: They look native. People don't feel "sold to."

Landing Page Structure: • Headline (main payoff) • Sub-headline (reinforcement) • Email capture • Single CTA button • Nothing else

Complexity kills conversions.

The Thank You Page Goldmine

Most entrepreneurs waste their highest-converting page.

Your thank you page converts at 3-8% to your low-ticket offer.

Why It Works: • They just committed to your free content • They're in a "yes" mindset • Perfect time to ask for micro-commitment

My Thank You Page Offer: "Russian Doll Revenue Workshop Replay - $47 (normally $100)"

Same promise as the free content, but deeper implementation.

This single page can liquidate 20-30% of your ad spend immediately.

Layer 2: The Direct Sale Strategy

Most people think you can't sell directly with cold traffic.

Wrong.

Direct Offer Examples: "Get my VSL scripts for $9"

Or:

"Free training: How I made $150K in under 20 hours a week last year using a new coaching model"

The Funnel: Ad → Opt-in page → Mini VSL → Workshop purchase

Key Insight: Simple funnels convert better to high-ticket than complex ones.

Why? Less overwhelm. Faster decision-making. Cleaner customer journey.

The Metrics That Matter

Forget vanity metrics. Focus on these:

Layer 1 (Email Capture): • Cost per lead: $1-2 (broad niches), $3-6 (specific niches) • Thank you page conversion: 3-8%

Layer 2 (Low-Ticket): • ROAS: Aim for 1:1 (break-even) • Backend conversion: Track lifetime value

Budget Allocation: • Start with $500 minimum • Scale based on proven metrics • Reinvest profits into more ads

My Numbers: • $3 per lead • $0.50-1.00 back from sponsors • 3% conversion on $47 offer • Net cost: $1.50-2.00 per lead (and dropping weekly!)

When you know your numbers, scaling becomes simple math.

The Biggest Paid Ads Mistake

Everyone obsesses over targeting.

Lookalike audiences. Interest stacking. Demographic filters.

The Truth: Targeting barely matters anymore.

Meta's algorithm is so sophisticated that good creative will find your audience automatically.

The Testing Framework

Campaign Structure: • 1 campaign • 2 ad sets (broad + targeted) • 3-5 ads per ad set

Testing Rules: • Let each ad spend 3-5x your target CPA • Turn off non-performers • Always have 3 active ads running • Add new creative weekly • Use ad set budget optimization • Leave winners running and allocate budget to them • If ads are failing, add another ad set

What to Test: • Headlines (different angles) • Creative (images/videos) • Offers (different lead magnets)

Test one variable at a time for clean data.

The Remarketing Secret Weapon

Your remarketing audiences are gold mines:

Who to Retarget: • 50%+ video viewers • Website visitors • Social media engagers

What to Show Them: • Testimonials and case studies • Behind-the-scenes content • Organic-style content (podcast clips, Instagram reels)

Remarketing costs 50% less and converts 3x higher than cold traffic.

Why This Works: The 'Russian Doll' Method

This entire ad strategy is built on the 'Russian Doll' framework I've perfected over the last decade. Each layer feeds the next, creating a self-sustaining acquisition system that scales your expertise without scaling your time commitment. (You can get the complete breakdown and templates here)

The Speed Advantage

Organic Content: 1 year to build meaningful audience Paid Ads: 6 days to validate your market

Organic Content: Hope the algorithm shows your content Paid Ads: Guarantee your message reaches your audience

Organic Content: Limited by your existing network Paid Ads: Access to billions of potential customers

Speed isn't everything in business.

But it's the only thing that matters when you're starting.

Next week, I'll show you exactly how to scale your 'Russian Doll' to $100K/month without burning out—including the team structure, systems, and mindset shifts that separate six-figure entrepreneurs from everyone else.

But for now, ask yourself:

🎯 Are you building your audience fast enough to reach your goals? 🎯 What would happen if you could 10x your lead generation this month?

Your answers reveal whether you're playing to win or playing not to lose.

See you next week,

– Andrew

P.S. What's your biggest challenge with paid ads? Reply and let me know—I read every response and use them to create content that solves your specific problems.

P.P.S. Want to see the organic content strategy that complements this paid approach? Check out issue #4 on the Picasso Method here.

💡 How I Can Help

1:1 Consulting: For established coach, consultant or agency owner ready to transform their business model for more profit and less time.

Free Community: A free community of other high ticket entrepreneurs who are looking to scale. Inside you will also find free and paid workshops to help you solve issues like ads, cold email, scripts, youtube etc.