Is getting great results unrealistic in a 30 day window?

[LiveEntrepreneur]

So I'm doing work for clients running their ads, and I noticed a trend which I guess that every marketer running paid ads for clients has. Which is that, if you don't get great results compared to where they were previously within 30 days, especially if they aren't a large business, then they just stop working with you. This has happened quite a few times, and I think I've realized that it's pretty much impossible to get any sort of meaningful growth in a month. I think that a lot of testing and grow needs to be done. Success is not a one-off event or task that gets done once and the business skyrockets from there.

I always deliver new suggestions so they can improve their results and the clients do try them, but the results aren't instant so the chance of losing a client is quite high. Maybe I need to emphasize in the beginning on the expectations more and tell them that for the first 3 months, not to expect amazing results? Then the problem that arises is that I'm going to be competing with others who will sell them the world and guarantee results within a month, because people just want to listen to whatever they want to hear, lol. Maybe it's just how it is, dealing with small businesses?

How do you deal with this and is it unrealistic for a client to expect to go from a 3x average roi to a 4-5x roi in 30 days, for example?

 

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[chuckstar_za]

So I'm doing work for clients running their ads, and I noticed a trend which I guess that every marketer running paid ads for clients has. Which is that, if you don't get great results compared to where they were previously within 30 days, especially if they aren't a large business, then they just stop working with you. This has happened quite a few times, and I think I've realized that it's pretty much impossible to get any sort of meaningful growth in a month. I think that a lot of testing and grow needs to be done. Success is not a one-off event or task that gets done once and the business skyrockets from there.

I always deliver new suggestions so they can improve their results and the clients do try them, but the results aren't instant so the chance of losing a client is quite high. Maybe I need to emphasize in the beginning on the expectations more and tell them that for the first 3 months, not to expect amazing results? Then the problem that arises is that I'm going to be competing with others who will sell them the world and guarantee results within a month, because people just want to listen to whatever they want to hear, lol. Maybe it's just how it is, dealing with small businesses?

How do you deal with this and is it unrealistic for a client to expect to go from a 3x average roi to a 4-5x roi in 30 days, for example?

Looking at it from your client POV, they are hiring you to deliver results which are better than they are currently getting.
That's the long and the short of it.

Fail to deliver that expected result and you're kicked to the curb.

A few ways to combat this spring to mind:
3 month initial contract, then rolling.
Put a few case studies on your site/blurb which emphasize the journey, rather than 'hey look, client X got a 500% ROI by working with us'
Do a lot of hand holding during that initial period - a client feeling nervy, or like things aren't working would be more likely to stay if they know you are actively involved in their success. The fact you are is irrelevant, they need to feel like you're devoted to them 100%

Loads of small businesses expect instant results - it's the world we live in. The first thing you could look at in the client journey is managing those expectations.

 

[Vinnland]

So I'm doing work for clients running their ads, and I noticed a trend which I guess that every marketer running paid ads for clients has. Which is that, if you don't get great results compared to where they were previously within 30 days, especially if they aren't a large business, then they just stop working with you. This has happened quite a few times, and I think I've realized that it's pretty much impossible to get any sort of meaningful growth in a month. I think that a lot of testing and grow needs to be done. Success is not a one-off event or task that gets done once and the business skyrockets from there.

I always deliver new suggestions so they can improve their results and the clients do try them, but the results aren't instant so the chance of losing a client is quite high. Maybe I need to emphasize in the beginning on the expectations more and tell them that for the first 3 months, not to expect amazing results? Then the problem that arises is that I'm going to be competing with others who will sell them the world and guarantee results within a month, because people just want to listen to whatever they want to hear, lol. Maybe it's just how it is, dealing with small businesses?

How do you deal with this and is it unrealistic for a client to expect to go from a 3x average roi to a 4-5x roi in 30 days, for example?

With respect, this is flawed thinking.

The most important thing here is that: Not all clients can generate 4-5x ROI from paid ads PERIOD. Let alone doing it in 30 days.

There are so many factors to consider. Price point. AOV. Competitive fight on the traffic source in question. Type of product. ETC ETC.

The second most important thing here is this: You need to do a better job at managing the client's expectations BEFORE they pay you and AFTER they pay you.

If you promise every client 4-5x ROI then you will lose clients frequently. Because, As I said, not everyone can get there. This is an unpopular truth. Because people would rather enjoy wishful thinking.

Let's say you do find a brand that can make it. I would set 90 days' KPI targets. This is the managing expectations part of client work. It is a stand-alone skill.

Hope that helps.

 

[Vinnland]

Fail to deliver that expected result and you're kicked to the curb.

This is true. But most clients have no idea what to expect based on their unique circumstances.

Hence, they default to what they see in over-hyped ads or Facebook groups.

"Help me increase my ROI by 4x..."

^^ this is a wildly uneducated client and if I'm honest, I will not work with them. Half of your energy will be spent on managing your emotional state.

If you spend $1,000,000 on ads and generate 1.9x ROI... you will make more money than spending $50,000 at 4x ROI.

^^ this is the math nobody does.

 

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[chuckstar_za]

Hence, they default to what they see in over-hyped ads or Facebook groups.

This is a truism for most things I find. That hivemind effect of hanging around people dispensing rubbish advice.
Spend 10mins on r/newtubers and you see people with 100 subscribers all too willing to share the secret to their 'success'.

I'm reminded of that Seth Godin quote - "people like us, do things like this"

 

[Vinnland]

Spend 10mins on r/newtubers and you see people with 100 subscribers all too willing to share the secret to their 'success'.

This is the funniest thing I have read all year. .

So true man.

 

[heavy_industry]

3 month initial contract, then rolling.

This ^

And make sure you explain to them that the customer base increases exponentially. Meaning that they will get almost 0 results for a long time, until they will "suddenly" have more sales than they can manage.

Like this chart about bacteria growth that I found on google:

 

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[Andy Black]

I don’t promise results.

I explain the step by step process we’ll follow (setup ads, get them approved, get impressions, find out where the volume is, converse with the client, focus the budget where the client wants it to go, get initial conversion rates, try to get profitable, add more campaigns, etc.)

I explain that it’s a learning process and we’ll try to do it “on a whiff of spend”. We want to get profitable fast or fail fast.

I explain that we don’t tie people into contracts. If it’s obvious early that we can’t make it work then I’ll let them pull the chord. Or we will so we’re not flogging a dead horse.

We communicate a LOT with clients. They get full visibility of what we’re doing, and why. They have ample opportunity to give feedback, thoughts and suggestions.

We’ve even had clients churn because we could never get it profitable for them, yet they still send us referrals - because they trust us and like how we work.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

Looking at it from your client POV, they are hiring you to deliver results which are better than they are currently getting.
That's the long and the short of it.

Fail to deliver that expected result and you're kicked to the curb.

A few ways to combat this spring to mind:
3 month initial contract, then rolling.
Put a few case studies on your site/blurb which emphasize the journey, rather than 'hey look, client X got a 500% ROI by working with us'
Do a lot of hand holding during that initial period - a client feeling nervy, or like things aren't working would be more likely to stay if they know you are actively involved in their success. The fact you are is irrelevant, they need to feel like you're devoted to them 100%

Loads of small businesses expect instant results - it's the world we live in. The first thing you could look at in the client journey is managing those expectations.

Yeah I was thinking I might have to do something like that. I'm doing it through a freelancing site so might be tougher to negotiate but I might give it a shot.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

With respect, this is flawed thinking.

The most important thing here is that: Not all clients can generate 4-5x ROI from paid ads PERIOD. Let alone doing it in 30 days.

There are so many factors to consider. Price point. AOV. Competitive fight on the traffic source in question. Type of product. ETC ETC.

The second most important thing here is this: You need to do a better job at managing the client's expectations BEFORE they pay you and AFTER they pay you.

If you promise every client 4-5x ROI then you will lose clients frequently. Because, As I said, not everyone can get there. This is an unpopular truth. Because people would rather enjoy wishful thinking.

Let's say you do find a brand that can make it. I would set 90 days' KPI targets. This is the managing expectations part of client work. It is a stand-alone skill.

Hope that helps.

Yeah definitely, that roi was just an example if they are at 3x on average but they want to go to 3-5x for example. I definitely don't make promises or guarantee results.

 

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[Vinnland]

Watch my follow along. I also use freelancing sites.

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...ld-my-agency-to-50-000-m.104070/#post-1005169

 

[Andy Black]

Btw… to answer the question in the title:

It’s not unrealistic to get results in 30 days. I took a recent client from spending $8k/week unprofitably to spending $8k/day profitably … and having to hire 30 new call center staff in the first month.

The main changes were to ruthlessly turn off campaigns and devices that weren’t working well enough, and divert budget and focus to rebuild ONE campaign that had somehow got broken.

This mostly happens when there’s data to analyse, a decent budget, and they let you move fast. Even then it’s not guaranteed.

Oh, and this client still has massive leaks… to the tune of about 3k missed calls a week (all sources, not just Google Ads). Which just goes to show how little control I have over ROAS and why I won’t guarantee hitting any particular ROAS.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

Btw… to answer the question in the title:

It’s not unrealistic to get results in 30 days. I took a recent client from spending $8k/week unprofitably to spending $8k/day profitably … and having to hire 30 new call center staff in the first month.

The main changes were to ruthlessly turn off campaigns and devices that weren’t working well enough, and divert budget and focus to rebuild ONE campaign that had somehow got broken.

This mostly happens when there’s data to analyse, a decent budget, and they let you move fast. Even then it’s not guaranteed.

Oh, and this client still has massive leaks… to the tune of about 3k missed calls a week (all sources, not just Google Ads). Which just goes to show how little control I have over ROAS and why I won’t guarantee hitting any particular ROAS.

I'm not overly sure about Google ads, but on Facebook it's somewhat rare to have a scenario like this, even though I'd had cases. I can imagine that with Google ads because there is buyer intent.

 

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