The 3 Questions Every Ad Must Answer
Before you run a single ad, you need to be crystal clear on:
1. Who’s your best client?
It’s not everyone. Trying to appeal to everyone guarantees you appeal to no one. Instead, focus your message on your best-fit clients—the ones who value what you do, pay on time, and refer others.
2. What top 3 problems do you solve?
Not features. Problems. What keeps your ideal clients up at night? What’s costing them time, money, or peace of mind? That’s what your ad should focus on.
3. Why should they choose you?
Out of all possible options, including doing nothing, why are you the best bet? This is your value proposition, and most businesses have a weak one. If you’re unsure how to frame yours, I have a simple process I can share with you. Just ask.
Ads Should Be Like Dating
What would you think if someone walked up to you and proposed marriage 10 seconds into a conversation?
That’s how most ads come across: “BUY NOW!” or “BOOK A CALL!” when the person seeing it doesn’t even know who you are.
Instead, start small. Build trust.
Here are some low-commitment first steps that work better in ads:
- Watch a short video with a tip
- Read a useful blog post
- Download a free checklist or guide
- Request a sample (digital or physical)
- Receive a free book (even if they cover shipping)
Avoid asking for:
- Free consultations (too much risk upfront)
- Long forms or giving away personal info early
- Immediate sales without context
The Holy Trinity of Effective Ads
Your ad must have:
- The right message
- To the right market
- Via the right medium
If just one of these is off, the campaign suffers.
Example: Let’s say you want to target online store owners.
- Use language that directly calls them out: “Attention Shopify store owners…”
- Offer value specific to them: “Here’s how to get repeat sales without discounting.”
- Follow up with those who engage, offering the next step (e.g., a video call, live demo, audit).
It’s not rocket science. But it is strategic.
7 Extra Tips to Get Better Results from Your Ads
- Start small – Test one audience or interest at a time so you know what works.
- Track everything – Always measure conversions and cost per lead/sale.
- Use strong visuals – The image or video determines whether people stop scrolling.
- Simplify your landing page – One goal, one action. Kill distractions.
- Lower perceived risk – Make the first step safe and valuable.
- Have a clear objective – Don’t run a “brand awareness” ad if what you need are sales.
- Think long game – The best clients often come from a funnel, not a single click.
Ads that fail violate these simple rules.
Know you have them you can make your ads better. What are you waiting for?
