Free Ad Credits Strategy

A high school senior runs a successful home services business (power washing, window cleaning, gutter cleaning, Christmas light installation) that made $60,000 last year and is projected to reach $150,000 this year.

Business Structure

• Owner handles client acquisition and scheduling
• Two 1099 subcontractors perform the actual services
• Owner is "off the field" focusing on growth

Current Customer Acquisition

• Primary source is Nextdoor platform
• Posts in his own neighborhood as a "local high school student"
• Simple pitch: offering free estimates for services
• Generated approximately 90 customers in 6 months from Nextdoor alone

Growth Strategies Discussed

Direct Mail Campaign

• Print 1,000 copies of a personal letter
• Make it look authentic, not overly professional
• Emphasize being a mature high school senior
• Distribute to homes in envelopes
• Consider using the "Gary Halpert dollar letter" approach (attaching a dollar bill to get attention)

Platform Ad Credits

• Reach out to high-level marketing executives at platforms like Nextdoor and Thumbtack
• Target CMOs or Directors of Marketing
• Highlight unique story as a successful high school entrepreneur
• Request first-time customer ad credits ($1,000-2,000 worth)
• Offer to be a testimonial for their platform

Neighborhood Expansion

• Clone successful Nextdoor strategy in adjacent neighborhoods
• Pay friends/representatives in those neighborhoods to post ($100 per neighborhood)
• Use the exact same messaging that worked in original neighborhood

Paid Advertising Skills

• Consider investing in paid courses to learn advertising skills
• Combine with self-learning through YouTube and hands-on experience
• Find mentors who are already successful with paid ads
• Ask to shadow them and learn their strategies directly