Paid Ads Require Iteration

Shaan Puri and Sam Parr share insights on how to effectively acquire customers through paid advertising, especially for someone young with a small business. They emphasize that paid advertising is a constant game of iteration that requires persistence and multiple approaches.

Key Points:

• Paid Advertising Reality:

  • It's a "constant game of cat and mouse" requiring continuous iteration
  • Performance naturally "goes up and then goes down" - this is completely normal
  • When it works, it's "a magic money machine" where you put in a dollar and get three back

• Learning Approach:

  • Attack learning on all fronts - don't limit yourself to one method
  • "The best way to learn is to do it" - practical experience is invaluable
  • Online courses are valuable despite criticism - "most of what I've learned in this internet world has been buying an online course"
  • YouTube tutorials are helpful but may not be in-depth enough

• Budget Considerations:

  • Spending up to $2,000 on a good course with positive reviews is worthwhile
  • Use your unique story (being young, successful) to potentially get courses for free
  • Say: "I'm 18 years old, I badly wanna learn this... I'll be your best testimonial"

• Finding Mentors:

  • Locate someone already succeeding with paid ads
  • Approach them: "I really think what you're doing is great, I'm young, I wanna learn"
  • Ask to spend a day learning from them - most will share their knowledge
  • They'll provide insider tips you "can't find just generically on the internet"

• Leveraging Existing Success:

  • Clone what's already working in new neighborhoods
  • Find representatives in other areas to implement your proven strategy
  • Reach out to platforms directly for support and potential ad credits

• Creative Marketing Approaches:

  • Print physical letters that look authentic, not overly professional
  • Consider the "Gary Halpert dollar letter" approach to get attention
  • Contact high-level marketing executives at platforms directly