My 8-step framework for researching & launching new client ads in 120 minutes or less

Here's the brutal truth: Clients want you to start working right away, especially if you're a consultant. The sooner you can start, the more confident they will be that you'll learn quickly.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t put in 60 hours of research. I’m saying get started now while you keep doing your 60 hours or more research to really dig deep.

Bias to action is key here.

But before that, do read these articles too. It is will help you post launching the first few ad campaigns:

• How to execute creative ideation

• How to execute creative testing

• How to execute creative iterations

Okay, let’s dive in:

Step # 1 – The Client Workshop

You might be surprised to hear this, but the clients usually already have the best insights. I’ve seen many folks create a survey, but that’s a waste of time. I believe the client workshop immediately helps you get into their heads and find what works, and I almost always reduce my learning gap because of this.

Clients often have too many insights, and you just need to help them prioritize.

So, how do I do that?

I ask them questions about the brand that are very similar to user research interview questions:

• What is the product?

• Who are their best customers?

• Who are their worst customers?

• What problems is it solving for which persona/avatar?

• What are your customers’ desires, something they don’t explicitly say?

• What are your customers’ jobs-to-be-done?

• What are the product benefits the client thinks they offer?

• What are the outcomes people will get from the product according to your client?

• What are the trigger events for your customers?

• What are some key objections that you keep hearing from your customers?

• What products are their direct and indirect competitors?

Based on this, I can get a rough idea of how I could sell the product and make ads.

Here are some screenshots from a real interview:

Step # 2 – Work with AI to find more insights

I covered this specific point previously in more detail. (How to get more surface level insights.)

You can find the newsletter here: Unlocking Growth with AI: From Landing Pages to Ad Headlines to UGC scripts

You can find the entire exercise here.

At this point, I have all the main insights to launch ads, but I wait a little and see what others are doing.

In this client’s case, I saw no direct competition running ads. I had to create my own swipe file.

This leads to step 3.

Step # 3 – Check what others are doing to get inspired

As not many people were running ads in my client’s industry nor selling “info” as a product, I had to check newsletter ads for similar products.

I found some good ads in this newsletter.

You check those ads here.

Then, I created my swipe file to get inspired, which you can see here.

Step # 4 – Review mining for copy and ads

Now that I have the key insights from the brand, AI, and all the good ad formats that worked in the past, I try to find reviews to get even more insights.

I use F*king Fast Buyer Insights, an AI product, and I put all reviews in this sheet to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

I’ve also reviewed this in a previous newsletter, which you can find below:

Here’s my video showing you live how I use this AI product:

I use reviews to come up with ads and headlines that resonate deeply.

Step # 5 – Auditing their previous ads and landing pages

Now that I have all the primary data, I dive into their previous ads and landing pages to see if I missed any additional messaging ideas.

Why do I do this so late? So that I don’t bias myself and focus only on developing my ideas and originality, etc.

At this point, I audit the account based on these metrics:

• Which ads won and why? What was the messaging?

• Which ads lost and why? What was the messaging?

• How’s the diversity of creatives in the ad account?

• Is there an ad format that keeps losing?

• What can we continue using?

Step # 6 – Use proven ad formats to come up with single-image ads

Next, I start using single-image ads and proven ad formats to come up with ad idea roadmap.

However, I don’t start with it.

I start with 2-3 three ad formats that are already working for me with other clients.

You can find some examples here.

The idea is to find the right messaging.

Step # 7 - My 3-3-3 for message testing framework

In order to understand message testing in-depth, you need to listen to this podcast. No time? See below:

TL;DR – Message testing is an easy way to have a single image with various ideas and concepts to figure out which messaging resonates the best. I only rely on cost per acquisition to measure this.

But what is the 3-3-3 framework?

• 3 core concepts (problem, selfish desire and JBTD)

• 3 core ad format (images)

• 3 core messaging (different headlines)

I now have a total of 27 ads to run and figure out what works.

Step # 8 – Test, learn, iterate and launch

Once all these ads are in the testing mode. I figure out:

• What concept worked?

• Which messaging resonated?

• Which format is delivering the most ROI?

I iterate on those ads & create better ads, and then launch them to see how well they do.

Then, I try to run ads based on different ad formats available on public platforms like Creative OS.

I also create multiple UGCs based on the same messages that won.

In the end, the idea is to deeply resonate and figure out if I can bring the CPA down.

The final output?

It wouldn’t be fair to share my process with you but not the ads.

Here are the ads that worked (after launching 39 different ads):

• Ad # 1

• Ad # 2

You may be wondering why I'm openly sharing my playbook or ads. It's because finding the best and lowest CPA ads takes a lot of work and effort. It's also important to keep testing and iterating your creative ideas.

Every account is different. Every industry is different. Even in the same verticals, the target ideal customer profile and their needs are different.

But at least you get started in no time.

Happy Growing with Paid Social,

Aazar Shad

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