Ad Secrets from the CFO. WAIT! WHAT?!

You read that right—I'm the CFO of Balloonary.com, but I'm here to spill the beans on something a bit more unexpected. When I’m not crunching numbers and tracking our financials, I’ve got a little side hustle that keeps my creative juices flowing. Meet Tinklr.co, my little fun project where I design and sell Luxembourg Red Lion-themed PVC patches. Yes, it’s as niche as it sounds, and yes, it’s been a blast!

Now, you might be wondering, “Why is a CFO running a patch store?” Well, why not? But the real story here isn’t just about my quirky side project; it’s about how Balloonary.com has been a game-changer for Tinklr.co and how one of my early advertising blunders turned into a golden lesson in online marketing. Buckle up, because this is going to be fun.

The Early Days: Ads Gone Wrong

Let me take you back a few years to when we had just launched the first version of Balloonary.com. We were still in the early days, long before our Marketing Expert-Assistant, Loona, came on board. Back then, I decided to run a little experiment using my side business, Tinklr.co, as a guinea pig. After all, what better way to test our platform than with a real-life business?

So, I got to work. I logged into Balloonary, manually created a Google Search Ad for Tinklr.co, and confidently hit that launch button. I had written some snappy ad copy, carefully picked keywords like "Luxembourg Red Lion patches," and set Luxembourg as the target geography. I was convinced that my patches would fly off the virtual shelves.

And then… nothing. No sales. Barely any visits to my online store. Nada.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I had poured energy into designing these patches, invested money in getting them manufactured and built an online shop. I started to wonder if Balloonary had a bug, or worse, if Google had it out for me. But the reality was much simpler—and more painful.

The Bob Wisdom: "Nobody Googles Luxembourg Red Lion Patches"

Feeling a little deflated, I went to Bob, one of my co-founders and the CEO of Balloonary. Bob doesn’t have a creative side project like Tinklr.co, but he did already know a thing or two more about online marketing than I did. He took one look at my campaign and gave me a reality check: “Nobody googles Luxembourg Red Lion patches.”

Ouch. But he was right.

Bob explained that my patches were more of a novelty item, something people would buy on impulse rather than actively search for on Google. He suggested I try a different platform, one that’s more suited for catching the eye of impulse buyers—Facebook.

The Facebook Ad That Changed Everything

So, I took Bob’s advice. I logged back into Balloonary, this time to create a Facebook ad. I uploaded a picture of my shiny, new Luxembourg Red Lion patches, set up the targeting, and launched the campaign.

Within two days, I made my first sales.

It was as simple as that. My niche product, in a well-defined market (Luxembourg, which is pretty small), found its audience through the right channel. Since then, I’ve run ads for Tinklr.co about 3-4 times a year, usually around big events like Black Friday or Luxembourg’s National Day. Every time, without fail, I see sales roll in. In fact, for every euro I spend on ads, I typically see a 3-7x return. Not too shabby for a side project!

This little experiment proved to me that online ads are a powerful tool when used correctly. And with Balloonary, it’s ridiculously easy to set up and launch campaigns that work. Over the years, I’ve picked up a few more tricks, especially now with Loona, our Marketing Expert-Assistant, by my side. Loona not only inspires me with creative ad copy, but also reviews my entire ad setup, gives me suggestions on how to improve it and gives me feedback on my ad's performance.

My Top 5 Types of Ads for Small Businesses

So, what have I learned about online advertising? Here are my top 5 types of ads that any small business can use to boost their brand or sell their products or services:

Facebook/Instagram Ads: Perfect for niche products that benefit from visual appeal and impulse buying. Showcase your products through stunning images or videos to catch the eye of potential customers. Use targeted ads to reach your specific audience.

Google Search Ads with Keywords related to your Offer : Great for products or services with a clear demand. If people are actively searching for what you offer, Google Search Ads can put you right at the top.

Google Search Ads with Your Brand Name or Your Competitor's Name as Keywords : It can be tough to rank high in Google, even when customers google you already. Using your own brand name or variations of it as keywords for a Google Search Ad, allow you to come out on top (as sponsored) when customers are googling your business. By the way, the same works if you create a Google Search Ad with your competitor's brand name as keywords. Now guess, who's business will be shown on top when customers google your competitor?

Conversion Ads: These are the secret weapon for turning potential interest into actual sales. Conversion ads are designed with a specific goal in mind, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading an app. They’re highly effective because they target people who are most likely to take that action. By using conversion tracking, you can see exactly how well your ads are performing, which helps you optimize and get the most bang for your buck. They can be setup on Balloonary for Google, Facebook and Instagram. For Tinklr.co, Facebook Conversion Ads work best.

Seasonal/Promotional Ads: Run special offers during key times of the year, like Black Friday or national holidays. People are already in the shopping mood, so it’s a perfect time to capture their attention. Do this on Google if people are likely to google your product or services. Do it on FB or INSTA if your product or service is likely to hit a nerve for a special occasion. Just like my Luxembourg Red Lion PVC patches the week running up to National Day.

Wrapping It Up

So, there you have it—a peek behind the curtain at how a CFO got a crash course in online advertising through a little side hustle. Tinklr.co may just be a fun project that funds a nice family weekend getaway once a year, but it’s also been an invaluable learning experience. And it’s all thanks to Balloonary.com making it easy to create and launch ads that actually work.

Whether you’re a small business owner or just someone with a creative side project, don’t underestimate the power of online ads. With the right product, price, and targeting, you might just surprise yourself with the results!

Happy advertising, and may your ads roar louder than the Luxembourg Red Lion!

Brice

Trademark Disclaimer

All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this post are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement.