If you run a service-based business — cleaning, coaching, trades, healthcare, or anything in between — chances are you’ve been told marketing is hard.

That you need:

• A full-time social media team

• Fancy brand videos

• Complicated funnels

• A 12-month content calendar

But in the real world?
The businesses growing fastest are doing none of that.

They’re just doing a few simple things very well.
Here’s what’s actually working right now — and how you can use it to grow, even if you don’t have a marketing department.

1. Lead With an Offer They Can’t Ignore

The most successful service businesses don’t sell “services.”

They sell offers.

And the best-performing offer type across our campaigns?

A discount-based, time-sensitive local promotion.

Examples:

• “20% Off First Appointment – Limited to 5 New Clients This Week”

• “$99 Deep Clean Special – This Week Only in [Suburb]”

• “First Massage Free When You Book 3 This Month”

Why it works:

• It creates urgency.

• It feels exclusive.

• It simplifies the decision for a cold lead.

How to use it:
Pick a high-demand service.
Add a time limit.
Run it through ads, emails, and socials for the next 7 days.

You’ll be shocked how well it converts.

2. Real Content Beats Polished Every Time

If you think you need a studio or editing team to produce content, think again.

What builds trust (and sells) is raw, real content that shows who you are and what you do.

Examples:

• Before & after transformations

• Quick video walkthroughs of your work

• Screenshots of real customer reviews

• Behind-the-scenes footage or selfie videos

• “Meet the team” photos on the job

This kind of content performs better in ads, gets shared more on social media, and lands more sales in emails and proposals.

Why? Because it’s relatable. And it’s honest.

How to use it:
Start snapping photos and videos every time you’re on a job or working with a client. Don’t overthink it. Just document.

Then use that content in:

• Facebook and Instagram ads

• Email newsletters

• Landing pages and sales decks

• Follow-up messages to leads

3. Track What Matters (or You’ll Waste Your Budget)

Most businesses don’t have a marketing problem.
They have a tracking problem.

They don’t know:

• Which campaigns are converting

• What each customer actually costs

• Whether they’re growing or just staying busy

So they keep spending — but not scaling.

Here’s the single number that changes everything:

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) = Total Ad Spend ÷ New Clients

Example:

• You spend $300 on ads and get 30 leads

• 10 of those leads convert to paying clients

• Your CAC = $300 ÷ 10 = $30 per customer

If each client brings in $150+?
That’s a 5x return. Great.

If only one person converts?
You just spent $300 to make $150. Not so great.

How to use it:
Every week, ask:

• How much did we spend?

• How many leads did we get?

• How many became paying clients?

From there, you can adjust:

• Your ad targeting

• Your landing page or follow-up

• Your offer or pricing

But you can’t improve what you don’t track.

Final Takeaway: Simple Wins. Every Time.

You don’t need a million-dollar brand to win.

You need:

• A great offer

• Real content

• Clear tracking

The businesses scaling right now are the ones who:

• Get scrappy with their offers

• Show the real behind-the-scenes of their work

• Track their CAC like their life depends on it

Want to grow faster?
Start with those three. Do them consistently. Iterate weekly.

Marketing doesn’t need to be complicated — it just needs to be done right.

Need help implementing this?
Whether you want the ads written, the offers built, or the content repurposed — we help service businesses grow faster with simple, proven marketing systems.

[Book a Free Strategy Call →]