The 7-Figure $5 Ad [The Ad Structure]
This is The Technique.
A warning before you jump into this.
If you do not understand Why you are doing this,1
If you do not understand Why this works,2
If you are not prepared To spend at least the next 90 days just gathering data,3
DO NOT READ THIS
We're about to present an excerpt from Laurel Portié's book, Super Duper Profitable Ads. In this she shows you the exact structure of the main $5 ad that she has used to make over $1 million.
If you're not familiar with how we look at "What you do" in The Guardian Academy, what you are about to read sits on the "Tool" and "Tactical" level.
This comes straight from Lukas Resheske's Clarity Hierarchy4, which you can learn more about here.
Tools are used to execute Tactics, which are dictated by the Strategy. The Strategy is formed from Principles.
If you do not understand The Principles, you won't have a full grasp of The Strategy. If you do not have that understanding, then you will get lost in the Tactics and the Tools.
(Don't worry, many people get lost in the Tactics and the Tools because they are shiny and it's easy to think they are what matters most.)
That's why we are sharing this warning with you.
Before you learn how Laurel builds the $5 ad which has made her over $1 million, make sure you read the following:
![90 Days to Data [Paid Ads Shortcut]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb3d9de5e-3d24-4849-9714-a61acc98181f_1600x700.png)
![Why This Strategy Works [Paid Ads Strategy]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b2231c1-0551-4c49-a19a-fb54109fdede_1600x414.png)
Let’s see how Laurel makes these ads, with this excerpt from Laurel Portie’s book, Super Duper Profitable Ads.5 Laurel’s methodology, program and book are heavy in Guardian Academy principles that she reinvented and improved specifically for her domain - and has become one of the best advertising programs out there.
THE 7-FIGURE $5 AD
Give me the next 15 minutes and I am going to walk you through the anatomy of the $5 video ad that took my business to 7 figures.
This is where the real work is about to begin!
Remember the core principles at play here. They are what makes this strategy so damn good…
1. Content
2. Consistency
3. Conversations
In this chapter, you’ll get the formula that produces magnetic Content. And when you publish with Consistency, you will inevitably end up with qualified Conversations.
Sounds easy, right?
Not so fast there big dawg. If you don’t nail the foundations, which is the structure, messaging, and video anatomy, then publishing consistently will be a waste of time! And you certainly won’t produce qualified conversations, which means “no soup for you!”
Let’s start with the structure.
Below is a diagram of what a stealth video looks like in your newsfeed. I call these stealth videos, Power Content.
Notice, I am using video content to draw in my ideal client and then offering them a value bomb that they can “raise their hand” by commenting to get. They are initially inviting me to have a conversation with them.
Now that you can visually see the principles at work, you’re probably asking yourself, what the heck goes INTO the actual video script.
I’ll get to that.
But before I tell you the anatomy to this very profitable $5 video ad, I have to tell you how I came up with my Power Content concept and why this works so well.
Remember when I told you about my days as a television producer?
I have worked for CBS, FOX and various syndication companies, but it was where I started my very first job that handed me this amazing secret that I'm about to share with you.
Back in 2002, even before I started experimenting with social media channels, I had one of the hardest jobs ever…Getting people to watch the 11 o’clock news.
When I say the 11 o’clock news… I am talking about the 11PM “sleepy time snoozefest” news that aired after their favorite prime time television show.
My job was to write a 30 second commercial that promoted what was coming up on the 11pm newscast.
As soon as those credits rolled… I had to do TWO things VERY WELL if I wanted to keep my job.
I needed to grab viewers' attention BEFORE they grabbed the remote
I had to KEEP their attention through a 3-minute commercial break
There are a lot of things working against me at that point. It’s 11-freaking PM. Many people are fighting sleep or they're fighting the urge to have S-E-X with their partner (let’s be REAL)!
As a matter of fact, it became a running joke in our nightly pitch meetings that my news director would say…
“Laurel, we need a promo so sexy, that it will “keep honey waiting.”
(Eventually, you’ll be so good at this process that your ads will be sexy enough to “keep honey waiting.”)
I'll give you an example of what it looked like for me back in 2008.
Everyone loved the hit TV show CSI Miami…well at least they did back in the day. So let's imagine that it’s come to a heart-stopping ending to CSI Miami and the credits start rolling.
This is my cue to do those two things.
I have to grab my audience's attention
I have to keep it…through this 3-minute commercial break.
But, here’s something that’s also super important to be aware of. Not ALL news is relevant to ALL viewers. How can I make a story that’s only impacting one neighborhood relevant to our entire viewing audience?
I’ll give you a REAL EXAMPLE of one of the BIGGEST challenges I had on a SLOW news night.
A water main break on the side of Interstate 20 right outside of Dallas, TX.
How the heck do I make THAT sexy?
Challenge accepted.
Here’s what I wrote.
*CUE credits for CSI Miami*
“WAIT before you hit the sack… In the next 5 minutes, find out why TEXDOT says you’ll want to set your alarm clock an hour early or you might be late for work tomorrow. Full story next at 11.
Do ya see what I did there?
The story was actually about a water main break. How freaking boring is a water main break?!
BUT, I had to figure out a way to make this water main break relevant to the people who are watching my TV station.
If I would have just simply said… “Next at 11, take a look at this water main break and look at what authorities are doing to clean it up.”
(This is likely the style many of you are writing your ads right now!)
That definitely would not have gotten people to stay and watch the 11 o’clock news. WHO CARES about spraying water unless you live in that neighborhood?
I had to dig deeper.
I had to think… How could this possibly have an effect on my audience if they don't get this fixed tonight?
(and by the way, you’ll want to underline that paragraph above and tuck it away in the back of your brain so you can use it later… because when you know what happens to your audience if they don’t fix their problems, and you are able to call it out clearly and effectively, you will reap the rewards both in authority and financial gain.)
I realized if they don't get this fixed tonight… Two lanes of this major highway will be closed and there's going to be a huge pile-up of traffic tomorrow morning.
That is going to affect a lot of people!
Also, take note, I added in the element of time. I told them in the next 5 minutes, they will know the answer.
After hearing my promo, a lot of my viewers probably thought it was worth the 5 minutes of their time to stay up and watch the 11 pm News to see WHY they should set their alarm clocks a little earlier tomorrow.
That's super relevant to them because if they're late for work… they're going to get in trouble and could possibly lose an hour or two of pay. That’s IMPORTANT to them.
That is the promise of VALUE.
(again, underline that one. Until you can clearly communicate a promise of value, it’s unlikely that your target market will respond to your messaging).
That is what I had to figure out every single night.
So, what I'm about to teach you is going to follow that same concept. You need to figure out what value you can give to your audience and WHY it’s worth their time to watch your video.
So without further delay, here it is! The anatomy of the $5 “Power Content” ad that took my business to 7 figures.
ANATOMY OF THE $5 POWER CONTENT AD
The anatomy of the $5 Power Content ad is made up of 5 parts:
Part 1: The Headline
Part 2: The Promise of Value
Part 3: The CTA (“call to action” for my newcomers)
Part 4: The Humble Brag
Part 5: The Content
We want to look at the flow of these parts… as a funnel.
The first line’s ONLY job is to get people to say, “This is for me and I NEED to read the second line.”
(hehe, now you’ll look at every headline you see with this filter… and it will drive you nuts! But also be super educational)
The second line’s ONLY job is to get people to WATCH our video.
The Video’s ONLY job is to get people to take action.
But if we can’t get people past the first line, what’s the point?
Pause for just one moment, and revisit that one.
If we can’t get people past the first line, what’s the point?!
If you truly believe in the service or program you are offering the world, and you know that it can genuinely help people, then you owe it to them to put in that extra effort to craft your message so that they can finally see and understand how you’ll help them.
THAT is where most online marketers go wrong. They are not following this “Funnel flow” for their video content.
They are not looking at their video as a funnel in and of itself. They are just treating the entire thing as one piece of content.
But now that you know better, you have the power!
Each individual line is its own piece of content, getting viewers to the next step.
Ready to dig in and try it out?
Take a look at that diagram again. This is the ANATOMY of what the video ad will actually look like.
THE PROMISE OF VALUE
Here’s a little trick I use to create the most compelling copy. Even though part 1 is the headline, I actually write the promise of value first as I prepare the ad.
When you do it this way, the headline becomes much juicier and more compelling.
Anytime I see my students struggle with this script, I tell them to start with the promise of value, and it works like a charm.
It literally rewires your brain to think from your client’s perspective rather than thinking primarily of an exciting tagline.
Remember my example above: I first considered how the water main break might hurt my audience before I considered how to communicate with them about how to avoid that pain.
In other words - empathy.
Your ability to operate and create from a foundation of empathy for those you serve will literally make or break your business.
So take a deep breath, and let’s get empathetic…
What is the ONE promise you can make to your audience, that if they watch this video, they will get _____________ out of it?
If you go back to the beginning of this chapter, you can see I used this super cool script to get you to read it.
“Give me the next 15 minutes and I am going to walk you through the anatomy of the $5 video ad that took my business to 7 figures.”
It made ya read it, didn’t it? I like putting a time frame in there because it builds trust with you. You know that this will only be 15 minutes of your time invested AND I promised you’d be able to Iaunch your own $5 ad after reading this chapter.
So now that we have a promise of value. We will go back to the first line, which is the headline.
THE HEADLINE
This HAS to grab people’s attention.
Remember, the ONLY job of the headline is to get people to say “This is me, I want to learn more”
But… The headline also has to be SUPER repelling.
We do not want anyone who is not our ideal customer to watch this video. Do not be afraid to be polarizing.
For instance, in this book, I want to repel people who have no intention of doing video marketing.
Scroll back up and look at my headline. See what I did there? I was CLEAR on what type of strategy you were going to read about.
I was polarizing to all the business owners who do not want to use video.
Now take a look at the diagram I posted above. The Headline is “Need to book MORE calls THIS week but only have about $5 to $10 a day to spend?”
I’m grabbing attention with a compelling statement that solves an immediate need and creates urgency. Then, I’m polarizing with the piece about only having a $5 to $10 budget.
THE CALL TO ACTION
You’re probably wondering why I put a call to action so high in the video.
The main reason is for early engagement. The sooner we can get people to comment below the video, the faster Facebook and YouTube will deliver it to more people in the newsfeed.
But what’s more important, is that this “Value Bomb” strategy gets you CONVERSATIONS with leads who are your ideal clients. Conversations are the fastest path to cash.
Again, review that example. See what I’m doing?
If someone wants free access to the 45-minute workshop that delivers the promise of value, they have to comment on that post. Every comment is a new lead to open up a conversation with.
THE HUMBLE BRAG
A lot of business owners fail to do this in any of their videos but these 3-4 lines will make you HIGHLY referable. I’ll give you an example so you can see what I mean.
Following the CTA in my videos, I always say the same 3-4 lines.
“My name is Laurel Portie. I’m the owner of adcoachingfor7.com where I have now taught over 10,000 coaches and consultants how to launch and optimize their own online ads. In every single video, you’re going to get one advertising strategy you can immediately implement after watching.”
I have several tactics going on there and by repeating these lines in ALL my videos, my audience will…
1. Know my name
2. Know my website
3. Know what I do and how I can help them
4. Know that in EVERY video they will get one thing they can implement.
This makes me not only highly referable but anytime people see a new video of mine, they have a compelling reason to watch! They will be scared to miss that important nugget they can implement. ;)
THE CONTENT
The #1 reason most people don’t buy a product or service is because they don’t have clarity on what they will actually get if they work with you or buy your product.
And the only reason they don’t have that clarity is because… you guessed it, the messaging lacks empathy!
So many experts are teaching their students to only reveal the “what”, but to never reveal the “how.” I do not agree with this. My thought is that if I can give people absolute clarity on what I can/will do for them, it will be a no-brainer for them to want to work with me.
On that note, if you watch my content on my YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/thelaurelshow, you will see that my content gives away the farm. I reveal my exact ad strategies, my ad setups, my content secrets, my copy tactics and EVERYTHING I teach my students in my programs.
Heck, I’m even giving you the actual strategy in this book and then inviting you to get more on the YouTube Channel!
Why?
When people decide they want to work with me, I don’t have to spend hours and hours teaching things that are highly mundane to me. I want to spend time personalizing the strategies and tactics. My free content is literally “creating” my ideal client.
I’m not saying this is what you need to do, but this way of thinking has served me and my private clients well.
So the question becomes -- how can you showcase your skills to your audience?
What can you show them that will make them say…
“I need to work with this person!”
“Wow, I didn’t know how to do that, I want to learn more from this person!”
“I want them to do THAT for me!”
Most of my agency clients hired me on the spot because my content gave them clarity that I was not a fake guru. My free content allowed them to watch me launch ad strategies, write copy and even build out funnel structures on the fly.
In other words, I just pulled back the curtain and showed them what it’s like to work together.
I know you’ll be tempted to dangle the carrot and withhold information because you think you’re “giving away the farm.”
But the reality is, that people are not paying for your info, they’re paying you to help them get where they want to go faster and with less resistance.
TGA Principles Applied
Hopefully, you are seeing now the elegant simplicity of Laurel Portié's ad strategy.
Since Conversations are The Fastest Path to Cash, your goal is to get conversations. In order to get conversations you've got to know what to say and who to say it to in order to open that door.
It sounds complicated. But it isn't.
Looking back through the structure of this ad, you can see that each step builds up "What is Enough" in order to get the ideal person you want to speak with to the next step.
You figure out what is enough to get their attention, what is enough to keep their attention, and what is enough to get them to say "hey, yea I'd like to speak with you."
That's it.
The Process of figuring out your ads actually builds that entire structure of "Enough" for you. IF you go through each step of the process.
Most importantly, Laurel's Ad Strategy forces you to Engage The Field - which is the most important step in learning and growing.
If you're in a spot with your business where you need to figure out how to profitably grow with paid ads - whether that's because you need cash now, or because you see it as the most effective path for long-term growth - you've go to learn and grow in order to know what to say and how to say it.
When you're ready, you can jump right into this process with Laurel's Ad Coaching for $79, and if you follow the steps, within 7 days you'll have a greater understanding of your messaging and your audience than you can predict right now (and you may have new clients to go along with that).
Laurel Portié is a Guardian and has been a student of our founder for the last five years. Recently, they did a free training condensing everything Laurel has learned and implemented into five days. All five days are available for free here:
live to learn. give to earn.
The TGA “Out Of Print” Business Development Books and Letters are available by clicking here for Guardian Academy paid subs. A lot of marketers try and resell this stuff, just get it here.
The pre-req or “Starter/Self Stay Guide” to understand marketing and sales through the lens of TGA principles can be found right here.
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