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Ever spent $30+ on a single lead and wondered if there’s a better way?
We just helped a tuition center get their cost per lead down to 97 cents.
That’s not a typo. Ninety-seven cents!
And the craziest part? The solution was so simple, I wanted to kick myself for not trying it sooner.
Here’s exactly how we did it, and how you can use this strategy for your own business.
You can watch the video we did on it here:
Or keep scrolling if you just want to read about it.
The Problem: We Were Marketing to the Wrong Person (Sort Of)
For months, we’d been targeting parents with our ads.
Makes sense, right? Parents pay for tuition. Parents make the decisions. Parents hold the credit cards.
But here’s what we missed: Parents aren’t the ones who actually USE the service.
The students are.
And when a kid gets excited about something? They become the world’s most persistent (which is a more polite way of saying annoying) salesperson. “Mom, can we please sign up? Everyone says this tutor is amazing! Pleeeease?”
That’s when it hit us. We needed to market to BOTH audiences at once.
The 4-Step Strategy To Crushing CPL
Step 1: Create Content That Appeals to Students (While Still Targeting Parents)
What we did wrong before ❌:
- Boring stock photos
- Corporate messaging about “academic excellence”
- Focused only on parent concerns
What we changed ✅:
- Put an actual young, energetic tutor on camera
- Used TikTok-style video format with quick transitions
- Added personality and appropriate humor
Why it worked: Parents watching the ad could immediately tell their kids would actually LIKE this tutor. No more dragging reluctant kids to boring classes.
Step 2: Address Student Problems, Not Parent Problems
What we did wrong before ❌:
- “Your child needs better grades”
- “Prepare for important exams”
- Generic education benefits
What we changed ✅:
- “Here’s why you’re losing marks even when you know the answer”
- “The exact keywords teachers look for (that nobody tells you about)”
- “How to avoid common exam mistakes that cost easy points”
Why it worked: Students saw immediate value. Parents saw specific, practical help instead of vague promises.
Step 3: Lead with Value, Not Sales
What we did wrong before ❌:
- Immediate push to sign up for classes
- “Limited spots available!”
- Heavy sales pressure
What we changed ✅:
- Offered a free study guide first
- Included actual exam tips and “magic keywords”
- No pressure, just helpful content
Why it worked: Parents could test the quality risk-free. Students got immediate help. Trust was built BEFORE asking for money.
Step 4: Highlight Hidden Benefits Parents Actually Care About
What we did wrong before ❌:
- Only talked about grades and results
- Ignored lifestyle factors
- Focused purely on education
What we changed ✅:
- Emphasized 100% online classes
- “No more evening traffic jams”
- “No shuttling between 5 different tuition centers”
Why it worked: We addressed the hidden pain points parents never talk about but definitely feel.
The Results: From Mediocre to Mind-Blowing
After implementing this strategy, our cost per lead jumped from about $6 average to a whopping $0.97.
That’s an INSANE reduction in lead costs.
Why This Strategy Works for Any Business
This isn’t just about tuition centers. The principle applies everywhere:
If you’re a fitness coach: Don’t just target the person buying. Consider their spouse who’ll support (or sabotage) their fitness journey.
If you’re a B2B software company: Don’t just talk to the decision-maker. Think about the end-users who’ll actually champion (or resist) your product.
If you’re selling online courses: Consider the family members who might encourage or discourage the purchase.
How to Implement This Strategy Today
Identify ALL stakeholders in your customer’s decision
- Who uses your product?
- Who pays for it?
- Who influences the decision?
Create content that appeals to multiple audiences
- Use language that resonates with users
- Include benefits for decision-makers
- Address concerns of influencers
Test different formats
- Short-form video often works best
- Show real people, not stock photos
- Add personality (appropriately)
Always lead with value
- Free guides, tips, or resources
- Build trust before asking for money
- Solve a small problem first
The Bottom Line
Sometimes the best marketing strategies aren’t complicated.
We were so focused on who had the money, we forgot about who had the influence.
We were so busy being “professional,” we forgot to be interesting.
And we were so eager to make the sale, we forgot to provide value first.
The result? We were paying 20x more than necessary for leads.
Don’t make the same mistake. Look at your marketing right now.
Are you only talking to one person in the decision chain? Are you so focused on features that you’re missing emotional benefits? Are you asking for trust before you’ve earned it?
Fix these things, and watch your costs plummet while your conversions soar.
Just like our 97-cent leads.
Ready to transform your marketing results? Download my free book “Lead Surge” where I reveal 8 proven marketing funnels that have generated over 1.5 million leads. Get your copy here.
Want help implementing these strategies? My team at Radical Marketing specializes in creating high-converting campaigns for coaches and course creators. Let’s talk about crushing your lead costs.
This podcast is hosted by Terence Tam, author of Lead Surge: 8 Radically Effective Marketing Funnels for Coaches and Experts. He is also the Founder of Radical Marketing, a digital marketing agency that partners with high-ticket coaches to scale their businesses with Webinars – by using a proprietary blend of story ads and battled-tested sales funnels to achieve better returns on ad dollars.
