$900 to 31 Leads | Smooth Cuts by Ray J Ad Success

Smooth Cuts by Ray J - CASE STUDY

FROM $900 TO 31 LEADS... Transforming Smooth Cuts Customer Acquisition

“We’d never run ads before and weren’t sure it would work. Within a week, clients were walking in saying they found us on Instagram.”

Results

Smooth Cuts by Ray J generated 31 qualified leads from just $900 in ads, achieving a $29 CPL and filling weekday slots that were previously empty.

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THE CHALLENGE

Smooth Cuts by Ray J, a well-regarded barbershop in Irving, Texas, faced challenges in expanding its customer acquisition.

Unproven Advertising Strategy: No prior experience with paid campaigns
Inefficient Use of Budget: Uncertainty about achieving ROI from modest ad spend
Low Lead Volume: Few inquiries despite active posting
No Conversion Funnel: Lack of a system to convert views into paying customers

THE CONTENT FACTORY

OUR STRATEGIC APPROACH

We implemented our performance-first paid media framework tailored for service-based businesses:

1 - Targeted Offer Creation

We made a new irresistible customer promotion that resonated with Smooth Cuts by Ray J's ideal client. Offering clear value while showcasing the shop’s culture and premium service.

2 - Ad Creative That Converts

We designed authentic video and image ads featuring real barbers and real haircuts. The focus: authenticity, relatability, and strong calls to action.

4 - Funnel Setup & Tracking

We developed a conversion-focused landing page and integrated tracking tools to monitor clicks, leads, and CPL in real time.

3 - Laser-Focused Audience Targeting

We built custom audiences based on geolocation, demographics, and interests aligned with grooming and lifestyle habits-maximizing relevance while minimizing waste.

5 - Campaign Management & Optimization

Throughout the campaign, we refined creative elements, adjusted audience segments, and optimized the budget to maintain strong performance metrics.

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

THE TRANSFORMATION

The results were compelling…

This campaign delivered a full client list and positioned Smooth Cuts by Ray J for repeatable, scalable customer acquisition through paid media.

Ad Spend: $900 total
Impressions: 30,000
Click-Through Rate (CTR): 1.2%
Total Clicks: 360
Cost Per Click (CPC): $2.50
Leads Generated: 31 qualified leads
Cost Per Lead (CPL): $29

RESULTS THAT LAST

WHAT WORKED BEST

1 - Hyperlocal Targeting

Focused ads within a 5-mile radius ensured all leads were local and likely to convert.

2 - Authentic Visuals

Photos and videos featuring real barbers outperformed polished stock content by 2.3x.

3 - Urgency-Driven Copy

Including limited-time language (“Only 15 spots available this week”) increased CTR by 44%.

4 - Mobile-Optimized Funnel

Over 90% of traffic was mobile-fast load speed and minimal steps were critical to conversion.

Key Strategies

INSIGHTS & FINDINGS

Working with Smooth Cuts by Ray J taught us some important things…

You Don’t Need a Huge Budget to Win

With just $900, we generated meaningful leads that translated into revenue quickly.

Creative Simplicity Works

Real barbers, real results. Nothing fancy, just effective.

Lead Quality Matters

These weren’t just clicks-they were locals looking to book, with a high show-up rate.

Always Track Everything

Without the right tracking setup, we couldn’t have known what was working or scaled it.

TESTIMONIAL

What They Say About the Results

"We’d never run ads before and weren’t sure it would even work. Within the first week, we had new clients mentioning they saw us on Instagram. These guys helped us fill up weekday slots we could never book before."

THE TAKEAWAY

A smart paid social campaign can transform foot traffic and fill empty chairs… even with a limited ad budget. With the right message, visuals, and targeting, barbershops like Smooth Cuts by Ray J can tap into steady growth that doesn’t rely solely on word-of-mouth.