Case Study

Internet Mastermind

How broad targeting strategy reduced CPL by 60% while attracting high-caliber CEOs to an exclusive Vancouver mastermind

Backstory + Situation

Internet Mastermind is one of the fastest-growing masterminds in Vancouver, known for its exclusive network of CEOs, executives, and high-level entrepreneurs. The mastermind's CEO had crafted a unique onboarding process:

Unique 3-Step Onboarding Process

Facebook Ads

Run Facebook ads to invite potential members to a dinner.

Exclusive Dinner

Host the dinner with a mix of current mastermind members and new prospects.

Live Pitch

During the dinner, pitch the mastermind group, allowing prospects to experience its value and culture firsthand.

However, the campaign wasn't delivering the desired results. The CEO wasn't getting qualified leads—the majority of prospects were far from the target demographic of high-earning CEOs and executives.

Instead, he was attracting individuals who weren't financially ready or professionally aligned with the mastermind's goals.

Poor Lead Quality: Attracting unqualified prospects instead of high-earning CEOs and executives

Challenge

The CEO faced two critical challenges:

Lead Quality Challenge

Attracting qualified leads (CEOs, executives, and high-level entrepreneurs).

Cost Challenge

Keeping the cost per lead (CPL) under $20 to ensure the campaign remained profitable.

Task

I was brought in to:

Optimize targeting to attract qualified leads.

Maintain a CPL under $20 while improving the quality of leads.

Action

Testing Targeting Strategies

Initially, the CEO wanted to use interest-based targeting to narrow down audiences.

However, I recommended a broad targeting approach, allowing the ad copy to qualify the audience instead of relying on Facebook's interest feature.

Why Broad Targeting?

Broad targeting lets the algorithm optimize reach and identify the right audience based on behavior, not just interests.

It provides more scalability and avoids restricting the audience pool.

Test Structure

50% Budget

Interest-based targeting (CEO's preference)

50% Budget

Broad targeting (my recommendation)

The results were clear: Broad targeting outperformed interest-based targeting in both CPL and lead quality.

Crafting Persuasive Ad Copy

The success of broad targeting relied heavily on creating precise, qualifying ad copy. I wrote ad copy that:

Highlighted the exclusivity of the mastermind.

Addressed pain points specific to CEOs and executives (e.g., desire for meaningful connections, high-level business discussions).

Qualified leads by emphasizing the financial and professional criteria required to join.

Example Ad Copy

Example headline:

"Network with Vancouver's Top CEOs Over Dinner – Exclusive Invitation for Executives Only."

Example body copy:

"This isn't your typical networking event. Join a private mastermind dinner with Vancouver's top CEOs and entrepreneurs. Share ideas, build connections, and gain access to an exclusive group that's shaping the future of business. Apply now to reserve your seat."

Refining the Funnel

The ad directed prospects to a landing page with a short application form.

The form included qualifying questions, such as income level, industry, and job title, to filter out unqualified leads before they reached the dinner stage.

This ensured only prospects who met the mastermind's standards progressed further.

Result

$8-10

Average CPL

Reduced from $20+

60%

CPL Reduction

Significant savings

Premium Leads

CEOs & Executives

CPL: Reduced the cost per lead from $20+ to an average of $8-10 per lead.

Lead Quality: Attracted high-caliber prospects (CEOs, executives, and business owners) who were financially and professionally ready to join the mastermind.

Mastermind Growth: The mastermind gained new members from these qualified leads, boosting revenue and reinforcing its reputation as an exclusive, high-value group in Vancouver.

Strategic Success: Broad targeting + qualifying ad copy delivered both cost efficiency and premium lead quality