Ever felt the frustration of throwing money at online ads without seeing real results? Many business owners fall into the trap of boosting a Facebook post here or running a quick Google campaign there, hoping for a spike in sales. But without a proper advertising strategy, this is like buying a lottery ticket instead of building a predictable growth machine.

Gavin Bell, Founder and CEO of Yatter, and Dave McCall, Commercial Director at Yatter, joined us at our March Social in Edinburgh to present their powerful model for advertising success. It’s a simple yet strategic approach, focused on Customer Results and Predictable Client Acquisition, showing how to turn advertising into a growth engine rather than an expense.

Whether you’re a marketer at a scaling startup or a business leader managing an established brand, this blog walks you through actionable insights shared during Gavin’s presentation and helps you create an advertising strategy that works.

Why Ads Are the Fastest and Easiest Way to Scale

Advertising isn’t just about getting your name out there. It’s about creating a reliable, scalable system for growth. Gavin summed it up perfectly in the presentation:

“Most businesses are great at delivering results but bad at consistently getting customers.”

This inconsistency is often due to the reliance on unpredictable sources like organic social reach or word-of-mouth. While these can be valuable, they’re not scalable. That’s where advertising shines. The key benefits of advertising for scaling:

• Scalability: Ads provide a repeatable system to generate leads and convert sales repeatedly.
• Speed: With the right targeting, you can start seeing results within days.
• Precision: Digital platforms allow laser-focused targeting, so you reach people who are most likely to convert.

When done right, advertising is not a gamble; it’s a calculated investment. And understanding how to build a funnel is the foundation of this strategy.

Build Your Funnel with Solid Maths

Gavin showcased a practical example to reinforce the importance of "funnel maths" in an advertising strategy. The example involved spending £500 on ads to achieve five new customers, clearly demonstrating how predictable growth can be achieved when your numbers are aligned.

Here’s how the maths broke down:

Gavin's Key Takeaways are:

• Know Your KPIs. Understand your metrics at every funnel stage (click-through rate, conversion rate, CLV).
  Use Data to Scale. Once you refine your funnel and see results, you can confidently scale your ad spend.
• If you don’t have these metrics yet, don’t worry. Start with small test campaigns to gather data.

Creative at Scale

Even with solid funnel maths, your advertising strategy could fail without effective ad creatives. Gavin emphasised that "creative is king", especially in the noisy digital marketing world.

1. Rapid-Fire Testing

The key to finding successful creatives is testing multiple variations at once. Build a matrix that includes combinations of:

• Ad copy (emotive, educational, promotional)
• Images vs videos
• Call-to-action buttons (Learn More vs Get Started)

Test these combinations across different audience segments to see what performs best.

2. User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC adds social proof and humanises your brand. Examples include:

• Customer reviews
• Unboxing videos
• Testimonials showcasing real customers

All of these bring authenticity, which resonates far more with audiences than polished corporate ads.

Pro tip from Gavin: “Don’t wait for UGC to happen organically; actively request it from your happiest customers."

Closing the Gap with Effective Sales Techniques

Dave concluded the presentation with a golden reminder: great advertising means nothing if you can’t close the leads it generates.

He introduced techniques to bridge the gap between leads and conversions:

1. Sales Metrics
Track your sales pipeline to identify bottlenecks. For instance:

• Are leads being followed up promptly?
• How many calls lead to actual sales conversations?
• Optimise these stages for better results.

2. Master Objections with the Feel-Felt-Found Framework

This age-old sales approach is still a game-changer:

• Start with empathy (“I understand how you feel...”).
• Relate to others (“Others have felt the same...”).
• Reassure with evidence (“What they found was...”).

This framework builds trust and overcomes hesitation.

3. Call Flow for Prospecting

Dave outlined a simple yet powerful structure for sales calls:

• Introduction and rapport
• Ask situational and qualifying questions
• Present the offer
• Handle objections proactively
• Close confidently

With these steps in place, sales becomes less of an art and more of a structured process.

From Expense to Investment

Advertising often gets labelled as an unnecessary expense. Gavin’s presentation proved that when done right, advertising is one of the most valuable investments you can make. The key lies in strategy, execution, and tracking every step of the funnel.
Next Steps:

• Take the first step by calculating your funnel maths.
• Audit your current advertising creatives and identify opportunities for UGC.
• Train your team on effective sales techniques to improve closing rates.

Ready to build a scalable strategy and see results? Connect with the CIM team here in Scotland to access expert guidance and resources.

With the right strategy and execution, your advertising efforts could become the predictable growth engine your business needs.