🎯 The Winning Ad Workshop: Fix Your Testing, Cut Costs

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 In today’s newsletter 

• Budgets shift, tariffs impact costs, and demand changes—are your forecasts keeping up?

• The Winning Ad Workshop

• Day 3: The Perfect Moment to Ask for Engagement

• Stop Overcomplicating Ad Tracking

• Is Founder-Led Content the New Social Media Strategy for DTC?

• Latest News: TikTok Adds More Flexible Options for Sellers & more…

  Let's Dive Into It! 👇

Budgets shift, tariffs impact costs, and demand changes—are your forecasts keeping up?

Drivepoint’s 3 FREE forecasting templates help you plan smarter and stay ahead. Unlock hidden opportunities in your brand's future! Scaling a DTC or retail brand means staying ahead of every shift. Drivepoint’s three free Excel templates make forecasting ad spend, COGS management, and inventory demand straightforward—so you can plan with confidence. True Classic, Graza, and Curology trust Drivepoint to go even further. Grab your templates now and take control!

These plug-and-play templates give you a pro-level jumpstart into strategic planning, and when you’re ready for automated data syncing, scenario modeling, and hyper-accurate forecasting, Drivepoint is your go-to platform.

Most brands think their ads aren’t working because of the algorithm.

Wrong.

The algorithm is fine. Your testing isn’t.

Meta’s AI will find you customers. But only if you give it winning creatives to work with.

Problem is, most brands don’t test ads properly.

❌ They test too little.
❌ They change too many things at once.
❌ They burn money on random ideas instead of following a framework.

Here’s the thing: Testing isn’t just about running ads. It’s about getting answers.

You don’t test just to see what works—you test to learn.
You take what works, double down, and improve it.
You take what doesn’t, tweak it, and test again.

That’s how you compound growth. Not by guessing. Not by wasting budget. But by building on every insight you get.

That’s why we built The Winning Ad Framework—a 5-phase system for finding winning creatives faster and cheaper.

We have used this system to drop CPA from $65 to $30 for a client.
Now, we’re breaking it down in The Winning Ad Workshop on March 19.

The exact testing system to remove the guesswork

Get bonuses worth $1250 for signing up to this webinar:
✅ 100 Ad Headlines
✅ 11 Primary Texts
✅ 54 Templates
✅ First 10 sign-ups get a Free Ad Account Audit

$50 to fix your testing forever.

Seats are limited.

Yesterday, we talked about how to get the customers hooked on early, after they’ve purchased from you. Today, let’s dig into why this is a perfect moment to ask for engagement.

Post-Purchase Series

Day 1: The Real Purpose of Post-Purchase Emails & SMS

Day 2: The ‘Next-Level Customer’ Play – Getting Them Hooked Early

Day 3: The Perfect Moment to Ask for Engagement

By now, their order is either on the way or just arrived. This is the moment to get them to interact with your brand while their excitement is fresh. If you wait too long, that energy fades, and you’ll miss a GOLDEN opportunity to turn them into an engaged customer.

How to capitalize on this:

1. Encourage social sharing: If your product is something they’ll want to show off, make it easy. Don’t just say, “Tag us @brandname.” Give them an incentive. Example:

   • "Post your unboxing on Instagram with #BrandUnbox and get entered to win a free [related product]!", or,

   • "Tag us @brandname and we’ll DM you a special discount for your next order”, or,

   • “Tag us @brandname with your unboxing video or how you’re using our product, and get a chance to win $100”

   The point is, you can keep testing, and see what works, and then run experiments on top of that, to continuously iterate the engagement rate.

2. Ask for feedback (without being annoying):The key is to make it effortless. Short surveys are great, but may be try a single-question email or SMS too? Example:

   • “On a scale from 1-5, how excited are you about your [product name] so far?”

   • “Your order is on its way! Quick Q: What made you choose [product]? Reply with a number: 1 - Price, 2 - Reviews, 3 - Brand Story, 4 - Other.”

   • “Hit reply & tell us in one word—what’s the first thing you’ll do with your [product] when it arrives?”

3. Send helpful resources: This is the perfect time to make their experience smoother. If your product has a setup process, now’s the time for a quick start guide. If it requires care, teach them how to maintain it.

   • If they bought a coffee maker: "Here’s how to season your machine before the first brew."

   • If they bought sneakers: "Want your new kicks to last longer? Do this before your first wear."

   • If they bought skincare: "Before you apply our [product name], make sure to patch test! Here’s how."

4. Make them feel part of something bigger: Customr engagement should not just be about sharing photos. Rather, it should naturally make them feel connected to the brand.

   • Invite them to a private Facebook group or a Discord community where other customers share tips and experiences

   • Share a behind-the-scenes email about how their order was made or packed

   • If your brand donates or supports a cause, remind them that their purchase contributed to something meaningful

The goal? Keep them engaged before they forget about you, and make them feel like they’re part of something worth sticking around for.

Alright folks, that’s it for today! I’ll see you tomorrow, in Day 4’s issue.

Stop Overcomplicating Ad Tracking

A lot of brands get caught up in the hunt for the "next big tool" when it comes to tracking Meta ad performance. But if you're spending ~$10K/month, you don't need to shell out for Triple Whale, Northbeam, or Kendall.

A solid mix of Meta's own in platform analytics, a well structured Google Sheet, and a clear testing methodology will get you 90-95% of the way there—without adding another monthly expense. What really matter is that you understand your numbers, not overpaying for another dashboard.

The internet is always evolving, but one thing that stands out this year is founder-led content. More brands are being built by creators, and more founders are stepping into the creator role. It’s no longer just about sleek product shots and influencer partnerships—customers want to buy from people they trust, and who better than the face behind the brand?

Why Does This Work?

It’s simple: if you’re cool, genuine, or even just remotely appealing to your audience, so is your product. Consumers connect with people more than they do with faceless brands. When a founder authentically embodies their brand, they build trust, credibility, and a loyal community. And if it’s a product we directly consume like skincare, food, or apparel—having a relatable, trustworthy founder makes all the difference.

So, who’s winning at this game? Let’s look at some brands that are thriving because their founders are the face of their business:

1. Ben Francis – Gymshark

Ben Francis turned Gymshark into a billion-dollar brand by sharing his journey from screen-printing T-shirts in his garage to running one of the biggest fitness brands today. His authenticity and transparency on social media have made him one of the most followed business founders in the DTC space.

2. Emily Weiss – Glossier 

Glossier was built on community and Emily Weiss’s voice. As a former beauty blogger, she knew how to create a brand that felt personal, aspirational, yet totally approachable. Her blog-turned-brand disrupted the beauty industry by making customers feel like they were part of the journey.

Should Your Brand Go Founder-Led?

If you’re a DTC brand, having a founder who’s willing to be the face, voice, and personality behind it can be a game-changer. Consumers want more than a product—they want a story, a connection, and a person they trust.

PS: I’m putting on my teacher boots and starting a series to help you create content without burning cash. Treat the comment section of this post as your personal Q&A corner with me. 

📰IN THE NEWS

👉TikTok Adds More Flexible Options for Sellers

TikTok is updating its seller terms, focusing on stricter return policies, faster shipping requirements, and better consumer protections. These changes aim to improve buyer trust and streamline the shopping experience. Adapting to these policies is crucial to maintaining visibility and competitiveness in TikTok's growing e-commerce space.

👉Target, Warby Parker team up on eyewear shop-in-shops

Target is expanding its partnership with Warby Parker by launching shop-in-shop locations in select stores. This move aims to offer a more seamless, in-person eyewear shopping experience while driving foot traffic to Target. For retailers, it highlights the growing trend of strategic in-store collaborations to enhance convenience and boost sales.

Have any questions that you need help with?

Ask here - look out for Friday’s issue where Ibrahim will answer them.