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Owned and Operated Growth

You’re Tracking Your Ad Spend Wrong (Here’s What to Do Instead)

📅 March 26, 2026 ⏱️ 53:03 🎤 John Wilson, Tony Casalucci

Chapters

Click to jump to section

  • 0:00
    Beyond Last-Click Attribution
    The episode opens with an introduction to the limitations of last-click attribution, particularly with digital channels taking undue credit from branding efforts.
  • 0:37
    Wanamaker Advertising's Niche
    Tony Casalucci introduces his company, Wanamaker Advertising, which specializes in traditional marketing, primarily video, for home service companies.
  • 1:45
    Cost Per Lead Misconceptions
    John and Tony discuss why focusing solely on cost per lead can be misleading, emphasizing that not all leads are equal in quality or profitability.
  • 2:58
    Timestamping Leads for Attribution
    The hosts delve into the importance of timestamping leads from both form fills and phone calls to accurately attribute them to specific marketing activities.
  • 4:17
    Key Metrics for Contractors
    They outline critical metrics beyond cost per lead that contractors should track, such as cost per sit, cost per quote, and overall ROI per channel.
  • 5:49
    Demand Capture vs. Creation
    The conversation shifts to differentiating between demand capture (e.g., LSA, PPC) and demand creation (e.g., TV, radio) and how both contribute to lead flow.
  • 7:07
    The Elephant Curve of Marketing
    Tony introduces the 'elephant curve' concept, explaining how the effectiveness of marketing channels evolves over time, requiring continuous adaptation.
  • 8:15
    Optimizing & Scaling Attribution
    The episode concludes with advice on continually optimizing marketing spend and attribution strategies as businesses grow and face new challenges.

Speakers

J
John Wilson
Host — Owner, Wilson Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric
T
Tony Casalucci
Wanamaker Advertising

Key Takeaways

✦

Move beyond last-click attribution: Don't solely rely on Google's last click for lead credit; consider the entire customer journey, especially how traditional media influences branded searches.

✦

Implement blended attribution: Combine various methodologies like timestamping leads, CRM data analysis, and benchmarking to get a holistic view of marketing effectiveness.

✦

Track beyond cost per lead: Focus on more comprehensive metrics such as cost per sit, cost per quote, sales conversion rates, and ROI per channel to truly understand profitability.

✦

Leverage timestamping for traditional media: For channels like TV or radio, timestamp inbound calls and form fills and compare them to ad flight times (within 15-20 minutes) to attribute partial credit.

✦

Invest in demand creation: As demand capture channels (like LSA) face diminishing returns, actively create demand through strategic video advertising or other traditional media to generate new leads.

✦

Optimize creative for action: Ensure traditional marketing messages (e.g., TV ads) include clear calls to action, addressing 'Why you, why now, how can I afford you?' to facilitate trackable responses.

✦

Audit your data regularly: Continuously review and analyze your CRM and marketing data, potentially with external help, to identify correlations and optimize your spend across all channels.

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