The Bottom Line

Read time: 3.5 minutes.​
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Hey Reader,

Let’s get straight to it: as high-ticket business owners, we’ve all been there. You’re throwing money into ads like you’re at the craps table, and at the end of the day, you’re left wondering, “Am I actually making this work?” The truth is, you might be measuring the wrong thing. Forget the vanity metrics like impressions or clicks for a second. When it comes to driving sales for premium offers, there’s one KPI that rules them all: cost per qualified call.

Here’s how you can master it.

Step 1: Know Your Numbers

First things first: we need to nail down some baseline metrics. Ask yourself:

1. What’s your average close rate?
   ​For example, let’s say one in four qualified calls converts into a sale. That’s a 25% close rate.
2. What’s a client worth to you?
   ​Maybe your program or service costs $10,000. Cool, now we know the revenue potential.
3. How much are you willing to spend to acquire a client?
   ​This is where you decide your acquisition cost threshold. Some are comfortable spending 50% of the revenue, others 20%. Let’s roll with 20% for simplicity. That gives us $2,000 to play with.

Step 2: The Magic Formula

Now, divide your acquisition budget ($2,000) by your close rate (4 calls per sale in this case).

$2,000 ÷ 4 calls = $500 per call

This means you can comfortably spend up to $500 to generate a single qualified call while staying profitable.

Step 3: Test, Measure, and Optimize

Here’s the golden rule:

If an ad generates a qualified call for $500 or less, it’s a winner. If not, it’s a loser.

Simple, right? But let’s take it further:

• Run multiple tests. Let’s say you’re testing three different ad sets.
  • Ad A generates calls at $200.
  • Ad B generates calls at $150.
  • Ad C generates calls at $400.

All of these are technically within budget, but you’d be crazy not to allocate more spend toward Ad B, slightly less to Ad A, and cut Ad C. This isn’t favoritism—it’s math.

• Be conservative. If your team usually closes 50% of calls, run your numbers based on a 25% close rate. This gives you wiggle room. Aspirational math is how we end up crying over our spreadsheets.

Step 4: Avoid the Pitfalls

Here’s where most people get tripped up:

1. Under-spending on tests.
   ​If your target cost per call is $500, you’ve got to be willing to spend $500 on an ad set to see if it works. Cutting it off at $200 because you’re nervous won’t give you the data you need.
2. Chasing cheap calls without context.
   ​Not all cheap leads are good leads. A $50 call that doesn’t convert is a $50 donation to Zuckerberg’s yacht fund.
3. Ignoring the winners.
   ​When something’s working, double down! Scale the budget while it’s hot, and ride the wave until it crashes. Then rinse and repeat with new tests.

Step 5: Stay Focused on the Endgame

At the end of the day, your job isn’t to become a data scientist or an ad ninja—it’s to consistently generate qualified calls at or below your target cost. That’s it. No need to obsess over click-through rates or engagement stats unless they directly inform this metric.

Bonus Tip: Spotting Trends

If you notice calls creeping above your $500 threshold, don’t panic. Instead, ask:

• Has the ad creative fatigued?
• Is the targeting still relevant?
• Has the offer lost its shine?

Sometimes small tweaks—like fresh visuals or tighter audience targeting—can work wonders.

Final Word: Play the Long Game

This isn’t about hitting a home run with every ad. It’s about understanding your math, staying disciplined, and iterating over time. With this framework, you’re not guessing—you’re building a predictable, scalable system for attracting high-quality leads.

So next time someone asks how you manage ad spend, you can confidently say, “It’s not about the spend—it’s about the return. And I know my numbers.”

Now, get back to optimizing those ads like the high-ticket boss you are.

To your success,

Nic “metrics that matter” Kusmich
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PS. View my latest YouTube Video here, Generating High-Ticket Sales Conversations

P.P.S. Ready For More Calls On Your Calendar?
The best way I can help you is by showing you how to get more QUALIFIED sales leads, at much lower costs, without using an old, outdated traditional funnel... Interested? Learn more here → https://scale.nicholaskusmich.com/fast-track

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