We were approached by a team providing full-cycle software development for the US and Ukrainian markets. The main product in this case study is CRM and ERP system development for businesses. The deal cycle in this niche lasts from 1 to 3 months, and the average deal size is $1,000 to $10,000, so the main task was not just to get leads, but to ensure a steady flow of quality inquiries that would eventually convert into sales.
We chose Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) as the main ad channel. Before launch, we did our research:
- analyzed the client's past campaigns,
- studied the audience's Google searches,
- used Gemini Deep Research,
- used Reddit to find potential clients' real pain points.
At first, we launched general offers for five different types of businesses at once. After 1–3 weeks of testing, we found that the logistics segment gave the best results — and focused our efforts on it.
We used quizzes to collect leads — this delivered stable results in both the Ukrainian and US markets while filtering out non-target inquiries at the entry point.
Pre-launch research
In a single ad set, we tested 4–5 different approaches in parallel:
- “Problem — solution” — a specific audience pain: drivers stealing fuel.
- “Before and after” — showing the transformation: paperwork takes hours, but automation solves the problem.
- The classic AIDA structure — attention, interest, desire, action.
- General offers focusing on the company's experience.
Over 4 months, about $3,300 was spent. Here's what we got:
- Cost per lead — $30–35
- Cost per quality lead — $45–50
- Share of quality leads in the logistics segment — 80–85%
At the time this case study was prepared, there were no directly closed deals yet because of the long decision cycle (1 to 3 months), but active conversations are underway with a number of potential clients.
Conclusions
- Personalization is decisive In the software development niche, general offers work much worse than narrowly targeted ones. Instead of “ERP” — “ERP for logistics.” Each segment needs its own landing page and messaging.
- A specific pain point beats a general message 60–70% of leads came from creatives that hit a real audience problem — “drivers are draining fuel and the budget.” General messages about “business automation” performed much worse.
- Market context matters. Logistics showed the best results partly because of the current market situation — businesses are actively looking for tools to optimize costs. The market situation is just as much a factor as creative quality or targeting setup.
