Welcome back to Marketing Qualified! Here’s what we’re talking about this week:

• Great ads call you out. 3 ways to write better ads.

• The B2B upsell mistake that’s tanking your expansion revenue. Do this instead.

🫵  Great ads call you out.

Most B2B ads feel like they’re written for no one.

Generic copy that could loosely apply to anyone scrolling past. No point of view, no targeting, no edge.

But the best ads?

They make it immediately obvious who they’re for.

Like these three:

1. Calls out a company type.

“Finally. Proposal Software for Marketing Agencies.”

Simple, direct, no wasted words. If you run an agency, you instantly know it’s for you.

2. Calls out a job title.

“Your CMO’s favorite podcast.”

You’re a CMO? This podcast is claiming space in your head.

Want to become a CMO? “Maybe I should check this out.”

3. Calls out a problem.

“If you see this ad, your PR is not working properly.”

This one’s gutsy. But it works. It flips your attention back on yourself and hits a nerve.

Same principle, three different callout angles:

• Industry/Company type

• Role

• Problem

Next time you’re writing ad copy (or email, or landing page), ask:

Will they immediately know it’s for them?

📰  In the news this week.

👀  An analysis of the top-performing post formats on each social platform.

📕  Fictional teams. Real money. Welcome to the era of story-driven brands.

📞  Google’s AI can now make phone calls for you.

🦾 ChatGPT’s new Agent can control an entire computer and do tasks for you.

🖥  Your website still matters in the age of AI.

📉 The B2B upsell mistake that’s tanking your expansion revenue.

You know the move…

A customer signs a contract, and right before onboarding, your team hits them with an “upgrade opportunity.”

Not something essential. Just something nearby.

The intent is good. The execution? Usually not.

Most B2B upsells are related, not complementary.

And that’s the problem.

Related ≠ Needed

Related = “kind of like the thing you just bought.”

Complementary = “makes the thing you just bought work better.”

For example…

A bad upsell is: Bought a project management tool. Upsell = additional project management templates.

A good upsell is: Bought a project management tool. Upsell = a time-tracking add-on so teams can log hours directly inside tasks.

The first one introduces doubt. Are the templates available inside the core product not good enough?

The second one removes a possible friction point. It enhances the core product in the buyer’s mind.

Use this test:

Your upsell should pass all three:

1. Functional – Does it help the customer get more value from the core product?

2. Expected – Would most customers assume they’d need both?

3. Effortless – Is it priced under 50% of the main offer, so it feels like a “Why not?” decision?

If it fails any of these, you run the risk of the upsell raising objections and slowing down deals.

😂 Marketing meme of the week.

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