Turning Wasted Ad Spend Into Qualified Leads

The Problem

An industrial manufacturer specializing in custom enclosures and housings for other manufacturers was running Google Ads with frustrating results. They were getting clicks - plenty of them - but the leads weren't converting to sales.

The issue? Their ads were appearing for searches like "plastic containers," "storage boxes," and "shipping supplies." These searchers wanted consumer products, not custom industrial manufacturing. Every click from these irrelevant searches was money down the drain.

The Solution

The fix required understanding exactly who their customer was - and more importantly, who wasn't. We implemented a three-part strategy:

• Negative keyword deep-dive: We identified and blocked hundreds of consumer-oriented search terms. "Storage," "containers," "bins," "boxes," and variations that were attracting the wrong audience.
• Industry-specific targeting: Instead of generic terms, we focused on language their actual customers use: "custom enclosures," "OEM housings," "thermoformed parts," and specific industry applications.
• Qualifying language in ad copy: We added phrases like "for manufacturers" and "custom solutions" directly in the ads to pre-qualify clicks before they happened.

The Results

Within 90 days, the transformation was dramatic:

• Wasted ad spend dropped 73% as irrelevant clicks disappeared
• Qualified leads increased 156% because the right people were finding them
• Cost per qualified lead dropped from $180 to $67
• Sales team morale improved because they were talking to real prospects

The same monthly budget was now producing dramatically better results. No increase in spending required - just smarter targeting.