You told Mason the goal: keep Merrick busy at the beach with a steady flow of good leads. This is that goal priced out, ready to switch on when you are. Beach first.
We took your close rate and your job sizes and worked backward to the budget that hits your goal.
Facebook leads are people we talked into it. Google leads were already looking for a painter. Both are in the plan, but the Google ones close faster and flake less, so they get most of the money.
The "Google Guaranteed" listings at the top of search results. You only pay when a qualified lead actually calls, and Google verifies your license and insurance first. With 19 years and a clean CSLB record you'll clear it, and a lot of painters can't say that.
Text ads that catch the homeowner the moment they type "house painters Newport Beach." Costs more per lead, but these people are looking to hire this week, not someday.
Painting is visual, and this is where before-and-after shots shine. It reaches the homeowner who's been meaning to repaint for months, at the lowest cost per lead, and keeps the pipeline full.
We build and run all of it. Merrick just shows up to quote the job.
Three ways to start. The middle row is your goal.
| Ad budget / mo | Leads / mo | Jobs (your 30%) | Est. revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prove it$750 | 5–8 | 1–2 | $12–24K |
| ★ Your goal$1,500 | 10–15 | 3–4 | $36–54K |
| Own the coast$2,500 | 18–25 | 5–7 | $60–90K |
These ranges use 2025 industry benchmark data for painting contractors (Google Local Services roughly $40–$75 per lead, search ads around $138, Meta $35–$80), blended across the three channels and sized to the cautious end. We report your actual cost per lead as we go, so within 60 days this table gets replaced by your real numbers.
We don't offer budgets under $750 a month. Below that, the ad platforms can't gather enough data to optimize in a market like Newport, and we'd rather tell you that now than learn it on your card.
We make more money the longer this works, so the risk sits with us and the structure stays simple.
| Stage | What you pay OakWind | Your outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Prove it | $0 (ad spend only) | First job(s) closed |
| Ramp | $250/mo base + $60 per lead | Jobs landing month after month |
| Scale | A small share of closed-job revenue | We scale it together |
Stage 3 only happens once the system has produced real closed jobs for you, and the exact number gets agreed in writing before anything changes.
You'll get leads in month one. Month three is when it gets consistently good, because Google needs a few weeks of real data to learn which clicks turn into booked estimates. Better you hear that now than wonder about it in week five.
Tell us which budget you want, or just tell Merrick. We'll handle the four items on one 20-minute call, and the first leads start landing a couple weeks later.
Mike, the honest version: Merrick is one of our closest friends, and that's why the deal is built the way it is. We don't make a dollar until he's closing jobs. If it works, we grow it together. If it doesn't, you're out a little ad spend and nothing else.