There are opportunities right now where your direct response marketing skillset gives you an “unfair” advantage.
And we’ll get into all that in just a moment.
Along with a checklist showing you exactly how to identify these opportunities 
Read below to see the checklist…
But first, a quick note on WHY this whole topic is relevant right now.
Because right now the fickle winds of the online commerce market are shifting….
…And (as usual) affiliates & Direct Response marketers are the first to notice.
Here is a chat snapshot from today inside our private VidTao Discord channel:
Whatever type of Ruthless Direct Response Opportunist you happen to be:
- an affiliate
- offer owner
- or “muiltpreneur” with a whole suite of products under your ownership…
It always pays to diversify your risk profile.
And with that in mind, consider this food for thought: 
The US DTC eCommerce market generates $151 billion per year.1
$151 billion is a lot of money.
…but what if it’s just one of many multi-billion dollar “ponds” that you could fish in?
Here’s the thing…
This $151 billion per year includes your favorite DTC physical products like:
nutra / supplement offers
gadgets
beauty / skincare products
…And pretty much every other DTC physical product.
And the “digital education” market?
It’s much smaller, generating around $17 billion / year.2
(This includes high ticket coaching products, “info products” in addition to actual accredited online education)
Think about how much marketing brainpower is spent on these two product types alone…
- “gurus”
- Online communities
- affiliate networks
- supporting product ecosystems
- etc. etc.
And then pull a random traditional service industry out of a hat, like 
Carpet Cleaning…
…Which generated $6.5 billion last year in the US alone.3
That’s nearly 40% the size of the online education space.
Think there might be an opportunity here, with the right skillset?
This guy found out first-hand
…and made millions with his carpet cleaning business.
(That’s Joe Polish ^^ , founder of the “Genius Network”, Carpet Cleaning multi-millionaire and all around marketing legend.)
Whether carpet cleaning, or the 17 other “boring” niches we’re going to see…
“Boring” service businesses kick out solid profits, year after year in good times and bad.
And in this post we’re going to brainstorm ways for you to claim your share of that cash flow, by leveraging your skills as a direct response marketer.
(Plus a little out-of-the box thinking)
Let’s dig into this a bit…
Lead Gen: A Truly Massive Opportunity
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve no doubt seen the scale some advertisers are doing with lead gen offers like ACA insurance or solar.
Here’s just one random US healthcare insurance ad we pulled from the VidTao library. It has nearly $350k spent in the last 30 days:
VidTao spend stats:
Just check out all these landing pages they’re testing too:
(( See more ads from this advertiser inside of VidTao ))
And let’s not forget about RESIDENTIAL SOLAR.
You’ve no doubt seen the volume that advertisers are doing in this space.
At our agency Inceptly we’ve scaled solar lead gen campaigns to $60k+/day on YouTube alone.
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Here’s one solar lead gen ad randomly pulled from the HUNDREDS you’ll find in VidTao’s database of 7M+ unlisted YouTube ads (and landing pages).
It has 22M+ paid views:
Because right now the fickle winds of the online commerce market are shifting….
…And (as usual) affiliates & Direct Response marketers are the first to notice.
Here is a chat snapshot from today inside our private VidTao Discord channel:
Landing pages:
Residential solar in the USA is a BIG market. (Estimated at $33 billion USD in 2022 1 ).
(Again, that’s nearly 3x the size of the guru/info product space)
And there are publicly traded companies like $2.3B/yr SunRun along with many other would-be top dogs duking it out for the top spot. (source 1,2)
World-class affiliates pump out ad after ad to try and generate massive numbers of leads (and profit).
Here’s a quick snapshot from inside VidTao showing the dozens of Solar lead gen brands with multiple 7 figures of YouTube adspend:
(Go here to see them all inside the app)
Solar is still an amazing lead gen vertical. There is a TON of money to be made.
But the bad news is this:
Solar Lead Gen is a HYPER competitive RED OCEAN.
It’s packed with sophisticated operators supported by hyper-optimized lead collection & automated marketplaces ready to buy your leads as soon as you collect them.
Which makes it EASY to get up and running and test…
…But HARD to succeed at scale, with all that high-level competition.
Which is why it’s so interesting to look deeper into other lead gen opportunities that are mostly un-touched by people like you with hard-core direct response skills.
Let’s explore…
“Un-touched” Lead Gen Niches?
Every business needs leads.
And if the average customer value & profit margin is high enough, and the sales process is dialed in enough, companies are willing to pay - a lot - for qualified leads.
What types of businesses? Let’s look at the massive US home services market for example:
Some Random US Home Services Markets + 2022 Revenue
Plumbing Services: $126 billion Roofing Services: $57 billion
Cleaning Services: $55 billion
Interior Design Services: $26 billion
HVAC Repair & Installation Services: $25 billion
Moving Services: $23 billion
Pet Grooming Services: $11 billion Window Curtains & Blinds: $9 billion
Appliance Repair Services: $6.2 billion
Carpet Cleaning Services: $6.5 billion
Handyman Services: $4.9 billion
Tree Removal Services: $4.1 billion
Window Cleaning Services: $2 billion
Locksmith Services: $2 billion
Furniture Repair Services: $1.9 billion
Pressure Washing Services: $1.3 billion
Gutter Cleaning Services: $744 million
Garage Door Repair Services: $326 million
(links to data sources here)
This is just a random list, you could probably think of a bunch more markets like this.
And again: every one of the businesses in these markets needs LEADS.
Now of course, maybe not all of them are set up right now for doing “run & rip” lead gen like you might do in Residential Solar’s sophisticated space.
Other niches aren’t nearly as sophisticated…
…and as a result are ready for YOU to disrupt them and make a tidy profit.
…IF of course you are willing to get your hands dirty and think outside the box a bit.
Here’s one potential case in point:
$12 billion/year Lead Gen Opportunity? Case Study: Home Window Replacement
Let’s take a look right smack in the middle of our list’s revenue range here:
Home window replacement, a $12 billion USD per year market.(source)
(That’s 70% the size of the Online Education market)
Taking a quick look inside VidTao, we see a few companies generating leads for their own “done for you” window replacement service. Let’s start with this one:
Pella is a big company. They’re privately held so we don’t have exact revenue numbers, but they have 10k+ employees:
And they’re running lead gen ads, to landing pages like this:
You probably see A TON of room for improvement on this page.
Learning from another market…
To get clarity on exactly WHAT to improve to boost results on Pella’s landing page, let’s learn from another lead gen space.
In particular, let’s take a look at a very successful lead gen offer in the home services space: Roof Replacement.
Keep in mind that typical customer value is pretty similar for these 2 markets:
- Roof Replacement approximate avg. customer value: $9k 1
- Window Replacement approximate avg. customer value: $4.5k - $22k 2
The all-stars at Erie Metal Roofs are spending $8.6 million per year on YouTube lead gen ads…
Clearly they’re doing something right.
Let’s see one of their best lead gen landing pages:
How does Pella’s lead gen landing page stack up against Erie? Let’s take a look… Design and User Experience
Clearer Focus on Erie's Page: Erie's landing page employs high contrast and minimal navigation, which directs attention to the CTA.
Pella’s Page Requires Scrolling: Erie’s CTA is above the fold, vs. Pella's where key offers are below the fold, reducing immediate engagement.
Content and Value Proposition Insights
- Erie's Direct Value Proposition: Erie communicates affordability and durability upfront, making a compelling case immediately.
Pella's Promotions Over Benefits: Pella emphasizes promotions over product benefits, which might be less effective in capturing leads.
Call-to-Action (CTA) Observations:
Erie's Prominent CTA: Erie's "Get Pricing Now" button is bold and suggests an easy, low-commitment action.
Pella's Higher-Commitment Ask: Pella's request for scheduling a consultation is a higher barrier to entry than inquiring about pricing.
Trust Signals Analysis:
Erie's Visible Trust Indicators: Erie showcases its trustworthiness with a visible BBB rating and customer testimonials.
Pella's Missing Immediate Trust Signals: Any trust signals on Pella's page are not immediately visible, potentially decreasing credibility.
Bonus: Hyper Geo-targeting
Look at how well Erie targets specific geos, to hone in on the most profitable locations (go here to see it all inside VidTao):
And of course, then there’s the ads…
We won’t dive into the specifics in today’s email but there are some BIG differences in how each of these businesses approach ads for lead gen.
Log in to VidTao and you’ll notice how Pella is running mostly 15-30 second TV-style spots:
Versus Erie who is running more Direct Response style ads:
Go here to see all of Erie’s ads inside of VidTao, including this outstanding YouTube short ad they’ve spent nearly $100k on in the past 30 days:
So here’s a great way to start brainstorming on how to improve Erie Metal Roofs gives you a GREAT starting template for how to do Home Services lead gen:
- 1) Take what’s working in one lead gen space…
- 2) Apply it another less sophisticated space…
- 3) …And profit.
But actually running your lead gen campaign is just part of the story…
Because the 2 biggest and most CRITICAL elements to your Lead Gen success happen before you spend a cent on ads.
And here’s where it pays to think outside of the box…
The “Secret Sauce” for Lead Gen Success
First, let’s establish something crucial:
Whether you’re running lead gen in a “Red Ocean” market, or in a relatively un-touched “Blue Ocean” space, there is one key point to remember:
It’s all about your relationship with the offer owner.
The fewer layers / middlemen between you and the company actually fulfilling the service?
The better your payout is going to be.
And the better your payout, the better your profit.
(And when that “blue ocean” turns into a “red ocean” filled with other advertisers, it’s your superior payout that’s going to give you an “unfair” advantage over new entries to the market and allow you to survive and thrive in a crowded space…) So whenever possible, go direct to the end consumer of the leads, and negotiate your cost per lead deal with them directly.
And while all that is another BIG topic for another day, let’s at least tackle the elephant in the room:
“What market should I choose?”
When it comes to identifying the markets that will give you the biggest “Bang for your Buck” as a Direct Response Marketer looking to enter and dominate lead gen at scale…
…Here is a checklist giving you some of the most crucial points to consider
“Custom” Lead Gen Market Checklist
- Market's Average Customer Value of $10k+: Focus on markets where the average customer transaction is high, suggesting more room for profitable marketing efforts.
Multiple Companies with Nationwide Distribution: Target industries with several companies that have a nationwide reach, indicating the potential for high-scale campaigns.
Seasonal or Recurring Demand: Seek out markets with consistent seasonal demand or recurring needs, as these can offer steady lead generation opportunities.
Company Already Spending on Paid Ads: Look for companies actively investing in paid advertising, showing a readiness to allocate budget for marketing efforts.
Ads & Funnel Clearly Under-Optimized / Outdated: Identify markets where current advertising and funnels are evidently subpar (e.g., comparing window repair ads vs. roof repair ads).
Ok, go ahead and try this out and let us know how it goes!
And if you have any questions / follow up, go ahead and contact us. We’re always around to brainstorm.
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