Case Study
RFA Cancellation
Optimizing Lead Generation for a National Timeshare Cancellation Service with Strategic Fractional CMO Support
Meet Brian Easterly, the President of RFA Cancellation, a leading U.S.-based timeshare cancellation company generating over $28 million USD annually. With a large, dedicated in-house sales team, RFA Cancellation operates in a competitive market, spending more than $150,000 per month on both offline and online advertising to drive leads.
Brian engaged Owendenny Digital as a Fractional CMO, initially seeking support in evaluating the performance of their existing lead generation providers and advertising campaigns. Our goal was to help him make a strategic decision about whether to continue with the existing agency, manage the agency's efforts more closely, or build an internal team for greater control over lead generation and campaign performance.
Objective
Goals and Measures of Success
RFA Cancellation’s primary objective was to optimize their lead generation efforts and ensure they were working with the most effective strategy and team. With Owendenny Digital, RFA aimed to:
Evaluate
Agency Performance
Conduct a comprehensive audit of their current lead generation agencies’ strategies for Google and Facebook ads.
Establish Clear Metrics
and Benchmarks
Create a transparent and measurable framework to assess agency output and advertising performance.
Recommend a
Sustainable Solution
Advise on whether to keep the current agency, re-structure internally, or appoint a new agency with a better strategic fit.
The Story
Empowering Decisions
By building a structured, data-driven lead generation strategy, our goal was to empower RFA Cancellation to make informed, profitable decisions and potentially reduce reliance on third-party agencies.
The Goal
Driving Growth & Achieving Measurable Success
Our work with RFA Cancellation was geared towards empowering the company with clear insights and measurable outcomes in their advertising efforts.
Customer Goals:
To develop a clear and strategic approach to lead generation that would support RFA’s ambitious growth targets and ensure that advertising spend directly contributed to revenue.
Measures of Success:
- Reduction in cost per lead (CPL) and improvement in lead quality.
- Improved transparency and accountability in advertising performance.
- A cohesive, direct-response advertising approach that included creative testing, messaging optimization, and offer testing.
Target:
To reduce RFA Cancellation’s cost per lead from $100 to below $60 and deliver a minimum of a 4x return on advertising spend.
"By partnering with RFA Cancellation, we were able to transform their lead generation strategy, reducing their cost per lead by 42% and achieving a 4.5x return on ad spend. Through strategic guidance and the development of an in-house advertising team, we empowered them to take full control of their marketing efforts and scale their growth effectively."
- Owendenny Digital
The Solution
Building a Scalable, High-Impact Lead Generation Framework
In collaboration with the RFA team, Owendenny Digital developed a robust lead generation strategy through the following steps:
Comprehensive Agency Audit
We conducted an in-depth audit of the current Google Ads and Facebook Ads accounts managed by their existing agency, analyzing campaign structure, targeting, and creative execution. This revealed several gaps in strategic planning and an absence of a structured roadmap for direct response advertising.
Strategic Direct Response Approach
Based on our findings, we identified the need for a well-defined direct response advertising strategy. We established processes for creative testing, messaging refinement, and offer evaluation to improve conversion rates and lead quality.
Internal Team Development
After our audit and strategy proposal, we recommended RFA Cancellation build an in-house advertising team. By hiring a dedicated Facebook Ads media buyer and two Google Ads specialists, RFA gained greater control, flexibility, and scalability in their marketing efforts.
Optimized Advertising Framework
We established a testing cadence to evaluate different ad angles, calls-to-action, and offers (e.g., free consultations, downloadable exit guides) that resonated with target audiences. This approach maximized ROI by continuously improving ad relevance and performance.
The Results
Cutting Costs, Boosting Returns, and Building In-House Expertise
The strategic shifts and recommendations implemented with RFA Cancellation generated impressive results.
- Cost Per Lead Reduction: Reduced CPL from $100 to $58, resulting in significant monthly savings on lead generation.
- Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS): Achieved a 4.5x ROAS, delivering $4.50 for every dollar spent on Facebook Ads and Google Ads.
- Efficient In-House Team: Built and trained an internal advertising team within 30 days, enabling RFA to execute high-quality, cost-effective campaigns directly aligned with business objectives.
Through a combination of a more focused direct response strategy and the efficiencies gained from an internal team, RFA Cancellation was able to maximize lead generation impact while maintaining strict budget control.
Our Development Process
The RFA Cancellation campaign was a resounding success due to the following structured approach:
Agency Audit and Strategy Review
We started with an in-depth audit of the existing agency’s ad accounts, identifying critical gaps in direct response strategy and transparency.
Direct-Response Testing Roadmap
Developed a detailed roadmap for creative testing, messaging variations, and offer rotations to optimize ad performance and lead quality.
Internal Team Guidance and Hiring
Worked closely with RFA’s leadership to recruit and onboard media buyers for Facebook and Google Ads, providing initial training and guidance to ensure smooth transitions and immediate impact.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments
Implemented weekly and monthly reviews to continuously optimize the advertising strategy, ensuring that all efforts aligned with RFA’s lead generation and revenue goals.
Lesson Learned
Key Takeaway
This engagement demonstrated the power of structured strategic oversight in managing lead generation efforts effectively. A strong direct-response approach, combined with the ability to test and iterate rapidly, enabled RFA Cancellation to achieve dramatic improvements in lead quality and CPL.
The biggest takeaway?
Strategic leadership in marketing drives teamwork and cohesive efforts, especially when coordinating between agencies, internal teams, and stakeholders.
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