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SkyHelp: how a startup with a €2,890 budget grew in a market of giants
Before
A startup from scratch with an ad budget of €2,890 for three months, in a market of players with marketing budgets in the millions. The goal: with a limited budget and a tight timeline, reach numbers that would convince investors and shape the next funding rounds.
The key decision
“Budget isn't your advantage, so something else will be.”
Competing with money was impossible, and we told the client so. So we didn't start with ad settings but with a question that usually gets skipped: why does a person decide to submit a claim at all?
What we did
- 1
Built the ads around the reason people get in touch, not around general words about compensation. Leads started coming in from €2 each.
- 2
Built social media from scratch in parallel: 1.3M views in three months. When money is involved, trust decides everything, and people check the brand before leaving their details.
Crisis
×7 in 72 hoursIn the middle of the project, a major competitor entered the market and bought out the auction. The cost per lead rose 7 times in 72 hours, and for several days new creatives couldn't break through.
The pivot
We changed the question: not “how do we break through the auction” but “which segment hasn't the competitor taken”. We studied cultural codes and split the audience into three language groups: English, Romanian and Russian speakers. Each got its own message instead of one message for everyone. We didn't fight over bids and grew through messaging.
Result in 3 months
430 leads, 97% of them valid, at an average cost of €6.72. €31,275 in revenue from a €2,890 ad budget, ROAS 10.8x. The startup raised new investment, kept scaling and is now among the fastest-growing projects in the country.
«Before starting, I researched the market, gathered recommendations and eventually chose Nadejda's team. Now I can say it was one of the best decisions for the SkyHelp project»
Max IliasovFounder & CEO, SkyHelpWhat this meansfor you
When you're small and the market is full of giants, tactics matter more than budget. Growth lies where the competitor isn't looking.
Review my situationWe'll show you where your next growth is. 30 minutes, free
- we'll find where the ceiling is and why growth has stalled;
- we'll show you where your next leads are;
- we'll tell you where we'd start if we were you.
If we're not a good fit, we'll say so right away. If you decide to do it yourself, you keep the plan. Meanwhile, while you wait, your budget goes into an overheated audience and competitors win the people you haven't reached yet.