Skip Wilson: How Can Ads Drive Real Business Results?

In a world overflowing with marketing advice, entrepreneurs often struggle to cut through the noise and focus on what truly drives growth. Skip Wilson, a seasoned copywriter turned martech entrepreneur, offers a refreshing perspective on this challenge. As the founder of Draft Media Partners, an ad execution company, Skip emphasizes a scientific approach to advertising that prioritizes measurable outcomes over creative flair. In a recent podcast episode, he shares his journey from a teenage freelancer to a leader in advertising, revealing how businesses can achieve tangible advertising results by focusing on customer benefits and objective metrics. His insights, grounded in decades of experience, provide a roadmap for entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of paid media.

From Teenage Hustle to Advertising Expertise

Skip’s story is one of grit and adaptability. At 16, he claimed to be a writer to impress a girl—now his wife—and turned that bold claim into a career. Cold-knocking on ad agency doors as a teenager, he landed freelance gigs, leveraging his youth to appeal to agencies eager to appear cutting-edge. “It was actually fairly easy to become a freelancer as a teenager,” Skip recalls, highlighting how his compelling narrative opened doors. His early hustle led him to WordPress web design, CNN’s iReport, and Clear Channel Radio, where he contributed to the launch of the iHeartRadio app. These experiences shaped his understanding of advertising as a science, not an art, culminating in the creation of Draft, a company dedicated to delivering advertising results through data-driven strategies.

The Power of “What’s In It for Them?”

Skip’s core philosophy revolves around the radio-inspired acronym WIIFM—“What’s In It for Me?”—a reminder that customers care about benefits, not products. He critiques businesses that focus solely on product features, missing the mark on what drives purchases. “Nobody cares about the product,” Skip asserts. “If you can explain how you get them from Little Mario to Big Mario, they don’t care about the mushroom.” This analogy underscores the importance of communicating transformation—whether it’s saving time, boosting efficiency, or enhancing status. For example, a fitness brand shouldn’t highlight the specs of its equipment but rather the confidence and health users gain. By aligning messaging with customer desires, businesses can capture attention and drive action.

Advertising as a Science, Not an Art

Unlike the creative experimentation of broader marketing, Skip views advertising as a predictable process akin to fixing an engine. He advocates for a systematic approach: monitor click-through rates, time on site, and conversion metrics to diagnose issues. “If they’re spending three or four seconds on your site, that’s a bunch of bots,” he explains, urging businesses to tweak ads or platforms if metrics underperform. This methodical mindset allows entrepreneurs to identify bottlenecks—whether it’s a poorly targeted audience or a weak landing page—and optimize for advertising results. Skip’s emphasis on objectivity challenges the industry’s reliance on vague promises, like campaigns needing “three months to work,” and empowers businesses to demand accountability.

Key Metrics to Track for Advertising Success

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Compare your CTR to industry benchmarks. Low CTR suggests ineffective ad creative.

• Time on Site: Under 15 seconds indicates bot traffic or a misaligned audience.

• Conversion Rate: If clicks don’t lead to sales, evaluate your landing page or offer.

  
  

Are You Ready to Run Ads?

Before launching an ad campaign, Skip advises entrepreneurs to assess their readiness. “Do you know what to do if you suddenly were to get 10 or 15 new customers?” he asks. If processes aren’t in place to handle increased demand, advertising can backfire, overwhelming unprepared businesses. Skip’s formula for success—Business Success = People + Process + Product × Distribution—highlights distribution (via advertising) as a multiplier. Even a mediocre product, like McDonald’s, thrives with strong distribution, while a stellar product fails without it. Entrepreneurs should ensure their people, processes, and products score at least a 5/10 before investing in ads to amplify their reach.

Starting Your Advertising Journey

For those new to advertising, Skip offers a simple starting point: grab a piece of paper and answer three questions:

1. Who do you want to reach? Define your target audience clearly.

2. What do you want them to do? Specify the desired action, like booking an appointment or making a purchase.

3. What do you need to say to get them to do it? Craft a message that highlights benefits.

   
   

These questions guide platform selection and messaging. For instance, a catheter company targeting seniors might choose broadcast media, while a tech startup could prioritize LinkedIn or Meta. By grounding decisions in audience needs, businesses can avoid the trap of chasing trends and focus on platforms that deliver advertising results.

Draft’s Mission: Making Dreams Reality

Skip founded Draft to make advertising an objective tool for success, both for clients and employees. Inspired by his father’s business failure, he views companies as human entities with real-world stakes. Draft avoids rigid corporate practices, like non-competes, and encourages side hustles to foster employee dreams. For clients, Draft’s data-driven approach ensures campaigns are measurable and fixable, countering industry clichés about delayed results. Skip’s commitment to stakeholder capitalism also shines through—Draft offsets its carbon footprint to balance its tech-heavy operations, reflecting a broader responsibility to the planet and community.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Skip Wilson’s insights demystify advertising, offering entrepreneurs a clear path to growth. By focusing on customer benefits, treating advertising as a science, and preparing internal processes, businesses can achieve meaningful advertising results. Start by defining your audience and desired actions, then monitor metrics to optimize campaigns.

Ready to boost your business with advertising? Grab a notebook, answer Skip’s three questions, and test a small campaign on a platform aligned with your audience. Track your metrics and tweak as needed to turn clicks into customers.