If you’re a local business running paid ads on Google or Facebook, Kijiji, one simple decision can make or break your success: when you run them. Timing isn’t just a small detail, it directly affects how much you pay for each customer and how much long-term value you get out of every lead.

Table of Contents

Let’s break it down with some real-world examples, of course your industry may be different and would require market research.

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The Cost of Advertising Too Early

Imagine you run a lawn care company, and you decide to start advertising in February. You spend $100 on ads to promote lawn mowing services.

What happens?

Probably not much.

People aren’t thinking about mowing their lawns in February. There’s snow on the ground in most of Canada, and yard work isn’t on anyone’s mind yet. As a result, you might get 1 lead if that.

• Total spend: $100
• Leads received: 1
• Cost per lead: $100

That’s not a smart way to spend your ad budget.

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Advertising at the Right time

Now, take the same $100 and run the exact same ad in May, when the sun is out, grass is growing like crazy, and everyone is ready to hire someone for lawn care.

This time, your ad brings in 40 to 70 leads.

Let’s go with the middle 55 leads.

• Total spend: $100
• Leads received: 55
• Cost per lead: $1.82

That’s a massive difference.

In February, you’re paying $100 per lead.
In May, you’re paying less than $2 per lead.

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Advertising too late.

Let’s say you run that same $100 ad in August.

You may still get a decent response maybe 30 to 40 leads because people are still getting lawn care, but it’s late in the season.

The problem? You may only get one or two months of service out of those customers before the season ends.

• You spent $100
• Got 35 leads
• Cost per lead: $2.85 (still great)
• But your return is limited unless you plan ahead

So, does it make sense?

Only if you have a plan to:

1. Keep the client for next season
   Let’s say 20% of August customers return the next year. That’s 7 out of 35 leads who become long-term clients. Now your $100 ad turns into repeat revenue.
2. Offer off-season services
   You can sell those same customers:
   • Fall cleanups
   • Snow removal
   • Gutter cleaning
   • Holiday light installation

If each of those services earns you $100–$300, suddenly that August ad is worth it again.

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Why Timing and Strategy Go Hand-in-Hand

Advertising is not just about getting leads, it’s about getting the right leads at the right time.

• February ads are too early: low interest, high cost.
• May ads hit the peak: high interest, low cost.
• August ads are fine, but only if you think long-term.

If you’re going to spend money on paid ads, make sure you’re not just chasing leads, you should also be thinking about how to keep and grow those leads into long-term clients.

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Final Thoughts

Paid ads only work if they’re done smart. Spending your budget in the wrong month can cost you way more per lead or leave you with short-term clients. But with the right timing and a plan to retain or resell, your ad budget can stretch further and bring in real value.

Need help planning the right time to advertise—and how to turn one-time leads into long-term customers? Contact us at azbrand.ca. We’ll help you build smart ads that actually grow your business.