If you’ve ever wondered why Facebook ads don’t seem to work for your local service business, Steve Hunsaker has a refreshingly honest take. In a recent OWNR OPS Podcast episode, I sat down with Steve Hunsaker, founder of Valley Christmas Lights and Home Service Accelerator, to talk about how local business owners can use Meta ads to drive leads, build brand awareness, and grow into seven figures.
1. Meta Ads Still Work If You Do
Running Facebook and Instagram ads takes commitment and patience. They aren’t dead. They’re just misunderstood. These platforms are still where the attention is, with hundreds of millions of users actively scrolling every week.
Most business owners fail because they focus on targeting instead of what actually matters: the creative. Steve’s approach is simple. Spend time on what your customers see, not on over-optimizing the backend.
2. Creative Is Everything
Forget chasing the perfect audience. The key to Meta ads in 2025 is creating content that feels local and real.
Steve’s winning ad formula looks like this:
- Call out your target city or neighborhood right away.
- Introduce yourself and your business.
- Share what you do and why you’re different.
- Use humor or personality to disarm the viewer.
- End with a clear offer and call-to-action.
These ads don’t need to be fancy. Most of Steve’s top-performing videos are shot on an iPhone with subtitles, edited quickly in CapCut. Talking-head videos consistently outperform image ads because they build trust and familiarity faster.
3. Add Friction to Improve Lead Quality
A lot of home service owners complain about “bad Facebook leads.” The truth is that they’re making it too easy to submit a form.
Adding few questions filters out time-wasters and helps Meta learn who your real customers are. Ask about budget, type of service, and project details. Even something as simple as adding a price disclaimer can make a massive difference in lead quality.
The goal isn’t to get the most leads. It’s to get the most qualified ones.
4. Speed to Lead Wins
Once a lead comes in, how fast you respond determines how many you actually close. Studies show that businesses responding within a minute are nearly four times more likely to win the sale.
The best way to do this is through automation. Steve’s team uses systems that instantly call or text new leads so no one slips through the cracks. The faster you follow up, the more trust you build and the fewer competitors they contact.
5. Spend Enough to Learn
If you’re testing Facebook ads with $10 a day, you’re not testing. You’re guessing. The algorithm needs data to optimize.
Steve recommends starting with at least $50 to $75 a day for smaller operators, and up to $150 for bigger trades or competitive markets. Think of your first few weeks as a learning phase, not a loss. Once you find what works, double down.
6. Track What Actually Matters
Too many people obsess over “cost per lead.” What really matters is cost per appointment, cost per closed job, and return on ad spend.
A $100 lead that turns into a $3,500 job is infinitely better than ten $10 leads that never answer the phone. The metric that counts is dollars out versus dollars back.
7. Combine Paid and Organic for Long-Term Growth
Even though Meta ads drive a huge share of new business for Valley Christmas Lights, more than half of Steve’s revenue now comes from organic sources such as Google Maps, SEO, reviews, and referrals.
His system includes:
- A fully optimized Google Business Profile
- Consistent photo-based reviews
- Referral incentives
- Wrapped vehicles and yard signs
Paid ads bring attention, but organic marketing builds staying power.
8. The Bigger Lesson: Imperfect Action Beats Perfect Planning
Our conversation eventually moved beyond ads into life and business. Five years ago, Steve was overweight, unhappy, and stuck in a job he hated. Everything changed when he decided to take action, imperfectly but consistently.
He started his first Christmas light business out of the back of a Ford Fusion with a ladder. Today, he runs multiple seven-figure ventures. The lesson is simple: Stop waiting to have it all figured out. Start with what you have.
Meta ads aren’t a quick fix. They’re an engine for visibility, trust, and growth. If you build strong creative, move fast on leads, and stay consistent, you’ll own your local market faster than you think.
🎧 Watch or listen to the full conversation with Steve Hunsaker – Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
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