36 Bookings In 1 Year Through Meta Ads
Instagram-only Meta Ads for a Bengaluru-based premium Wedding planner & Décor studio delivered approximately 36 bookings in 12 months via a DM-first funnel, with a ₹1,000/day (₹30,000/month) budget and disciplined creative testing aligned to city seasonality.
Client overview
- Bengaluru-based premium wedding planner & décor studio specializing in end-to-end planning, design direction, thematic décor, vendor orchestration, and on-ground show-running for luxury weddings and sangeet-led events.
- Serviceable market focused on Bengaluru and nearby venues to preserve quality, site-visit feasibility, and vendor coordination speed.
Objectives
- Generate consistent, high-intent inquiries from engaged couples and families planning premium weddings in Bengaluru.
- Run a simple, repeatable Instagram ads plan that targets ideal audiences, tests creatives, and turns DMs into confirmed décor consultations and bookings.
- Maintain lean daily spend while improving booking volume and predictability through seasonally paced rotations.
Challenges
- Launch timing had to navigate monsoon-related caution while concentrating spend into winter and pre-monsoon peaks in Bengaluru.
- No prior structured messaging funnel; required DM qualification standards, response SLAs, and spam controls.
- Premium positioning demanded top-tier creative quality, social proof, and message–market fit tailored to family-led decision cycles involving both planning and décor budgets.
Strategy
- Instagram-first plan using 5–6 strongest portfolio narratives in carousels and short, cinematic videos featuring venue transformations, décor themes, testimonials, and BTS logistics.
- DM-led qualification flow with structured prompts; no Click-to-WhatsApp or lead forms to reduce friction and keep conversations native to Instagram.
- Creative refresh at least twice per month to prevent fatigue and sustain momentum, with heavier rotations into Oct–Feb and Mar–Apr.
Implementation
Phase 1: Concept Testing
- Tested multiple hooks, creative directions, and carousel sequencing around end-to-end planning, décor execution, and vendor orchestration to trigger qualified DMs.
- Daily inbox monitoring during week one to filter spam, standardize quick replies, and enforce response SLAs.
Phase 2: Enhanced Testing
- Iterated winning concepts with refined copy on inclusions, themes, and deliverables to deepen intent in DMs before WhatsApp handoff.
- Optimized for DM-to-booking quality by emphasizing availability, design certainty, and décor execution for peak months.
Phase 3: Scaling
- Prioritized top-performing creatives and Instagram placements within the ₹1,000/day cap, pacing up before key Bengaluru wedding & décor windows.
Timed spend and rotations to align with Oct–Jan and Mar–Apr peak demand while tapering through monsoon periods.
Targeting and placements
- Geo: Bengaluru-only targeting to maintain serviceability, on-ground coordination, and intent quality.
- Placements: Instagram Feed and Stories only for visual-first discovery and native messaging conversion to Instagram Direct.
- Audience focus: Engaged/newly engaged and premium wedding interest themes with retargeting of engagers and DM starters.
Funnel and operations
- Lead flow: All inquiries initiated and qualified inside Instagram DMs using structured prompts for date, venue shortlist, guest count, décor theme, budget band, rituals, and scope.
- Hand-off: Qualified prospects received the planner & décor studio’s WhatsApp number from within DM for consultation scheduling and proposals (no Click-to-WhatsApp ads).
- QA: Daily DM checks in week one, then weekly reviews once quality stabilized and response SLAs were consistent.
Lead data
- Leads/day: 4 at ₹250 CPL
- Leads/month: 110–120 at ₹250 CPL
- Qualified leads/month: 40–42 at ~₹735 CPQL
- Qualified leads/year: 480–504
- Qualification rate: 33–35%
- Conversion rate (Qualified → Booking): 7–7.5%
- Bookings/month: 3 (4 during peak)
- Bookings/year: 36
Budget and economics
- Daily ad spend: ₹1,000
- Monthly ad spend: ₹30,000 (1,000 × 30 = 30,000)
- Annual ad spend: ₹3,60,000 (30,000 × 12 = 3,60,000)
- Implied cost per booking: ≈ ₹10,000
- Average planning fee: ≈ ₹2,00,000 per engagement in Bengaluru’s premium segment.
Results
- First 3 months (Jul 1–Oct 1): 4 bookings (Seasonal trough, conservative pacing).
- Next 3 months (Oct 1–Jan 1): 14 bookings (Peak season with stronger rotations).
- Next 3 months (Jan 1–Apr 1): 10 bookings (Sustained intent via venue & décor content).
- Next 3 months (Apr 1–July 1): 8 bookings (Design-first narratives & summer showcases).
- Full year: 36 bookings through Instagram DM-led funnel.
Revenue generated
- Revenue (36 bookings): ₹72,00,000 = 36 × 2,00,000
- Ad spend: ₹3,60,000 for the year; ₹30,000/month baseline.
- ROAS: ~20x → (72,00,000 ÷ 3,60,000 ≈ 20)
Key insights
- 36 bookings in 12 months from an Instagram-only, DM-first funnel on ₹1,000/day (₹30,000/month) with strict messaging-native ops.
- ~4 leads/day at ₹250 CPL; ~40–42 qualified leads/month at ~₹735 CPQL driven by structured DM prompts.
- ~20x ROAS on ₹3,60,000 annual ad spend with ~₹2,00,000 average planning fee in Bengaluru’s premium segment.
- Beginning with a focused 5–6 creative set reduced time-to-winner selection and prevented early fatigue without raising CPL.
- Twice-monthly creative refresh prevented fatigue and sustained DM quality, especially around Bengaluru’s peak windows.
