FTS - Marc Lefton | Fractional CMO ECD

WHAT I DID

You were about to ask “What did you do?” So I made you a checklist.

OBJECTIVE

Modernize the brand, reduce customer acquisition costs, and position Falcon Trading Systems as the premier choice for high-performance trading computers in a competitive market.

CHALLENGE

Falcon Trading Systems had gone 15 years without a brand update and was burdened by an underperforming, expensive Google Ads campaign managed by an external agency. The campaign delivered poor results, with sky-high costs per acquisition (CPA) and minimal impact on sales. Additionally, the outdated website and branding failed to resonate with their target audience of professional day traders.

INSIGHT

Professional traders prioritize speed, reliability, and precision in their tools. Falcon needed a marketing strategy and branding that communicated cutting-edge performance while eliminating wasteful ad spending.

OPPORTUNITY

Reclaim control of the brand’s marketing strategy by firing the underperforming agency, overhauling its digital presence, and implementing cost-efficient advertising campaigns that effectively targeted the trading community.

SOLUTION

Solution: Brand Revitalization and Marketing Overhaul

1. Agency Replacement and Ad Optimization
  - Terminated the expensive agency that mismanaged Google Ads campaigns and produced negligible results.
  - Personally restructured the Google Ads strategy with a focus on high-intent keywords, improved targeting, and continuous A/B testing to optimize performance and ROI.
  - Expanded marketing efforts to include programmatic ads and platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Reddit, and LinkedIn, effectively reaching professional traders where they engage most.
2. Brand Refresh
  - Redesigned the logo and visual identity to reflect the precision and innovation valued by traders.
  - Launched a modern, user-friendly website optimized for lead generation and featuring product benefits, customer testimonials, and an easy-to-navigate purchase flow.
3. Partnership Revitalization
  - Reignited a successful partnership with TradeStation, a well-known trading platform, to co-market Falcon’s products, driving credibility and lead generation.
4. Email Marketing and Retargeting
  - Leveraged Klaviyo to develop email sequences targeting past customers with upselling opportunities and re-engagement campaigns.
  - Built retargeting campaigns to convert visitors who abandoned their carts or left the website without purchasing.
5. Content Marketing
  - Produced educational content and promotional videos showcasing Falcon’s technical advantages and the tangible benefits of using high-performance trading systems.

RESULTS

Cost Efficiency: Reduced Google Ads CPA by 50%, delivering dramatically better results than the previous agency.
Revenue Growth: Achieved a significant increase in both direct sales and repeat purchases from reactivated former customers.
Brand Positioning: The refreshed website and branding repositioned Falcon Trading Systems as a market leader in high-performance trading computers.
Partnership Impact: The revitalized TradeStation partnership brought a consistent stream of high-quality leads and bolstered brand credibility.
Customer Engagement: Email and retargeting campaigns led to higher engagement rates and boosted sales conversions from dormant customers.

TAKEAWAY

By firing an ineffective agency, reclaiming control of its advertising strategy, and modernizing its brand, Falcon Trading Systems successfully revitalized its market presence. The streamlined approach delivered better results at a fraction of the cost, reinforcing Falcon’s position as the go-to provider for professional trading systems.