March 06, 2026
How Greenleaf Home Services Increased Leads 47% with Streaming TV Ads
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When Greenleaf Home Services started running ads on streaming TV, they weren't sure what to expect. Six months later, their phone was ringing more than ever, their cost per lead had dropped by 26%, and they'd become the most recognized HVAC and plumbing brand in their market. Here's how they did it.
The company
Greenleaf Home Services is a family-owned HVAC and plumbing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 2014 by Marcus and Dana Greenfield, the company employs 22 technicians and serves the greater Charlotte metro area (population roughly 550,000). They offer residential heating, cooling, and plumbing services with a focus on same-day response times and transparent pricing.
Before turning to CTV advertising, Greenleaf had built a solid reputation through word-of-mouth referrals and Google Local Services Ads. But growth had plateaued, and the Greenfields knew they needed a new channel to reach homeowners who hadn't heard of them yet.
The challenge
By early 2025, Greenleaf was spending around $4,500 per month on digital ads, split between Google Ads and Meta. The campaigns were performing well enough, but the team noticed three problems:
Rising ad costs. Google's cost per click in the home services category had climbed steadily. Greenleaf's average CPC hit $38 in Q1 2025, up from $29 a year earlier.
Limited reach. Search ads only capture people who are already looking for a plumber or HVAC tech. That's great for bottom-of-funnel leads, but it doesn't build the kind of brand awareness that keeps your pipeline full during slower months.
Increased competition. Two national franchises had entered the Charlotte market, outbidding local companies on many of the same keywords.
Marcus Greenfield put it simply: "We were fishing in the same pond as everyone else. We needed a way to get in front of homeowners before they had an emergency, so when they did need us, we'd be top of mind."
The solution
Greenleaf's marketing consultant recommended streaming TV advertising as a way to build brand awareness at a fraction of traditional TV costs. After researching options, the team chose Adwave for three reasons:
Low barrier to entry. With campaigns starting at just $50, there was minimal risk in testing the channel.
Speed. Adwave generated a broadcast-quality 30-second commercial from Greenleaf's website in about two minutes. No production crew, no studio time, no weeks of back-and-forth.
Local targeting. Greenleaf could target their exact service area around Charlotte rather than paying for impressions across the entire state.
Marcus was skeptical at first. "I figured TV ads were something only big companies could afford," he said. "When I saw the ad Adwave created from our website, I was honestly surprised. It looked like something a production company would charge thousands for."
The strategy
Greenleaf launched their first Adwave campaign in April 2025 with a straightforward approach:
Budget: $1,200 per month, which represented about 20% of their total ad spend. They didn't cut their existing Google or Meta budgets. Instead, they treated CTV as an additive channel.
Targeting: Homeowners within a 25-mile radius of Charlotte, aged 30-65, with interests in home improvement and home ownership.
Creative rotation: The team started with a single ad generated by Adwave highlighting their same-day service guarantee. After two months, they created a second version focused on seasonal AC tune-ups. By month four, they had three ads in rotation, each emphasizing a different service.
Measurement: Greenleaf tracked results using a combination of methods. They set up a dedicated landing page, monitored branded search volume through Google Search Console, and asked every new caller how they'd heard about the company. They also used Adwave's built-in measurement and attribution tools to track impressions, reach, and frequency.
The results
After six months (April through September 2025), the numbers told a clear story:
47% increase in qualified leads. Greenleaf went from an average of 145 qualified leads per month to 213. The team attributed roughly 68 of those additional monthly leads directly or indirectly to their CTV campaigns.
26% lower cost per lead. Despite adding $1,200/month in CTV spend, their blended cost per lead dropped from $31 to $23. That's because the brand awareness from TV ads made their search and social campaigns more efficient. People who had seen a Greenleaf ad on their TV were more likely to click on a Google ad, and more likely to convert once they landed on the website.
52% increase in website traffic. Direct and branded search traffic both surged. Branded searches for "Greenleaf Home Services" more than doubled, a strong indicator that TV was driving awareness.
3.8x return on ad spend. With an average job value of $350 and a close rate of 45% on qualified leads, the math worked out to roughly $3.80 in revenue for every dollar spent on CTV.
Stronger slow-season performance. Historically, Greenleaf saw a dip in leads during the late summer shoulder season. In 2025, that dip was noticeably smaller. Marcus credited CTV for keeping the brand visible even when homeowners weren't actively searching for services.
"The biggest surprise was how CTV lifted everything else," said Dana Greenfield. "Our Google Ads performed better, our social ads performed better, and we started getting calls from people who said they saw us on TV. That kind of credibility is hard to put a price on."
Key takeaways
If you're running a home services business and thinking about trying CTV advertising, here's what Greenleaf's experience teaches us:
Start small and scale. Greenleaf didn't go all-in on day one. They started with a reasonable monthly budget, proved the channel worked, and increased spend once they had data to back it up.
Don't replace your existing channels. CTV works best as a complement to search and social, not a replacement. The real power is in the halo effect: TV ads make every other channel more effective.
Refresh your creative. Running the same ad for six months will lead to fatigue. Greenleaf saw better results after adding new creative variations every couple of months.
Track everything. Use a combination of direct attribution (landing pages, promo codes) and indirect signals (branded search volume, "how did you hear about us" surveys) to get the full picture.
Think long-term. Brand awareness compounds over time. Greenleaf's best month was month six, not month one. Give CTV at least 90 days before judging performance.
Bottom line: Greenleaf Home Services proved that you don't need a massive budget or a national brand to succeed with streaming TV advertising. With the right platform and a consistent approach, a local home services company can compete with the big players and win.
Common questions answered
How much does CTV advertising cost for a home services company? There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but Greenleaf's experience shows that you can get meaningful results starting at around $750 to $1,500 per month. Adwave campaigns start at just $50, so you can test the waters without committing to a large budget. The key is consistency. A smaller monthly spend sustained over several months will typically outperform a big one-time splash.
Do I need to produce my own TV commercial? No. Adwave generates broadcast-quality 30-second ads from your website, social media profiles, or Yelp page in about two minutes. Greenleaf used Adwave's AI-generated ads for their entire campaign and saw strong results without ever hiring a production company.
How do I know if CTV ads are actually working? Track a combination of direct and indirect metrics. Direct signals include dedicated landing page visits, QR code scans, and "how did you hear about us" responses. Indirect signals include increases in branded search volume, higher click-through rates on your existing search ads, and overall lead volume trends. Adwave also provides a real-time analytics dashboard so you can monitor impressions, reach, and frequency.
Will CTV work for a small, local service area? Yes. One of the biggest advantages of CTV over traditional TV is geographic targeting. Greenleaf targeted homeowners within a 25-mile radius of Charlotte, which meant they weren't wasting money on impressions outside their service area. Whether your market is a single city or a multi-county region, you can define your targeting to match.
How long does it take to see results from CTV advertising? Most home services companies start seeing early indicators (increased branded searches, more website traffic) within the first 30 days. Meaningful lead volume changes typically appear by month two or three. Greenleaf's results improved every month, with their strongest performance in months five and six. Plan for at least a 90-day commitment to give the channel a fair evaluation.