The Challenge
A Great Shop With Zero Digital Presence
When Dana Bodnar first came to Internal Profits in 2012, Bodnar Boat Works was a trusted local marine service shop running entirely on referrals and repeat customers. The craft was excellent. The Google presence was zero.
In a market where boat owners search "boat repair near me" or "engine repower" the moment they have a problem, being invisible online meant handing jobs to competitors who simply showed up first in search. Dana needed a way to get found — fast — without a big ad budget.
- No Google presence, no ads, no website traffic — relying entirely on word-of-mouth
- Seasonal demand spikes meant missed revenue during peak search windows
- Competitors with basic Google Ads presence were capturing calls that should have been Bodnar's
- Limited budget required maximum precision — no wasted spend
The 10-Year Strategy
Building a Business, Not Just Running Ads
What started as a targeted Google Ads campaign for boat repair evolved over ten years into a full growth partnership — adapting to new services, surviving a global pandemic, and ultimately fueling the business's expansion into marine retail and sales.
2012 — Foundation
Google Ads launch — "Boat Repair Near Me"
Launched targeted campaigns around high-intent local searches: boat repair, fiberglass repair, engine service. Precision keyword targeting meant every click was a potential paying job — not general curiosity traffic.
2014–2017 — Expansion
Engine Repower + Mercury Motor Sales campaigns added
As Bodnar's reputation grew, the campaign expanded into higher-margin services. Engine Repower campaigns achieved CTRs of 19–22% — far above industry average — targeting boat owners specifically searching for motor upgrades. Mercury motor sales added a retail revenue stream alongside service.
2016 — Building Purchase
Bodnar purchases the building they operated from
Four years into the marketing partnership, consistent inbound lead flow gave Dana the financial confidence and pipeline stability to purchase their operating facility outright. A direct result of predictable revenue from digital marketing.
2020 — Covid Adaptation
Dedicated Covid-19 campaign — keeping the phones ringing
When the pandemic disrupted normal business, Internal Profits launched a Covid-specific campaign targeting boat owners stuck at home with time and budget to invest in their boats. The campaign maintained visibility and lead flow through the most volatile period in the business's history.
2021–2023 — AI-Powered Sprint
AI-assisted ad copy drives 736% phone lead surge
In a focused 2-month window in 2023, AI-written ad copy was deployed across the campaigns. The result: 146% increase in clicks and a 736% increase in tracked phone call leads compared to the lifetime monthly average — proving the power of precision messaging at scale.
All-Time Campaign Performance (2012 – 2021)
The data below is drawn from verified Google Ads account records — 10 years of campaign history across 7 distinct campaigns, all managed by Internal Profits.
1.51M
Total impressions across all campaigns
14,300
Total clicks generated over 10 years
1,840
Tracked conversions (all campaigns)
$26,900
Total ad spend 2012–2021
$14.62
Avg. cost per conversion (all-time)
7
Distinct campaigns managed simultaneously
Campaign-by-Campaign Breakdown
| Campaign |
Ad Spend |
Clicks |
Conversions |
Role |
| Engine Repower |
$6,228 |
1,627 |
564 |
Top performer · 19–22% CTR |
| General Services |
$3,780 |
646 |
158 |
Bread & butter · boat repair |
| Fiberglass Work |
$2,974 |
716 |
248 |
High-margin specialty service |
| Covid-19 |
$1,872 |
932 |
102 |
Pandemic adaptation campaign |
| Mercury Repower / Motors |
Included above |
2,661 |
215 |
Retail sales + repower |
| Boat Rescue / Specialty |
Included above |
— |
— |
Niche seasonal targeting |
| Jobs / Recruitment |
Minimal |
— |
— |
Hiring support campaign |
Top-Performing Search Terms
The highest CTR keywords from the 10-year campaign history show exactly who was searching — and why precision targeting worked. These aren't vanity impressions; they're people who needed service right now.
engine repower (exact)
22.11% CTR
boat mechanic near me
19.43% CTR
boat service near me
19.42% CTR
mercury outboard motors for sale
14.18% CTR
boat repair near me
12.33% CTR
fiberglass repair
10.48% CTR
💡
Context on these CTRs
The industry average Google Ads CTR for auto/marine repair is 2–4%. Bodnar's engine repower campaign averaged 19–22% — meaning nearly 1 in 5 people who saw the ad clicked it. That's not luck; it's the result of 10 years of keyword refinement, audience targeting, and ad copy optimization.
The 2023 AI Campaign Sprint
What Happens When You Add AI to a Proven Campaign
In early 2023, Internal Profits deployed AI-assisted ad copywriting across Bodnar's active campaigns. The results against the lifetime monthly averages were dramatic — proving that even a mature, well-optimized campaign has room to break through with the right creative approach.
+736%
Phone call leads in the AI sprint window vs. monthly avg
2-month result
+146%
Total clicks during AI campaign vs. monthly avg
Feb–Mar 2023
4.98%
CTR during AI sprint (vs. 2.26% lifetime avg)
62
Phone leads in 2 months (vs. ~7/mo avg)
+84%
Conversion increase Feb → Mar 2023
−28%
Drop in cost-per-conversion Feb → Mar
Business Outcomes
Beyond Clicks — A Business Transformed
The numbers tell one story. The business outcomes tell another. Over 10 years, consistent inbound lead flow didn't just fill the service calendar — it gave Dana Bodnar the confidence and revenue stability to make major business investments.
- Purchased the operating building — within 4 years of starting the marketing partnership
- Expanded into Mercury motor sales — adding retail revenue alongside service income
- Launched a pro-shop — accessories and parts retail becoming a new income stream
- Added bass boat and pontoon sales — transforming from a repair shop into a full marine operation
- Survived and adapted through Covid — dedicated campaign maintained pipeline during the industry's hardest period
- 9 consecutive years of digital dominance — outlasting competitors who came and went
"I have used Internal Profits for 10 years. From our investment, we went beyond Google search for engine repair. We scaled into Mercury motor sales, added a pro-shop, sold bass boats and pontoons. We even purchased the building we operated out of after 4 years. Thank you, Patrick!"
— Dana Bodnar, Owner · Bodnar Boat Works · 10-Year Client
🏗️
The Real ROI
$26,900 in total ad spend over 10 years. One purchased building. Mercury motor dealership. Pro shop. Full retail operation. At Bodnar's standard service rate, a single 12-hour repair job covers the entire cost of a month's ad management. Every additional lead generated after that is pure margin — and they've been generating them for 10 years.
