Let’s be honest – as a coach, the thought of Facebook ads might stir up mixed feelings. On one hand, there’s the promise of reaching a massive audience of potential clients. On the other, you might have heard horror stories about money wasted on poorly targeted campaigns.
But here’s the thing: when Facebook ads are done right, they become a catalyst for your coaching business. Think of it like this: you bring the transformational power of your work, and Facebook Ads supply the precision tools to connect you with the exact people your coaching is meant to serve.
My own journey with Facebook Ads wasn’t always smooth sailing. When I first dipped my toes into the ad world, I felt overwhelmed. There were complex targeting options, confusing jargon… I even made the classic mistake of boosting a few posts without a clear plan. A few hundred dollars later and I had very little to show for it.
Yet, I refused to give up. I dug into courses, experimented relentlessly, and discovered the true potential behind this platform. Today, I’m not shy about saying that Facebook Ads have played a pivotal role in scaling my coaching business to consistent five-figure months. But more importantly, they’ve helped me reach the individuals I’m truly passionate about working with.
Let me share some of the crucial insights I’ve gained along the way, lessons that might just be the breakthrough you’re looking for in 2024:
- Use High-Quality images: Canva.com has excellent images to pick from without worrying about any copywrite issues (some people use Google images to copy and paste but this can lead to future problems). Have images that are good quality (not grainy) and use your own if you want to personalise this further. Some of our best performing ads have been ones from our community events.
- The Lead Magnet: Your Key to Connection: Think of lead generation ads as building a bridge. Offer a free resource (a transformative guide, a mini-coaching session, a webinar packed with value) that aligns perfectly with your audience’s pain points. In exchange for their email, you create an opportunity to nurture and convert them into committed clients. Once you have 100 or 1000 email addresses, there is a much higher likelhood of people getting in touch. Plus, these free resources are an excellent way for people to get a taste of what you have to offer before purchasing, this builds trust. For coaches, we recommend running workshops as that puts you in front of your clients, so they get the most value and learn from you directly.
- Retargeting: Your Not-So-Secret Weapon: Don’t overlook those who’ve shown interest in your website, social pages, or previous ads. Retargeting campaigns have a significantly higher conversion rate, turning initial curiosity into lasting commitment. For example, perhaps someone checked out your website. A Facebook Remarketing Campaign will help you affordably place an advert in front of those people. It’s best practice to have remarketing always running, reminding people who have recently visited your website, engaged with you Facebook Page, or done anything else to suggest interest, that you still exist and would love to work with them.
- Experiment, Analyse, Refine: Never stop testing different ad copy, visuals, and target audiences. Facebook’s powerful analytics help you identify the winners and ditch the strategies that aren’t delivering, maximising your return on investment.
- Authenticity is Your North Star: No amount of technical finesse can replace genuine connection. Let your ads showcase your passion, your unique approach to coaching, and the true heart behind your mission. It’s this authenticity that resonates most deeply with your ideal clients. Avoid creating generic content or relying too heavily on AI tools to write the content for this.
Remember, Facebook Ads are just one powerful tool in your marketing toolkit. Your ability to deliver incredible results as a coach, build strong relationships, and cultivate an engaged community remain the bedrock of long-term success. Facebook ads are not what they once were. We are past the golden age of this marketing tool. It is a bit more complex, more expensive and there is more privacy screens (GDPR and Iphone updates) that can make the targeting more of a challenge.
That’s the thing with Facebook Ads people don’t understand. It’s an iterative learning process that is difficult to stop once you start, because it can always feel like you’re just one more campaign away from figuring it all out.
So, if you have spare cash that you are willing to invest in Facebook Ads, you get the benefit of learning 10X quicker than other coaches who might spend years testing what you can test in a month. Just remember, it is not a case of money in, customers out. It is a learning period and in the starting point, you will likely spend more than you make back.
Conclusion
I hope this article has shown you that there are times when Facebook Ads should be utilised, but also times where it perhaps makes sense for other marketing efforts to take priority.
That said, there are always exceptions to these rules, and your mileage may vary.
Above all, test, be patient and continue developing your marketing skills while you figure out what works for you.
