The Hard Truths About Paid Advertising for Coaches: What Gurus Won't Tell You
As a coach looking to scale your business, you've probably heard countless success stories about paid advertising, particularly on platforms like Facebook. You may have seen ads promising quick results, high conversion rates, and a simple path to six or seven-figure incomes. But what if I told you that there's more to the story than what most gurus are willing to share?
In this post, we're going to dive into the realities of paid advertising for coaches - the good, the bad, and the ugly. As someone who's been in the trenches and helped numerous coaches navigate this landscape, I want to give you the full picture so you can make informed decisions about your marketing strategy.
The Myth of Instant Success
One of the biggest misconceptions in the coaching world is that paid advertising is a magic bullet. Many gurus tout optimized conversion rates of 3-5% for high-ticket programs, making it sound like all you need to do is run some ads, get people to your webinar, and watch the sales roll in.
But here's the truth: if you've never done this before, you might get a 1% conversion rate. You might even get 0%. And that's something that's often not talked about.
When you venture into paid advertising, you need to be realistic about your expectations. Instead of asking, "How much do I need to invest to get X return?", the question should be, "How much am I willing to invest to test this concept?"
The Reality of Failure and Persistence
Alex Hormozi, in his book "$100 Million Leads," explains this concept well. He points out that you may fail on your first nine advertising campaigns. But if you're truly committed to growing your business to multiple six or seven figures, you need to be willing to experiment and persist.
Why? Because when you finally hit that winning campaign - maybe on your sixth or tenth attempt - the amount you're able to scale could more than compensate for your previous losses.
This was my personal experience when starting out with my wife, JoJo. Our first launch was a total bust - zero conversions. But we didn't give up. We sought feedback, made adjustments, and tried again a few weeks later. That second attempt was the launch that allowed me to leave my corporate job and go full-time into online business.
The Importance of the Experimental Mindset
This brings us to a crucial point: the need for an experimental mindset. When an ad campaign or launch doesn't work, it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean the strategy is flawed or that you should give up. Instead, it's an opportunity to analyze, learn, and improve.
If you run a webinar or masterclass and people sign up and show up but don't purchase, you've still got something valuable. You have a concept that attracts interest - now it's about refining your offer and presentation to increase conversions.
As one of my mentors, Anik Singal, says, "One good webinar can change the trajectory of a business." But getting to that "good webinar" often requires iteration and persistence.
The Need for Platform Understanding
Another crucial aspect that gurus often gloss over is the importance of understanding the advertising platform you're using. Whether it's Facebook, Instagram, or any other platform, you need to know how it works, or at least have a team member who does.
This knowledge is vital for several reasons:
1. It helps you avoid costly mistakes and wasted ad spend.
2. It allows you to critically assess the performance of your campaigns or the work of an agency you hire.
3. It enables you to make informed decisions about scaling your campaigns.
Remember, platforms like Facebook are designed for a broad range of advertisers. Their recommendations may not always align with what works best for a coaching business. Having platform knowledge allows you to navigate these suggestions effectively.
The Value of Market Research
Lastly, don't underestimate the importance of market research. Before you invest time and money into creating an offer and running ads, make sure there's actually demand for what you're offering.
Create surveys, have conversations with your ideal clients, and test small before going all in. This can save you from spending weeks or months creating something that your audience isn't interested in.
Conclusion
Paid advertising can be a powerful tool for scaling your coaching business, but it's not without its challenges. By understanding these realities - the potential for initial failure, the need for persistence and experimentation, the importance of platform knowledge, and the value of market research - you'll be better prepared to navigate the world of paid ads successfully.
Remember, the path to advertising success isn't always straight or quick, but with the right approach and mindset, it can lead to transformative growth for your business.
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Book a FREE 30-minute strategy call with our agency.
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At Grow Automate Scale, we're committed to helping coaches like you navigate the complexities of paid advertising. Let's work together to create a strategy that drives real results for your business.
Disclaimer: Client Results & Earnings
At Grow Automate Scale, we are committed to providing expert digital marketing strategies, advertising management, and consulting services to help businesses grow. However, individual results will vary, and we do not guarantee specific outcomes, earnings, or business success.
While our clients have achieved significant growth using our strategies, success depends on various factors, including market conditions, business model, offer quality, audience targeting, ad budget, and client implementation. Any examples, case studies, or testimonials shared on our website, social media, or marketing materials are not guarantees of future results.
By using our services, you acknowledge that Grow Automate Scale is not responsible for your financial decisions, ad performance, or business results. Marketing and advertising involve inherent risks, and you understand that past success does not guarantee future performance.
Disclaimer: Client Results & Earnings
At Grow Automate Scale, we are committed to providing expert digital marketing strategies, advertising management, and consulting services to help businesses grow. However, individual results will vary, and we do not guarantee specific outcomes, earnings, or business success.
While our clients have achieved significant growth using our strategies, success depends on various factors, including market conditions, business model, offer quality, audience targeting, ad budget, and client implementation. Any examples, case studies, or testimonials shared on our website, social media, or marketing materials are not guarantees of future results.
By using our services, you acknowledge that Grow Automate Scale is not responsible for your financial decisions, ad performance, or business results. Marketing and advertising involve inherent risks, and you understand that past success does not guarantee future performance.