If you've ever thought "Facebook ads just don't work," you're not alone. I hear this all the time from coaches who've spent thousands of dollars on ads with little to show for it. But here's the truth most people miss: it's not that ads don't work. It's that that particular ad didn't work.

After working with dozens of coaches and generating millions in ad revenue, I've learned that scaling a coaching business isn't about spending more money. It's about understanding the journey from awareness to enrollment and strategically guiding your audience through each stage.

The biggest mistake I see? Coaches try to go straight from stranger to sale. They post one video, run one ad, and expect immediate results. When that doesn't happen after spending $1,000 or $1,500, they conclude that ads are broken.

But successful advertising requires reaching enough of your audience to gain real traction. It's not about throwing money at the problem. It's about strategic messaging, proper targeting, and understanding the psychology of your ideal client at every stage of their journey.

Before you ask someone to work with you, they need to know who you are. The awareness stage is where you build trust and help your audience become more aware of their problem and the fact that a solution exists.

This is where video ads shine. I recommend setting up three to six different video ads that provide genuine value. These awareness videos are cost-effective and give you instant feedback within one to two weeks. You'll quickly see which messaging resonates with your audience based on watch time and engagement.

The key? Every piece of content you create should point toward your end offer. If you're teaching organic marketing in your awareness content but selling paid advertising services, there's a massive misalignment. Your messaging needs to be cohesive from start to finish.

Once you've captured attention and built awareness, it's time to generate leads. This means getting names, email addresses, and phone numbers from people who are interested in what you offer.

Your awareness videos will show you which topics resonate most with your audience. Use this data to create lead magnets that align with those high-performing topics. This strategic approach prevents you from wasting budget on offers that don't convert.

Remember: all of this needs to connect to your end offer. Don't create lead magnets about one topic and then pitch something completely different on the backend.

Here's where most coaches lose momentum. Generating leads is great, but if you're not nurturing them properly, they'll never convert.

Nurturing happens in two ways:

1. Ongoing content: Weekly or daily emails, podcasts, YouTube videos, and other long-form content that keeps you top of mind

3. Retargeting ads: Strategic ads that show next-level content to people who've already engaged with your awareness content

Statistics show it takes seven to eleven hours of someone consuming your content before they're ready to buy. That might sound like a long time, but retargeting ads combined with consistent email nurturing can significantly condense that timeline.

One of the most powerful enrollment strategies? Live events. Whether it's a workshop, masterclass, or three-day challenge, coaches who consistently host live events see the best conversion rates. If you do one live event per week, you'll transform your business by the end of the year.

When running Facebook ads, focus on these critical metrics:

1. CPM (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions): Keep this under $40. Your CPM tells you how well your messaging resonates with your audience. If it's high, Facebook is telling you that people aren't interested in your message.

2. CTR (Click-Through Rate): Aim for above 2.5%. This metric shows how compelling your video, image, hook, and headline are. A strong CTR means you're creating ads that grab attention.

3. Cost Per Lead: This varies by niche, but generally aim for under $5 for a PDF, under $8-15 for evergreen webinars, and under $25 for live training registrations. If your cost per lead is too high, look at your landing page conversion rate and the number of options you're giving people.