The Market Your Message Show
The Market Your Message Show
Facebook Ads Don't Work… Unless You Do This (Ch 19. Build Your Audience)
Podcast Show Notes: Facebook Ads Don't Work… Unless You Do This (Ch 19. Build Your Audience)
For more resources and to get the “Your Message Matters” book series, visit platformgrowthbooks.com.
Episode Summary:
Host Jonathan Milligan dives into the “Paid Traffic Playbook” and reveals how to use Facebook lead campaigns to grow your email list—without falling into the common traps that waste money. Learn the mindset, strategy, and step-by-step process for turning paid ads into a long-term investment in your business growth.
Key Topics Covered:
- The story of Founder magazine’s explosive list growth and course launch using Facebook ads.
- Why most people fail with paid ads: lack of strategy, unrealistic expectations, and focusing on quick sales instead of building relationships.
- The importance of treating paid advertising as an investment in future revenue, not just an expense.
The Paid Traffic Playbook:
- Set Your Budget:
Decide how much you can invest in ads, thinking long-term rather than expecting instant results. - Define Your Target Cost Per Lead:
Research industry benchmarks and set realistic goals for your campaign. - Craft Your Lead Magnet:
Create a valuable, relevant free offer that addresses your audience’s pain points. - Design Your Landing Page:
Keep it simple and focused on capturing email addresses with a clear call to action. - Set Up Your Facebook Ad Campaign:
Use the conversions objective, start with your warm audience, and test your ad copy and images. - Monitor and Optimize:
Track key metrics, A/B test different elements, and refine your campaign for better results. - Nurture Your Leads:
Develop an email sequence to build relationships and introduce your paid offerings.
Action Step:
Write your first lead campaign ad:
- Define your free offer and ideal audience.
- Craft a punchy headline and compelling ad copy.
- Choose an eye-catching image.
- Set your daily budget and plan your landing page.
Key Takeaways:
- Approach Facebook lead campaigns as a long-term investment in building your list, not a quick sales tactic.
- Set a budget, create valuable lead magnets, and nurture your leads for maximum ROI.
- Consistent measurement and optimization are essential for success.
Connect:
For more resources and to get the “Your Message Matters” book series, visit platformgrowthbooks.com.
Hello and welcome to the Market Your Message Show. I'm your host, Jonathan Milligan, an author of the series. Your Message Matters. We are going through the six book series. We're in book number four, which is Build Your Audience, and today we're gonna talk about chapter 19. So these next two chapters are the last two chapters of the Build Your Audience book, and we are gonna specifically cover paid traffic Now. I have talked with a lot of writers, coaches, speakers, teachers, course creators who have a love-hate relationship with paid advertising, and I get it at the same time. It is that instant traffic that we can turn on and turn off at any time. It's like the water spigot outside of your house. So how can we use this in a smart way? Well. In today's chapter, I'm gonna talk about lead campaigns, so reframing the way that you view ads. Thinking of of it more as an advertising budget that allows you to add email subscribers on demand. And then in the next chapter, in the next episode, we'll talk about sales campaigns. So again, if you want any of the books or the companion workbooks, or you want the audiobooks without the extra commentary, you can go to platform growth books.com. Again, it's platform growth books.com or. Click the link in the show notes and you can grab a copy to go along with the podcast. Alright, with that, let's jump into chapter 19. Paid Traffic Playbook, lead Campaigns. I. The buy method, paid traffic. Chapter 19, the paid traffic playbook, lead campaigns. A small digital magazine decides to launch an Instagram course. They're not exactly household names, but they have a secret weapon. Facebook Ads Founder magazine had a hunch they knew entrepreneurs were itching to crack the Instagram code, so they whipped up some free training videos. Nothing fancy, just solid actionable tips. Then they fired up Facebook's ad machine. Here's where it gets wild. In just three months, they poured$100,000 into Facebook ads. Sounds like a lot, right? But hold onto your hats. Those ads, they brought in a whopping 250,000 new email subscribers. Let that sink in. A quarter million people raised their hands and said, yes, teach me, but it gets better. When founder finally launched its course. It didn't just do well. It knocked it out of the park. We're talking$1.3 million in revenue from their very first launch. Now, I know what you're thinking. That's great for them, but I don't have$100,000 lying around. Breathe easy. You don't need that kind of cash to see results. The principle's work whether you're spending$100 or$100,000. It's all about strategy, not just throwing money at the problem. In this chapter, we'll explore the world of Facebook lead campaigns. We'll uncover the Secrets of Founder's successful campaign. Then we'll show you how to use those same principles on a tight budget. Ready to turn on the tap and watch your email list grow. Let's dive in the Facebook ad fumble common mistakes and how to avoid them. Let's talk about what most people do when they dip their toes into Facebook ads. It's like jumping into the deep end without knowing how to swim. They dive in headfirst. No life jacket in sight. There's no real plan. Just a vague hope that throwing money at ads will magically bring in customers. Sound familiar? These folks usually start small. They set a daily budget of$10 or$25 thinking it's enough to make a splash. But here's the kicker. Panic sets in after just a few days. Where are all the sales? Why isn't anyone buying? By day four or five, they're ready to give up. The ads are shut off faster than you can say Facebook pixel, and just like that, paid advertising is written off as a waste of money. But here's why. This approach is about as practical as trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. There's no patience. Building an audience takes time, but most people expect overnight success. Expectations are way off. They're looking for immediate sales. When they should be focused on building relationships, they're missing the big picture. An email list is a gold mine, but they're too focused on quick wins to see it. So what's the better way? It's time to flip the script. First, approach paid traffic like a chess game, not a slot machine. You need a strategy, not just hope and a prayer. Next, set aside a real advertising budget and treat it like any other business expense. It's not money down the drain. It's an investment in your future. Here's the key, focus on lead generation, not immediate sales. Your goal is to build an army of interested prospects, not to make a quick buck. Finally, change your mindset. Paid advertising isn't an expense, it's an investment. You're buying future revenue, not just clicks. The lead campaign. Launchpad your seven step strategy for success. Ready to turn your Facebook ad campaign into a lead generating machine. Here are seven manageable steps. One, set your budget. First things first. Decide how much you're willing to invest. This isn't about immediate returns. Think of it like planting seeds in a garden. You're investing upfront, nurturing over time, and eventually reaping a bountiful harvest. How much can you comfortably allocate without expecting instant results? Calculate your potential ROI based on your customer's lifetime value. Remember, you're playing the long game here too. Define your target cost per lead. Know your numbers. Research what others in your industry are paying per lead. Then set a realistic goal based on your offer and audience. Ew Deming said it best. He who knows his numbers, knows his business. So get cozy with your calculator. Your future self will. Thank you. Three. Craft your lead magnet. It's time to create something irresistible. What free offer can you develop that addresses your audience's pain points? Make sure it aligns with your paid products or services. Think of your lead magnet as a free sample at a grocery store. It gives potential customers a taste of what you offer and leaves them hungry for more. Four, design your landing page. Keep it simple, focused and distraction free. Your landing page has one job to capture email addresses. Include clear benefits and a strong call to action. Leonardo da Vinci wasn't talking about landing pages when he said simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, but he might as well have been five set up your Facebook ad campaign. It's time to roll up your sleeves and dive into the Facebook Ads manager. Think of this as your command center. You're about to launch a mission to capture leads. Every detail matters. First, choose the conversions objective. This tells Facebook your after leads, not just likes or views. Now that you've set your conversion objective, it's time to tackle the most crucial part of your Facebook ad strategy. Picking your audience. This isn't just about who you think might like your product. It's about understanding the different types of audiences and choosing the right one for your campaign. Let's break it down. Warm audience. These are the folks who already know you. They're your email subscribers, social media followers, or website visitors. They've shown interest in what you do. Think of them as your fan club. They're more likely to engage with your ads because they already know your brand cold audience. This group doesn't know you yet. They're strangers, but potential friends, you're targeting them based on demographics. Age, location, gender, psychographics, interests, behaviors, or cold interests, liked pages, engaged topics. It's like introducing yourself at a party where you don't know anyone. Lookalike audience. Here's where things get interesting. Lookalike audiences are cold audiences that look like your warm audience. Facebook takes a group, you know, like your email list, and finds people with similar characteristics. It's like asking your friends to introduce you to their friends. The possibilities are nearly endless, but don't worry, we'll focus on the most effective ones. So which audience should you choose? Here's a pro tip. Start with your warm audience. These people already know you, so they're more likely to respond positively to your ads. It's like preaching to the choir. They're primed to listen. Beginning with a warm audience allows you to test your ad copy, images, and offers. With a friendly crowd, you can gather data, see what works, and refine your approach before venturing into colder waters. Now for the fun part, creating your ad. Remember, you're not just making an ad, you're crafting an invitation. Your ad should stop the scroll and spark curiosity. Here's an example from one of my best performing ads. Wanna start a blog but don't know where to start? Grab our nine page, discover your Blog Niche Blueprint pdf, and you'll know which blog topic is right for you. Learn more@marketyourmessage.com slash discover. See how it works? It starts with a question that directly addresses the audience's pain point. Then it offers a solution, a free PDF guide. Finally, it ends with a clear call to action. For your image, use something eye-catching that relates to your offer. A picture of someone looking frustrated at a computer could work well for our blog example. Don't forget your headline, free download, the Discover Your Blog Niche Blueprint. Setting up your campaign is like casting a net. The better you aim, the more likely you are to catch your target audience. So take your time, be precise, and get ready to reel in those leads. Six. Monitor and optimize. Track key metrics like cost per lead, click through, and conversion rates, AB test, different ad elements to improve performance. Peter Drucker nailed it. What gets measured gets managed, so keep a close eye on those numbers. Seven, nurture your leads. Develop an email sequence to build relationships with your new subscribers, provide value and gradually introduce your paid offerings. Nurturing leads is like tending to a garden. Consistent care and attention lead to growth and fruitful results. There you have it. Your roadmap to Facebook ad success. Ready to start your journey. Today's exercise, write your first lead campaign ad ready to put your newfound knowledge into action. Today we're going to craft your very first lead campaign ad. Don't worry, we'll take it step by step. Grab a pen and paper or open a new document on your computer. Let's dive in. One, define your offer. What free value can you provide? Is it a PDF Guide, a video series, or a mini course? Jot down your idea. Two, identify your audience who would benefit most from your offer. Describe your ideal lead in a few sentences. Three, craft your headline. Write a punchy headline that grabs attention. Remember our example, free Download the Discover Your Blog Niche Blueprint. Four, draft your ad copy. Use this structure. Ask a compelling question. Highlight the benefit of your free offer. Include a clear call to action. Here's a template to get you started. Are you struggling with insert problem? Grab our free insert type of content and learn how to insert the main benefit. Click here to download now. Five. Choose your image, describe or sketch an image that would compliment your ad. Remember, it should be eye-catching and relevant to your offer. Six. Set your budget. Decide on a daily budget you're comfortable with. Even five to$10 per day is a great start. Seven. Plan your landing page. Outline what you want on your landing page. Keep it simple. A headline, a brief description of your offer, and an email signup form. Congratulations, you've just created the blueprint for your first lead campaign ad. Take a moment to review and refine your work. Remember, this is just the beginning. As you launch and run your campaign, you'll continually gather data and insights to improve your ads. But for now, pat yourself on the back. You've taken a huge step towards mastering Facebook lead campaigns. Key takeaways, approach Facebook lead campaigns as a long-term investment in building your email list. Not as a quick way to generate sales. Set a budget for ads. Set realistic cost per lead targets. This will help you avoid getting discouraged by short-term results. Create valuable lead magnets. Optimize your landing pages, nurture your leads. This will maximize your ad. ROI.