Facebook and Instagram make it incredibly easy to press the Boost button and start spending money with them. But making that money work for you, instead of it going down the drain isn’t that easy.

That's exactly what we explored in our recent Masterclass with Meta Ads Strategist Claire Shelley, who has spent more than six years helping coaches and service providers grow their businesses with paid advertising.

Her message was Meta ads work brilliantly when your business is ready for them. If it isn't, they simply amplify what's already there.

If you want more visibility, enquiries and sales, read on….

Ads don't fix problems. They expose them.

One of the biggest misconceptions about advertising is that it creates demand.

It doesn't.

If your message isn't clear, your offer isn't compelling, or your audience doesn't yet trust you, advertising simply puts those problems in front of more people.

That can feel frustrating because it often looks like the ads have failed.

In reality, they've highlighted that something underneath needs improving first.

Before spending a single pound or euro on advertising, ask yourself a few simple questions.

Do people understand what I do?

Is my offer easy to understand?

Do I have a website or landing page that makes people want to take the next step?

If someone discovers me today, what happens next?

If those foundations aren't quite there yet, your time is probably better spent strengthening them before investing in ads.

Your first goal isn't usually a sale

Many solopreneurs want their first advert to sell their service.But the challenge is that most people aren't ready to buy from someone they've only just discovered.

Instead, Claire encourages business owners to think about building relationships first.

That might mean offering something genuinely useful in exchange for an email address.

A guide.
A checklist.
A webinar.
A free resource.
A consultation.

Once someone joins your email list, you have the opportunity to continue the conversation, build trust and help them decide whether you're the right person to work with.

Advertising becomes much more effective when it's introducing people to your world rather than asking them to make a big decision immediately.

Don't copy someone else's advert

It's tempting to look at successful businesses and assume their adverts will work for yours. But good advertising isn't about copying someone else's design.

It's about understanding your own audience.

The questions they're asking, their frustrations, and the outcome they're looking for.

The best adverts often feel surprisingly simple. They speak directly to one person about one problem.

Instead of trying to say everything, they focus on one clear message.

When people feel understood, they're much more likely to stop scrolling.

Get inspired by good ads, but don't copy them.

Good ads begin long before Canva

Many of us naturally start with the creative part. I’ve definitely jumped in to this thinking it’s easier than considering the strategy…

Spending hours choosing colours, finding images and writing headlines then designing graphics.

Those things matter of course but they're rarely where successful campaigns begin.

Successful advertising starts with strategy. Ask yourself:

- Who are you trying to reach?

- What action do you want them to take?

- Where will they go after they click?

- What happens next?

Once those questions are clear, creating the advert itself becomes much easier.

How much do you actually need to spend?

One of the most reassuring parts of the Masterclass was hearing that you don't need a huge advertising budget to begin.

The goal isn't to spend as much as possible. It's to learn.

Testing different audiences, messages and creative helps you understand what resonates before increasing your budget.

That approach reduces risk and helps you make better decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions.

Advertising is much more like running small experiments than gambling on one perfect campaign.

The businesses that get the best results stay curious

One of the biggest themes throughout the session wasn't actually about Meta ads at all.

It was about mindset.

The businesses that succeed with advertising don't expect perfection from day one.

They expect to learn.

They test and review. Then refine and improve the ads.

Then they test again. It’s a repeating cycle.

Instead of asking, "Did this advert work?"

They ask, "What did this teach me?"

That small shift makes an enormous difference.

Before you spend anything…

If you're thinking about trying Meta ads, resist the temptation to jump straight into Ads Manager.

Instead, spend some time reviewing your foundations first.

Make sure your messaging is clear.

Create an offer that genuinely helps your audience.

Think about where you want people to go after clicking.

Build a simple email journey that continues the relationship.

Only then should you start thinking about advertising.

Because when those pieces are already working together, Meta ads become far less stressful.

They stop feeling like a gamble and start becoming another tool that helps more of the right people discover your business.

And that's exactly what good advertising should do.

This Masterclass was part of The Women Entrepreneurs Group community membership.

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