Jeremy Huffman, owner of Constant Flow Marketing, comes back for the third installment of Facebook ads. In this third part, he’ll explain why it may be better for your lawn care or landscape business to hire a pro to launch a successful Facebook ad campaign. Check out part 1 and part 2 of this series.
WK: Can I (as a lawn care/landscape operator) go to Facebook to set up my own ad campaign? Why or why not?
JH: This is a great question. The short answer is: Yes, you can do it. Facebook has simplified most of their systems and the Ads Manager is more intuitive than it has ever been. If you are comfortable with computers and Facebook, you can figure out how to place an ad.
The long answer is that you should only do it until you can afford to hire someone to do it for you. Learning how to effectively run Facebook ads comes with a steep learning curve and the time you will have to invest could be very high. For most landscape and lawn care business owners, your time is best spent working on your business.
The biggest challenge you will face in running the ads yourself is getting the most value out of each ad. First, you will need to write compelling copy for your ad. The words that you use in your ad can be the difference between success and failure. Next, you will want to test your ads to make sure that you have the right message and the right audience. Getting the most value out of your ads means bringing together all of the critical components that make Facebook ads an effective marketing tool.
Another challenge is the frequent changes that Facebook makes to their ad platform. It is not unusual to see major changes to Facebook that require you to adjust your approach when running ads. I use Facebook ads every day and for someone who does not use it frequently, a major change can cause confusion and a lot of time spent adjusting to the new changes.
WK: What is the benefit of hiring a professional to set up my Facebook ads?
JH: A good marketing professional will force you to get specific about the audience you serve and what you can do for them. The value of this focus cannot be understated. I have come across several landscape and lawn companies who list every possible service that they could think of on their website or marketing materials which turns away potential customers. A good marketing plan will help you focus on the 3–5 services that your business does best and market those services to your ideal client.
Facebook ads work best when you focus on a specific service for each ad. When you speak to a specific problem or desire that your audience cares about, they are more likely to listen. Hiring a professional can help you keep your marketing focused on growing your business and you focused on serving your customers.
So, what do you think? Will you launch a Facebook ad campaign in 2016? If you’ve used Facebook ads in the past, tell me about your experiences at wendy@landscapewriter.com.
