April 21, 2026

When Facebook Ads Flop: Hard Lessons in Marketing

26 minutes

Facebook ads promise passive leads, an autopilot pipeline, and clients flowing in while you sleep. But what really happens when you put real money behind that promise and the results just do not show up? Nancy Zare, PhD, a sales psychologist, joins Kristi to share her honest experience running Facebook ads not once, but twice, and walking away with little more than spammy email addresses and a lighter wallet.

Nancy and Kristi unpack why the appeal of passive lead generation is so powerful, especially for heart centered business owners who would rather serve their clients than sell to them, and why a single tactic is never going to be the answer to your marketing challenges.

You'll learn:

Why Facebook ads felt like the perfect solution and where the promise broke down in reality

The difference between impressions and clicks versus actual buyers, and why vanity metrics can mislead you

What two separate attempts with two different providers taught Nancy about the platform and about herself

Why heart centered entrepreneurs are especially susceptible to the allure of passive marketing shortcuts

How to know when you have given a tactic a fair shot versus when it is time to move on

Why your marketing foundation has to come before paid ads, not after

The one piece of advice Nancy leaves every business owner with: do not do it alone

If you have ever been tempted to throw money at ads hoping they will solve your lead generation problem, this episode is your honest reality check.

Connect with Nancy Zare:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nancyzare

Nancy is also on Substack, Facebook, and YouTube

Learn more: nancyzare.com

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a review so you never miss a chance to unfudge your marketing.

Learn more about Kristi and get in touch with her to learn how to Unf*dge YOUR marketing: kristimitchell.com

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By Kristi Mitchell