Afraid of Investing in Advertising? A Beginner’s Guide

Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach when you think about putting money into advertising for your business? You’re not alone. I’ve seen many people in the health and wellness space frozen by the fear of spending and not seeing a return. But what if I told you that this fear is the only thing standing between your offer and the people who need it?

In one of my private sessions, someone told me exactly this: “I’m afraid to invest in advertising.” And my answer—the one I want you to take with you today—is that advertising is not an expense, it’s an investment. An investment that, if done right and with the correct mindset, can transform your business.

Here I’ll guide you through the basics of starting with a small budget, how to see advertising as a long-term growth tool, and—most importantly—how to move past fear and start building the brand and audience you’ve always dreamed of.

The right mindset: your first asset

Before we talk about budgets or platforms, let’s talk about mindset. Digital advertising is a powerful tool, but it’s not instant magic. It’s not about spending money today and expecting 100 clients tomorrow. It’s a process, and like any process, it requires patience and persistence.

This understanding is crucial. Advertising is an investment with a non-linear return. That means you may not see direct sales in the first days or weeks, but every ad shown is doing something invaluable: building familiarity and trust with your audience over time.

Think about big brands. They didn’t become famous overnight. Their ads are everywhere, all the time. That constant presence ensures that when you need a product or service in their industry, their name is the first to come to mind. Your goal, in your niche, is to achieve the same.

First practical step: your initial budget

Enough theory—let’s get practical. One of the most common questions is: “How much do I need to start?” My recommendation to begin building traction and results is an initial budget of $175 per month.

Why that number? It’s a sweet spot that lets you test effectively. With $175 a month, you can invest around $5 per day. That amount is enough for platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram) to start showing your ad to a significant number of people and—most importantly—give you reports on performance.

With this investment, you’re not risking your financial stability, but you will gain valuable data. You’ll discover what kind of audience responds best, which images or videos work, and which messages resonate with your audience. This information is your real asset, because it will help you optimize campaigns and, over time, invest more wisely.

The importance of persistence: from a click to a relationship

Remember what I said earlier: advertising is a long-term investment. It’s not just about getting a click or a message; it’s about building a relationship.

A common mistake is to launch an ad, spend a small amount, and if no direct sales show up in the first few days, turn it off and conclude “ads don’t work.” That’s the mindset we need to change.

The constant presence of your ad builds trust. It’s like being at a party: you see the same person several times, smiling, talking with different groups. By the end of the night, you’re much more likely to approach them than if you had seen them just once from a distance.

Your ads are like that person. Each time your audience sees them, an invisible thread of familiarity is woven. And when the moment comes that they need your service, you’ll no longer be a stranger—you’ll be a trusted option.

The right metric: the value of your project

When facing that fear, ask yourself: “How much is my project or product worth?” If your service is, for example, a $50/month membership, you’ll need a different approach than if you sell a $1,000 coaching program.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the money you spend on ads to get a new customer. The key is to keep CAC significantly lower than the customer’s lifetime value (LTV).

If you spend $50 to acquire a client who pays you $500 over time, that’s a very profitable investment. If you spend $100 to acquire a client who only pays $120 once, the return is low. But if that same client comes back for more services, your initial investment makes sense. Focus on the total lifetime value, not just the first sale.

Use cases and how to start today

Let’s make this more concrete with some real-life scenarios:

• If you run ads to messages: A member of my community shared that they invested about $120 USD in ads driving people to direct messages and got 150 inquiries. The key here is not the immediate sale, but the asset you’ve built: a list of 150 interested people. From there, you can nurture them with personalized audios, direct them to your website for more information, or invite them to a WhatsApp group to deepen the relationship.
• If you run ads to a free or paid workshop: Your goal may not be direct sales but filling a workshop. This is excellent for building community. Once people sign up, you can offer them a lower-priced option if your main offer feels too high. This is called a downsell. It’s presented after you’ve pitched your main offer, helping you keep potential clients who can’t pay the full price. For example, if your main product is an expensive medical treatment, the downsell could be a more accessible group program.

Conclusion: the real risk is not to invest

The biggest risk in your business isn’t spending $175 a month on ads—it’s not doing it and staying in the same place. The digital world moves fast, and visibility is the currency.

Here’s my final advice: start with that $175 monthly budget, treat advertising as a learning game, and stay consistent. Don’t let fear hold you back. The clients who are searching for you are already out there—and your job is to make your brand visible enough for them to find you.