📊 Launch Debrief: How I Drove 1,500 Leads and 31 Sales for Hometown Advantage Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of my most recent launch for Hometown Advantage—my local-ads program with 4 months of mentorship inside our Slack community. I’m sharing exactly what I spent, what converted, what didn’t, and the moves I made to protect (and lift) conversion rates in a “trust-recession” market. You’ll hear: 🎯 Offer & price: $1,700 for 4 months of support (no payment plan upcharge)📈 Results:...

🧩 Part 3: The Low-Ticket Funnel That Pays for Your Leads (and Fuels Bigger Sales) We’re wrapping the series with my favorite strategy: low-ticket offer funnels. I’m breaking down what actually makes them work in 2025, how they differ from free lead magnets, the exact five pieces you need dialed in, and my real numbers (ad spend, revenue, profit, and conversions). You’ll learn: ✅ Why low-ticket is quality over quantity—and not your primary revenue source on the front end 🧠 The 5 must-ha...

💰 The Evergreen Funnel That Scales My Business on Autopilot In this episode, I’m breaking down the second way I’ve scaled my business this year — using an evergreen funnel that brings in leads and sales every single day. If live launches feel too chaotic or stressful, this one’s for you. I walk through exactly how my funnel works, what makes it convert, and the small tweaks that helped me consistently see a 3X return on ad spend — completely in the background. You’ll learn: ⚙️ What an e...

🚀 3 Ways I’ve Used Facebook & Instagram Ads to Scale My Online Business in 2025 In this episode, I’m kicking off a 3-part series where I’m breaking down the exact strategies I’ve used to grow my online business with ads this year — starting with live launching. You’ll learn: 💡 The difference between live launching, evergreen webinars, and low-ticket funnels 📈 Why I recommend live launching first (especially for coaches and course creators) 💰 How I set my launch revenue g...

From Referrals to Multiple Clinics: How Ads + Automations Fueled Dr. Maddie Roth’s Growth Today I’m joined by the amazing Dr. Maddie Roth—pelvic floor physical therapist, multi-location clinic owner, and self-proclaimed Automation Queen (the perfect match to me being the Ads Queen 😉). Maddie shares how she went from struggling to get referrals as a cash-pay PT to scaling her practice into multiple clinics across Michigan—with the help of Facebook ads and a powerful follow-up system. We dive i...

Ever feel like you’re posting on social media but it’s just going into the void? In this episode of Hometown Advantage, you’ll hear how Alyssa, who runs marketing for a renovations and cabinetry company in Canada, turned things around with simple local ads. Her story is proof that you don’t need a massive budget or fancy strategy to get real results—like landing projects worth over $50,000 from a single visibility ad. You’ll learn: ✨ Why stock photos and generic agency posts don’t move ...

Ever wondered what it really takes to launch and scale a group program? In this special behind-the-scenes episode of Hometown Advantage, I’m peeling back the curtain on the growth of my signature program—from three sales to multi-five-figure launches (and all the messy middle in between). Whether you're a local business owner curious about the online world or a course creator navigating your own launches, this episode is for you. I’m walking you through: ✨ What I spent on ads in each la...

Are you doing all the things on social media and still wondering why it’s not bringing in clients? 👉 Posting every day 👉 Sharing in Facebook groups 👉 Boosting random posts 👉 Following influencer marketing advice… ...but still hearing crickets? In this episode of Hometown Advantage, I’m breaking down 4 content strategy shifts every local business owner needs to make if they actually want social media to work for their business. These are the exact shifts I help my ad cl...

Are you posting on social media for your local business and wondering... is this even doing anything? In this episode of Hometown Advantage, I'm breaking down the three types of content every local business owner needs to post to turn casual viewers into loyal, paying clients. If you're tired of: Spinning your wheels with random contentCopying trending posts that don’t work for your businessWasting hours trying to figure out what to post...Then this episode will be a game-changer. You’ll lear...

Welcome back to Hometown Advantage — the podcast for local business owners who want to market smarter, not harder. I’m Nicole Eldridge, Facebook & Instagram ads strategist for local businesses, and today we’re diving into 10 brutally honest marketing truths I wish I could send to every small business owner’s DMs. 🎯 If you’ve ever felt like: You “just can’t be consistent” with marketingYou’re boosting posts and getting likes, but not leadsYou’ve hired cheap help and gotten cheap resultsYou...

In this episode, I’m breaking down the real truth about Facebook ads for local businesses — and why they’re hands-down the most effective, scalable, and surprisingly affordable way to grow your business (yes, even on a small budget). Whether you're brand new or have been in business for years, this episode will shift how you think about marketing. I’m walking you through: Why so many “free” strategies actually cost you more in time and energyHow Facebook and Instagram ads give you 24/7 visibi...

In this episode, we’re taking it all the way back to basics. If you’re a local business owner who’s tired of posting every day with nothing to show for it, this one’s for you. I’m walking you through: Why organic reach is down (and it’s not just you)The 3-part ad framework I teach every clientHow much to actually spend on local adsThe real reason your boosted posts aren’t workingWhat Facebook’s algorithm is doing behind the scenesCommon ad myths that are costing you time and $$$And if you’re ...

One of the biggest decisions local business owners face is whether to learn Facebook ads themselves or hire someone to do it for them. In this episode, Nicole breaks down the real costs, time commitment, and results you can expect from each option. You'll discover: The true price ranges for agencies, freelancers, and budget options (and the hidden pitfalls of each)Why that $300 Fiverr ad setup might actually cost you thousandsThe surprising amount of your time still required when "outsourcing...

🎙️ Are you wasting money by missing the most powerful type of Facebook ads? In this episode of Hometown Advantage, I break down retargeting ads - the secret weapon that turns social media scrollers into actual customers for your local business. You'll discover: Why running a single ad or boosting posts doesn't work anymore (and what does)The difference between cold and warm audiences (and why you need strategies for both)How to set up custom audiences and Facebook pixel tracking (simpler than...

🎙️ Is $5/day enough for Facebook & Instagram ads? In this straightforward episode of Hometown Advantage, I'm breaking down the truth about local ad budgets and what you REALLY need to spend to see results. You'll discover: How Facebook ad budgeting actually works for local businessesWhy your CPMs (cost per 1,000 impressions) are likely lower than online businessesReal success stories: How one client booked a $3,500 photoshoot on just $6/dayThe difference between visibility ads ($1-2/day) ...

🎙️ Wondering if your local business Facebook ads are actually working? In this data-driven episode of Hometown Advantage, I'm sharing my 3-step framework to determine if your ads are delivering real results (and what to do if they're not). You'll discover: The #1 question to ask yourself first (hint: it's simpler than you think)How to set up tracking systems that actually work for local businessesThe key performance indicators (KPIs) that reveal the truth about your adsI'm also sharing real s...

In this episode, I break down my complete strategy for creating Instagram Reels that actually work for local businesses. I explain why we shouldn't chase views, introduce my 3T Formula (Type, Topic, Text) for creating effective Reels, and share how to leverage these Reels as cost-effective ads to reach thousands of new potential customers in your community. Episode Highlights Why local businesses shouldn't obsess over Reel views [02:15]The 5 reasons local businesses should use Reels (the rig...

In this transparent episode, I'm sharing my exact revenue, expenses, and profit from 2024 ($75,591 revenue with $55,560 profit!) plus the mindset shifts that helped me double my income from the previous year. In this episode, I break down: My four biggest expense categories and why I don't regret (almost) any of themHow I spent $4,000 on Facebook ads and turned it into multiple $9,000 launchesWhy being afraid to spend money might actually be a confidence issueMy exact profitability goal...

🎙️ Ever wonder how a second-grade teacher became a marketing strategist helping local businesses thrive? In this personal episode of Hometown Advantage, I'm pulling back the curtain on my journey from the classroom to running a successful marketing agency. In this episode, you'll hear: How a simple blog about local businesses in Raleigh-Durham sparked my marketing careerThe emotional decision to leave teaching (and why it was worth it)My $6,000 leap of faith into the world of Facebook adsWhat...

🎯 Why do most local business Facebook ads fail? As a marketing strategist who's helped 100+ local businesses master their social media presence, I'm breaking down the 5 biggest mistakes that are wasting your ad budget (and exactly how to fix them). In this episode of Hometown Advantage, you'll discover: Why copying other local businesses' ad strategies might be sabotaging your successThe simple ad setting mistakes that are killing your resultsWhat your ad creative is missing (and it's not fan...