Throwing Money at Facebook Ads in the NDIS Space? That’s Not Growth. That’s Gambling.
Let’s get real.
If you’re running an NDIS business and thinking Facebook ads are going to bring you a steady stream of referrals, I’ve got some hard truth for you.
They won’t.
Not in this industry. Not the way you think. Not how the agencies are trying to sell it to you.
And if no one else has told you this yet, let me be the one who does.
The NDIS isn’t built on clicks.
It’s built on connection.
It’s tempting, I get it.
You see other businesses boosting posts. You hear a marketer say, “You just need more visibility.” You think, “Maybe if more people saw my logo, my phone would start ringing.”
So you throw a few hundred dollars into a Facebook ad campaign.
And then... nothing.
Or worse, a few inquiries from people who don’t even understand the NDIS, let alone qualify as leads.
The truth is, Facebook ads are not built for how this industry works.
Because this industry isn’t transactional. It’s relational.
The NDIS is personal.
People are making decisions that affect their health, safety, independence, and wellbeing. Support coordinators aren’t browsing Facebook and clicking on ads to find a provider for their participant. Plan managers aren’t swiping through boosted posts to decide who to recommend.
Referrals happen because someone trusts you.
They happen because you’ve proven you can deliver.
Because you’ve answered the phone. Followed through. Shown up. Done what you said you’d do.
That’s the currency here. Not ad spend. Not slick branding. Not a one-liner you copied from someone else’s website.
You’re not selling makeup or gym memberships. You’re not an online store trying to scale quickly and get in front of as many eyeballs as possible.
You are a person.
You’re running a service that walks alongside real people. Many of them vulnerable. Many of them facing challenges most people can’t begin to understand.
That requires presence. Not promotion.
It requires time, trust, and real human connection.
So when you try to apply big brand marketing tactics to a heart-led, trust-based industry like this, it misses the mark every time.
Here’s what usually happens when providers throw money at Facebook ads without a grounded strategy:
You get likes, but no calls
You get messages from people who are outside your service area, your scope, or the NDIS altogether
You waste time chasing unqualified leads
You start doubting yourself when the results don’t come
And worst of all? You miss the opportunity to build your business the way this industry actually works, through relationships.
If Facebook ads don’t bring referrals, what does?
People.
People referring people.
People recommending you because they’ve seen you show up.
People hearing your name in team meetings, community groups, case conferences.
That’s how it works in the NDIS.
So if you want more referrals, start with relationships.
Ask yourself:
Who knows what I do
Who has experienced the way I work
Who have I stayed in touch with consistently
Who do I need to follow up with
It’s not fancy. It’s not flashy. But it’s real. And it works.
Support coordinators refer to people they can rely on.
They refer to the provider who answers the phone.
Who returns emails.
Who keeps them in the loop.
Who doesn’t overpromise or underdeliver.
They refer based on reputation. Based on lived experience with you, your team, your service. And the more trust you build, the more consistently those referrals flow.
You will not become that provider by running Facebook ads.
You become that provider by being someone people can trust.
Plan managers are busy. Really busy.
They’re not looking for new providers. They’re looking for reliable ones.
The kind that invoice correctly. Communicate clearly. Help their clients without creating headaches.
You don’t become that provider through a boosted post.
You become that provider by doing your job with excellence.
Participants and their families are not making life decisions based on social media ads.
They are asking people they trust.
They’re checking in with their therapist. Their GP. Their plan manager. Their old coordinator. Their neighbour who’s also in the NDIS.
And you know what they’re asking?
“Do you know someone good?”
That’s the power of trust.
And no amount of ad budget can shortcut that.
If your goal is more referrals, more visibility, and a stronger presence in your community, here’s what works better than Facebook ads every single time:
Build relationships with other providers
Network with support coordinators
Reach out to plan managers
Focus on outcomes
Deliver excellent service
Ask for feedback and referrals
Facebook ads might get your name seen.
But they won’t get you trusted.
And in the NDIS, that’s what matters most.
So stop gambling with your money, your time, and your energy.
Start building a business the way the NDIS really works. Person by person. Relationship by relationship.
Because when your name is spoken in rooms you’re not in, when coordinators are recommending you without being asked, when plan managers tell their team, “Call her. She’s great”, that’s growth.
No ad required.
