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The One Thing You Actually Need to Create a Successful Online Course

Building a thriving online course to scale your business sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Working from a beach somewhere, laptop in hand. But here’s the rub – it’s not as simple as it sounds.

I’ve seen it all in this game – people with massive followings who can’t seem to make a cent, and others with all the fancy strategies but no one to sell to. The key takeaway? You’ve got to build an audience first. Without that, your course is like a tinnie without oars – going nowhere fast.

3 ACTUAL Non-negotiables for Course Success

If you’re nodding along, wondering how to scale without a following, here are some crucial points to consider:

1. Traffic is Everything: You could have the fanciest setup on Kajabi or GoHighLevel, but if no one’s there to click ‘buy’, what’s the point? My advice? Sell the idea before you build the course. Use waiting lists to see if there’s interest. If people sign up, you might be onto something.

2. Protect Your Confidence: There’s nothing worse than pouring your heart into a course that no one buys. Trust me, it’s a hit your confidence doesn’t need. So, build your audience first to avoid this trap.

3. Market Validation: You might think your course idea is brilliant, but the market gets the final say. Make sure you’re creating something people actually want.

Now, how do you build this audience? There are loads of ways, but here’s my current favourite: be everywhere on social media.

The goal is to dominate your potential client’s newsfeed. You want to be the person they see on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram – the lot. Keep showing up with valuable content. It not only engages your audience but also boosts your SEO rankings. And don’t forget about YouTube – it’s the second-largest search engine, after all.

And One More Thing!

Blogging is another great way to boost your visibility. Each blog post tells Google you’re actively providing valuable content. Do it right, and you’ll see your search rankings improve.

By being omnipresent across different channels, you’re building your audience one follower at a time. As your presence grows, so does the top of your funnel. And with a solid nurturing process, those followers can become ready-to-buy course participants.

The Rub

So, before you dive into creating that course, make sure you’ve got a marketing strategy that fills your funnel with leads who are likely to convert. Launch your course when you’ve got an audience eager to learn from you.

Starting from scratch? Prioritise building your database and social media following with high-quality, free content. It’s a journey, and while you might not be there yet, embracing these truths will set you on the right path.

Fancy a yarn about your specific situation? I’m always here for a natter. Until then, keep pushing forward. Remember, the foundation of any successful online course is the audience waiting to learn from you.

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Passion & Purpose isn’t quite enough: Therapist’s marketing machine

So you’re a psychotherapist, counsellor, psychologist …whilst COVID and lockdowns made you one of the most in demand jobs, maybe you need some leverage? Some clients who fit in the niche your passionate about?

 

Maybe you’re wondering how to turn your expertise into a thriving online business? Let me share a story that might inspire you.

 

I’m a therapist not a marketer!

 

A few years back I worked with a therapist who had developed an innovative online therapy method. Her goal? To guide people through anxiety and depression towards what we called ‘fearless freedom’. Despite two years of refining her approach, she struggled to reach her ideal clients.

 

This happens often, therapists are amazing at therapy – and not so much digital marketing and brand strategy. That’s ok – you can’t be a genius at everything! Linda knew for sure that she squarely fell in the therapist bucket not the marketer bucket!

 

Developing a Strategic Marketing Ecosystem

 

So we developed this therapist a strategic online marketing ecosystem to automate some of the lead generation and delivery.

 

We focused on Facebook ads, crafting an offer that resonated with those seeking help. The response was pretty amazing – leads began flowing in, eager for support and ready to engage.

 

Linda was getting between 5-10 new leads every day!

 

So we didn’t stop there. We implemented a robust system to nurture these leads, using carefully crafted email sequences to build a growing community. Our CRM helped her track lead sources and maintain long-term connections. Soon, her list grew to nearly 300 strong hot leads, reaching people across Australia and New Zealand. Which was awesome – because she started with ZERO!

 

Redefining Offers & Future Vision

 

Once we had people in the door, we refocused on her product suite. I mentored her to expand her services beyond the initial three-session therapy offering, developing a maintenance program for ongoing support. Despite juggling another job and family life, Linda maintained discipline, allocating specific days for sales, content creation, and other ‘working on the business’ activities.

 

Whilst the journey took just over a year (thanks to Linda’s other commitments), it proves that with the right guidance and a little perseverance, you can turn your passion into a successful online business. It’s about making a real difference while doing what you love.

 

Are you ready to enhance your online presence? Let’s discuss how we can make your digital strategy work harder for you.

 

Book a 15-minute ‘ask me anything’ call: https://bit.ly/YTAskMeAnythingKC

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The Art of Attracting High-Value Clients: Mastering Brand Awareness and Development

Many entrepreneurs find themselves in a frustrating cycle of attracting clients who don’t quite fit the bill. These clients might undervalue services, request endless customisations, or haggle over prices. It’s a common issue that can lead to a scattered product line and difficulty scaling. For those nodding along, it’s time to take a fresh look at brand positioning. The goal? To attract those high-value clients who truly appreciate expertise and are ready to invest.
Let’s explore how to refine a business’s place in the market:

Step One: Uncover the Unique Contribution

It all starts with a bit of soul-searching. Entrepreneurs often struggle to package and convey their vision. This is where my ‘Impact Alchemy’ comes into play. It’s about digging deep to reveal what’s at the heart of a service, going beyond what traditional brand strategists might focus on.

Step Two: Size Up the Competition

Understanding what sets a business apart is crucial. By analysing competitors, entrepreneurs can identify gaps in the market that align with their unique skills. This insight is gold for effective brand positioning.

Step Three: Get Inside the Market’s Head

This is where entrepreneurs need to really connect with their ideal client. Start by defining one person, one problem, and one solution. It’s about gaining an intimate understanding of the niche.

Step Four: Craft a Compelling Story

People connect with people before ideas. A brand’s story and philosophy are what resonate with an audience. It’s not just about what a business does, but why they do it. This personal connection is what forges deep, meaningful relationships with clients.

Step Five: Nail the Positioning Statement

With a clear understanding of the unique contribution, competitors, and market desires, it’s time to craft a positioning statement that truly represents the brand. But it doesn’t stop there. A brand should have its own personality that walks the journey alongside its clients.

Great storytelling is key to building a standout brand. It’s about finding the language and messaging that aligns with the brand’s philosophy and resonates with the audience. This becomes the heartbeat of the brand, something people can relate to and rally behind.

What’s Next?

For entrepreneurs grappling with their unique selling proposition, remember: it’s the depth and resonance of the brand’s story that will elevate it beyond the flat and generic. It’s not just about standing out—it’s about standing true to what the business brings to the table and connecting with those who appreciate and seek that unique value.

By following these steps, entrepreneurs can transform their brand from just another option to the go-to choice for their ideal clients. It’s about creating a brand that not only attracts high-value clients but also resonates with the core values of the business.

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Pedaling to Success: A Spin Class Encounter That Revolutionised Leadership Training Marketing

Ever had one of those synchronous moments while doing something completely unrelated to work? 

 

I met Anita Cunningham on a spin bike at the gym. She knew what she was doing – I was a total newbie!

 

She helped me out with how to work the bloomin’ bike so I could start to get my sweat on. I thanked her and went on my merry way at the end of the session. 

 

Later that night we happened to run into each other at the members section of the football! So weird – among 80,000 people I was like “aren’t you that lady from the gym this morning!?”

 

One thing led to another, (well Anita stalked me on facebook) and next minute she was asking for brand and marketing advice!

 

From Spin Bikes to Strategic Branding: An Unexpected Partnership

 

Anita – the face behind a leadership training business that was already well-entrenched with big names like Telstra and Kmart – was successful at her training – but not so much in her marketing efforts!

 

Anita’s digital guy had been focusing on building her local google business listing, and a little bit of google ads. But in the crowded world of leadership training, that’s about as effective as shouting into the wind. So, over a cuppa, Anita picked my brain about how to really make her brand stand out.

 

We rolled up our sleeves and got stuck into her business, looking for gaps and opportunities. It was clear as day that we needed to do more than just fiddle with Google Ads. My plan? To turn Anita into an omnipresent force across platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, showcasing her unique take on leadership training.

 

You see, Quality Business Services (that’s Anita’s company) had a different approach to leadership training – one that didn’t always mesh with what HR departments thought they needed. We had to bridge that knowledge gap and show potential clients why Anita’s holistic approach was better than the soft skills alternative.

 

Crafting a Holistic Marketing Ecosystem: Beyond Just Lead Generation

 

Over the next 9 months, we crafted a marketing ecosystem that didn’t just attract leads – it educated and nurtured them too. We developed a leadership skills audit as a bite-size opt-in for her website, serving to signal serious interest in her services. We gave her brand a proper makeover, from her website to a snazzy Canva branding system that Anita could use herself.

 

But we didn’t stop there. We designed brochures for her nationwide events, introduced clever QR-coded business cards (leading to a changeable landing page), and developed email sequences that were crucial in shifting perspectives and nurturing potential clients.

 

Recognising that people needed a taste of Anita’s expertise, we introduced smaller, teaser workshops. This gave prospects a chance to see what made Anita’s team special and helped them stand out from the crowd.

 

We built a proper marketing machine – a year’s worth of evergreen social media content, a new website, and a CRM system to keep everything ticking along nicely. We packed her website with SEO-rich blogs and used the personal stories of her trainers to give her brand that authentic, authoritative edge.

 

From Faff to Fab: The Power of Strategic Personal Branding

 

The result? A comprehensive marketing strategy that saved Anita 10-15 hours a week on social media faff, and ensured that when someone needed a leadership trainer, Anita’s brand was the one they remembered.

 

This journey with Anita wasn’t just about fancy marketing tools – it was about telling her story in a way that truly represented what her business was all about. It’s a cracking example of how the right strategy can turn a personal brand into a powerhouse.

 

And for me? It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best business connections happen when you’re sweating it out on a spin bike. Who knew?

 

Remember, if you’re feeling stuck with your marketing, or if your personal brand isn’t quite hitting the mark, don’t be afraid to reach out. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes and a bit of strategic thinking to amplify your impact and get you the recognition you deserve.

 

Let’s have a chat and see how we can amplify your business.

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Redefining Success: The Moment I Had To Lean In

I have only ever known entrepreneurship. I was born into a family full of people who work for themselves and are fairly happy to take risks. As such, I too ended up working for myself most of my life (except for a 10-year career in TV production – which is kind of like working for yourself).

 

I absolutely knew I was making this choice because I didn’t want to have to fit in. I’m not very good at not being fully self-expressed or wearing a mask. Whilst I have always thought of myself as pretty darn lucky, even courageous, deep down I don’t think it’s entirely true.

 

I am not lucky; I made a choice to avoid environments where I would have to wear a mask.

 

The fact that I have avoided workplaces like this sounds smart, but in fact, in many ways, it has held back my success.

I told myself stories that I wasn’t smart enough to work in corporate, or that I wouldn’t understand the language they talked.

I was SURE that I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut if I didn’t agree with something, not swear, or at the very least would struggle with the pace things move (which is not fast enough for my liking!)

 

So all these ideas I had held me back from believing that the quality of my work could possibly belong in the big mysterious world of corporate!

 

When the Universe Decides to Give You a Nudge (or a Shove)

 

At the start of 2023, I had developed the Impact Alchemy, and had at least 10 women who had worked in corporate before through the program.

 

My dream was to get this program into corporate spaces because I knew that was where this work (of owning your uniqueness to amplify your impact) would have the greatest pay-off. I could make real change there.

 

But my stories were holding me back. My stories about how I talked too much, I wasn’t refined enough, I didn’t know the right vocab…

 

All things that no doubt I was told throughout my life because whatever I was doing didn’t suit someone else at the time!

 

But I held on to the dream, of someday – somehow – I would find a way to fit into the corporate space and be courageous enough to call myself a leadership trainer in the corporate space.

 

With this vision, the universe supported me, and I was nominated in the Future Women member group of over 24,000 women working in organisations, not small business, to do a talk at their 2023 Leadership Summit.

 

It was a 10-minute Lightning Talk.

 

I was freaking out but so proud of myself. I knew this was the start of overcoming this imposter syndrome I had been experiencing.

But the universe really wanted to make sure I wanted it, so I broke my wrist a week earlier. I was still pretty drugged up, unable to use my left arm, but I pushed through the flight, suitcases, dressing myself, using MacGyver-like contraptions to do up my bra!

 

Rocking It with a Broken Wrist: Because Why Not?

 

I got on the stage and absolutely rocked it. Among the incredible company on the stage, most of the speeches were more formal and serious. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to compete with stats and political views, so I claimed my space as an intuitive, unique, entertaining, funny, expressive performer. And I inspired the fuck out of 250 women and men in the room.

That 10 mins made so much of an impression I was interviewed by Sally and Tarang of Future Women the next day on their podcast.

 

I was right. Owning my uniqueness amplified my impact. I stood out like a dog’s dinner in that room.

 

I was also right that by leaning into the discomfort, it was the start of something.

 

Since this interview, I have been asked twice to speak at the Australian Hotels Association (a connection I made in the room in Sydney). I have spoken on uniqueness on at least 3 stages since for local councils, other people’s platforms etc.

 

But I was doing that stuff before the Lightning Talk.

 

What I wasn’t doing, and what I am super excited to be trusted with…

 

From Outsider to Corporate Leadership Trainer

 

I am now officially a leadership trainer – with one of the most unique programs for Corporate women – working with a pioneering energy company in Victoria, to take 15 of their leaders through the Impact Alchemy. With the view to do another 35 in the new year!

 

OWN YOUR UNIQUENESS. AMPLIFY YOUR IMPACT.

 

The. end.

 

 

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Case Study: From Midwife to Women’s Coach & The Business Strategy that got her there

From Midwife to Coach: From Work Life- to Life’s Work

 

I recently had the pleasure of working with Mary, a dedicated NHS midwife who took a courageous step towards aligning her work life with her life’s work. Her story brilliantly illustrates the power of owning your uniqueness and amplifying your impact.

 

Mary approached me with a vision to help her fellow NHS women manage their time and energy effectively, preventing the burnout she’d witnessed (and experienced) firsthand. She’d already earned her coaching certification, but needed guidance to bring her new business to life online.

 

We kicked off with the ‘Impact Alchemy’ process, delving deep into Mary’s unique contribution to the coaching world. This intensive work resulted in an eight-page profile that became the cornerstone of her brand identity and a wellspring of newfound confidence.

 

Building on this, we crafted Mary’s ‘Impact Code’ – a three-phase coaching methodology: ‘Restore’, ‘Reconnect’, and ‘Respect for Yourself’. This framework not only shaped her coaching programs but also informed her website structure and marketing strategy.

 

The clarity gained from this process was transformative. It provided Mary with a robust sales structure for client consultations and laid the foundation for her thought leadership. This clarity naturally extended to her social media strategy, ensuring her content resonated with her ideal audience.

 

We then created SEO-optimised blog posts to boost her website’s visibility upon launch. The final piece was a beautifully designed WordPress website, complete with a lead magnet to grow her email list, and a tailored CRM system with automated email sequences.

 

The result was more than just a website – it was a ‘business in a box’ that allowed Mary to launch her coaching business with confidence. Her online presence now reflects her mission: guiding NHS women towards a balanced life, free from burnout.

 

Mary’s transformation is a powerful example of what’s possible when you align your passion with your authentic self. It’s about finding the courage to step into those leadership opportunities and make big, impactful moves in life.

 

By owning her uniqueness and harnessing her individuality and personal power, Mary is now poised to influence positive change in her field and create a legacy that truly matters.

 

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