To the online coaching "gurus"
RE: your evergreen coaching program funnel is just passive income pamphlets…
Dear Susie (or Karen who’s been trolling on my comments recently – I see you…😘),
I’d rather eat toenail clippings and sawdust, than scroll through another IG reel touting “passive income” and dropping those 4 hour work week business book snapshots on stories.
So why all the hater-ade on the course gurus, coaches, and consultants selling DIY and “evergreen” group programs? Why spill the tea on the industry that pays your mortgage?
Because the secret is already out – EVERGREEN premium program funnels aren’t working LIKE THEY USED TO.
Ad costs are on the rise, course copycats are running rampant on the internet streets, and mass online course completion rates…less than 12%.
Before you bat signal your last boss– or sign off on the retainer package…
Group programs can still be…
✍️ packaged at a premium (without all the FOMO. bonus stacking, or funnel-shaming)
✍️built for customer results, impact, and case studies.
✍️delivered sustainably in a way that matches your energy levels and support structure
Sure, I’m all in for less work, more money. In fact, I’ve helped over 1,300 students in my own programs – helped clients design and launch over 20+ courses, and served a global student base in countries like the England, Malaysia, Egypt, and across the U.S.–
Did I mention half a decade before that, I worked with stuffy white corporate collar pantsuit guys who used way too much Axe Body Spray?
No, Trevor – please. One spray is enough.
Master’s Degree in Adult Learning…I wore a crayon wrangling – diaper-flinging cape as a Montessori and Kinder teacher.
If there was a shirt for “most diapers changed in a montessori toddler classroom” or “most likely to be yacked on”
I’d have an entire closet full of yellow shirts…
The Not So Innocent Truth Behind The Scenes of DIY "Evergreen" Courses
Over 6 years ago, I was sold the dream.
The glassy waves beach photo, the “paid for by sponsors” trip to Athens, and the pink girlboss pantsuit – I BOUGHT THE PANTSUIT and have the TAYLOR SWIFT PLAYLIST to prove it. 🎶
Three years later, my Instructional Design freelancing biz had several $24k months in a row, and 12 contractors in the books.
I had CREATED more revenue than I had ever thought possible.
BUT MY SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-WORTH, AND ENERGY?…
…GARLIC CHARCOAL TOAST in the crisper
Playing small? Never…I was ready to elevate my brand – but it all came down to the HOW?
➡️ How to do it sustainably?
➡️ How to do it ethically?
➡️ How to do it without sacrificing relationships with loved ones, family, and mental health.
Because as an entrepreneur – we’re fed BS advice that equates productivity with self-worth, and success in zeroes at the end of a paycheck- instead of healthy relationships with family, friends, and a deep understanding of our enoughness…
We’re told success means booked out calendars, massive teams, and a constant addiction to checking for likes on the ‘gram.
And now – hold on, Susie! Before you hurl that laptop across the room, create a dartboard with my face on it – and dig into a pound of Ben and Jerry’s…
I’ve been involved behind the scenes of many successful course creators – who are building a joy filled business – creating more equitable pay for their teams – and enjoy the type of peace and tranquility that comes from building a business that’s life first.
Before I dive into what’s working and what isn’t inside the course creation industry, grab your chair because we’re going back in time to the good ol’ pandemmy…
It was 2020 - and the market was HOT and bothered for all things courses, and suddenly everything shifted to online -
Source: Harvard Business Review
Source: Forbes
Offering an online course for customers wasn’t just trendy in 2020, it was vital for businesses to stay afloat or permanently close their doors.
Even in a post-pandemmy world, given an in-person alternative…VIRTUAL OPTIONS are the majority option for advancing in a professional career or achieving business or personal goals.
Here’s some real statistics you need to know about the online education industry NOW – besides the overused ONES gurus are claiming.
220 Million online students in 2021
- From 2011 to 2021, the number of learners reached by massive open online courses (MOOCs) increased from 300,000 to 220 million McKinsey & Company. (2021, January 25).
Customers are savvier about education investments
- Greater demand and rising quality standards also suggest that students are growing savvier about the returns of their educational investments.
20% wanted real-time conversations
- Approximately 20 percent of respondents to our survey of US learners said their biggest frustration with online learning was “engaging in real-time conversations through a virtual medium.”
TL;DR Online education is here to stay - people are savvy spenders, your digital learning experience needs to be up-leveled.
Keep reading in my next article, where I breakdown the common costly mistakes service providers make when creating an online course – and why DIY courses are the WORST for cash injections.
Snag the bag with premium programs that deliver EXCEPTIONAL case studies to sell more seats in your program like marketing magic!