The Online Course Show

One of my favorite types of interviews are the ones where we catch up with past guests and see where their online course journey has been taking them over time. Today we’ve got Gina Horkey back with us! Gina always has a lot of great insights and updates on her online course business, so it was great to have her back on The Online Course Show. "Invest in student success." - Gina Horkey It was great to get Gina’s perspective on the past year of her business and what she’s working on! I hope you enjoy the conversation. In This Episode, We Talked About:  (1:59) Consistency and growth (3:22) How to approach copywriting (6:45) My update on sales for this month and year so far (7:59) Affiliates and my process (10:29) The Win of the Week (13:29) A book recommendation (15:45) Catching up with Gina since our last conversation (19:04) How her online course business has given her more confidence (21:15) The magic of content repurposing (25:05) How Gina is restructuring her content and platforms (28:29) Setting up a course that may change hands in the future (29:17) Keyword research as SEO (30:29) Maintaining and separating multiple brands (32:48) Gina’s decisions on personal visibility on different brands (34:44) Outsourcing content and profit-sharing versus contracting (40:45) The importance of diverse income streams (45:41) How entrepreneurs are pivoting during the pandemic (47:06) Finding life-work balance (52:05) Gina’s advice for new course creators (55:47) David and I discuss Gina's strategy for multiple brands (58:05) The value of coaching and accountability (1:01:57) Thoughts on affiliates, profit-sharing, and other options (1:03:59) Finding work-life balance and why I love my online course business (1:06:05) Refunds and guarantees (1:08:34) Wrapping up That’s all for now, folks! See you on the next episode of The Online Course Guy. Links ClickFunnels Free Trial Share Your Win of the Week Gina’s Course - Horkey Handbook Episode 82 ThriveCart Fix This Next Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert

We’re back, and catching up with a course creator who I interviewed all the way back in episode 80! Paul Lipsky is a successful drop-shipping business owner and course creator who teaches others how to run their own Ebay drop-shipping business. It was great to speak with Paul again and hear all his latest and greatest online course news. "Now that I’m focusing on less, we’re seeing better results… Focus down on what’s really working." - Paul Lipsky It was very cool to hear how Paul’s been doing with his course and recent changes. Make sure you check out the other episodes we mention during today’s interview! In This Episode, We Talked About:  (1:49) David’s funnel update (3:00) What NOT to do to go viral on YouTube and the importance of an “advisory board” (9:35) Some updates on my course during social distancing (11:37) Switching to 4K video (13:10) The Win of the Week and our thoughts (16:38) Recalling my past interview with Paul Lipsky and his story (18:03) Life changes since I last spoke with Paul (19:33) Benefits and challenges of living in a van (21:45) Recapping how Paul’s online business and course works (22:50) Thoughts on updating content in different niches (25:08) Tools Paul loves and is trying out (27:51) YouTube traffic and lessons learned about reducing regular posting (30:25) Thoughts on live streaming videos (32:11) Changes to Paul’s funnel setup with webinars (35:15) Communicating about pre-recorded webinar content (37:19) Our shared frustrations with EverWebinar (39:35) New webinar setups and tricks to make the viewing experience better (42:17) Split-testing sales pages (43:08) Paul’s advice for new and aspiring course creators (45:36) Where to find Paul online (46:24) David and I discuss ClickFunnels and course editing (48:21) Taking inspiration from Paul’s journey (49:55) Thoughts on social proof apps (52:38) Webinar changes and the reasoning behind certain tweaks (55:50) Wrapping up Thanks for listening and learning along with us today. Stay tuned for another great episode coming soon! Links Deadline Funnel Free Trial Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Share Your Win of the Week Paul’s YouTube Channel Episode 80 Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert Episode 125 Teachable Proof ProveSource Zapier

If you are new to the online course world, you’ve probably been wondering if a platform like Udemy could be a good place to start. There’s probably no one-size-fits-all answer on, but my guest today had some great insights that are definitely worth considering. Tracy Goodwin is a successful course creator who specialized in helping people get their message across more effectively. It was great to hear her perspective on all things online course-related and to learn what has worked best for her. "Give yourself a little bit more credit than you might be giving yourself… someone out there is waiting for your message." - Tracy Goodwin I couldn’t have said it better myself! And I hope you enjoy listening in on our conversation! In This Episode, We Talked About:  (2:34) An update from David (4:27) Potential new course creators - in my own family! (6:28) How things are going for me and my business right now (9:19) The key components of a successful course (10:41) How my wife and I will be celebrating a new milestone (11:24) Shoutouts, the Win of the Week, and a cool story (15:50) Introducing Tracy Goodwin (16:24) Who Tracy helps and how she does it (20:39) Her online course journey and early wins (22:47) The differences in our stories (24:11) Price point considerations and leaving Udemy (27:20) How Tracy now sells her courses (28:56) Unusual ways Tracy gets her traffic (30:16) What gets her more excited: course sales or coaching? (32:14) Coaches, mentors, and the value of outside help (35:30) The opportunities that Tracy has created with her online course business (36:37) What Tracy would do differently if she was starting over (38:48) Her favorite tools (40:27) Tracy’s tips for new and aspiring course creators (42.35) Where to find Tracy online (43:06) My and David’s thoughts on Tracy’s experience with Udemy (47:01) Phone sales, impact on family, and other observations from the interview (48:58) The cautionary tale of Elizabeth Holmes (52:33) Wrapping up That’s all for now, folks! See you on the next episode of The Online Course Show. Links ClickFunnels Free Trial Bonjoro Free Trial Deadline Funnel Free Trial Share Your Win of the Week Video 4x Effect ConvertKit LearnDash Tracy’s Course - Captivate the Room Bad Blood Denise Hopkins Fine Art Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert

If there’s one thing that’s true for nearly all online course creators, it’s that your course content includes at least some video components. On today’s episode I had the chance to speak with Demelza Marie, who is all about helping course creators make the best possible impression with video. "People tend to focus a lot more on the camera and equipment, and not how to use it." - Demelza Marie Demelza provided some valuable food for thought about how to improve video production no matter whether you’re a new course creator or someone who’s been doing this for years. It was great to hear the tips and tricks she shared! In This Episode, We Talked About:  (1:38) The prevalence of video-based online courses (2:45) The Win of the Week (7:23) My most recent live webinars and how my course is doing during current events (9:38) Dealing with trolls and people who don’t want to hear my story (12:28) An update from David (15:04) Introducing Demelza Marie (15:45) Why she believes video quality is key for online course success (17:28) Production quality vs content quality (18:32) Who Demelza helps, and why different types of videos may suit different niches better (20:55) The LACEY framework for improving video quality (24:09) Dealing with lighting challenges and assessing my setup (27:04) How to create good quality audio (29:19) Choosing a camera AND a filming angle (32:25) Editing your videos (or should you?) (36:03) Practicing and presenting your content on camera (38:22) What aspects of video production Demelza sees course creators struggle with the most (39:20) What about 4K? (40:13) Demelza’s course offerings and resources for online course creators (41:16) Her advice for new and aspiring course creators (42:24) David and I discuss takeaways from the interview (44:13) Some favorite tools and my current camera setup (47:37) Developing good energy on camera + a funny misunderstanding (52:40) Wrapping up We covered a lot of important ground on video production today, so I hope you’ll drop me a line and let me know your favorite part of the conversation! Links Deadline Funnel Free Trial Share Your Win of the Week Demelza Marie’s Website Krisp Simple Transfer Sony A6400 Dimmable LED panel Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert

Here on The Online Course Show, we’re all about learning from successful course creators and keeping an open mind. That’s why I’m super excited to share this episode with you! My guest Alison Beere has a pretty unorthodox approach to teaching in her niche online, and our conversation was definitely thought-provoking. "Find one person who wants you to teach them, and find out what their questions are." - Alison Beere David and I had a lot of fun hearing what’s been working for Alison and discussing her business model. I hope you enjoy listening in! In This Episode, We Talked About: (1:46) How we’re doing with podcast goals and course business goals thus far this year (3:25) Questions from David about affiliates (6:56) A virtual summit with a past podcast guest (12:06) A very cool new podcast feature and how you can participate (14:06) Win of the Week (17:43) Setting the stage for today’s interview (18:21) Introducing Alison Beere and her online course niche (21:25) Offering a service versus a course (23:15) How Alison would (or wouldn’t) pitch her course offering to me as a business owner (24:52) Why she includes live components in her course and how that affects students’ results (28:19) Pricing and scheduling considerations (30:19) Going back to Alison’s first sale and discussing the structure of her business (31:51) The perks of being a successful online course creator (33:08) Deal-closing strategies that have worked for Alison (34:52) Would Alison change anything if she was starting over now? (35:35) Imposter syndrome and how she’s overcome it (37:38) Alison’s favorite software and tools (38:58) Her advice to new and aspiring course creators (40:55) Wrapping up and how to learn more from Alison (41:55) David and I discuss Alison’s unique course model (42:28) Resources related to topics discussed in the interview (44:48) Thoughts on Alison’s evolution from student to teacher (47:07) Wrapping up and a reminder on how you can record your own Win of the Week Thanks for listening and learning along with us today. Stay tuned for another great episode coming soon! Links Traffic Secrets ZenForum AWeber ProCreate PsychoTactics ScreenFlow Oversubscribe The 3-Month Vacation Podcast Alison’s Website Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert Bonjoro Free Trial Deadline Funnel Free Trial Share Your Win of the Week

Spoiler alert: this episode involves money, wine, and some big ups and downs to go along with that! Bobby Hoyt was our guest and he is not called the Millennial Money Man for nothing. We had a super-fun conversation and I think there is a lot to be learned here no matter how much online course experience you do or don’t have. "It was the right product for the right audience at the right time." - Bobby Hoyt I had a great time chatting with Bobby and hearing his insights into what it takes to run a successful online course and more. In This Episode, We Talked About: (2:32) Why David thought today’s guest would be the perfect interviewee for our podcast (3:46) An update on my Amazon affiliate issues (4:37) How is David’s business and course creation process going during the current pandemic? (6:54) Thoughts on keeping podcast content evergreen despite world events and what my Facebook live sessions accomplish that the podcast can’t (8:31) A minor glitch while jumping into the interview (9:16) How Bobby got started with online courses (13:12) Instant success vs. the more common reality (14:24) Why Bobby stopped putting out income reports (16:02) His current course offerings and number of students (19:23) How important is income diversification? (21:04) Bobby’s story about quitting his teaching job (23:36) Thinking through the big decision (25:17) The thrill of a successful first launch and a special bottle of wine (30:43) A disclaimer and a discussion of Bobby’s early conversion rates (32:46) Struggles along the way (34:56) Having a partner vs. working alone (36:21) The most stressful aspects of running an online course without support (39:41) Bobby’s favorite perk of having a successful course business (41:08) The top tools Bobby uses (43:33) His advice for aspiring course creators (44:20) Where to find more info from Bobby and his wife (45:59) David and I discuss our favorite moments from the interview (47:47) Ups and downs for online course businesses (51:24) How I handle certain tasks and how I may outsource them in the future (53:05) Thinking through when different people may decide to quit their day job (55:22) Wrapping up That’s all for now, folks! See you on the next episode of The Online Course Show. Links Deadline Funnel Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Bobby’s Website - Millennial Money Man Coral Hoyt’s YouTube Channel ThriveCart Teachable Episode 125 ActiveCampaign ConvertKit David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days Woopra

We’re back, and we’re still talking about mindset! It was great to debunk common mindset myths for online course creators last week, and I really felt we needed to continue our conversation "If you’re afraid to ask for reviews, you need to reevaluate your course and the quality you are providing." - Jacques Hopkins It’s always a good time to refocus, challenge limiting beliefs, and adjust your mindset. I really enjoyed my conversation with David, and I think you will too! In This Episode, We Talked About:  (2:03) Why we’re revisiting this topic and what’s new for me since last week (9:00) How to think about affiliate programs and resources (11:08) Thoughts on the Patreon model (15:24) The fear of asking for testimonials and reviews (17:00) A misconception about choice and a way I could be leveraging this more with my own course (20:30) An interesting suggestion from David (warning: this involves math) ;) (22:22) Scarcity strategies: are they smart, or manipulative? Plus a recent example of why I’m a fan (26:40) How my webinar funnel and signup incentives work (28:28) Payment options and how personal preferences can be misleading (31:08) Making things as clear as possible for the student (33:08) Giving up on a strategy vs. productive troubleshooting (37:17) Getting over the fear of outsourcing (40:43) How David implements strategies from a book that has inspired us both (45:57) Email frequency, unsubscribe options, and not being annoying (50:29) A common myth about running out of students (52:31) Got feedback? (54:26) Getting the right people “on the bus” Whew! That about does it for today - don’t forget to join us for the next episode! We’ll be back to our regular interview format and I’m really looking forward to this one. Have a safe and healthy week! Links BigSpy Marley Jaxx Good to Great Episode 70 Bonjoro Free Trial Stunning Stripe Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert The Online Course Community (free Facebook group)

It’s time for a deep dive into a topic that very relevant to all online course creators. In fact, it's one of the biggest keys to making your online course business the best (and most successful) it can be. That’s right: we’re talking mindset! "Making money isn’t inherently bad: it’s all about how you use it." - Jacques Hopkins I enjoyed our conversation and I think you will too! Mindset is so important and it’s definitely worth talking about. In This Episode, We Talked About:  (2:15) Sideline Sams, Struggling Sallies, and others who might benefit from adjusting their mindset (3:46) Why this topic matters for entrepreneurs + a disclaimer (9:29) Thinking back to the beginning of my own mindset journey (10:53) Busting myths about financial success (17:14) Comparing the value of different types of education (21:39) Mindsets about how people choose to spend money for fun vs. courses (26:02) The value of online learning for people in difficult situations (27:27) Shifting focus from how much something costs to how much it is worth (28:56) Does higher pricing improve student success rates? And do lower prices create more profit? (31:48) Money vs. “certificates of appreciation” (33:42) How to view money left on the table (34:46) Choosing your legacy (39:01) Time vs. money (42:12) A pet peeve of mine when it comes to actual course content (43:00) How to implement mindset shifts on a practical level (46:44) Wrapping up Part 1 of the conversation about mindset What do you think - would you make the switch from webinar software to something simpler? Feel free to drop me a line and let me know. And make sure you tune in again next week for another more traditional episode of The Online Course Guy! Links JClickFunnels Trial JDeadline Funnel Extended Trial JExpert Secrets JTraffic Secrets JDotcom Secrets JStoryBrand JJacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days JDavid’s Course - Wellness Program Expert

We’re doing something a bit different today: I’m the only voice you're going to hear on this episode. In this short and sweet edition of The Online Course Guy, I’m going to be sharing a big change I’ve recently made in my funnel: and why I’m so excited about it! "The more you put in between your customer and your message, the less customers you will have." - Dan Henry Some of what I’m sharing today might seem to go against the mainstream, or it might even seem too simple to make a difference. But hear me out, because this is worth a try. In This Episode, We Talked About:  (1:14) My experience with EverWebinar and why I wasn’t a fan (3:10) Looking for alternatives (3:30) My “lightbulb moment” at a conference (4:25) Comparing results between my old and new systems (5:06) Do you need evergreen webinar software? (6:33) How I made the switch and what my webinar funnel looks like now (7:33) Some cool features I’ve added (9:34) Advantages to my new system (10:54) How will you know if this will improve your conversion rates? (12:23) How you can implement a simpler evergreen webinar (13:43) Get your own template for evergreen webinars and more (14:37) A simpler system is worth a try What do you think - would you make the switch from webinar software to something simpler? Feel free to drop me a line and let me know. And make sure you tune in again next week for another more traditional episode of The Online Course Guy! Links ClickFunnels Trial (free templates included!) Purchase Jacques’ webinar template Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert

What do cookies have to do with online course creation? That’s what we find out today with my guest Anton Kraly, founder of Drop Ship Lifestyle. Not only does he have a unique story, but he’s become a very successful creator teaching people how to set up their own successful businesses in a non-traditional way. "Give [your course students] a clear path to success." - Anton Kraly We delved into some important insights on this episode, so I think you’re going to find Anton’s interview very enlightening! In This Episode, We Talked About:  (2:18) What is David waiting for when it comes to webinars? (3:49) A hurdle I recently got over with the help of outsourcing (9:14) Introducing Anton and what he does (10:13) The roundabout journey that turned Anton into an online course creator (12:35) Resources that did (and didn’t) help (13:36) Transitioning into building a course and the moment Anton realized this would be a success (16:23) How he handled his course being plagiarized (19:29) What he would do differently if he was starting over (21:31) A favorite moment in Anton’s course business journey and what his course offerings actually are (22:14) How he handles pricing and updates (22:53) Why and how to do live events (26:19) The value of testimonials (28:13) How Anton motivates people to enroll in his course (31:44) What tools he uses (32:45) How being a course creator has benefitted Anton (33:59) Advice for new and aspiring course creators (35:03) The impact of The 4-Hour Workweek plus some failed past business attempts (38:08) Live events - would I host one? (40:40) Discussing course theft, new interview questions, and more (44:40) Wrapping up Thanks for listening and learning along with me today. Stay tuned for another great episode coming soon! Links Bonjoro Free Trial Anton’s Course - Drop Ship Lifestyle The 4-Hour Workweek Sensei plugin InfusionSoft Zapier The Online Course Community (free Facebook group) Jacques' Course - Piano in 21 Days David’s Course - Wellness Program Expert