5 words that always get me excited:
“Our launch was not fancy.”
Especially when that launch resulted in $18,675 in sales. 🙂
That’s when I know there’s something to be learned.
So when one of our clients recently reported those results, I had to get the details—including the “X factor” that helped her succeed without overcomplicating the launch.
Let’s check it out.
The Client: Jen Evangelista, founder of Grace in Color
The Product: Sojo Academy, a membership site that provides monthly Bible studies, community, creativity, and mentoring
How Her Launch Worked:
- She was planning on re-launching Sojo Academy in June
- Needed a plan/structure for the launch
- We coached her through our Simple Live Launch Playbook
- The core of the launch is a simple email sequence:
- She tweaked and adapted the sequence to best fit her audience
- Created new bonuses based on existing resources in the membership community
- Included a price increase at the end to drive urgency
The Stats:
- She added 430 new customers
- For a total of $18,675 in subscription sales (recurring at varying monthly, quarterly, and annual levels)
Her Launch’s “X Factor”:
While the price increase definitely played a role, Jen was quick to mention that they’ve continued getting steady sales at the higher price points after the launch (enrollment remains open outside of the launch windows).
To me, the real X factor was something else—a critical component that most online course creators and coaches neglect.
See, most think that growing their business boils down to 2 things:
- Attracting leads
- Monetizing them with a product
That’s what works for most businesses.
But if you’re selling a course or coaching (and Jen’s membership site contains elements of both), there’s a third component you need in order to sell it:
Trust.
When your product is based on teaching your skills or guiding your customers toward a result, you are selling YOU.
If the person you are offering your product to doesn’t trust you, they’ll never buy. Because they are buying YOU.
It’s not the same with a software or consumer product. I don’t have to fully trust the founder of Peloton in order to buy. I’m not buying his personal expertise.
But if I’m thinking of joining a membership site where Jen will help me grow in my faith and I don’t trust Jen…I’ll never buy.
So how do you build trust?
Teach.
And guess what? There’s a simple plan for that, too.
A few months back, we helped Jen implement our Simple Content Plan so she could deliver consistent, valuable content to her audience. Now, she believes it was one of the biggest reasons the launch succeeded. Here’s what she said about it:
“One of the most important things that I think helped with the launch was consistent communication with our people via email prior to the launch. We provide value 3-4 times a month in the form of devotional emails and resources that we trust.”
You can build trust with your audience with as little as 3-4 emails per month.
And when you do that consistently, you don’t need a fancy launch in order to gain 430 new customers.
What Jen Said:
“I’ve been a coaching student at Growth University since before it was named that :). I can honestly say that whenever I find myself heading down the rabbit trails I tend to follow due to my creative (some may say chaotic) nature, I can always step back into the roadmap that was carefully laid out for me in the program to get back on track. Bryan is as smart as they come and I trust him and his team to care about my business and ultimately to help me serve my audience well.”
Important: This month, we’re looking for 15 more course creators, consultants, or coaches who want to start getting results like Jen.
That’s how many spots we have open for new clients who are looking to hit $10k – $20k on a monthly basis.
If that’s you, we’d love to show you the plan we’d use to get you there. Here’s how it works:
- Schedule a free strategy session below
- We’ll audit your business
- Pinpoint the opportunities for growth (just like we did for Jen)
- Map out a personalized, step-by-step plan
- Mastermind with me and other successful entrepreneurs to brainstorm and hold each other accountable
Our calendars are open but our time is limited, so grab your spot while they’re still available: