Thought Leadership Archives - Page 6 of 10

The vital first step when creating an online course

November 4, 2021 by Jason Van Orden

In my last post, we talked about how you already have 90% of what you need to launch an online course or program that expands your reach and generates consistent, scalable new income.

In this post, I’ll share a case study illustrating how I helped a client launch a new course in just three weeks and the vital first step for creating an online course your customers will eagerly buy.

In March 2020, when the pandemic hit, my client, Alexandra, lost more than half of her income sources over 48 hours.

Her freelance gigs as a choreographer, theater director, and movement analyst were delayed indefinitely. The only income that remained would come from her position as an adjunct professor at Princeton.

We hopped on a call to discuss her options.

“This is scary. I’ve got two kids to support living in New York City. I feel like my career identity has been gutted because so much of what I do has suddenly just vanished. What can I do?”

After empathizing with how stressful the situation was, I proposed a solution.

? Making chicken soup with alchemy

November 2, 2021 by Jason Van Orden

“My mom is an alchemist.”

That was the only thought going through my brain as I stared at the miracle she’d conjured.

It was the day after my daughter was born. I was hungrily rummaging through the kitchen for something to eat (groggy from a long night of waking up every 45 minutes to see if the baby was okay).

I opened the fridge…nothin’.

I looked in the pantry…meh.

I checked all the cupboards…yawn.

Somehow, we’d forgotten to stock up on groceries.

That’s when my mom (who’d flown in to help) walked into the kitchen and said she’d make something to quell our hunger.

I stepped aside, wondering how she could feel so confident, given I’d already checked the kitchen for anything worth eating.

I watched as she grabbed a mostly-eaten rotisserie chicken and a few random vegetables from the fridge.

Here’s why not enough people are buying from you

October 30, 2021September 21, 2021 by Jason Van Orden

There’s a critical piece of the puzzle that we often miss when promoting courses and programs.

It goes beyond helping our intended customers believe that we have a solution that works.

There’s one more level of trust that you must establish before they will invest time, money, and energy in your course.

It’s a simple matter of self-efficacy. In other words…

Does the prospective customer believe they are capable of achieving their desired outcome? Further, do they believe they are worthy of that outcome?

Let’s look at an example.

I have a client in the self-compassion and mindfulness space. A bit of empathy for the intended customer reveals they likely harbor a good deal of anxiety or shame.

Their journey has been a rollercoaster. They’ve tried other mindfulness practices and paths to increased self-acceptance. However, things haven’t always turned out as they hoped. They’ve probably “failed.” They’ve probably put off finding a solution, further increasing their sense of shame.

They’ve internalized a belief that something might be wrong with them, that they are somehow not able to “make mindfulness work for me.”

We could write the world’s best copy leading them to believe that my client and their course are credible and deliver results.

Here’s the path to new growth in your business

July 4, 2021 by Jason Van Orden

Let's take a closer look at each of these four outcomes; pay attention to whether any feel familiar with your situation right now.

What is the difference between businesses that enjoy significant new growth and those that flatline or fizzle out despite their best efforts?

I’ll answer that question in today’s email. If you’re feeling stuck and uncertain about how to grow your business, then what I have to share is for you.

In my previous post, I shared how businesses are going through a critical inflection point brought on by uncertain shifts taking place as we begin to emerge from the pandemic.

After an inflection point, a business will follow one of four paths.

1. Blow Up Your Business
2. Slowly Lose Ground
3. Burn Out
4. Unlock New Growth

Which path does it feel like you are on right now?

Are you prepared for the post-pandemic changes affecting your business?

June 27, 2021 by Jason Van Orden

I don’t know about you, but I started 2020 with big plans for my life and business. Of course, we all know what happened next.

While it is tempting to look at the last sixteen months as a period of limbo, the pandemic has allowed us to pause to take stock of what is working, what could be better, and what is no longer serving us.

As a result, re-evaluation and revolution have taken place in politics, social justice, business, and more.

This period of change is an inflection point for business owners, whether they are directly feeling the effects right now or not. Buyers’ needs are shifting. The way we do business is evolving at breakneck speed. What worked yesterday won’t work tomorrow.

Look no further than an online search for “pandemic business inflection point” to see how much this is a present concern for business owners.

While decisions made during inflection points can make or break a business, it’s also a time of immense opportunity.