Level Up Your Course Podcast with Janelle Allen: Create Online Courses that Change Lives Janelle Allen: Learning Designer, Online Course Coach, and Entrepreneur

What’s up everyone! We’re back this week with Joel Klettke, the founder of Business Casual Copywriting and Case Study Buddy. Joel has created very successful workshops and courses and he’s here to talk copywriting, course creation, and growing a client base.

Joel launched Business Casual Copywriting in 2013, focusing on content marketing assets and website copy. He’s worked with clients like HubSpot, WP Engine, Safelite, and Ion Interactive. Two years later, he started helping clients understand their customers better and improve their conversion rates with conversion copywriting.

Tune in to hear Joel’s copywriting journey, how he created Case Study Buddy, his copywriting advice, and how you can write effective case studies. Enjoy!

Episode Quotes
"The best way to grow your client base is to network and make connections."
"My strategy has always been to solve problems in public, be useful first, worry about selling later."
"It's not about genius, it's about discipline and repetition."

"Confidence is a byproduct of a solid process - when you know what you are doing and why you are doing it."
"I don’t want to work to make a living. I want to work to build a life."

Listen to Learn
00:21 - Rapid 5 Questions
04:45 - How Joel got into copywriting
09:41 - Going freelance growing a client base
13:14 - The shift to course creation
18:17 - Marketing as a service-based business
24:23 - How Joel started Case Study Buddy
32:51 - Copywriting best practices & pitfalls
40:36 - Leveraging audience feedback
45:39 - Tips on copywriting for course creators
47:52 - Exciting things coming up from Joel

Connect with Joel
BusinessCasualCopywriting.com
CaseStudyBuddy.com
Follow Joel on Twitter!

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Episode 130

Hey family! I hope you are doing well. This week, we’re talking about another growth strategy: YOUTUBE.

It actually took me six months to launch my YouTube channel. It wasn’t that it’s especially difficult, but I procrastinated. I found that I was stuck because of my own negative thoughts surrounding doing things that I’m not comfortable with. I mean, I’m really comfortable doing podcasts, but definitely not YouTube.

There are things we procrastinate on because of this resistance within ourselves. I realized that the key to getting unstuck is taking time to reflect, acknowledging the negative loops, and acting anyway.

Tune in to hear my YouTube experience, my advice for starting on YouTube from scratch, beginner tips, and DOs and DON’Ts.

Learn how to create a solid YouTube strategy by visiting JanelleAllen.com/YouTubeGuide.

I shared something on Twitter recently:
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but there is no magic genie that's going to help you start your thing. There is no moment when everything will feel easier. You just have to start. You are the magic.

I believe this is so important for people who, for the longest time, have been wanting to start an online business or focus on something they love. I want to encourage you this week to start your thing. You and the actions you take are the magic. Stop waiting.

In this week’s episode, I’m also sharing another growth strategy: GUEST POSTING. If you’re already running an online business, or you want to start building your audience online, this is an incredibly effective way to gain forward momentum. Tune in to hear me break down the key points of guest posting, the pros and cons, and DOs and DON’Ts you need to keep in mind.

By the way, make sure you’re staying up to date with future episodes and getting growth strategies directly in your inbox. Sign up to be part of the family here.
Episode Quotes
"Everyone's roadmap is different... What works for someone else may not work for you."
"The magic is not only you, but it's the action that you take."
"You create your path, but you can only create it through action."
"Guest posting is a flexible and effective strategy if you don’t have time to do podcast appearances."

Listen to Learn
02:21 - Do the thing. You are the MAGIC!
08:41 - What is guest posting?
11:41 - Pros and cons of guest posting
16:23 - Guest posting DOs and DONTs
27:59 - Updates and announcements

Connect with Me
JanelleAllen.com
Follow Me on Twitter!

Looking for the Transcript?
Episode 128

Hey family! How is everything going with you? Today’s episode is a solo show. I’m trying to do more of these so I can check in, especially as we all navigate how the pandemic is changing the landscape of our lives and businesses. It’s nice to be able to touch base with all of you.

In this episode, I’ll chat about the COVID-19 situation, recap the big takeaways from recent interviews, discuss podcasting for your business, and dig into some lead generation tips. Make sure you stay tuned, because I also have a very exciting announcement that you don’t want to miss.

Enjoy!
Episode Quotes
"If you're an online business owner, you were positioned to adapt better than if you have a brick and mortar business."
"Podcasts are good for traffic, nurturing, and discoverability, but it's not great for lead generation."
"Students do better when they have a community where they can connect and ask questions."

Listen to Learn
01:07 - COVID-19’s impact on online course creators
04:15 - Recap of previous episodes
08:46 - Podcasting for your business
12:36 - Effective lead generation channels
16:01 - New and exciting things happening!

Connect with Me
JanelleAllen.com
Follow Me on Twitter!

Looking for the Transcript?
Episode 127

Ready to start a podcast for your business?
Learn how to start a podcast in three simple steps. No excuses!
https://janelleallen.com/startyourshow

Hey, family! This week I’m joined by Tara McMullin, the founder and CEO of What Works, a top business podcast and community centered on the number one question business owners want answered. Tara is here to talk about her pivot from 1:1 consulting to facilitating honest conversations about what’s working in small businesses and discovering the real key: what works for you.

Instead of thinking of podcasts as purely a marketing asset, think of it as part of your business model.

One thing that works for Tara is podcasting. She has interviewed over 180 small business owners about systems for marketing, management, operations, product and personal development, sales, and productivity. I’m so excited to welcome Tara for her second appearance on the show. Tune in and hear how she’s making What Works work and her tips for course creators looking to add podcasting to their business model.

Episode Quotes
"Peer-to-peer learning was really, really important to me."
"During the pivot we did our very best to communicate the change, walk clients through it, and allow them to feel really supported."
"The very first step is demystifying the process because podcasting is not difficult at all, it is just opaque."
"It is a mistake to create content for your podcast and just insert your pitch as an ad."
"I believe in the power of small business owners to reshape our economy and our culture in positive ways."

Listen to Learn
02:00 - Rapid 5 Questions
05:09 - Pivoting to a community-oriented business
13:23 - How Tara started podcasting
15:29 - Podcasting tips for beginners
20:50 - The 3 different types of podcasts
23:51 - Benefits of podcasting for businesses
28:26 - Developing a content strategy
33:40 - DOs and DON’Ts of pitching in podcasts
37:48 - Importance of value propositions for podcasts
41:25 - Exciting things coming up from Tara

Connect with Tara
Join the What Works Network
Listen to the What Works podcast
TaraGentile.com
Follow Tara on Twitter!

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Episode 126

What’s up everyone! This week’s guest is Reuven Lerner, full-time Python trainer, computer scientist, and author of Python Workout.

If you are doing courses because you have expertise and enjoy sharing it with other people, let that show.

Reuven teaches developers and corporate engineers around the world to become fluent in Python. In his corporate training, he serves top tier tech companies like Apple, Cisco, IBM, and Intel, but he also offers Weekly Python Exercises, a set of 15-week courses to help learners become better Python developers. His online video courses consist of hands-on labs that empower his students to understand Python at a deeper level.

Tune in to hear Reuven’s Python journey, plus how he creates engaging online trainings, creates his evergreen newsletters, and drives traffic to his website. Let’s dig in!

Episode Quotes
"There's a bunch of different ways to drive website traffic, so it's important not to put all of your eggs in one basket."
"Narrowing down the service offerings on my website has been more effective."
"If you are doing courses because you have expertise and enjoy sharing it with other people, let that show."
"Informality is no longer seen as a bad thing, so be yourself and keep experimenting."

Listen to Learn
01:28 - Rapid 5 Questions, Reuven's business journey
10:45 - Converting in-person to online training
14:40 - Tips for creating engaging online training
18:24 - How to build an evergreen newsletter
22:26 - Ways to increase website traffic
26:37 - Sales funnel and lead nurturing
29:25 - Importance of a customer-centric website
34:47 - The power of online courses during COVID-19 crisis
41:10 - Advice for online course creators
42:22 - Exciting things coming up from Reuven

Connect with Reuven
Check out Reuven’s Weekly Python Exercise
Read Reuven’s book, Python Workout
Lerner.co.il
Follow Reuven on Twitter!

Looking for the Transcript?
Episode 123