Build Your Online Audience

Are you easily distracted?

Do you feel like you could get SO much more done if you just could settle down and focus ONE thing.

And it's not just about the little everyday distractions, like social media, email, and text messages.

Sometimes you get distracted by the BIG things - like opportunities/projects that take you away from the core focus of your business.

If this sounds familiar, you'll love this podcast episode with productivity expert Mike Vardy. In it, he talks about how to deal with distractions in your business. He also shares his unique approach to productivity - time crafting - and how this can help you do more in less time.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

Podcast shownotes

• About my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner and #2021sorted (05:00)
• The difference between distractions, disruptions and diversions (and why it's important) (12:00)
• Practical ways to prevent distractions (13:30)
• How 'theming' your time and mode-based can help you avoid - and deal with distractions (16:04)
• How long it takes to regain focus after you're distracted (18:25)
• Why awareness is the key to managing distractions (23:41)
• Why there is no one size fits all approach to productivity (26:36)
• Why you should add new productivity strategies all at the same time (30:48)
• How time blocking can help you be more productive (35:10)
• Why you should change up your productivity strategies from time to time (36:27)
• The problem with being too rigid with your time management (40:25)
• How external accountability can help you be more productive (41:27)
• How themes and 'modes' can help you be more productive (41:18)

Resources

Mike Vardy website

Mike Vardy's $5 guarantee

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] How I discovered my ADHD superpower (podcast)

[406] Mindset problems that can slow your audience growth with Osmaan Sharif (podcast)

[413] How to get more done in less time and build your audience faster (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Have you recently joined the Build Your Online Audience Programme and want to make sure you get the most out of the programme?

Or perhaps you've been in the Build Your Online Audience programme for a while and want to make sure you get the most out of your membership?

Maybe you've haven't joined yet and just want to get a sense of what's involved (all fine).

If so you probably have questions like:

• What is the best way to use the resources to get the results I need?
• How much time will I need to devote to the programme to get the results I need?
• How will you communicate with me about upcoming events/classes?
• What exactly is included in the programme and how does it work?
• What should I do if I get 'stuck' or feel I'm not making progress

Find out why your mindset is important and the content that's included in the programme and the differences between the two versions of the Build Your Online Audience Programme. Plus the support that you will get inside the membership from myself and my team.

If you're not a member - you might want to start this podcast - Should you join my Build Your Online Audience Programme.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

While it's tempting to start by listing out features of the programme, I know what you're really interested in is the potential transformation i.e. what kind of results can you expect if you join. Which is why I'm going to start with getting into the right mindset.

Managing your mindset

While the Build Your Online Audience programme includes some fantastic resources and support….what will really make the difference to your progress is the mindset with which you approach things.

With that in mind, here are a few things you need to bear in mind.

1. Being successful in a membership programme isn't about how much time you spend in it.

People use membership communities in different ways. Some like to work through all the resources, show up to live calls and post in the Facebook group every day. Others prefer to dip in and out as and when they need help. Either is fine.

Getting a return on investment is NOT about how much you 'use' the membership i.e. how often you log into the membership area, how many live calls you attend, how many masterclasses you watch (in fact that can be a form of procrastination!).

For example:

✔️Leadership coach Blaire Palmer generated £42k in sales from one class (Science of Audience Building). Even if she never watched anything again, I think she'd say she got a return on investment.

✔️Canva expert Gemma Cormack took her income from £240 a month to £3950.00 per month. She has also added 2k new Instagram followers after completing my Instagram Success Academy course. Again, even if she never accessed another resource, I think she'd say she got a great return on investment.

✔️Camille recently launched a membership and generated 8k in sales - adding 100 new members (she'd predicted 50)

✔️Fashion consultant Trisha Sakhlecha, used our Get It Done accountability sessions to create a sequence of emails that helped her generate five coaching enquiries and three sales

✔️Victoria Rose launched a podcast (using the podcasting course), increased her Instagram following by 180% and generated almost £1800 in sales

✔️Claire Gleave launched her Activewear company Natal Active and generated £6.5k in her first month of business (she predicted £1.2k). Also added 2k Instagram followers

It's about results. So while there's tons of useful content in the membership, you may find that there's just ONE thing that delivers the biggest investment for you. It could be one piece of advice (from me or something else in the group), one recommendation, one relationship, one conversation or one collaboration.

2. You will need to be patient

Forget about the 'get rich quick' stories. It takes most people a good year to build an engaged audience online.

At LEAST.

Which means you'll need to keep showing up, consistently, and publish high-quality content. You'll need to focus on building your email list - however frustrating it might feel. And you'll need to keep tweaking and testing until you learn what works. And keep tweaking and testing some more. Because NO ONE gets it right first time. And doing it wrong (or even just 'ok') is how you learn how to do it right.

The good news is, you've got my support - and the support of the Build Your Online Audience community - to keep you going, even when it feels hard.

To ensure you have money coming in during that time you have the Science of Audience Building class.

3. You may need to be courageous

If you're not used to putting yourself/your business out there…you may need to be courageous and try things you haven't done before. But just think what it will do for your confidence.

4. You will need to take responsibility

The Build Your Audience Programme has all the resources and support you need to succeed including our fab Get It Done sessions - focused co-working sessions that will help you get things done.

Ultimately though, it's up to you to take action. That's the only bit I can't help you with. If you don't do the work, you won't get the results. It's that simple.

You will need to prioritise

But make sure you reach out to Sam our Community Manager.

5. You will lose your mojo

I can tell you right now...there will be times when you need to take time out from the membership programme: when your workload gets crazy, you have family issues to deal with or over the holiday period, for example. At times like this, you may feel like you've lost your mojo, and wonder how you'll ever get it back.

If you're feeling like this, rest assured this is perfectly normal. Life gets in the way for all of us from time to time. The key thing is to get back on track as soon as you can.

Whatever you do, don't beat yourself up about it. We've all bought resources or signed up to online training programmes we haven't used as much as we'd like to. Sometimes life or business (or both) just gets in the way. That doesn't mean you can't or won't be able to. Remember, getting value out of a membership programme is NOT about how many classes you watch

If you've had to take a break from your membership community - or are struggling to keep up - you may experience a range of emotions: embarrassment, frustration or even anger, for example. You may feel annoyed at yourself that you've paid for something you're not using or isn't getting you the results you hoped for.

When you feel like this, it's tempting to 'hide' and hope no one notices your absence, but the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to make a comeback. So be brave and let us and know how you're feeling. Drop us a line on [email protected] and we'll do our best to help.

Finally...people join membership communities for the content and stay for the community. So don't underestimate the power of being part of a supportive business community.

The content in my Build Your Online Audience Programme

What is included in the Standard programme?

The standard programme takes you through the exact steps you need to take to build your online audience - from getting clear on your niche (the all-important first step) to getting more followers on social media, building a loyal following for your blog/vlog, podcast (if you have one) and building your email list.

SESSION 1: Nail your niche

Find the right niche for your business (or refine the one you have) so you can become the market leader.

SESSION 2: Developing your brand voice

Create brand voice guidelines for your business so you never get stuck on what to say about your business (and how to say it).

SESSION 3: Creating your visual brand

Create a visual style sheet for your business - or refresh the one you have - so people fall in love with your brand (over and over again)

SESSION 4: Choosing your platforms

Choose the content platforms that are right for your business (i.e. blog, Youtube, podcast, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Twitter).

SESSION 5: Creating bingeworthy content

Learn how to create content that's more addictive than your favourite Netflix series.

SESSION 6: Unforgettable social media

Create irresistible social media content that attracts new followers and fans - every single day.

SESSION 7: Email marketing 101

Get started with email list building (even if you feel daunted by the tech).

SESSION 8: Email magnetism

Create a compelling email lead magnet (and learn zillions of ways to get new email subscribers).

SESSION 9: Nurture and Grow

Learn how to write compelling email marketing copy - including welcome sequences, nurture sequences and email newsletters people actually look forward to receiving.

😮 INCLUDES FIVE DONE-FOR-YOU EMAIL SEQUENCES YOU CAN ADAPT FOR YOU OWN BUSINESS 😮

Also included:

✔️Bonus classes on the key social media platforms: Twitter, Instagram Facebook, LinkedIn and Canva

✔️A weekly group coaching call featuring guest experts who focus on the 'mindset' side of building your online audience (monthly themes include money mindset, productivity, motivation, goal-setting, planning and prioritisation and confidence)

✔️Facebook Community where you can get daily help/support from myself and other business owners who are committed to building their online audience

What is included in the Premium version of the programme?

All of the above PLUS: ACCESS TO MY ENTIRE ADVANCED MASTERCLASS LIBRARY

Includes the following classes (worth £792)

• How to create a coaching/consultancy package
• How to launch your first online course
• How to write social media posts that sell
• How to launch your own planner/journal
• How to turn your offline services into online offerings
• How to launch a webinar/masterclass
• How to create an email nurture sequence
• How to create passive income in your business
• How to write delightful emails
• How to write engaging copy for your business (Copy Fix)
• How to get booked to speak on big stages
• How to create a content plan for your business

PLUS additional courses/classes (worth £1782)

✔️ Getting started with Pinterest

✔️ Blogging Success Formula

✔️ Instagram Success Academy

✔️ Getting started with Facebook ads (coming later in the year)

✔️ Getting started with Youtube (coming soon)

✔️ Getting started with live video (coming later in the year)

✔️ Launching your own podcast

✔️ Blogging Success Formula

BONUS course: How to create awesome sales copy (worth £497)

🐝 GET IT DONE SESSIONS 🐝

The Premium version also includes my popular Get It Done sessions. These focused co-working sessions where you can work with other members on a specific task/set of tasks (related to your audience building).

What is the format of the classes?

Each class is typically around 90 minutes and includes a video tutorial and comprehensive workbook.

Many of the classes are taught live, but there is no need to worry if you can't attend live as all the classes and resources are available in the membership area (usually within 24 hours of the class - often sooner).

Classes are delivered via Zoom video conferencing and are generally very interactive with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get feedback.

Making the most of Office Hour

Our weekly Office Hour takes place on Mondays - alternating at 11am/4pm (GMT/BST). If you want to check the time for your specific time zone, you can do that here. It takes place online (we use the video conferencing software Zoom) and is a chance for members to ask questions about any aspect of their marketing and get feedback from myself and the rest of the group. At the start of the call, I also update the group about membership news e.g. upcoming events and/or challenges.

Occasionally the time of the Office Hour might change - for example, if I am speaking/travelling. If this is the case we will let you know via our member bot. We will attempt to give you plenty of notice, but please be aware this may not always be possible.

Attending the weekly Office Hour call is not only a chance for you to ask questions, but it's also an opportunity for you to get to know other members, build your support network and create opportunities for collaboration.

How to prepare for Office Hour

You don't need to prepare anything for the call - apart from making a note of any questions you would like to raise.

However, when you join the call, you may be asked to introduce yourself to the rest of the group in ten words or less (on video), so it's a good idea to craft your 'ten-word top line' before you get on the call e.g. 'I sell gift boxes for new mums' or 'I'm a business coach, specialising in working with introverts'.

Due to time constraints this really does need to be a ten-word top line...and the more specific you can be the better. If people are confused about what you do, they're far less likely to remember you/your business.

A replay of the call, along with summary notes (which are time-stamped so you know what has been discussed) will be available in the membership area and Facebook group afterwards. This should be uploaded within 24 hours - often much sooner - but you may need to bear with us at busy times.

What's not included in the Build Your Online Audience programme

1-2-1 calls with me

Personal responses to your questions via social media messaging (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter) or phone

Personal responses to your questions via email (please use the Facebook group to ask questions)

If you feel like you need more personalised attention, drop us a line on [email protected] to find out about upgrading your membership to one of our coaching programmes

The support you get in the Build Your Online Audience programme

About Team JM

As you can imagine, I have hundreds of clients and there's only one of me...so I rely on these guys to look after you so I can focus on the content/teaching.

But I'm lucky enough to be supported by a fab team and here's what they can help you with.

Sam Hill, Community Manager

Sam helps look after the Build Your Online Audience Community. This includes: creating the show notes for our weekly Office Hour, supporting me on online classes and events. She also helps with moderation in the Facebook group (including directing you to relevant resources and connecting members' with common interests). She can also help if you can't log into your account (just tag her into a post in the Facebook group).

Julie Williams, Tech Support

Julie manages the Janet Murray inbox and provides technical support. So if you're locked out of your account, have ordered something from the website that hasn't come through or are struggling to access the learning resources on the members' site, Julie is your first port of contact.

Lisa Crossland, Events Manager

Lisa handles the financial side of the business and looks after the fulfilment of all of the physical products (books, diaries etc), She is the person to speak to if you have a query about a payment, are looking for a VAT invoice…anything money related really.

Lisa also deals with all my event logistics - from booking the venue, to managing the speakers (including booking their hotels/travel) to arranging the printing of the workbooks. So if you have any logistical questions e.g. 'where's the special lunch I ordered?' 'what time is the group dinner this evening?' or 'can I have an invoice/receipt?' she's the person to talk to.

Tracey Tester, Design & Creative

Tracey is the creative brain behind the Janet Murray brand. She is responsible for all the on and offline visual branding, including my popular Social Media Diary & Planner. Tracey also works closely with me on the development of content ideas, including online courses, publications and live events.

Kim Willis, Social Media

Kim helps me with social media management - primarily relating to the promotion of my podcast.

Sarah Mulcare, Messenger Bot

Sarah builds and manages our member messenger bot which is the main communication tool we use in the Build Your Online Audience programme. The bot will remind you about all our upcoming classes/coaching sessions. If you think you don't like messenger bots...I'd urge you to give ours a try. It really is the most convenient - and least intrusive way - to keep you up to speed with everything that's going on.

We're all mums combining our roles with bringing up school-aged children, which means we sometimes keep slightly unusual hours (e..g evenings and weekends) and tend to work less during school holiday periods. Occasionally this can mean we take a little bit longer to get back to you…but we do surprisingly well, considering.

If at any time you have a question - or need some help or advice, please do tag myself, or Sam into your Facebook posts or send an email to [email protected] which will be picked up by someone in the team.

Key Information

WORKING HOURS

1. My working hours are 9-5pm (BST/GMT) Mon-Fri although this may vary when/if I am travelling. This means if you email/post a question relating to the programme during those hours, you can expect to receive a reply within 24 hours if it's a working day (longer if it's the weekend). You may receive a reply from myself or from one of my team members.

2. My team members keep the same hours…so please respect their right to have an evening/weekend. This includes private messaging them on their personal Facebook accounts. If you do want to contact the team via Facebook please go via my page but we really do prefer email. If you send your message to [email protected] one of the team can pick it up there.

RESPONSE TIMES

1. Due to the high numbers of students enrolled in my online programmes, I am not able to answer individual questions via email. If you would like to book a 1-2-1 consultation with me please email [email protected] for fees and availability.

2. If you have a question, please tag me in and I will reply within 24 hours if it's a working day (working hours listed above). Please appreciate I get a LOT of notifications so if I miss your post, it is not intentional - so just re-tag me and or nag one of my team members starting with your community manager Sam Hill.

YOUR PARTICIPATION

This Build Your Audience Programme contains all the information you need to build your online audience. If anything is unclear you can also ask me questions in our dedicated Facebook community.

But ultimately the only person who can do the work is YOU.

So if you don't use the membership materials and/or use the Facebook community to get support, the only person you can blame if you're not successful is YOU.

To that end, you must take personal responsibility for your own learning. Which includes asking for help if you need it.

Not a member of my Build Your Online Audience programme but want to join? Join my Build Your Online Audience programme here

Thinking about joining my Build Your Online Audience programme? Listen to this podcast

Podcast shownotes

• About this podcast episode and why you might be listening (01:45)
• Why you don't have to spend hours in the membership to be successful (4:35)
• Different member success stories and why everyone is different (06:10)
• Why everyone's outcomes are different as they have different objectives (10:22)
• Why you'll get a return on investment (as long as you do the work) (12:15)
• Where to start in the Build Your Online Audience programme ( 12:48)
• Why you shouldn't worry if you don't do everything in the programme (14:31)
• Why you have to be patient (and why it takes time to build an online audience) (15:29)
• About the science of audience building class (and why you do it first) (17:16)
• Why you'll have to push yourself out of your comfort zone (19:02)
• Where to start in the programme if you feel overwhelmed (22:56)
• What to do when you lose your mojo or you get stuck (24:14)
• The different modules and what's included in the standard version (27:40)
• About our weekly group coaching call office hour (32:30)
• What's included in the premium version of Build Your Online Audience (32:56)
• About the Get It done Sessions in the premium version (34:18)
• About our weekly office hour coaching calls and the guest experts (35:34)
• What's not included in Build Your Online Audience (36:20)
• About the Build Your Online Audience team behind the scenes (36:50)
• About my messenger bot and why it'll help you stay organised (38:26)
• Working hours that the membership team are available (38:30)

Resources

[BONUS] Should you join my Build Your Online Audience Programme (podcast)

Other Podcast episodes

[339] How To Build An Audience for an Online Course or membership (podcast) [343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Do you ever struggle promoting your business success and telling everyone how great you are?

Perhaps you'd love to be one of those people that tells everyone how amazing they are - but you don't want to come across as an arrogant braggy show-off - so you just keep quiet and hope everyone will just notice you?

If that sounds familiar then this podcast is for you. I explain why you must shout about your success and how to show potential clients how fabulous you are - without using contrived website testimonials.

Find out how to use your client success stories to showcase your highlight reel and why you need to think carefully about the problem you solve - before you rush off to pitch to a client.

I explain the steps you need to take to make sure you get a great testimonial from a client that has clarity and impact - rather than just a load of meaningless wimpy words.

Plus how to make sure your testimonials show how brilliant you are - rather than just tell.

And why testimonials aren't just for potential clients or customers but why you current clients and customers need to hear how great you are too.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

Podcast shownotes

• About this podcast episode (10:10)
• How to sell more by explaining how you help people (13:27)
• Why your clients (and potential clients) need to hear how good you are (15:28)
• What makes a great testimonial and why it's not just words (17:39)
• Why your transformation doesn't have to be big (19:01)
• How to use your stories to share your transformations (20:01)
• Why you must think about the problem you solve for your clients (22:30)
• Why your client success stories will make potential clients want to work with you (23:44)
• Why original raw testimonials are better than fancy images (25:30)
• Why you should get specific numbers from clients (26:35)
• Why you should share testimonials with existing clients/customers (28:13)
• Why it's not just about the money when you write in a testimonial (30:40)
• Why impact is really powerful when talking about transformations (31:15)
• Why pictures of people using your product are really powerful (34:01)
• Why you have to ask clients to promote your product or service (36:18)
• How to use a case study as a testimonial (and why it's valuable) (37:01)
• How to get testimonials from your clients by asking them to share their knowledge (38:20)

Resources

Join my Build Your Online Audience Programme

Other useful podcasts

[337] The tools I use to build an online audience (podcast) [339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast) [343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) [372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)

[BONUS] Should you join my Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Would you love to launch an online course - but you're not sure how long it will take or you may be wondering how long it will take you to create the resources and get it online?

There are so many factors to consider. For example:

• How well do you know your subject? (and do you already have content you can repurpose?)
• How long will your course be? (i.e. how many modules/lessons)
• Are you are planning to do everything yourself (or outsource some tasks)
• Will your classes be live or pre-recorded?
• Have you created an online course before?
• Do you have previous teaching experience?

This podcast episode (which you can also read as a blog post) will take you through the key things you need to consider to estimate how long it will take you to create your course.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.} 1. How well do you know your subject?

The first and most important decision you need to make about your course is the topic.

Choose a topic you know well and/or have already created content on as this can vastly reduce the amount of time needed to create your course - and get it to market.

For example, my first course, Soulful PR for Starters was a beginners course on how to do your own PR. I had already created a cluster of blog posts on this topic. For example:

• What kind of ideas are journalists interested in?
• How to write a press release for a journalist
• How to write an effective pitch for a journalist
• How to find journalists' contact details
• What to do if a journalist says 'no' to your pitch

So I was able to use the blog posts I had already created (which were tried and tested ideas) to quickly create an outline for my course.

Had I been starting from scratch it could have taken HOURS of research.

2. How long will your online course be?

This will have the biggest impact on your time as the longer your course, the longer it will take you to create the materials.

According to Teachable, a starter course might be just five – 20 lessons and cover a smaller aspect of a wider topic e.g. How to create a high-converting lead magnet or it may cover it at a beginner's level of detail e.g. Soulful PR for Starters.

A typical price to sell a starter course might be $50 – $200.

A flagship course like Build Your Online Audience might be 20 – 100 lessons and cover all aspects of a topic in lots of depth with plenty of additional resources and maybe a community aspect to the programme too. It could sell for $200 – $2000+.

Bonus tip If it's your first course, try a starter course as part of a funnel. A tripwire. Then you can measure how long things take you.

3. Are you are planning to do everything yourself (or outsource some tasks)

As a minimum, most online courses contain:

• Video tutorials
• Workbooks/printables (e.g. templates, checklists, cheat sheets, swipe files)
• Slides

Some course creators also provide audio versions of their courses (which is a great idea for accessibility) and transcripts.

This means that at a very minimum you will need to:

• Plan the lessons
• Record/edit video tutorials
• Create slides and printables

If you are planning to do it all yourself, you may need to factor in time to learn about video editing, design. However, I really recommend using a professional designer and perhaps even an audio editor. I'd recommend outsourcing if you can.

Bonus tip: Don't forget to factor in time learning new skills or costs for outsourcing.

4. Will your classes be live or pre-recorded?

It's typically quicker to create live content (as you have to do it all in one 'take') but depending on how perfect you want your content to be - you may want to edit your content afterwards and cut out any unnecessary bits. But see point 6 - it can be quite nerve-wracking teaching online (or teaching at all if you haven't done it before).

For a masterclass that's 90 mins - 2 hours long it takes me:

• 6 hours to prepare for a class.
• Plus a day to create a workbook with help from my designer.

If you're a confident, competent online teacher, go for it live.

5. Have you created an online course before?

As with anything in life, you tend to get quicker. When I first started creating online courses, it could sometimes take me up to three hours to create an online class. Now I do it all in one take. I don't even edit out mistakes unless they are REALLY big.

While I don't advocate creating your course upfront before knowing if anyone will buy your course. Creating one session to see how long it takes you might be an idea. OR try a masterclass or webinar first before you launch a course to see how long it will take you.

Bonus tip: Start with a masterclass or webinar first before you launch a course. Make sure you presell before you create.

6. Are you experienced in teaching?

I am - so it takes less time but what about you? If you've never taught anything before it will take you longer than someone who is experienced in teaching.

Make sure you research the different learning styles that people have - some people learn visually others from listening or reading.

It's important to mix up your styles so that you reach different people at different times.

Bonus tip: Do some research on different learning styles on how people learn etc. Think about the accessibility of your course.

7. How to sell your course (without outlaying too much cost)

Make sure you presell your course before you create it. This way you'll know if it's got legs. The worse that can happen is that you have to refund people as you haven't had enough interest.

If you haven't got a big online audience to sell to - you might consider starting small with a webinar or masterclass to build interest from and then build your online audience.

Ready to know more?

Join my How To Plan And Create Awesome Teaching Resources For An Online Course

Podcast shownotes

• About my How to plan and launch online masterclasses (01:47)
• About this podcast episode (07:32)
• Why I can't give you the exact amount of time it will take to create a course (08:21)
• Why knowing your subject really well will help you create your course quickly (11:25)
• How to save time if you already have some popular content to turn into a course (13:12)
• Why creating a niche mini-course is a good place to start (15:02)
• Why you need to test your concept before building a flagship course (16:28)
• The three main resources that you might need to create for your course (19:25)
• What you need to think about when creating your resources for your online course (20:47
• Why you need to remember that everyone has different learning styles (21:34)
• How to make your classes interactive (and why you should) (23:40)
• What you need to consider when you create your resources (25:10)
• Why you might want to consider outsourcing and why design is so important (28:40)
• Why your course materials need to look professional (30:10)
• Why live classes can save you time rather than prerecording(31:40)
• When you might prerecord your classes (33:20)
• Why you should start with a masterclass or webinar and build from there (35:02)
• Why you should presell your course before you create it (36:50)
• How to find out if people will buy your course (38:39)
• What to do if you don't have time to build a big online audience to sell to (40:01)
• How to get an idea of how long it will take you to create your course (43:20)

Resources

Join my How To Plan And Create Awesome Teaching Resources For An Online Course

Join my Build Your Online Audience Programme

Teachable

Rev.com Affiliate link with $10 off for new customers

Other useful podcasts

[337] The tools I use to build an online audience (podcast) [339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast) [343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) [372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)

[BONUS] Should you join my Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Are you considering joining my Build Your Online Audience programme but aren't sure whether it's right for you?

If so you probably have questions like:

• What kind of results can I expect if I join the programme (and how quickly?)
• What exactly is included in the programme and how does it work?
• Is the programme suitable for a business brand//like mine?

Maybe you're wondering how much time you will need to devote to the Build Your Online Audience programme, whether it's suitable for your type (or stage) of business and the difference between the Standard/Premium versions of the programme. {Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

While it's tempting to start with the features of the programme, I know what you're really interested in is the potential transformation i.e. what kind of results can you expect if you join.

1. What kind of results can you expect if you join the Build Your Online Audience programme?

As with anything in life you get out what you put in but here's what some members have achieved:

✔️ Leadership coach Blaire Palmer generated £42k in sales from one class (Science of Audience Building) Achieved within 90 days.

✔️ Canva expert Gemma Cormack took her income from £240 a month to £3950.00 per month. She has also added 2k new Instagram followers after completing my Instagram Success Academy course. Achieved within 90 days.

✔️ Fashion consultant Trisha Sakhlecha, used our Get It Done accountability sessions to create a sequence of emails that helped her generate five coaching enquiries and three sales. Achieved within 90 days.

✔️ Victoria Rose launched a podcast (using the podcasting course), increased her Instagram following by 180% and generated almost £1800 in sales

Achieved within 90 days

✔️ Claire Gleave launched her Activewear company Natal Active and generated £6.5k in her first month of business (she predicted £1.2k). Also added 2k Instagram followers

2. Why do you need to build an online audience?

You don't NEED to build an online audience. If you're getting enough leads/sales online - and/or you only need a small number of clients each year and you can get them via your existing contacts - you don't need to do anything.

But if you want to sell one-to-many i.e. you want to sell your products/services in the hundreds and thousands. And you don't want to have to do personal outreach for every sale, you need an online audience.

To put this into context, the average conversion rate for online sales is just 1-2%. Which means for every hundred people in your audience, only a handful will buy. So if you're looking to sell at scale i.e. products, online courses, membership...you need a much bigger audience than you think you do.

3. How much does it cost to join the Build Your Online Audience programme?

There are two levels to the programme: Standard and Premium.

Standard: is £240/£36 pcm

Premium: is £440/£66 pcm

As a monthly member - no minimum numbers of months.

4. What exactly IS the Build Your Online Audience programme?

The Build Your Online Audience programme is the only dedicated membership programme aimed at helping you build an online audience i.e. more fans, followers and subscribers.

Because the more of the right kind of people you have in the audience, the easier it will be for you to make online sales.

Key topics covered in the Standard programme are:

✔️ Social media marketing: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram

✔️ Content planning and creation

✔️ Content strategy (blogging, podcasting, video marketing)

✔️ Email marketing (including how to create a lead magnet and build your email list).

We also focus on the mindset part of building your audience, with weekly group coaching sessions on relevant topics including: money mindset, productivity, motivation, goal-setting, planning and prioritisation and self-confidence.

5. What is included in the Standard version of the Build Your Online Audience programme?

The standard version of the Build Your Online programme takes you through the exact steps you need to take to build your online audience - from getting clear on your niche (the all-important first step) to getting more followers on social media, building a loyal following for your blog/vlog, podcast (if you have one) and building your email list.

SESSION 1: Nail your niche

Find the right niche for your business (or refine the one you have) so you can become the market leader.

SESSION 2: Developing your brand voice

Create brand voice guidelines for your business so you never get stuck on what to say about your business (and how to say it).

SESSION 3: Creating your visual brand

Create a visual style sheet for your business - or refresh the one you have - so people fall in love with your brand (over and over again)

SESSION 4: Choosing your platforms

Choose the content platforms that are right for your business (i.e. blog, Youtube, podcast, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Twitter).

SESSION 5: Creating binge worthy content

Learn how to create content that's more addictive than your favourite Netflix series.

SESSION 6: Unforgettable social media

Create irresistible social media content that attracts new followers and fans - every single day.

SESSION 7: Email marketing 101

Get started with email list building (even if you feel daunted by the tech).

SESSION 8: Email magnetism

Create a compelling email lead magnet (and learn zillions of ways to get new email subscribers).

SESSION 9: Nurture and Grow

Learn how to write compelling email marketing copy - including welcome sequences, nurture sequences and email newsletters people actually look forward to receiving.

😮 INCLUDES FIVE DONE-FOR-YOU EMAIL SEQUENCES YOU CAN ADAPT FOR YOU OWN BUSINESS 😮

Also included:

✔️ Bonus classes on the key social media platforms: Twitter, Instagram Facebook, LinkedIn. PLUS a Canva masterclass.

✔️ A weekly group coaching call featuring guest experts who focus on the 'mindset' side of building your online audience (monthly themes include money mindset, productivity, motivation, goal-setting, planning and prioritisation and confidence)

✔️ Facebook Community where you can get daily help/support from myself and other business owners who are committed to building their online audience

6. What is included in the Premium version of the Build Your Online Audience programme?

The Premium version of the Build Your Online Audience programme includes:

All of the above PLUS: ACCESS TO MY ENTIRE ADVANCED MASTERCLASS LIBRARY

Includes the following classes (worth £792)

• How to create a coaching/consultancy package
• How to launch your first online course
• How to write social media posts that sell
• How to launch your own planner/journal
• How to turn your offline services into online offerings
• How to launch a webinar/masterclass
• How to create an email nurture sequence
• How to create passive income in your business
• How to write delightful emails
• How to write engaging copy for your business (Copy Fix)
• How to get booked to speak on big stages
• How to create a content plan for your business

PLUS additional courses/classes (worth £1782)

✔️ Getting started with Pinterest

✔️ Blogging Success Formula

✔️ Instagram Success Academy

✔️ Getting started with Facebook ads (coming later in the year)

✔️ Getting started with Youtube (coming soon)

✔️ Getting started with live video (coming later in the year)

✔️ Launching your own podcast

✔️ Blogging Success Formula

BONUS course: How to create awesome sales copy (worth £497)

🐝 GET IT DONE SESSIONS 🐝

The Premium version of the Build Your Online Audience programme also includes my popular Get It Done sessions. These focused co-working sessions where you can work with other members on a specific task/set of tasks (related to your audience building).

Who is the Build Your Online Audience for?

The Build Your Online Audience programme is suitable for anyone who wants to build an online audience i.e. more followers, fans and subscribers.

It's suitable for:

✔️ Service-based based businesses (including hospitality)

✔️ Product-based businesses

✔️ Online business

✔️ Offline businesses

✔️ New businesses

✔️ Established businesses​

✔️ Freelancers/sole traders

✔️ Solopreneurs/entrepreneurs

✔️ Small/Medium-sized businesses

✔️ Colleges/universities

✔️ Charities

And if you need more reassurance, here's a list of some of the types of business owners I've helped with audience building:

Glamping site owners, genealogists, costume designers, social media managers, accountants, psychologists, personal trainers, coaches/consultants, holiday cottage owners, estate agents, wedding planners, website designers, jewellery designers, artists, writers, vocal coaches, nutritionists, business coaches, universities, cake makers, hairstylists, jewellery designers.

7. Is the Build Your Online Audience programme suitable for product-based business owners?

Absolutely yes. The audience-building strategies you use to build an audience for a product-based business are exactly the same as those you'd use for a service-based. Because a service IS a product, right? To put that into context, I use exactly the same strategies to sell a digital product like my Build Your Online Audience programme as I do a physical product like my Social Media Diary & Planner.

Here is a list of some of the product-based business owners I work with:

✔️ Hand-made jewellery

✔️ Evening dresses and gowns

✔️ Dance costumes

✔️ Face masks

✔️ Vegan handbags

✔️ Subscription boxes

✔️ Personalised baby/toddler gifts

✔️ Recipe kits

✔️ Skincare and makeup

✔️ Books/planners

✔️ Yoga wear and accessories

✔️ Children's clothes

✔️ Activewear for mums and mums-to-be

8. Is the Build Your Online Audience programme just for beginners?

Not at all. Whether you're new in business - or you're looking to pivot/or create an audience for something new, the Build Your Online Audience programme can help.

Is the Build Your Online Audience programme suitable for new business owners?

Definitely. Whether you're completely new in business - or you're looking to pivot/or create an audience for something new, the Build Your Online Audience programme can help.

9. What is the format of the classes?

Each class is typically around 90 minutes and includes a video tutorial and comprehensive workbook.

Many of the classes are taught live, but there is no need to worry if you can't attend live as all the classes and resources are available in the membership area (usually within 24 hours of the class - often sooner).

Classes are delivered via Zoom video conferencing and are generally very interactive with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get feedback.

10. When is the right time to join the Build Your Online Audience programme...before I launch my new product/service or afterwards?

It's never too early to start building your audience. And I would recommend joining BEFORE you launch your new product/service. Otherwise, who are you going to sell it to?

11. How quickly should you expect to see results from the Build Your Online Audience programme?

As with anything in your business you get out what you put in?

You get out what you put in. Shared success stories of 90 days

12. Can men join the Build Your Online Audience programme?

Absolutely yes. Paul Couchman (great growth in his Instagram 1500 new followers) historic food, Mahmood Reza accountant (helped launch an awareness day) Jon Clayton architectural technologist (£600 of sales from Science of Audience Building).

13. How much time do I need to spend?

Minimum of two hours a week.

You don't have to do everything

Resources

Join my Build Your Online Audience programme here

Other Podcast episodes

[339] How To Build An Audience for an Online Course or membership (podcast) [343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) [380] How to set goals for audience growth in 2020 and why you should (podcast) [386] The four types of content that will help you make more sales in 2020 (podcast) [417] How much does it cost to launch your own planner (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Would you love to make more sales from your website? Maybe you'd love to know the type of content to create to attract more people to your website?

Find out how to attract more website visitors and increase your sales in this podcast with online marketing consultant and website optimisation expert Vicki Jakes.

Vicki explains the key things that your website must-do if you'd like to sell more of your product or service. Including the four main website pages that any website should have and why your call to action needs to be really obvious.

Find out why your website content and the language you use is more important than using fancy pants keywords - and how to make Google really fall in love with you and show your content to a bigger audience.

Vicki shares simple, practical tips to get your website do the hard work for you. And the key things to consider when optimising your website to make it rank higher in search.

Discover the three main Google Analytic metrics that you must monitor and how to keep people on your website longer.

PLUS why knowing your best performing content will help you save time creating new content.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.} Podcast shownotes

• About my Build Your Online Audience programme (01:25)
• About Vicki and how her business has evolved (4:09)
• Why it's important to have a website and not just rely on social media (08:11)
• Why you need a website to create a predictable revenue stream (11:30)
• The four key pages you need to have on your website (13:34)
• Why you should have a blog page on your website (and why it's not a diary) (15:44)
• Why you have to write as people think to get your content found on Google (18:43)
• Why you have to start with your content and not with keywords (22:16)
• The key things Google is looking for on your page (23:08)
• How to find out what your customers are searching for (24:50)
• Why you need to be realistic about being on the front page of Google (25:30)
• Why you have to have a clear Call to Action on your website homepage (26:47)
• Why your website needs to get to the heart of what you do (29:26)
• How to make the most of your meta description and your word count (32:50)
• Key things you can do to make sure your website is optimised (38:04)
• Why you should know the best-performing pages on your website (41:40)
• Key Google Analytics to track and why this will improve your marketing (42:14)
• Why you should rewrite your best performing website content (46:38)
• How to show Google that you're an expert and the ideal length of a blog post (50:05)
• Why you should create a blog post to go with your podcast or YouTube video (51:25)
• Why you shouldn't be afraid of creating link posts (52:25)
• Why you don't have to reinvent the wheel with every piece of content (53:35)
• About my Blogging Success Formula course with Vicki Jakes (54:58)

Resources

Vicki Jakes website

Find out more about my Build Your Audience Programme

Keywords everywhere website

How to write a blog post every day 21 tips to get you started (blog post)

Why you need

Other useful podcasts

[236] Why you need a blog for your business (podcast) [330] How to write awesome sales copy for your business (podcast) [336] How to make sales from your business blog (podcast) [343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) [380] How to set goals for audience growth in 2020 and why you should (podcast) [386] The four types of content that will help you make more sales in 2020 (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Does your relationship with money hold you back in business?

Perhaps you struggle with pricing your goods or services or you're too quick to discount. Or you always undercharge because you feel guilty charging the full price?

If this resonates with you then you'll love this podcast episode with financial coach and planner and host of the podcast 'In her Financial Shoes' Catherine Morgan.

It's a deep dive into how money mindset issues can really hold you back from growing your audience and building your business.

Find out how those little phrases from your childhood like 'money doesn't grow on trees' and deep-rooted beliefs and preconceptions that have been passed down the generations (even if they're not true!) can really affect your relationship with money.

Catherine reveals the three most common types of relationship people have with money. Find out what type you are and how this impacts how you show up in business.

Discover why people get so addicted to taking courses and why over-giving is really common in online entrepreneurs. And what prevents some people from spending ANY money in their business. PLUS what this means for the content that you create in your business.

Catherine shares two steps that you can take right now - to start understanding your relationship with money - and how you can take your mindset from scarcity to abundance.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.} Podcast shownotes

• About my BYA programme and Money Mindset month (01:24)
• How Catherine helps people improve their emotional relationship with money (06:30)
• How your beliefs and thoughts about money come from messages when younger (07:16)
• How your mindset can trigger scarcity messages in your brain (10:26)
• How a scarcity money mindset can drive your business forward (11:00)
• How social influences and beliefs can influence our thoughts about money (13:00)
• Why you need to think of the emotion that you attach to money (14:48)
• The three most common types of relationship people have with money (16:02)
• How a giving relationship with money can affect your business (16:43)
• Why you need boundaries in your business to stop yourself over giving (18:29)
• Why setting up a treat fund will help you get into an abundance mindset (19:40)
• How to get into the mindset of spending money on outsourcing (21:21)
• How over planning and overthinking can stop you taking action in your biz (22:03)
• How a personal development pot of money can help you grab opportunities (25:07)
• Types of content you can create for spontaneous spenders (27:20)
• Why you need to understand the emotional trigger of spending (28:42)
• How to get financially naked and why you need to stop burying head in the sand (34:27)
• Why you have to avoid comparing your business with someone else's (36:56)

Resources

Catherine Morgan website

Catherine Morgan Money Personality Quiz

Catherine Morgan podcast In her Financial Shoes

Find out more about my Build Your Audience Programme

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] How I discovered my ADHD superpower (podcast) [217] How to find your entrepreneurial superpower with Osmaan Sharif (podcast) [390] How to stop overthinking your content (podcast) [406] Mindset problems that can slow your audience growth with Osmaan Sharif (podcast) [413] How to get more done in less time and build your audience faster (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Wondering if TikTok is right for your business? But not really sure if it's your 'thing'? Perhaps you think it's just for teens and you've got no idea where to start?

If that sounds familiar then this podcast episode with marketing expert Sam Bearfoot is a must-listen. Sam explains exactly how you can use TikTok to build your online audience and promote your business.

Find out the best type of content to create on TikTok and why being authentically 'you' - will help you create content for TikTok and help you stand out amongst the crowds.

Discover how you can use TikTok to get people into your messages and grow your other social media platforms like Instagram.

Even if you've never used TikTok before - Sam explains how to get started with TikTok and how you can get inspired and begin creating content for TikTok (and why it doesn't have to just be dancing!).

Plus how you can save time by repurposing the content you create on TikTok on your other social media platforms.

Sam shares so much value in this episode - I'd love to know if you're inspired to start.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.} Podcast shownotes

• About my Build Your Audience programme and my Get It Done sessions (1:36)
• About Sam and how she helps businesses grow (4:38)
• How Sam has shifted her business from just being the 'Instagram girl' (6:52)
• Why it's harder to work with people if you don't show up authentically (8:22)
• Why you'll stand out more if you are authentically you (12:54)
• How TikTok compares other social media platforms like Instagram (15:15)
• How to create your Tok Tok videos and decide on your content (16:29)
• How TikTok has grown and why it isn't just for teenagers anymore (18:08)
• How to make sure you have the right audience on TikTok (19:20)
• How to get inspiration on TikTok and why you need to use music (20:43)
• Why you need to curate TikTok so that see what you want 21:27
• Why it doesn't have to be music that you use on TikTok (22:02)
• How Sam approaches content creation on TikTok (23:10)
• Why TikTok is great for video editing (25:41)
• How to use hashtags on TikTok (and how it's similar to Instagram) (28:10)
• Why you should repurpose your TikTok videos on other platforms (29:58)
• Why TikTok will take you out of your comfort zone (but you should just do it) (31:31)
• How to get inspiration from TikTok and how to start on TikTok (33:45)
• How to use TikTok to talk to people - even if they don't follow you (36:11)
• Why being yourself online really works (39:45)

Resources

Find out more about my Build Your Audience Programme

Sam Bearfoot Instagram

Sam Bearfoot Website

Sam Bearfoot TikTok

TikTok accounts recommended by Sam

Jerabean

It's Lauren Edge

The Matthew Hussey

Other useful podcasts

[347] How to create engaging social media posts even if you hate being on camera (podcast)

[377] How to write super engaging copy about your business with Jo Watson (podcast)

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)

[373] How to get more followers on any social media platform (podcast)

[384] How to be more yourself in your social media content with Natalie Lue (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

With sales of planners and organisers topping $386 million last year, we're clearly a generation obsessed with planning.

And since I launched my Social Media Diary & Planner, back in 2017, I get asked tons of questions from people who want to launch their own.

So in this podcast episode, I answer your burning questions, including the number one question: how much does it cost to launch a planner?

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

1. How much does it cost to launch your own planner?

The rather unsatisfactory answer to this is: it depends on a number of things, including

• How many pages you want
• The size (e.g. A4, A1)
• Type of printing
• Weight and type of paper
• Finish (e.g. gloss/matt)
• Type of binding e.g. spiral or perfect bound

If you don't have all of this information to hand, you won't even be able to get a quote from a printer. So if you want to launch your own planner, one of the first things you need to do is sit down and plan out exactly what you will include on every page of your planner - even down to how many pages you want for each month of the year. This is generally known as a flatplan. I include flatplan templates in my online masterclass: How to launch your own planner.

This is important because you can only print a perfect bound book (and, essentially, your planner is a book) in multiples of four pages. This means that if you decide to add or take away content at a later stage, it could have a big impact on your project (and your budget). If you go for spiral bound, you can add or take away pages in multiples of two, but if you don't plan out your content thoroughly beforehand, you could still create problems for yourself further down the line.

it's difficult to estimate how many pages you will need without knowing how your planner will be laid out. Sites like Canva and Creative Market have planner templates you can browse for inspiration. Pinterest is also a great place to look for inspiration.

At this stage, you also need to do some research on the correct paper weight for your planner and best method of binding. If you want to create a product people can use (and possibly carry around with them) for a full year it needs to be hardy. The last thing you want is people complaining/asking for refunds because the pages are ripped and/or the ink is seeping through.

So the best thing you can do at this stage - is to create a flatplan of your planner, then contact a number of printers for a quotation.

Most printers will be happy to advise you and/or send through paper samples. It's important to touch/feel the paper yourself before you get anything printed. I'd also suggest buying some different planners so you can compare size, binding and layout plus how easy they are to use.

There are instructions on how to create a flatplan for your planner (and flatplan templates), a checklist of information you need to supply a printer with in order to get a quote and a list of all the printing terminology you need to know in my online masterclass on how to launch your own planner.

1. How do I price my planner?

Once you've got quotes from printers (I'd suggest getting a minimum of three).While it may be tempting to outsource your printing overseas this may not be the best practical solution. While it can be cheaper, if there is a problem with the printing, it's much more difficult to fix if your printer is in China. This is definitely something to bear in mind if you want to launch a seasonal planner i.e. one that runs from January to January. Not only will you need to allow additional time for the initial print and delivery, if you are unhappy with any aspect of the printing, it could take weeks (or even months) to fix. This is not to say it is a bad idea, but for your first planner, it may be best to stay local.

Once you have some printing quotes, you can estimate how much it will cost you to produce each copy of your planner. Then, based on how much profit you want to make (and research on similar products on the market) you can decide on the price of your planner.

When costing out your planner, remember you also need to include things like:

• Packaging (and postage, although you may want to add this on to each order)
• Fulfilment i.e. getting the planner packaged up and sent out
• Stripe/PayPal fees
• Design
• Proofreading and editing
• Marketing
• Your own time

There is a checklist of all the costs you need to consider in my online masterclass on how to launch your own planner.

If you don't want the hassle of organising your own printing, there is the option of using a print-on-demand service like Createspace, Lulu or Ingram Spark. With this option, you upload your artwork file for your planner to their website and, every time someone orders a copy, it is printed and sent to them. This cuts down on packaging and fulfilment costs, but you will still need to pay for design, editing and proofreading.

While print-on-demand is often less expensive per copy, you also have less control over the process. So if something goes wrong, it can be much more difficult to fix. Many people mistakenly think that using a large, established platform means you have a ready-made audience to buy their planner. This couldn't be further from the truth. You will still need to work really hard to market your planner.

There is a detailed comparison of DIY printing versus print-on-demand in my online masterclass on how to launch a planner for your industry.

1. Do I need to build an audience before I launch my planner?

Ideally yes...otherwise who are you going to sell your planner to?

Most online sales convert at just 1-2%, so if you're hoping to sell hundreds or thousands of copies of your planner, you will need a large enough audience to sell to. You can use my audience calculator to see if you have enough people in your audience right now to make your target sales.

If you don't have a big enough audience, you have two choices. You can either focus on building your online audience to the size you need to launch a planner. This may take at least a year but could save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Here's how to build an audience.

Or you can explore the idea of doing a short print run to test your idea. This will almost certainly reduce your profit, as shorter print runs are generally more expensive. But it will also reduce the risk of you making a loss on your planner (and ending up with a stack of planners gathering dust in your loft/garage).

At this stage, you should also ask yourself some tough questions about whether you have the authority to launch a planner on your chosen topic. For example, if you want to launch a planner for yoga teachers, but you're currently working in banking, you may find you don't have the credibility to make enough sales. In this case, it would be better to spend some time building your audience before launching a planner.

1. Can I presell my planner before I launch it?

Absolutely yes. In fact, if you don't want a stack of planners you can't sell (and a hefty printing bill) I would absolutely recommend it.

The reality is, you can carry out tons of research, but won't know for sure if anyone wants to buy your planner until you ask people to pay you money for it.

This is why I believe you shouldn't print your planner until you have made enough sales to at least break even.

This is why I recommend creating a test offer. This is where you get a designer to create an image of your diary, create a simple landing page (a web page where people can only do one thing i.e. order your diary) and invite people to pre-order their planner at a reduced cost on the understanding that they may need to wait a bit longer for their planner.

I share my test offer strategy (including a checklist of the steps you need to take and the resources you need) in my how to launch a planner masterclass.

1. Do I need to hire a designer? Or can I do it myself?

Unless you are a designer yourself, I really wouldn't recommend it.

If you want your planner to look professional, I believe you need to use a professional - ideally someone who has a background in book/magazine publishing.

Not only will this ensure your planner has a professional look and feel, they should also be able to advise you on any potential problems with the design. For example, a professional designer will be able to advise on font size/type, what type of content is best on right and left-hand pages, potential problems with user experiences (e.g. left-handers). You only know that stuff if you've worked in publishing.

Sites like Canva and Creative Market have planner templates you can browse for inspiration. Pinterest is also great for inspiration. But, unless you are a designer, I would use it just for that - inspiration.

1. How do you decide on a topic for your planner

This isn't actually on my list of frequently asked questions, but I've included it because it's something people generally don't give enough thought i.e. they create a planner they want to create - rather than something people actually want to buy.

Remember, nice-looking stationery is all very well, but if your planner doesn't solve a problem for people, you'll struggle to sell it.

Let's take my media diary as an example. It's an A4 desk diary that features key dates and awareness days that can help you plan out your content for the coming year. It also has planning templates that help you create annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily content plans. So the media diary solves two key problems for the people who buy it: not being able to think of any/enough content ideas and not having a clear content plan to follow. Not publishing regular content can decrease your visibility, authority and credibility - which can have an impact on the bottom line of your business.

Remember that your planner doesn't necessarily have to solve a practical problem e.g. not being able to think of ideas. It can also solve an emotional problem/need, such as wanting to look stylish around your peers.

But it does need to solve a problem...otherwise it won't sell.

I have a planner viability test in my how to launch a planner masterclass.

Podcast shownotes

• The top questions I get asked about launching a planner (01:37)
• About my new masterclass how to launch your own planner (02:55)
• Why I'm recording my podcast during my 'Get it Done' session (04:27)
• Why I can't tell you exactly how much it will cost to print your planner (6:09)
• What you need to know before going to the printers for a quote (06:45)
• Why you need to know what you want before you go to the printers (10:20)
• What costs you need to consider when pricing out your planner (11:45)
• Why you should have your diary printed locally (and not in China) (12:38)
• Other costs you need to work out before pricing your diary (14:08)
• Why you should do some market research before pricing your planner (17:10)
• Why you need to build an audience if you want to sell a lot of copies (17:23)
• Why you need to have authority in your space if you want to sell (20:04)
• Why you should presell your planner before you print (21:49)
• What you should do if people don't buy your planner on your presale (23:39)
• Why you should use a professional designer to design your planner (25:22)
• How to decide on a topic for your planner (27:13)
• Why your planner has to solve a problem for someone (30:20)

Resources

Audience Calculator: Work out the audience size you need that you need with my audience calculator

Graphic design with Canva

Self publish with Amazon Create Space

Self publish with Lulu

Self publish with IngramSpark

[326] The one thing you need to do to generate passive income for your business (podcast)

[339] How To Build An Audience for an Online Course or membership (podcast)

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)

[355] How to create and launch a planner for your industry (podcast)

[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Hands up...I'm not the most organised person in the world. But I AM insanely productive - publishing hundreds of podcasts, blogs and social media posts every year - and rarely missing a deadline.

My recent ADHD diagnosis made me question how I'd managed to stay so productive - despite being disorganised.

If you haven't heard of it before, that stands of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - a disorder that affects the functioning of the brain and includes symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Problems with memory, forgetfulness, organisation.

And it made me realise I'd actually developed coping strategies to stay productive - which I share with you in this episode.

They're actually really good strategies that can help anyone who struggles to get things done (which we all do at times).

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Here are five things that help me stay productive.

• Time blocking. I keep my mornings free and don't do any external meetings/teaching/coaching until midday. As I get up at 5 am, this means I can often get around six hours of solid work in before lunchtime.
• Repetition. If you've ever tried to quit smoking or lose weight, you'll know that changing bad habits can be tough. The same goes for good habits. Which is why, if you can get into the habit of doing good things every day, these habits can be as difficult to break as having a cigarette or a chocolate bar after every meal.

This is why I do the same thing at the same time every day. For example:

• Sending a Daily Email to my list at/around 7 am
• Posting on Instagram every day around 7.30 am
• Publishing a podcast [add hyperlink] every Friday

Experts believe it can take as little as 21 days to adopt a new habit. So if you can get into the habit of posting your blog post on a particular day and/or planning your social media posts at a particular time each week, this can be really powerful for your productivity.

• 90-day planning. I plan my content in 90-day cycles - around the products/services I'm launching in my business. Which also means I can plan my content to coincide with key launches in my business.

For example, this month (July 2020) I've launched a Pinterest course in my membership programme Build Your Online Audience. Knowing it was coming up, meant I could schedule a relevant week of content ahead of the launch, including a podcast on getting started with Pinterest , a cool messenger bot quiz on whether Pinterest is right for your business and tons of relevant social media posts.

• Public accountability. I make my plans public e.g. writing a daily email, publishing a podcast episode every Friday - which means I can't back out
• Body Doubling. This is a term used to partnering with others to get specific tasks done. For example, I've recently started using a fab tool called Focusmate a virtual co-working tool that allows you to work, side-by-side, with a partner, remotely - over video - in structured 50-minute sessions.

However, I'm hyper-aware that some people might find working with strangers of the internet kind of awkward. So this week I'm trialling my own 'Get It Done' sessions for members of my Build Your Online Audience programme.

Podcast shownotes

• How I use time blocking to stay productive (6:43)
• How I produce three pieces of great work by midday (8:22)
• Why you need a good chunk of time at a time of day that works for you (10:20)
• How repetition and creating good habits can help productivity (11:10)
• Habits that I have in my business to get things done (12:30)
• Why consistent habits will build your online audience (15:22)
• How 90-day content planning will make you more productive (16:37)
• How planning ahead will help you focus on peak points in your business (17:48)
• How public accountability will help you be more productive (23:10)
• How body doubling can help you increase your output (24:50)
• How Focusmate helps with accountability and productivity (26:40)
• Get it Done sessions in Build Your Audience programme (30:02)

Resources

Focusmate

Sign up for my Daily Email

Janetmurray.co.uk/podcastfinder

Join my Build Your Online Audience Programme and get access to my NEW Pinterest course

Other podcast episodes

[Bonus] How I discovered my ADHD superpower (podcast)

[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast) [390] How to stop overthinking your content (podcast) [393] How to create engaging content when you only sell one product or service (podcast) [406] Mindset problems that can slow your audience growth with Osmaan Sharif (podcast) [409] How to use Pinterest to grow your online audience with Kate Beavis (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn