I’ve always been one of those people who tried to figure everything out on my own. When I have a web design problem, I google HTML code until I figure it out. When I bought my first house and needed to patch a hole in the wall so I looked up YouTube videos about drywall patches. There’s not much that you can’t learn from the Internet!
But not all advice is created equal. While it’s pretty easy to find a video about drywall, it’s more difficult to find relevant and effective advice on growing an online business. A lot of people like to give out a ton of free advice that scratches the surface, but then they leave you high and dry just when it’s getting good. Since nobody has that kind of time to waste, here are 4 courses that will boost your online business.
Why Online Courses Are So Valuable
I signed up for my first online course a few years ago and it made such a huge impact on both of my businesses. Now I consider online courses a necessary business expense and I rely on them to learn the skills I need to do my job.
The best part about online courses is that most of them grant you lifetime access. That means that I find myself bookmarking the material and going back to it again and again. When I first take them there might be a module that doesn’t apply to me, but I’ll probably find it handy a year later when I’m working on a new project!
Since people are always asking me for advice about how I grew my blog, Instagram, podcast, etc. I thought I’d reveal the source of my success. The answers can be found within all the courses below! Bonus… all of these courses are from women entrepreneurs. Embrace the girl gang and level up your biz with their help.
The Foundational Course
Blog to Biz by Melyssa Griffin
If you’ve been researching about growing an online business, then you’ve probably heard of Melyssa Griffin. Her famous course Pinfinite Growth put her on the map.
Blog to Biz was the first online course I signed up for a few years ago. I did it on a whim and it was a big investment for me at the time. I was just starting to grow my blog Wear Wag Repeat and knew that I needed expert knowledge to learn how to do that. Melyssa really set the tone for how an online course should be. She offers tons of bonuses, community support and inspiration. The course is constantly being updated with videos from her and a list of expert contributors.
I love that this course also comes with a private Facebook group community so I can ask questions and interact with people who have learned the same materials.
The Podcasting Course
Podcast Like a Boss by Being Boss
Do you listen to podcasts? I subscribe to so many shows on a ton of different topics, from business to true crime to comedy. Creating a podcast can get your brand out to a highly engaged audience, not to mention there’s few places where you can keep someone’s attention for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours for some shows!).
In early 2017 I attended a blogging conference where the keynote speaker told us that we needed to think of our blogs as multimedia brands like Rachel Ray or Oprah. Anytime I can strive to be more like Oprah, I’m down! Since I listen to the Being Boss Podcast all the time, I was excited to see that they developed an online course about creating a show. It was a sign!
Instead of hobbling together some kind of plan for my own podcast, I enrolled in this class and got all the materials, recourses and check lists that I needed in one place. The investment was one thousand percent worth it considering the time I would have spent figuring it all out on my own. That’s one of the best things about online courses… everything you need is all organized for you.
The Instagram Growth Course
InstaMistick by Tori Mistick
One of the most important platforms for an digital boss is Instagram. It’s constantly growing and Instagram says that users spend an average of 53 minutes per day on the app. So if your IG presence leaves something to be desired, I’d say it’s a pretty high priority to figure that out!
As I grew my blog account I tried all the hot strategies to get more followers, likes and engagement. I figured out what works and what doesn’t. But I also became addicted to checking my stats all the time. That’s when I learned about the law of attraction, manifesting and mindset. I learned how to use an abundance mindset and positive energy to not online grow my account, but feel good about the time I spent working on it!
Since I have a background in social media consulting, it clicked that I should combine all of this experience and expertise into an online course. My signature InstaMistick course comes with lots of great bonuses (just like Melyssa’s course). It also outlines exactly what you need to know in order to see growth on your account, including worksheets and checklists (much like the Podcast like a Boss course).
The Course To Add The Finishing Touch
Funnel Gorgeous by Julie Stoian and Cathy Olson
There is sooooo much to learn when it comes to building an online business. You’ve built your foundation and added key pieces like download incentives, then started to get some traction on a podcast or Instagram. Just when you’re starting to get comfortable with everything it’s time to actually make it look beautiful.
Julie and Cathy are big believers in beautiful design and since I’m a creative at heart their Funnel Gorgeous system for designing an enrollment page really spoke to me. I felt like I’d figured out my systems, now I was able to add the finishing touches to make my online presence as polished and irresistible as possible!
This course includes so many graphics and downloads plus a ton of tutorials on changing colors, etc. I actually used everything I learned in this course to create the website for my InstaMistick course and plan on going back through the content to design webinar pages later this Fall.
One Major Online Course Mistake So Many People Make
Before you click over to any of these courses, I want to share a huge mistake that so many people make. You wouldn’t believe how many people sign up for a course, pay for it, and then never ever look at it. It was shocking to me when I first started offering my own course!
When you consider signing up for a course make sure that you have the time and enthusiasm for it. Remind yourself why you signed up for the course in the first place. What did you think it would do for your life and your business? Jot down that mantra on a post it note and keep it on your desk to remind you to go through the entire course.
Now… are you ready to boost your online business? There’s no time like the present!
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