It was around this time last year that I got serious about turning this blog from something entirely personal to something more helpful to the general public. I would say that it was this exact weekend that I implemented a number of changes and additions that eventually led me to publishing TWO courses this past year (How to Create a Budgeting Tool That Works and Mastering a Budget). While there are other cyber Monday deals out there that you can spend your hard-earned dollars on, here are a few that actually gives back in terms of profit, making it more like an investment rather than a purchase.
Teachable – the platform I used to create both my online courses
If there’s anything I know, it is that you have valuable skills, experiences, and expertise in something. Every one of us, including you, has something to share with the world — something that others would love to learn.
And while creating an online course is one of the fastest ways to leverage on your time and increase your earning ceiling — it’s also one of the best ways to help more people.
When you create an online course, you’re able to change your student’s lives.
So my question for you is: who’s going to be grateful for you this year when you create your course and share your knowledge with the world?
Yes, you can earn a side-income from your course. Maybe even a full-time income from your course eventually. But there are so many other benefits to creating your course and sharing what you know with the world.
A surprising number of people have found that having their own online course becomes an amazing creative outlet. You get to share your passions and knowledge with the world!
And best of all, you get to do it on your own terms. You get to be your own boss, and you can pursue your biggest, craziest ideas without anyone saying that you can’t. When was the last time you had that kind of creative freedom?
On top of that, you’ll find it’s a real joy to interact with your students.
Whether you have a course on parenting, or building a vegetable garden…watercolor painting…or even playing the guitar… (yes, these are all real courses on Teachable).
You’ll find yourself losing track of time. You’ll be fully immersed in the course creation process, and you’ll get to talk all about a subject you love. (With people who love to listen!)
You don’t need to be a big recognized expert to make a big impact on the world.
We’ve seen it time after time. Newbie course creators will start off filled with self doubt, but then they take the plunge and share something.
They have zero expectations at first. But all of a sudden, one person enrolls…then ten more…and eventually hundreds, or even thousands.
These course creators are thrilled beyond belief. They never thought “lil’ old them” could be in demand like that.
The bottom line is this: You have hidden talents that the world needs you to share.
You deserve to feel great about doing work you love.
You can be the one who helps other people reach their goals.
I 100% believe this.
That’s why I want you to take advantage of Teachable’s best deal of the year.
Not only do you have a chance to get annual access to Teachable for just $299 (saving $169), but in a couple of months, when you put in the effort, you’ll be able to ask yourself, “Who’s grateful for me?” And there will be a whole bunch of students excited to raise their hands. (And hey, you can be earning a pretty nice side-income as well.)
So if the idea of creating an online course excites you—if you’ve even thought about it for a second—you gotta check this deal out.
ConvertKit –the platform I use to build an email following
It helps to have an email following. Subscribers are people who have a genuine interest in hearing what you have to say. They are a great group of people to connect to and if you are hoping to teach a particular topic to an audience, there is no better collection than your squad of subscribers.
My followers are amazing, supportive, interactive, and optimistic. They ask a lot of questions about budgeting, paying down student debt, and living a simple lifestyle. It is very gratifying to be able to help this community, and it is because of them that I continue to write.
Having an email following is also useful if you want to reach out to people en masse, or if you have something to share with like-minded folks. Convert Kit has an easy way of organizing people by category, so that those interested in simple living will not get emails about budgeting.
I would highly recommend Convert Kit to any online writer who wants to build a community.
There is a 30 day free trial for Convert Kit for those who are unsure about Convert Kit, but one thing is definite: do not wait to create an email following! It is something that I wish I did early on. It has brought me closer to my readers and has made my writing more meaningful, both to me and others.
After a year of trying it out, I have finally switched from a month-to-month subscription to an annual subscription today, thus saving me $86.
PicMonkey – the site I use to create banners for the blog and Pinterest
PicMonkey is an easy-to-use website for creatives using visual aids to accompany their work. It is especially useful for Pinterest if you want visually captivating banners. Most people who go to Pinterest are in search of something in particular. The ability to catch their attention and redirect them to what they are searching for is key.
Many bloggers underestimate Pinterest as a social media platform, but it is actually the most useful platform to bloggers. Imagery makes it easy to catch the attention of users who are searching for something, and the linking can redirect them to a specific blog post or page.
Off course, PicMonkey has other uses. I specifically use it to create banners for my website, or to create imagery that promotes my courses.
I will even use PicMonkey for personal things, such as invitations to parties or holiday cards. It’s as easy as Paint, but with more functions.
You can try PicMonkey for FREE for 7 days, and then decide if it’s useful to you.
Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing – the course I took that taught me how to monetize a blog
All of this, I learned from a course called Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing written on Teachable by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner. I have spoken extensively about how this course helped me monetize my blog, so if you are looking to invest in a course about blogging, I think this is it!
Off course, the final Cyber Monday deal that I’ve got to offer is one that is my own.
Get 75% OFF my course Mastering a Budget by doing the following:
- Subscribe to TheDebtist below
2. Follow TheDebtist on Instagram.
All subscribers and followers will receive a discount code in their inbox tomorrow that will give them 75% OFF of the course. This is my way of saying Thank You to all my followers. I couldn’t be here without you.
Also, I would like to open the conversation up to those who wish to see something different or new in 2020. Reach out to me below, or just say “Hi!”
