In this episode, host Julie Hood gives advice to course creator SarahJane West-Watson of FitFannyAdams.com. She’s juggling home, family with young children, a brick-and-mortar business, and a course creation business… all in the middle of the lockdown!
In this episode, host Julie Hood gives advice to course creator SarahJane West-Watson of FitFannyAdams.com. She’s juggling home, a family with young children, a brick-and-mortar business, and a course creation business… all in the middle of the lockdown!
Join Julie on Monday, January 25, 2021 to create your first (or next!) course in just an hour a day. Visit 24HourCourseCreator.com/daily to get more details and sign up!
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So I'm curious, how do you decide where to prioritize your time when you're juggling all of the things and spinning all of the plates, how do you decide what to do now and what to do later? So that's, what's in today's episode. Welcome to the course creators, HQ podcast, helping you navigate the latest techniques for creating and marketing online courses.
And now here's your host Julie Hood. So today is part two of our ask Julie episodes with SarahJane Watson of FitFannyAdams.com. And I'm so Glad you're here to listen to this episode. We had such a fun time chatting. SarahJane West Watson is our guest today. And this is actually part two of a two-part episode, where I was coaching her and talking about her business and what she can focus on and what you can prioritize for the next couple of weeks.
So if you haven't listened to episode 23, you could go to coursecreatorshq.com/23, and listen to the first part of this episode. So today we talk a little bit more about prioritizing and timing, what to focus on now, what to focus on going forward. So I hope you enjoy hearing how I like to work with my students. I'm doing this before we start the next version of the 24 hour course creator program.
And I'd love for you to join us. I want to give you an experience of what it's like to work with me so that you can consider doing the program with us. We're going to have a group version where each day during the week, you get an assignment for an hour and you sit down at your computer, you do the assignment. And by the end of the course,
we have your first course ready to go. And I'm hoping that it appeals to you and that you can come join us, because it's really fun to do this as a group, we'll have some coaching hours and some co-working hours during the whole experience. And if you want to find out more, you can go to coursecreatorshq.com/daily that's coursecreatorshq.com/daily.
And it will take you to the version of the course that we're starting up on January 25th, 2021. So enjoy this episode. I hope it helps you prioritize what it is you should be doing next. And just thinking about some of the things that we talked about may help you clarify your next steps. Enjoy. Okay. So back I love what you've already got going,
and I'm trying to decide whether I want you to create more products and the other pieces that you haven't created yet, or whether I just want you to focus on building your audience and selling what you have, because it seems like you've got some great stuff already. Yeah. And I think so I have relatively, he has like, I have ready to be good engagement,
but I think one of the problems that I had,
which was wonderful problem to have. Whereas now I always say no, I want to create that engagement, but I'm also very conscious that I don't have the finished products in a position that are ready to go. What do you mean? What do you mean by that? Exactly. Well, so when I know that I can drive people to the online classes today,
that would be brilliant today. And I guess I have an awful, yeah, absolutely. I can do that. And then also say the six weeks to wonderful. I know that I want to Polish it more before I relaunch it, but I think you're absolutely right. And I actually was going through and kind of scoring out to 10 on your create relationships,
discover and sales sort of at square as I had it, where I was and my weakest area is I think create relationships. Forgetting building the new audience, and then I think you're pretty good on create, like you've got some stuff available to sell. So I think, I think where we need to spend, have you spend the time that you do have is how can I get in front of more people,
if it is like your courses and stuff, they're online, they're ready to sell. People can push the button and buy right. The way they are. Yeah. So only one of them. Okay. The Six Weeks to Wonderful. Okay. So There's this great quote that I pulled from a guru last year sometime. And she was talking about how there's really only need one class to be successful.
You really only need one course. And it's a matter of getting it in front of enough people. And since that's the biggest audience that you have getting it in front of enough people, because it, it appeals to the most people. So, You know, I think you're absolutely right. And it, it resonates now. So I've got a list of people who are like,
when you run it again, please let me know. So yeah, I think it, it may make people want to be feeling good. They don't necessarily want someone beating them up about, they've got to have the perfect body. Exactly. Well, and we can't go to the gym right now. So, you know, everyone's kind of trying to figure out what can I do at home?
You know, what's on, what's on YouTube. What can I try to try to somehow, you know, lift the five pounds of potatoes and stuff instead of a weight, or, and do you have this on Thinkific or, or Teachable or any of the platforms or was it just to Facebook? So I have all of my videos on Vimeo, I'm paying for a platform that's sort of like,
it's a bit. So it allows people to book in life or booking online or, and access all of this on demand content. So that's, that's quite good. So it means then all of my Vimeo videos are actually private, but then they're accessible through another portal. And then that portal allows you to have data capture so that I can then, you know,
you've got to be a member and give me name information in order to fit, to be a member on there. Gotcha. All right. So that's, you've got that, that piece I'll set up. Sometimes that tech tech side of things can hold people back, but you've got that all set up. So like five gold stars. I think you need to give yourself credit for how much you've got done already this is,
is fantastic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So let's go back to your comment though. Cause I want to address this. You had said you wanted to spiff up your five week, six weeks to wonderful before you sold it again. So what do you think needed to be changed? So some of the documentation that went out, I need to go to looking at the quality of it,
that the benefit of hindsight going through it again, taking a bit more time to say, right. Well, what were people's feedback? And look at the content that I've put in it, which was really deep. And every week we tackled a different subject, but sometimes the expectations, I think, where it, I think it just about bringing it and really say,
well, what did I learn from doing that first session? What do I need to put back into that content before we redeliver it? So what would you think about potentially having a March version cause you were doing it like, well, here's a, here's a better question for you. Could you do it again while you've, while you're homeschooling? No.
Okay. So what if you- I could do it. I think this is a difficult thing and you know, you talked about to editors. I could literally do that, but actually they do none of the prelaunch managing that sales. That's the bit that I think people who you underestimate actually how long that takes. Yup. And I will tell you,
I've been at this for 20 years and I did it on my last launch too. I tried to do this big launch over the holidays and I was like, Julie, you know, better. You've been doing this a long time. You're no better than to think you can do all this stuff over Christmas. So, so what I was wondering is if you wanted to set a date maybe for March or April to where you think about I'm going to do it again,
but then this, this time leading up to it is a lot of building your audience and getting in front of, in front of other people and maybe building some joint venture partners that would be interested in promoting you, how does that feel? Yeah. That does feel good actually, makes a lot of sense, takes it, lots of the pressure off yet you're still doing something to move forward.
Absolutely. And you can, we're going to all cross our fingers and say prayers that by March and April, things are better and homeschooling is done and, and that, and you know, what else? The other thing I want to tell you is to give yourself permission that if it's not, if it's not, just move the time, move the date,
People get that, you know, I think, I think, I think at the moment, the one thing that I'm learning, I dropped a communication out to my, my email list and you're in a week and I was so late. I, I couldn't, my husband kept saying why
I'm going to focus on the family for the few weeks, but I was blown away by the response of people saying, I can't believe you've just helped me make the decision. I needed to, to know that it's okay to slow down, you know, turn around times to reduce the hours I'm working. And I think at the moment we all need this permission to kind of go I'm juggling way too much.
And some things got to give. I'm so glad you said that really, that is brilliant. And especially as women, we need to say this to our, to each other more, I'm getting chills because seriously, you know, we're really good at spending all the plates and keeping things going. But at some point we have to give ourselves a break and it's okay.
Yeah, it is. And, and practicing what, what I preach is I've, you know, I've, I've got to, I do it and I, you know, I do do it. And I think that sometimes I just, we put that pressure on ourselves. Oh, but I've got to, you know, I've got to be seen to be still doing this and that.
And it's like, no, do you know what it's okay. Just to kind of be a mom, if that is what is needed at the moment, just be the hardest job It is. And honestly, the most important and I'm on the back end of it. My kids are 18 and 23 and I will tell you looking back, there were a lot of times where I didn't do business stuff.
I, I would put there prior, you know, I kind of had my priorities. It was, they had to have decent food, had have clean clothes and then, you know, schooling and, and, and the whole, you know, being a mom and helping take care of them and train them to have good manners, that kind of thing.
And then when I let go, I'll be honest as I let go of the clean house, I just, I, I knew the something happened. No one comes in. Yeah. So, you know, I probably would have been better for all of us would have been to get a housekeeper, but I didn't at the time, but that was kind of,
that was kind of how things played out for me. But the business fell further down on the list for me. And I was lucky, you know, we were not in a place where we needed my business to eat things might've been different if that had been the, the requirements. So, but I just kind of wanted to give that feedback for folks who have the younger kids who are trying to figure out,
like, how do I juggle? What, what gives? And so that was kind of, that was my choice. And to actually just think about what is your priorities, which you've already done, you know, you said you were putting the homeschooling first. It does. And I think I know we're going off track, but I think it is really important,
particularly in this day, social media is I had someone who said oh but, you know, we talk about timings of delivering content has it all. But you know, when you, when you sit in there getting dressed and you put your makeup on, you got your phone just playing the videos. And I was like, pardon? Pardon? I've got one.
Now that is trying to do something. I've got another child that we're trying to get dressed over there. I was like those days that no, that doesn't happen. And I think everyone's, day's world is completely different. And I think sometimes people who are saying what to do, just live in a very different life stage than other people. Yes. Yes.
I completely agree. And I will say, and you know, this because you have an older child to 18 months is way different than seven. And so when they get to, you know, 5, 6, 7, you're, you will have so much more time. Yeah. So you know that, so anyway, but I think this is a very,
especially for our parents out there to kind of hear this conversation. I think as parents, we need to have this more together of, you know, this is hard. How do we do this? What's working. What's not that sort of thing. So that would kind of be my, my suggestion for you for the business is to spend these next,
you've got the rest of January, February, maybe even March, depending on whether you want to do March or April, and you could be working on your documentation. You said you wanted to maybe some of the worksheets and things that you want to change. Then when we get that whole less game back with the five minute, actually, if I've got a pack of the documentation and it's really accessible where I'm going to be,
then that's something that we're to homeschooling is going on and I can actually do it at the same time. Yeah. Oh, that's really smart. That's excellent. You're both, you're both working on school and then when you could fit it in getting in front of some new audiences. So I don't know, how do you have time where you think you could get on some podcasts between now and then,
or not? As in delivering them? No. As in being a guest? Yeah. Okay, good. Because that is one of the easiest and best ways to get in front of new audiences, because they are always looking for new guests and what the secret to this is you make sure that you get a chance to offer your freebie to everyone and talk about it during your podcast episode.
And then you ask the host if they'll include the link in their show notes. So, and after we get done, I will send you a few that I think might be good fits for you from a health women's women's perspective. And then I also have a link to how to be a good guest. It's a training on, on being a guest.
So I'll, I'll send that Over too. That would be wonderful. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. And so I think doing that will also help you sort of building your email list. And, and how often are you sending out emails to your list right now? It's every two weeks. Good, Good, good, good. And so you can sort of start teasing the fact that you're going to have the new Six Weeks to Wonderful coming.
Talk about what you're working on. You know, oh, this week I was working on the documentation about eating well and, and, and it doesn't have to be long. It can be just, you know, little short paragraphs where you're giving them nuggets about what you're doing, because it builds that anticipation and that interest and the Ooh what's, she got cooking,
you know, oh, that's coming down the line and kind of puts it in the back of their mind because we, I saw something the other day that said it took 18 phone calls to connect with a potential prospect. And I thought 18, goodness, I don't have time to do 18 calls with people, but we do want to kind of like trigger their brain six weeks to wellness,
six weeks to wellness. You know, you want to have that coming up in their mind multiple times over the next couple of months. So that's an easy way to do it. Brilliant. I like that idea. And it's quite easy with the nutrition that I can get those themes coming in as well. Good. Good, good, good. So,
yeah, that's what I think I would focus on for the next six months and then plan to have, when you do that course in March or April, that you're going to make it a standalone product then. So this, this version will be live. That's another sales technique that you can use too, is this version is going to be live. But then after this,
I don't know when I'm going to do a live version again. So you need to jump in or you want to jump in now you can do it live with me and get coaching and feedback. And then let's also talk just kind of longer term, because we are eventually going to get out of all of this craziness and get back to real life. Yes.
And so I was trying to decide which of the two courses I wanted you to do next. The other two that you were thinking about, do you have an opinion? Do you have one you're more excited about, or I think the, the, the beyond, beyond the stronger, beyond the bump. So the pregnancy and postnatal. Yeah. Yeah.
And I like that one too, because that's a niche that you can get ahold of the pregnancy folks, and then they get through that. They get into being a new parent and then they need Six Weeks to Wonderful. I think that's it. And then they understand that they're on board. And so, yeah, I think that it feeds more naturally.
Yeah. All right. So then I would, I would kind of plan, you know, if whenever, and maybe you put it as whenever things get back to normal, I'm going to take an hour a week, an hour, a day, whatever you can and work on that course. Oh. And you know, this might be next fall,
whatever, You know. Absolutely. Yeah. That's a bit of clarity. Good, good. What other questions that we haven't addressed yet? I was, I w one of the questions was on the platforms, but I think, cause I have been looking at Kajabi, but one of the questions I had is whilst I'm in this creation phase and I don't necessarily want it to be paying for another platform that I'm hosting would,
what are your thoughts? Is it just more about let's create content PDFs and invest that time with a graphics person? Or do I need to make that investment in another platform at this stage? Do you think Don't because you've already got a platform that you can sell on. Yeah. So stay with what you've got. Don't use your precious time trying to deal with switching over to Kajabi,
unless there's something on that platform that you have right now that isn't working is it seems Like pants. I can't see. Cause otherwise I'm juggling between MailChimp and so, and then plugging everything in together. It just is a nightmare. If I add anything more to it. Yeah. Yeah. Don't If what you've got is working and you can sell from it and you can email from it,
you've got MailChimp to do your emails. Just, just stay put. Yeah. Because are there other solutions that maybe would have some bells and whistles and some things yes. Is that a good place for you to spend your time right now? Absolutely not ever. Everyone needs to get to a place where they can sell and they can email and then once you get there and run with it and you can deal with switching around later,
if, if there's a reason, but the other thing that you said, you, the platform that you have, will let you sign up for the live classes that you have right now. And if it's got all that built in yeah. Stay-put and does it automatically put people then who do that onto your MailChimp list for you? I just do an export every month that works and then add them and then I can just tag it as whatever month the day is in MailChimp.
Good. Good, good, good. Okay. And then the other thing to put on your thoughts, I don't know if I would do this before the end of February. Maybe this is after the end of February, try to get to a weekly email. There's something about, and doesn't have to be long. So I do two types of emails.
I do a little bit longer than a more content filled and then I'll do some short they're. Actually, most of them are promo emails, telling people about something that's going on sometimes free promo, but you know, just shorter things, but staying in front of them every week, I think would be good too. But I don't want to put that pressure on you right now.
If that feels like too much, wait til March. I didn't Want to overwhelm, I don't want to turn people off by just constantly. Cause I think, you know, email box is at the moment, particularly I just pegging left right. And center. So for me, the two weeks I faced within how much I can put together. But it sort of seems to feel right about how much I'm in their faces and I think yeah.
Going forward. Yeah. If, as I wrap everything up towards launch, probably wouldn't have to go, but go to that weekly. Yeah. And I will tell you my, my super high-end clients that are doing tons and tons of stuff, they do daily emails and yeah. And they, it, it, it makes a difference. I know why, well,
and here's the other thing is you do kind of want to get, as you're building your list, you want to get into the expectation with your audience of how often they expect to hear from you. So you can't go from every two weeks to daily, like you'll lose majority of your list because they're like, what, what I expect to hear from you every two weeks,
Number way to everything. Right. Right. So, but I think you can go from two weeks to one week and it, you know, that's fine. Nobody, nobody will disappear you for that or they shouldn't anyway, but keep that in mind for longterm. Yep. Yeah. All right. So, so helpful. I'm so glad. Oh,
I can not wait to hear about how everything goes. So I, I hope you will keep in contact. Maybe we can do this a followup later And kind of see. Yeah. That Would be so fun. So I'm, I want to tell everyone, make sure you check the links for this episode, because we're going to have all the links for Sarah Jane stuff.
So you can get to her website and then I'll have the links for the other things that we talked about, the guest podcasting, so that, and her freebie. So you can get ahold of her freebie. So make sure you visit the notes and get all that stuff. So thank you so much for doing this. I really appreciate it. And for all you're doing for your students,
I truly believe that as course, creators and helpers, we can change the world. And so thank you for how you're helping. Oh, no, really appreciate it. And I am thank you for it. For all of your advice. It has, I think with the muddiness of everything else that's going on, it has really helped clarify where I need to be focusing on and what's okay to park.
So thank you for your time and absolutely Fantastic. All right. Take care, Sarah Jane, thank you. And you bye-bye. So there you go. I hope that helps you figure out some ideas for where to spend your time over the next few months, and also that it made you think about your priorities a little bit, because that's one of the best ways to prevent regret in your life is to think about what's most important to you right now.
So I also, I'm looking forward to working with you for the 24 hour course creator. So go to course creators, hq.com/daily, and you can get the scoop on the next version of the course. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for subscribing. If you enjoyed this episode and could give us five-star review, that would be fantastic. I would be incredibly grateful and enjoy your week.
Take care, everyone, and stay