I made $25k selling a writing course

The day I saw the earnings for my writing course tick over to $25k was the day I knew I had to sell the website promoting it, along with the rights to the course.

Sounds like a strange thing to do – cut off an income stream and the source of that income in one hit. (Aren’t people googling the opposite to that?)

So why’d I do it?

Was I (really) selling a writing course?

When my earnings hit $25k for my writing course I wasn’t in the same place as when I first created it. And that meant I couldn’t use the same messaging to sell the course.

You see, when I’d built the course it was to help people quit their day jobs and build a career as a freelance writer — because that’s what I’d just done.

I could write a lot about this process and what I’d learned. And I did — on my own website, on other people’s, in interviews and on social media.

When I talked about the course, I wrote about the transformation people would experience as a result of taking it: from day jobber to freelance writer, and all the perks and freedoms that would bring.

And I did it well, because that’s the experience I was living.

Fast forward a few years and I was in a totally different place. I’d used the skills I’d learned as a freelance writer and content marketer to work in the marketing teams of UK charities.

The writing course was still selling on autopilot during this time, but I couldn’t write a damn thing about it. I couldn’t sell it because I wasn’t selling that transformation anymore. Because I wasn’t living it.

Why selling the transformation works

As humans, we're naturally drawn to stories of change and growth. Most of us want to believe we can overcome challenges, achieve our goals and become the best versions of ourselves. 

When you frame your products or services as the catalyst for this transformation, you tap into something very powerful.

Your audience will begin to see your offer as a means to unlock their full potential and become who or what they want to be.

With great power comes great responsibility, so be authentic. Otherwise, we’re just snake oil sales people cluttering up the internet with more disingenuous marketing poop. 💩 

Who else is doing this?

Big brands are doing this. Take a look at these examples.👇️ 

Airbnb

Airbnb don’t promote accommodation, they sell becoming an authentic traveller who belongs anywhere in the world. 

Their messaging emphasises the unique experiences, connections and adventures that travellers can have by staying in local homes.

By tapping into the desire for authentic, immersive travel, Airbnb has revolutionised the hospitality industry.

charity: water

This nonprofit doesn't just ask for donations to provide clean water to communities in need of it; they sell the transformation of people’s lives through access to clean water. 

Their marketing focuses on the profound impact that clean water has on health, education and economic opportunity. By focusing on the stories of people’s lives that have been transformed through their work, charity: water inspires donors to be part of a larger mission.

It’s transformational for their beneficiaries, and transformational for donors.

Applying this principle

To sell transformation instead of ‘stuff’ in your own marketing, you need to know your audience's desires, aspirations, values and challenges.

You’ll know this stuff because you’ll have had conversations with your audience, researched them and know them so much they’re like extended family (minus the Christmas fights).

Related. 👇️ 

Get clear on what challenges your audience faces that your brand can solve. Paint a picture of the life they could lead after experiencing the transformation your product or service provides. 

Use good ol’ storytelling, emotional language and aspirational imagery to create a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

Talking of love, I love a full circle, so it’s with some irony and much excitement that I share I’m working on a new writing course.

The transformation you can expect from this writing course? 

Why, it will transform marketers of all kinds into fully-fledged marketing experts by guiding them through a clear brand storytelling framework so they can be confident of getting results from their marketing efforts.

(I’ll work on that. It’s early days.)

Basically the course will reveal in detail the framework I use for any messaging I write. This framework gives me a clear path to follow when crafting communications — and it works.

I’m bringing together my creative storytelling, marketing and copywriting experience into a single course that will transform your marketing into a purpose-driven, storytelling engagement machine! (That probs won’t be the tagline either.)

I can’t wait to share it with you. Watch this space.