Welcome to The Rachel Kurzyp Show.

A few weeks back, you asked me to share the sales and marketing process I used to fill my new 3-month 1:1 coaching program. 

So today that’s what I’m doing. I’ll be breaking down my figures from the launch, sharing the content I created, and talking you through my sales process and waitlist strategy.

If you haven’t already, go back to listen to Episode 47 where I answered your questions on whether a 1:1 business model is scalable and profitable. And Episode 49 where I talk all things money.

OK, let’s dive in.

Let’s break down my $40k Australian dollars I made in September.

The reason why I’m sharing the breakdown of my figures today is because many online business owners share their launch sales but aren’t transparent with the work that went behind their launch and what proportion of their sales are profit.

And I know, because you’ve told me, that seeing these income claims has made you question the profitability of your 1:1 or done-for-you business model, launch courses and products that haven’t made you cash despite the promises, and feel pressured to use unethical sales tactics to have a “successful” launch.

The figures I’m sharing with you today are approximates because I’ve changed my business model and my expenses and taxes may change as a result.

The $40k number I shared with you is the confirmed sales generated in September for my 3-month 1:1 coaching program. I will receive monthly payments, that is cash, over the coming months. Now that I have filled my initial client roster, I will continue booking in coaching new clients 3-6 months ahead so that I can have a predictable income.

So if we break that $40k down over a four month period allowing for people to start a later in the year and allowing time for the Christmas and New Year holidays that’s approximately $10k a month in revenue. Using last year as a base, my expenses are approximately $5000 a month, leaving me with over $5000 in profit a month. 

I’m happy with this knowing that I have the opportunity to book new clients (which I’m currently doing) , re-sign existing clients, make sales through my $47 product The Copy Advantage and run paid workshops on top of this $40k to increase my monthly revenue for the rest of 2021.

So you can see by this breakdown that context is important when sharing how much money you made during a launch or sale period because the sales figure is only telling you half the story. 

You’ve probably heard of the example that if you make a million dollars but it costs you $999,000 then you may want to rethink your sales strategy. 

The aim should always be to have your expenses make up 60-70% of your revenue leaving you with 30-40% in profit to pay yourself a salary and reinvest in your business.

Time and effort is also a huge factor for small businesses who are one-woman shows or only have small teams because if you can’t afford to outsource yet, you have to do everything yourself and that means what a $10k month looks like for you is vastly different than others in your industry.

So let’s run through what content I created. I sent out a personalised email to all my current and previous clients and individuals on the waitlist for my programs explaining that I was retiring all my other programs and courses and inviting them to work with me 1:1. 

I also sent out a series of emails to my email list with the same messaging. If you want to know what those emails looked like you can go back and listen to Episode 26 where I share my go-to launch email sequence.

I shared 3 Instagram posts that were specifically talking about the program for example, why I created it, what’s included and who it’s for. And I also did a QnA where I answered people’s questions.

Creating this content didn’t take me more than a couple of hours, but where I spent most of my time and energy – approximately 4 hours – was talking 1:1 with everyone who was interested. 

If I hadn’t followed up with DMs and actively reached out to people who had expressed interest in working with me before, I would not have filled my client roster with incredible women and I wouldn’t have been able to share the figures I have with you today.

If you want to know how I sell in the DMs without sounding salesy you can go back and listen to Episode 12.

Many of my clients and community devote hours to content creation for their launch and then rely solely on it to sell. I see my content as a conversation starter and an invitation to get to know my clients.

That’s why my sales process always prioritizes connection and personalisation. So I offered anyone who expressed an interest in the program to have a 15-minute Zoom call with me where they could share more about their business and their goals to ensure we were a good fit and ask me any questions they had. 

If anyone said they’d preferred to have their questions answered in the DMs I honoured that and we had a conversation on Instagram. Some people didn’t want to chat and asked to book their spot straight away and I honoured this too.

I reserved a coaching spot for everyone who booked a call or asked to chat in DMs so they didn’t feel pressured to make a decision before we had a chance to speak and I continued to hold this spot for 72 hours after we spoke so they could speak to their partners and decide if this was the right program for them right now.

If now wasn’t the right time for anyone for example finances were tight or they were moving house, I asked if they wanted to be added to the waitlist. Over 90% of people said yes. So I got their best email and added them to the waitlist manually.

Now I know who is interested in working with me in the future and I will always be offering coaching spots when they become available to these people first.

This would have to be my most successful launch to date because it was the one where I felt the most aligned. I was able to show up with confidence and clarity around my offer. Give myself and my clients the time to have conversations, and create a financially profitable and secure business model.

And while this is simply a snapshot of this launch and doesn’t tell the whole picture, one podcast episode never can, it highlights that prioritising humans over sales in your business, not only makes you a great human and ethical marketer it’s also great financially for your business.

When your clients and customers feel empowered to make decisions they’re more likely to be invested in the process and achieve the transformation you wanted for them. And this is what people want to pay for – they want to be supported, held accountable, inspired, held and challenged so that they can grow and learn.

This is what the churn and burn bro-marketing approach to business has forgotten. The focus should be on people not numbers. I hope what I’ve shared here today has shown you that prioritising personal relationships is a must if you want to build a profitable business and that when you do, your sales process won’t be complicated. 

You have the power to define what sales and marketing looks like in your business. So if you use content to connect, hold space to have a conversation, and commit to a long-term relationship, then the money will flow.

Ethical sales and marketing is one of the reasons why my clients choose to work with me. If you want support to create a sales process that is aligned with your values and vision, then I’d love to speak with you. 

I have a few 1:1 coaching spots left at the introductory price of $1,200 AUD per month. Use the link here to book a discovery call so we can chat through the ways I can support you to build a sustainable and profitable business.

Thanks so much for tuning into today’s episode.

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