How I Started My $10K/Month Blogging Education And Coaching Business

Tracie Fobes

•

Published: October 12th, 2020

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Tracie Fobes

Founder, Tracie Fobes

$10K

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

Tracie Fobes

traciefobes.com

from Raymore

started July 2016

$10,000

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

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Want more updates on Tracie Fobes? Check out these stories:

1. I Grew My Course Sales By 21% By Optimizing My Funnel (2022) ➜

Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?

My name is Tracie Fobes and I run a blogging education and coaching business.

I started my first site in 2009. Over the years, I learned how to properly monetize and grow the site. In October 2019, I sold that site for six figures!

For more than 3 years I have been helping bloggers learn how to make money blogging. However, once I sold the site, I began growing that site even more and it has become extremely profitable. I now make more than $10,000 per month through my products.

The first course I released was a free - Profitable Blogging Roadmap. Since then I have added courses to teach others how to use WordPress and how to make money through sponsored posts. My goal is to ensure every blogger has access to the tools and resources he or she needs to be successful. affiliate marketing and products, how to be productive.

There is no greater joy than doing what you love and seeing the money roll in.

how-i-started-my-10k-month-blogging-education-and-coaching-business

What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?

I started out blogging about personal finance and that site quickly grew beyond my wildest expectations. Within a couple of years, I was making five figures month-after-month.

My list grew. My social following grew and before I knew it, I was helping hundreds of thousands of people.

But then, I realized that I knew many things that they did not. I began answering a few questions here and there. And, it was fun!

As those lists grew, so did the questions. I began inspiring people to start a blog. The emails began popping up in my inbox. But that quickly got out of control.

I knew I needed to provide more value and my original website was not the place to host that content. So, I set up my new site and started writing a bit.

It was a struggle to run both sites which is why I began exploring the possibility of selling the first one so I could focus all my efforts on the new one.

Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.

My course came out of a need to help myself. People saw I was selling printable products and kept asking me for help. I simply did not have the time to help each of them in as much detail as they needed.

I show up. Every day. I make my students and customers feel that I am here to support them and that I am not taking their money and running.

I decided to create a course based on what I knew and the questions I was asked. When it is done, I offered it at a deep discount for 10 beta testers.

They offered me feedback and testimonials. I used what they said to ensure the course covered what was important and guided the student on their journey so they would know how to not only create a printable but also how to sell them for profit.

I reached my final price by doing online research to see what similar courses sold for and realized they were priced much higher than I expected. I knew my target market was the newer blogger, who did not have a lot of money to invest. I decided on a price that was fair to them, that would help me make a solid ROI and also include room to pay affiliates to promote it for me as well.

I watched the conversion rates for the course and they did quite well. I continue to get feedback and the one comment I get is “Thank you for pricing your courses so I can afford to take them.” That sealed it for me and I now make sure my prices are about my potential students above all else.

Describe the process of launching the business.

I offered a free 3-day master class (webinar via FB). I promoted it in the groups where I belonged and also to my list.

I set up a separate email group so that as they signed up, they would get emails to get them excited about the session.

During the live event, more than 60% participated (which is huge since it is normally only around 30% as an industry average).

After the lessons, the final conversion was about 30% signing up for the course (which was in part due to the deep discount that was offered to them).

What I learned is that the connection to the people I wanted to sell to was very important. I had to allow them to get to know me and my teaching style.

I also am going to drop it in a single day. That way, I can lightly touch on each topic and not have to get them to show up three days in a row.

Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?

I continue to stay active within the groups I am in and talk with my list all of the time. But, even more than that, I listen and pay attention.

I use my Facebook group with nearly 5,000 members to provide them value by answering their questions for free which makes them love my advice. That makes selling new products very easy.

Why? Trust. They trust me.

That alone allows for growth. I show up in groups that I don’t even administer and do the same thing. I help and people naturally find me. It is all done organically.

As bloggers share their needs, I will answer their questions. Then, determine what should be a product or not. I research who has already created something and what I could do better and then create it.

I offer my current customers discounts for additional products. I follow up with them and answer their questions to make sure they continue to learn.

In short, I show up. Every day. I make my students and customers feel that I am here to support them and that I am not taking their money and running.

How are you doing today and what does the future look like?

All looks really good! I am releasing another product and have three more in the works. That continues to add to my income month-after-month.

Through my coaching and helping others, I see the need for solutions to problems and continue to plug those holes.

There will always be someone who needs to learn the things I teach. I also know that not every person is a fit for me and that is OK. I can’t help everyone and that has helped me know who to target.

Don’t do something because you want to create it, make sure there is a need. You have to do your research to ensure you invest your time and effort into something people want.

Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

The most important thing I’ve learned through starting my business is that you have to show up every day. You need to be there and pay attention to what is going on around you.

You also can’t do it alone. You need to find your person or people. Network and support one another.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?

I host all of my courses on Teachable and run the payment gateway through ThriveCart. I do it this way so that I have a rock-solid foundation for my students but more customization and flexibility through ThriveCart.

For example, you can’t change the cookie for your affiliate on Teachable. However, you can do that on ThriveCart. That has helped me to get more people to sign up due to the appeal of the program I offer.

All of my digital products are hosted on Shopify. I created a store and now deliver it all via digital downloads.

There are free or inexpensive tools out there but you often get what you pay for and that making smart investments can lead to greater rewards.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?

I honestly have not read any books or listening to podcasts. They just aren’t my thing.

Instead, I read blog articles and network with others to learn. I have a tight community and we all help and teach one another the various aspects we need to learn. If that means signing up for a course, then we do that.

Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting?

Don’t do something because you want to create it, make sure there is a need. You have to do your research to ensure you invest your time and effort into something people want.

You also need to make sure you don’t do something because you think someone else already did. People will buy from you because of you. They will follow you because of the way they connect with you and not somebody else.