Marketing is tough. Only when you don’t love what you are marketing.

That’s when marketing becomes a treadmill set to hell mode.

That’s what creates procrastination, impostor syndrome, self-sabotage, lack of potassium…

Before looking into any of these issues, I’d say spend a good Saturday afternoon block of hours just reimagining your services, refining your delivery, and how the product feels.

If you know you can make a mean cherry pie, you can’t wait for people to try it.

You will ambush them at work, in their homes, on the side of the road…

You know they will like it.

It’s something I notice in myself multiple times.

When I’m not happy about my product, and I know how it could be better—

Marketing becomes a drag…

And I noticed it in my clients too.

If they are excited about their product—

They can’t wait to start marketing.

Let’s think about your language coaching program.

A few critical tactics to make your program more exciting:

✦The onboarding. When someone just joined you, what happens?

✦The first milestone/challenge.

✦The graduation.

Let me share a couple of ideas for the onboarding, which is the easiest to revamp and everyone can do.

How much fanfare, hype, celebration, gamification do you have in your onboarding?

I joined many coaching programs before, and I do remember two occasions where the onboarding was fun and memorable.

The moment I sent the money, this business coach sent me a personal video welcoming me.

Not the basic stuff. He was shirtless, preparing to go for a run, his wife (shirt on) waved from the back.

Was that staged? It doesn't matter—they took the time and energy to create the experience.

It made me laugh, and wonder what the heck is coming next.

Another time, I got a very reassuring voice message. Nothing extravagant. It did the job of making me feel the team is on the ball.

Another time, I got a good introduction to the community, with many people saying "Hi."

In every case, this is on top of the basics, which is an intro video, an orientation email, login access to everything immediately.

You imagine how much better it is for the client to experience all that.

In conclusion...

We are emotional beings.

When marketing is hard, it can be because of a childhood trauma, as some coaches suggest.

Or it can be something more recent and direct: you are not that thrilled about your product.

I can't do anything about the first case, but we can help you improve your program radically and become very confident it's the best in the category.

Then it becomes your cherry pie.