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How Sam Laliberte Started Launch a Podcast on a Budget
- Who: Sam Laliberte
- Website: launchapodcastonabudget.com
- Course Topic: Podcasting
- Interesting Stats: Created online course after 10 live, sold-out events in a row.
Who are you and what course have you created?
I’m the Creator of Launch a Podcast on a Budget.
What market does your online course serve?
I help aspiring podcasters launch, market, and monetize their podcast with confidence. My course shares the proven step-by-step process for podcast success, trusted by hundreds of content creators along their podcasting journey.
What’s the biggest benefit of taking your course?
I help you stop delaying the launch of a great podcast show by simplifying the production process while building your confidence that your show will be a success.
How did you get into the market?
When I launched my podcast three years I was unemployed and had the benefit of making podcasting my full-time, top priority. Not everyone has this flexibility and more and more aspiring podcasters were coming to me with challenges they were faced with causing months and months of delays, despite having an amazing podcast concept. I started with in-person workshops in Toronto and after 10 sold-out events in a row, I turned it into an online course that can be consumed anywhere, at any time.
Why did you decide to create an online course in the first place?
By only offering in-person workshops for my course, I was only able to support aspiring podcasters living in my city who were available the evening of the workshop date. I found this too limiting and I was consistently getting requests to Livestream the workshops. I didn’t want a “fly on the wall” of an in-person workshop to be my online learning experience so I created a high-quality online course that’s meant to be consumed on-demand.
Did you have any moments of doubt before you created/launched it? If so what made you turn it around and do it anyway?
At first, I was super hung up on the technical aspects of creating an online course. I wanted something really high quality and didn’t have a professional camera of lighting as it was my first online course. So I ended up finding a Udemy online course about “creating your first online course”. That was so helpful in breaking down what was necessary versus nice to have.
What’s your online course like?
My course contains 2.5 hours of video content, three downloadable resources, and a final quiz at the end of the course!
How long did it take you to create your course?
It took me a full month to create my online course from scripting the content to shooting the course, editing the content, creating the website on Podia, and then marketing it to my audience.
Tell us a little about the process of launching your course and getting your first sale(s).
I launched my course to my personal network first (Instagram, email list, and Facebook Group) and offered 50% off the course for anyone who purchased in the first 72 hours.
Do you have a lead magnet?
I don’t but I wish I did! Right now I have a number of free IGTV videos related to podcasting at and the end of the videos, the call to action is to take my course. These videos have been really great at building my authority within my industry.
What’s the traffic strategy that works best for you?
Referrals from my existing customers! I have an incentive/referral program in place and also send personalized messages upon completion of the course asking happy customers to share their experience with the course on social media.
What online course platform are you using?
I use Podia as my online course platform and I LOVE IT!
Are there any features you wish it had?
I wish had more professional and robust email newsletter capabilities similar to something I have with Mailchimp so that I can keep everything in one place. Other than that, it’s pretty amazing!
What made you decide to use your chosen platform over others?
For the longest time, I was debating between Kajabi and Teachable and really thought those were my options. I loved how professional Kajabi’s customer dashboard was and that you could personalize everything to reflect your existing brand; however, it was on the more expensive side and had a lot of features I wouldn’t utilize. Teachable on the other hand was much more affordable but I wasn’t impressed by the customer experience. I didn’t feel like I could make it feel like an extension of my existing brand. I was extremely excited when I found Podia late one evening that offered the best of both worlds!
What other tools do you use to run your online course business?
I used iMovie to edit all of my videos and Canva to make the graphics and launch marketing assets. I l also love Loom for screen recordings.
What books or training programs have you found useful on your journey to a successful business owner that others might find valuable too?
Udemy Course Creation for Passive Income
I’ve interviewed ~50 guests on the Freedom Lifestyle Podcast and have learned SO MUCH from these conversations it’s incredible!
Do you have any big mistakes you’ve made along the way that you’d be willing to share?
Not having an incentive for people to buy the course now. With my in-person workshops, there was a sense of urgency or you missed out on the opportunity but with an online course, it’s available at any time which feels less pressing. I haven’t figured out how to combat this yet but it’s a mistake I’ve made with my online course and has held me back from scaling.
Please share some idea of revenue.
My course sells for $99 and I made my first $1000 on launch day by offering a 72-hour discount code.
Please tell us a little about what the money you’ve earned from your course has done for you.
The biggest thing this course has done for me inspires me to prioritize passive income ideas. -Sam Laliberte Click To TweetWaking up to course sales and literally making money while you sleep is incredibly empowering. I want the freedom to make money whether I’m “logged on” or not and having an online course and seeing those results has allowed me to take longer vacations and spend more quality time with loved ones without worrying about whether I’m making money that day.
What has creating your course done for you personally?
After receiving such great feedback on my teaching skills and on-camera personality, it’s really built up my confidence that online education is a viable option for me. I’ve always loved the idea of teaching and passing on knowledge but I wasn’t sure how my skills would translate into an online course. Hearing the amazing feedback from my students has been incredibly inspiring!
Do you have a story of a transformation from any of your clients?
“Sam is an amazing host for this course. I was feeling overwhelmed about the tech and logistics of starting a podcast, even though I bought a mic a while ago. This course was extremely valuable for the amount of content that’s in the course- from start to finish, stats, tech, editing, etc- this is all included. Highly recommend! I’m finally on my way to launching a podcast and actually excited about it” Kayla D
What advice do you have for people just starting out?
I wish I knew that having a professional camera and perfect lighting and set didn’t actually matter. Having a professional sales page video is important.
For the actual course content, it’s more about providing valuable information in an engaging way. -Sam Laliberte Click To TweetI wouldn’t stress over the equipment and tech if you’re just starting out. Simple screen recording tools are more than sufficient. Focus on the information!
Learn more about Sam Laliberte of launchapodcastonabudget.com:
