Insider Update
Audience Building Course, Thrive Theme Builder Launch & Gratitude
A quick update to get you up to speed about what I've been working on and what's coming up.
Big news from lately:
- We've publicly launched Thrive Theme Builder! A huge milestone for Thrive Themes and definitely the best product we've ever created.
- The new team I've assembled has been producing some creative content, such as:
- This stop-motion video on taking a business online.
- This review of the Join.Me meeting platform (a good alternative to Zoom?)
- And this earlier video where you can meet the semi-remote team and learn how we communicate more effectively.
- This stop-motion video on taking a business online.
86 comments
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I’d love to buy your new course, Shane, as I have with 3 earlier ones. They have been spot on, and this one sounds like it’s just as right for me. However, this time I doubt that I can afford it at release. The corona stuff has thoroughly sabotaged quite a bit, so every saving is necessary, even if it’s not long term smartness. I guess I have to buy at full price later. :-)
That is the right choice to make! As I've said many times before, I'd never suggest someone should buy anything from me if that puts them in financial difficulties. Plus, I always teach a huge amount of stuff in my free content. If you don't get the course, you're missing out on the course, but you can still learn a lot from all my other stuff. :)
*gets wallet ready* looking forward to the course. You're like Russell Brunson. Whenever there's training, my card is ready LOL
Thank you for your support, Erik!
Shane, thanks for the video. For the past few years I've been researching and learning everything I can about online business. You are one of the few people I have found that genuinely educates and clearly breaks things down into understandable chunks. It's a skill you've gotten really good at and it shows in your products and content, specially Thrive Themes. I found you through an affiliate of TT and I'm glad I did. It's very easy to get lost and overwhelmed in the online space for entrepreneurship, but you make it less stressful. I'm getting ready to launch something of my own and your content, TT, SEO Sprint, Course Craft, etc. is what I needed to prepare me. Now I just need to go out there and make it happen. Thank you and keep up the great work!
Thank you for your comment, Steven! I'm happy you found your way here and to Thrive Themes! :)
Will be ready to buy your new course on the day it launches Shane. At a deeply discounted early adopter price : )
As per usual, yes. :)
Thanks for the update, Shane. Glad you are healthy and safe, and I look forward to more details on the course.
Thank you, Suzanne!
Shane, thank you for the personal and intense insights you share in your video. Actually, I’m the first time visitor to your channel, but I’ll definitely come back to deepen my knowledge.
Welcome, Johannes! I hope you'll find a lot that benefits you.
The current circumstances that we are living in caused me to stumble upon Active Growth and Shane. On March 26th I had an epiphany that I had to take my training online. Yes I’m a slow learner...This has lead me to Thrive themes and the amazing Course Craft. My virtual journey has just begun with Thrive Themes but I am bursting with new found knowledge and much trepidation. Uncomfortable? Yes! Excited for what’s next? Yes!
Keep up the good fight Shane your online presence & character is amazing!
That's great to hear, Hugh! The right kind of uncomfortable, by the sound of it. :)
Shane -
I discovered you only one week ago. You are amazing! (I don't use that kind of language often).
Before the virus hit I had a thriving training business but it consisted of delivering live workshops.
I have used this 'downtime' to put my content online as another part of my portfolio. I bought Course Craft which came along at just the right time. It has been so helpful as I am now packaging my content as ecourses.
I also bought your focus & action course and it was so worth it. And one more thing, thank you for introducing my to Trello! I absolutely love it! I can't believe it's free.
Thank you for continuously delivering solid, practical content without the hype and other non-sense.
Thank you for your kind words! I'm really happy to hear that my content has been helpful to you. And it's great that you're doing this work. You're building some awesome, long term assets.
Hi Shane,
Thanks for your continual motivation & reminders about how we can best grow, even while we’re uncomfortable! Your insights are priceless! <3
I’m eagerly awaiting your audience-building course! I know it will be high quality, like your others! Just waiting to send you my money! :D LoL!
Thank you, Karen!
Hi Shane, thank you for this update. Of all your content, I look forward to these insider updates the most. As someone who is in a perpetual state of trying to get an internet business off the ground while working full time, the course will be really useful.
I'm hoping the course will use a lot of the Thrive Themes products. I've been a TT subscriber for several years but only have time to learn a fraction of the functionality available in your products.
Secondly, it's likely out of scope for the course, but I'd be very interested in your thoughts on outsourcing tasks. I'd love to implement a rapid launch strategy but, with only 3 hours a day spare time, i find each task pushes my deadlines out further and further. I think being able to outsource tasks would really help me along.
Thank you for your comment, Anthony!
You're in a difficult spot there and the main question that I see is: how do we make that "perpetual" state not perpetual? I know this goes against my usual advice, but in what way can you work on this as a sprint instead of a marathon?
I don't know if outsourcing (or rather hiring) is going to be the solution to your problem, either. My experience with hiring is that it only works if you have a working system to place someone into and you have a lot of time to spare in the first weeks or months, to get them trained up. And if you do outsourcing - as in, hire gig workers to do a thing here or there - it rarely leads to the outcome you wish for.
Have you listened to my "customer first" podcast episodes? Starting with this one: https://activegrowth.com/podcast-forget-traffic/
If you had a kick-ass offer that you can start selling without loads of upfront work, that's a stepping stone to freeing yourself from the full time work and increasing the amount of time you can spend on your business.
Thanks for the update Shane! I've been playing with TTB for a little while now and it's awesome. Also, I understand the ups and downs and how you need to push the breaks and slow down from time to time. Getting burned out is a horrible feeling.
Thank you for your comment, Fred! I'm glad you're enjoying TTB. :)
That's fantastic news, I've been waiting for the audience building course since it was first mentioned. So, thank you for (nearly) bringing that course to reality. On another note, you seem just a tad mellower in this video. Perhaps you're just tired. But I'm glad you're being vigilant about watching for signs of burnout. All the best - Randal
Thank you, Randal!
I was very tired and recorded the video close to midnight. Just wanted to get it done before the day was over. The last weeks have been crazy for me, but things are getting better now and the work is paying off.
Thank you, Shane. I'm very much looking forward to the new course. Kudos to you and your team.
Thank you, Don!
Congratulations on the Thrive Theme Builder!
Such a great milestone :)
It's amazing.
I've been using & recommending it for a while now & love it.
Interested to see what's your take on audience building...
It would make a good & logical next step to the "Product First Approach".
I'm excited about it :)
I noticed in the video you mentioned that you're recording all the videos...
That made me wonder if it wouldn't be easier,
that you just record the intro, the framework,
about the author & overview in addition to the marketing & ads material,
then launch the course & drip the modules live every week as you go?
And maybe record it live, edit it & then scale the course.
That wouldn't give you the benefit of getting live feedback from your students?
Shorter the time to launch?
Give us also more time to interact with you live which can justify a higher price point?
(Can't wait for this to be released apparently hahahah)
But also to challenge you to change your pricing mindset upside down :)
Instead of discount it at launch. You premium it at launch, then discount it to scale.
Felt somehow called to pass this thought to you after watching the video.
Does it make sense or am I hallucinating in a Ramadan morning being both hungry & thirsty?
Best of luck anyway!
Cheers & stay safe!
Thanks for your comment!
I've launched some courses like you describe and there are many things I like about that approach. But I've also been experimenting with other launch and marketing models and getting all the content done first does have its advantages as well. For one thing, it makes my life less chaotic, because I can control the scope of the course more easily. It's also because of the new team that I needed to schedule things a bit differently this time around.
That's great!
I'm sure you know better & have good reason :)
You know Russel Brandson is going live for 3 sessions on list & audience building.
It starts later today.
Here's the link if you're interested to have a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz7nJ4jQETg
Best of luck!
Cheers x
Amazing, Shane. As a long time TT subscriber (can even remember prior products) I'm definitely in for this one, just because it's from you (and yes, this may not be the most productive statement, I know :)
I love the new Theme Builder and as an intense user of Thrive Architect, I will put this into live mode soon (currently playing with the amazing features following your YouTube tutorials in staging).
One thing that made me listen attentively was that you mentioned you were going into something like Burnout. Please, Shane, make sure that you stay healthy, both physically and mentally. No personal growth is worth risking your health. As you are one of the very very few people one can trust in this online marketing world (so to say) I really hope that you take care of yourself.
All the best, grow and stay safe and healthy.
ps: did I mention that I'm in for any Shane Melaugh product? ;) I am!
Thank you, Philipp!
I'm pretty sure I can avoid burnout this time around. I can feel when I'm getting too close to that and pull back. Basically, overworking myself is a mistake I've made often enough so that now I can avoid it. :)
Yesss! I can't wait for the new course. The time has come to start building my audience. But first... I gotta prepare my website with Thrive Theme Builder so... let's go!
Thank you, Mariluz!
Hi Shane, you might want to check out Adam Preiser's review of Thrive Theme Builder here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKiyVG2QS3k
Oh, and congratulations on finally releasing TTB! It took a while, didn't it! Must be a really good feeling now that it's finally released. I haven't played with it much, but it seems very promising so far (albeit a bit overwhelming).
Thank you! I'm happy it's finally out, yes. We've tried to make it as un-overwhelming as possible. :D
Seems like a fair enough take. :)
Hi Shane. It was the best decision to switch to Thrive Theme about 3 years ago. When I see how many of my friends are screwing on their WordPress sites and then the bad result. If I tell them how easy it`s with ThriveTheme is to work and the big possibilities (the stick float in the videos alone makes me stand out from many professional sites), I always recommend you very much. The tutorials are so great and you are absolutely always up to date and sometimes even better. :-) I look forward to any information from you because I know that I can give even more content for my customers.
An enthusiastic FAN from Germany, thank you very much.
Best regards Helmut Eberz
Thank you, Helmut!
I appreciate that you're recommending our products. Word of mouth is super valuable!
Shane thanks for this video, different from the others and in a somehow very personal.
At the moment I have only tested TTB but I think the time has come to renew my site and I hope to put it online in a few weeks.
Thanks to you and the whole TT team.
"See you" soon
Michele
Thank you, Michele. I hope TTB will make it easy for your to do that site upgrade. :)
I just LOVE these updates Shane. They make me feel part of something and cared about. You spoke directly to me when you said I'm not alone, THANK YOU. This has been hard and I'm constantly trying to stay up to the game and not worry more than needed.
About the course, I'm looking forward to it and I hope I can afford it. You and Andre Chaperon are the only ones I still follow and listen to and admire (after over 8 years being online and starting out looking for stuff on the warrior forum, crazy!). I'm an early adopter for all of your stuff and I hope I'll stay that way :)
Thank you for your comment, Mary! André is great, I agree. I like his approach to marketing very much.
Hi Shane,
Thanks for the interesting insights and your thoughts!
I still find it very inspiring for the future.
Best regards Wolf
Thank you for your comment, Wolf!
This sounds like a course that can go very right or fall hard, I know you already have done your research but what I like to see are real life examples also known as a case study(ies) of your audience building course. just my €0.01.
Good luck I am looking forward to see the sales page of the course!
Thanks for your feedback. I think we'll be able to make a pretty convincing case for the course. ;)
Hi Shane
I would be interested in this kind of course. My biggest challenge is that my services and products are aimed at business owners in typical bricks and mortar type settings. Yes, I'm acutely aware of covid-19 and lockdown.
These types of businesses tend not to spend a lot of time browsing around the web so reaching them is problematic. They do though spend time on business forums and are also on LinkedIn.
If your course covered these types of audiences I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Cheers and well done to you and the team with Thrive Theme Builder, it's great!
The truth is, building an audience is not for every type of business. A plumber doesn't need an audience, they need traffic.
I don't know what your service is exactly, but it's not guaranteed that my approach to audience building would work for you. We'll cover exactly what use cases this is or isn't for in our run-up to the course launch.
I love your content man. I can't mention the specifics, but you are right on the button. As always, much appreciated.
Thank you, Stretch!
Hi Shane
Thanks for the update. We've done a new site with the new theme and it looks gorgeous. Not quite finished yet, but still gorgeous. Good to hear you're growing and your team is growing and adapting whilst still innovating. It's not easy, but then we've been through this before in 2008, and before that in the 90s and I'm pretty sure there was a stuff in the childhoods we all had that impacted us. But we learnt and we've grown.
Really not happy about the audience building course :) . Because I'm just about to launch mine and I like to promote your stuff. And sure it's not the same thing done in the same way... but it feels off not to be able to promote you! I know it will be a brilliant course, I just don't think my audience can handle two lots of promo right now. Oh for better times when it wouldn't matter a jot
I appreciate your support, Sarah! No worries about not being able to promote this one. I wish you a great launch with your course!
yeah but what about the "Course Craft" course? I need that one too and it's totally disappeared. Also if you make a membership-style payment I will super buy :) I can afford that most likely. I've loved everything y'all have put out (except thrive apprentice).
Hi Chris,
I want to update the technical part of the course before re-opening it. I think it's a good course, but I'm not happy with our tech stack. We tried to make it as easy as possible, but many customers are still struggling with it.
Shane, I am looking forward to your new course on audience building!
On Course Craft - do you have a tentative timeline for the tech stack update?
Thank you for your work (great job on TT Builder) and updates!
Unfortunately, I don't have a timeline yet. We're still exploring different options, so we haven't reached the implementation phase yet.
I didn’t know this was in the works...but I for one am not disappointed! ;-) LoL!
Honestly, I never liked SendOwl, so I switched over to WishList Member (when AppSumo offered a “lifetime deal” recently ;-) ) just for the content authorization / protection (ie, I don’t plan on having either a membership site model or having an affiliate program).
Will you notify us in CourseCraft or by email when you have an alternative stack?
Thanks! <3
I'm glad you found a solution that works better for you. Yes, you'll be notified when the course is updated. :)
Audience from the scratch course. An excellent idea. Look forward to learning more.
Thanks for your comment!
I think this crisis (which is btw not about corona, it is much bigger than that) offers the greatest opportunity for personal growth. There are people who were kinda prepared for it, although nobody knew exactly how it would happen, others are struggling to catch up, and there are also folks who won't be able to handle it. For me this crisis provided invaluable opportunities to finish the self-healing work I started a while ago, learn just anything I like (online marketing, investments, more healing techniques, relationship coaching etc.), and finally to put my website together with Thrive. I had been praying for these opportunities for years, and now I got them. I am at home all day, payed by the government (although I haven't seen a cent yet :P ) doing only what I like. What a dream life! Next week I'll return to my main job, that is optional right now (what freedom!!!).Because I can't afford quitting it yet , but I'll still have a lot of free time....to build up my therapeutic practice, in which online marketing will play a big role.
I'm looking forward to your course, however, if you are at the edge of burn-out, you will need to slow down and take a break. Something corona teaches all of us. Thanks for all your work!
I'm happy to hear that you are able to seize this as an opportunity to grow and learn!
Don't worry, I'm not going to overwork myself. Not this time, anyway.
Your courses have been not only the most affordable, but also the most effective. I can't wait for the latest release! But it's really you're integrity that I'm attracted to. You are one of the few to promote value based business that truly helps people and not just see them as dollar signs. Keep up the good work and know that your fans are very grateful!
I'm very happy to hear that, Nannette! Thank you!
I commend you as a master instructor, I've used your course material as a road map to help me stay focused and move forward in developing and owning an online training company, I look forward to this course. I appreciate your willingness to walk us through the "If you build it they will come, uncertainty". You're a GCBD. global cyber business development, rock star. P.S. I'm still waiting for the SEO course to become available again. Thanks
Thank you for the high praise, Brian!
Thank you Shane for this very personal news. That´s great sharing your stress with us. I´m looking forward to the new course. Take care, stay healthy and briskly.
Thank you, Robert!
Will definitely buy, I need such content and knowledge very much!
Thank you for your support of my work!
Shane Thank you for taking the time to share this update! Is always really nice to see you.
Congratulations for TTB and the amazing work you do to inspire and lead your team. A team win is always bigger, right? :)
I just found out about the course on audience building, sounds very interesting and thank you in advance for doing your best as always. You put out for free very insightful content, and when you charge for something is your signature stamp for value multiplied content.
Thank you for being around and closer to us in this amazing space you have created!
Carolina.
Thank you for your kind words, Carolina. Yes, team wins are far more satisfying than solo wins. :)
Credit card ready, please make jump link on your sales page straight to the buy button to save time for me ;)
Well said, Ross! :D
+1 for me too!
Thank you for your support!
looking forward to seeing the new course that you are releasing Shane - I have been a member of thrive for just over a year now and highly recommend what you do - I have learnt so much about marketing through your training university and when you release new stuff - I am the first one to implement it with the help of your support team -
Thank you, Lee! I'm happy to hear that!
Hi Shane, I am an early adopter of Thrive Themes - I think I actually came in on your launch years ago - and have been on board since with all the software and courses. I consider you to be one of my mentors. I was a bit concerned that in this video you look tired - I hope you are ok and just wanted to say that its ok to take a break. Stay safe my friend.
Thank you for your comment, Noel! I was definitely tired when I recorded this. But I've been doing okay this week and once the course is finished, I'll take a well deserved break.
Hi Shane, I'm following you for two years at now. I'm a TT member and I can't stop to say how much it is changing the way I can work and consequently my life. I also purchased last two of your courses . Now it's very interesting this news. The first thought comes in my mind is that getting authority is the first step first to get traffic and conversions, in my opinion, and this isn't something one can get fast. For this reason having an up to date proven step by step guide for getting authority even before to start at thinking about a product to sell, it could be great. I really would like to know your point of view on this. I want also take this opportunity to thank you so much, Shane, for all of my big work changing by your products and videos! My English is low, but I hope you can get my feeling.
Hi Giuseppe,
[Writing to you from Southern California! :-)]
Very well said! I’m sure you speak for so many of Shane’s admirers & fans! :D
Your English is great! I would fail miserably should I try to write even the the most basic few words in another language! ;-o
Stay well & safe in these unusual times! <3
Thank you Karen. I can see on the tv that your people is having an hard time. I wish you all my best. Cheers from north-east Italy
Thank you so much! <3
I’m actually in a smallish “city” about an hour north of Los Angeles... So we are in pretty good shape up here... Not much population density here compared to a larger population in a small physical space... From my perspective, it seems it’s the metro areas that have been hit the hardest, with their more densely-packed populations...
From the information we have received in North America — be it legit or overblown, who knows? — your country was hit terribly hard too! It’s heartening to know you are fairing well at this point! :-)
One of the best perks of being a follower of Shane & part of this community is the global nature of the members here! We are all connected! :D
Shanie, the audience building course is the most important course you´ve done so far, at least for me. Please please please stop sleeping completely and throw everything on it! If you nail it man!... no pressure though... ;)
Hi, Shane, I have been an enthusiastic Thrive member for several years now and took on CourseCraft because that is a direction I wanted to go in. Bought all the gear, but it was not until lockdown that I got around to making videos. I made a couple of substantial videos recently about the pandemic and published them to friends, clients and contacts around the world (via Vimeo) on my small 550 mailing list. This has been well received and created a lot of goodwill - so I am now at the stage that I can send out an email with a survey to see what sort of course people would be interested in ( I have experience in various fields), and then get back into Coursecraft and thrive Apprentice. I have learned a lot so far. And I should add that I have just turned 72 - so you can definitely teach an old dog new tricks!
Shane, I have one question though. My established website is set up on the Rise theme and most of the videos and posts coming out now from Thrive are around Thrive Theme Builder. As I understand it, it is difficult, if not a mistake and unadvisable, to try and convert an existing theme into one using Theme Builder. My concern is that the rest of us with traditional Thrive products set up are going to be left behind in terms of new developments and updates. A clarification and answer on this would be appreciated. Many thanks - and keep up the great, quality work, always appreciated.