Throughout the episode, we discuss the fear and vulnerability that come with alterations and growth in educational programs. We emphasize familiarizing ourselves with our target demographics for a successful marketing strategy, and assert that you are just where you need to be on your journey. The pinnacle of a successful program is clarity - understanding your audience’s needs simplify the process significantly and helps to develop a more effective program.
With this episode, we offer the ultimate guide to creating an irresistible educational opportunity that is sure to attract ideal students and families. We provide irreplaceable tips on creating successful programs with a focus on avoiding missed opportunities and overwhelm. For more details, visit TeachersLetYourLightShine.com/masterminds.
In this episode, we delve into the essential techniques for marketing Micro Schools and Homeschool Hybrid Programs. Get ready for a deep exploration of the Core Four - fundamental strategies that transform your program from a mere proposition to a must-have educational opportunities that attract families.
www.teachersletyourlightshine.com/masterminds
Micro School Masterminds: the ultimate solution designed to morph your homeschool or micro school vision into reality. Our program comes equipped with innovative time management approaches, financial planning, and strategic marketing solutions that slice through the chaos and confusion of creating educational programs.
In this journey, we stand with you to beat the feelings of isolation and overwhelm. We proudly present monthly group coaching sessions with the expert, Makenzie Oliver, who combines private support with community access. Every week, we provide an abundance of content filled with templates, videos, and printable resources, to assist you in every step of your business building process.
www.teachersletyourlightshine.com/masterminds
Join Our Facebook Group for a supportive community and the “best place on the corner of the internet” https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherletyourlightshine
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Get started on your dream school right now! Get all the documents you need to jumpstart, market and enroll students! www.teachersletyourlightshine.com/shop We have step-by-step instructions to help you write powerful marketing brochures, enrollment forms, introductory packets, and so much more! You’ll also find easy-to-use templates made to simplify your creation process, as well as beautiful real-life examples used by my micro-school, Lighthouse Learning, to give you creative inspiration when designing your very own forms. You will be able to seal the deal with peace and clarity when you hand deliver your new handbook and contract. Tune in to today's episode to find out more and head over to our shop to purchase your documents at teachersletyourlightshine.com/shop
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Imagine having a steady stream of students and families coming into your micro
school or your homeschool hybrid program,
and they're all eager to experience the transformative education or opportunities that you are offering.
Today, I'm going to be delving into the realm of marketing mastery.
(00:22):
And while there are so many components of marketing, today I'm going to share with you the core four.
These are the core four strategies that we are going to be harnessing as we
begin to develop an incredible opportunity experience, not only for families, but for ourselves.
(00:43):
Get ready because we are going to unlock some of the most powerful ways to be
effective and ways to resonate with your target audience to boost your enrollment.
Parents and teachers, the time has come.
The time for us to gather together and create the ultimate learning environment
(01:04):
for those of us leading the movement and education by creating micro schools
and homeschool hybrids.
Now introducing Micro School Masterminds, the one and only program for those
of us who are dedicated to making a change and creating such incredible opportunities,
(01:24):
not only for our community, for our own families, for our own life.
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed and isolated in your journey of building
a micro school or homeschool hybrid, Micro School Masterminds is is here to
support you through the frustration, the uncertainty.
Music.
The building business task, the direction, the vision, the time constraints,
(01:45):
the fumbling through your finances, the wondering how to grow what you already have.
Your answer is here. You've been asking for this and we've created it.
Microschool Masterminds, the one and only ultimate solution to transform your
dream into your reality.
Boost your success with efficient time management, financial planning,
(02:06):
strategic marketing and systems and processes to streamline all your wild and
amazing ideas so you can actually move the mountains standing in your way of
your greatest success we know what it's like to struggle with analysis paralysis
financial insecurity and marketing challenges and.
Music.
(02:32):
Beginner, current micro school owner, and the person who is ready to grow their
existing business and mindset.
With micro school masterminds, you'll receive monthly group coaching sessions
with me, Mackenzie Oliver, private support, community access,
and weekly content filled with templates, videos, and printables to help you
with all of your business building tasks.
(02:53):
If you're feeling stuck in a rut, battling time management issues,
needing clarity over your budget or your finances, If you're struggling to hire
the dream team or craving accountability and inspiration, Microschool Masterminds is your answer.
We've helped hundreds of teachers pave the way to their micro school or homeschool hybrid dream.
We've created 733% of growth in our own micro school.
(03:18):
We're not letting stagnation, overwhelm, or missed opportunities hold you back.
Act now and join Microschool Masterminds to unlock the tools,
the guidance, and the community you need to thrive.
Don't miss out on this chance to transform your educational business and secure your success.
Visit TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds to sign up today and lock
(03:41):
in introductory pricing for life.
Again, that's TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds.
I will be waiting for you on the other side.
After so many wonderful, Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful coaching sessions.
I come to you in this episode with a very empathetic heart.
(04:04):
Really and truly, I understand what it feels like to have this incredible idea,
this vision, but also be afraid that either people are not going to,
quote unquote, want it, or quote quote unquote,
pay for it, and then have this overwhelming fear of putting it out into the
(04:26):
world, being afraid of rejection,
or that it's not going to work.
Even just putting yourself in a position to say, yes, I'm going to do what I'm what I'm going to do.
Every year, I want you to know that every year in building this micro school
and then it coming into a homeschool hybrid program, program.
(04:46):
I will be completely honest with you.
We have changed so much.
Every time we have changed.
I have feared that change, but I've also felt very empowered by it.
And I'll give you an example.
When we first started our micro school, which I didn't even know was a micro school.
At the time, I just thought this is just a homeschooling co-op on steroids,
(05:09):
I guess. I didn't even know what the terminology was.
I only taught full-time students, or I only taught students that would come
to my house for five days a week.
But then as I developed more awareness to what my surrounding families were
needing and were wanting,
I was able to begin adding different components on to our program,
(05:35):
which has now become a homeschool hybrid.
Hybrid now even whenever i started the homeschool hybrid
program i went from having two days
a week and then three days a week and now we
offer five different options for families we have diversified our income stream
but it wasn't like that to begin with and i and i want to meet you where you
(05:56):
are right now to tell you that right now this could feel very very pieced together
it can feel a a little foggy.
And I just want you to understand that you're still right where you need to be.
It's going to feel foggy. It's going to be a situation where you are not going
to know exactly what the results are going to be. That feels risky.
(06:20):
It feels very vulnerable.
It's just the same feeling that Chick-fil-A felt whenever they decided to start
selling their chicken sandwiches.
It's the same way that Amazon felt when they began their company or the mastermind
behind it. Let's just say that.
So you're not alone when it comes to being an entrepreneur and having an idea
(06:40):
and putting it out into the world, but we've got to get in position to overcome
the analysis paralysis or the perfectionism or the fear.
And in a world filled with a lot of distractions, a lot of things coming on
social social media, a lot of things just in your world, in your community.
(07:02):
We have to figure out how we can stand out and capture the attention of our
ideal students and families.
And again, let me emphasize ideal students and families.
It truly all starts with number one. Today, I'm going to go over the core four.
There's so many components of marketing.
But in today's episode, I want to to share with you the core four,
(07:26):
the core four that I work with, when I'm coaching my students, my clients,
I'm working with these four things, even if they've already have an established micro school.
So I coach those who have.
Either have a micro school or homeschool hybrid program, or they have a micro
school, they want to turn it into a hybrid program, or they have a hybrid program,
(07:50):
they want to turn it into a micro school,
or they are just starting for the first time, which by the way, we are going to be.
Resolving the deluxe coaching and the jumpstart coaching program until further
notice probably over the next several months,
because we are starting our micro school mastermind membership,
(08:11):
and I'm pouring 100% into that membership program.
I'm still offering clarity coaching, which is one session of getting unstuck, getting clarified,
but the deluxe coaching, the jumpstart coaching, if you are interested in four
to eight sessions of us working together,
please snag that within the next couple of weeks because when our Microschool
(08:35):
Mastermind membership launches April 1st, we'll no longer be doing the deluxe
coaching or jumpstart coaching program.
But this is what I'm helping people with, even if they've been established for
a while. I still have to go through this.
We just created a brand new offer for our school this year, and it is for middle school.
Not only do we offer this brand new, we already had middle school,
(08:57):
but we're doing a complete and total different program for middle school that's
going to cost investing. It's going to cost a lot of courage.
It's going to cost a different marketing strategy, but we're also offering different
different opportunities for our families from one to five days a week.
So every year we have changed our offer and it's just getting better and better.
And we've only been able to do that because we have known our demographics.
(09:22):
So number one of the core four is our offer.
And I know exactly what you're feeling like when you're like,
I don't know, should we do this? Should we do that?
I really want it to look like this, but I don't even have the,
I don't have the right location. I don't have the right staff.
Many people really struggle to gain clarity on what their offer is.
(09:43):
They think that they know what they want to offer.
But they struggle to put it on paper. That's a key sign. If you're having a
really difficult time putting it on paper, it's not because you have writer's block.
It's because you're lacking clarity. We have to take the invisible and make it visible.
So if you're struggling to put it on paper, that's your first sign that we're not crystal clear.
(10:06):
Now, I like to relate this to cooking.
When I'm developing, let's say, my meal plan for the week, I would love to eat
a variety of vegetables and rice.
That's me. That's great. That's what I love. But I'm serving a house full of
people who do not want vegetables and rice.
(10:30):
My teenage daughter, she needs meat right now as she's growing. She needs red meat.
She needs to build up her iron. My younger daughter loves fruit.
I'm not that much of a fruit person. My husband, he loves fruit.
He loves vegetables. He will not touch meat.
My youngest daughter, she's pretty much almost a vegetarian as well.
(10:53):
Now, when I go to cook, let's say I create a big old pot roast.
The only person who's going to be interested in that is my daughter, my oldest daughter.
My husband's not going to touch it. My youngest daughter might pick at it.
I'm probably not going to touch it either. I'll probably eat the potatoes and the carrots.
(11:13):
I'll have a little bit. My oldest daughter also likes carbs.
No one else in my family is really a carb person.
It's just this whole demographic of people that have different needs,
different desires, different tastes, different interests.
What I struggle with is knowing every week when I go sit down to plan,
I'm struggling to figure out what is it that these wonderful people that I serve want to eat.
(11:41):
And a lot of times I lack meal planning, although I love to do it.
When I'm on it, I'm on it, baby.
But I lack meal planning because I do not have the ultimate clear path for what
the people in my family want me to make for them.
And a lot of times it's because I haven't even asked them.
So one day I went up to my daughter and I said, if you could have your very
(12:05):
favorite meal this week, what would it be?
I would want you to make me hash brown casserole. Great.
If you could have your very favorite meal this week, what would it be?
I want steak great Honey, what would you like?
I want vegetable soup. Great. Now I knew exactly what my audience wanted.
Now I'm going to go and I'm going to make a plan for it before I go do my grocery shopping.
(12:28):
It's the same thing that we are facing when we are going to create our offer
and we're going to serve it to the world.
First off, we have to know what our audience wants and that takes time. It takes questioning.
It takes asking people in Facebook groups. It takes really talking to people.
(12:50):
We may have a really great offer. Like for me, I would love to make taco casserole.
But no one in my family, it really wants taco casserole.
No one wants it. So why am I going to make taco casserole when no one wants
it? But here's the deal. They don't know how good it is.
They have no clue how great this taco casserole is.
(13:12):
I've got to meet them where they are. I have to build the bridge for them.
Majority of my family, except for my husband, likes tacos, but I can make him tacos with vegetables.
How about I have a taco night? And as I'm making all the ingredients for tacos,
I also make a small little casserole.
Since we're already having tacos,
(13:32):
let me at least try to show them what it is that they have to offer.
I'm building a bridge, connecting what they're already used to,
to what I want them to start enjoying.
Enjoying now let me give you that example it's someone i was just working with
they have this incredible offer of how they want learning to be for their families
(13:55):
but when i ask them who they're serving.
They really struggled to identify, well, I want to create this homeschool hybrid
program, but I know the majority of my families are going to be coming from
public and private school.
Right. Great. So if we know that your families are coming from public and private
school, are they going to be
ready for two to three days a week and now homeschooling their children?
(14:20):
The question really stumped the person I was working with. And me too. It stumps me too. too.
Because I'm like, I got this really great thing. I want to only work two to three days a week.
I want to create this homeschool hybrid program, but I don't really know much
about the homeschool community.
And the people that I anticipate wanting my program are from public and private school.
(14:43):
So I think. But if they were to come to my program, this is a whole separate,
different mindset shift for them.
They don't know how to homeschool their children.
They're going to ask, what do I do the two or three days that they're not with
you? I've got to work. So I've got to meet them where they are.
Maybe I don't start out as a homeschool hybrid program.
(15:05):
Maybe I start out as a micro school and then I maneuver or I resolve into a
homeschool hybrid program because people may just not be ready for it. It's our offer.
A lot of times we struggle to know our audience.
And like I said, it takes time. Many times we think that we know what people
(15:26):
want, but we don't really know because we haven't gotten to know them all that well.
And we're struggling to see what they're really ready for.
Or number three, we go straight to the curriculum and we try to find this awesome
curriculum that matches what we want to deliver to families,
but we haven't created the design, so to speak.
(15:50):
The instructional design before we go and start ordering the curriculum.
And I've made that mistake myself.
Or we create this amazing offer that people just are not ready for.
So we have to build a bridge to meet them there.
Or we have to really educate people on why this is advantageous for them to
(16:13):
either make a change for their life or for their families are or invest their
money into what you have to offer.
Many times people also struggle in this area because they have this incredible vision.
Sometimes I see this with parents. They are not going to be the ones teaching in their school.
They have this incredible vision of what they want it to look like,
(16:35):
but they also have to find the person who can deliver it for them.
Praise God that happened to me. I, by the grace of God, maybe this is where
you can start, praying for the person who can help you integrate your vision
into a solidified offer.
I have an instructional designer that by the grace of God met me because she
(17:00):
was so interested in her kids coming to our school.
And then she herself started pouring into our school with her gifts and talents
in exchange for her children coming to Lighthouse Learning.
A total, total game changer for our school and for me as a leader.
Because now I'm able to focus on other areas of the business and be able to
(17:26):
really focus on Microschool Masterminds membership that will be starting in April,
because I really have this huge desire after many years of not only building
the school, but coaching other people. I know what people need.
I know what you need help with. And I'm so excited to be able to give that to
you because I know what it feels like to struggle through some of these really nitty gritty,
(17:51):
important foundational blocks and growth blocks for our time,
our planning, our money, our growth, our marketing.
So we've got to nail down our offer. We've got to know our audience.
We have to take the time to research and understand the demographics,
where parents are at, what their preferences are, what are their pain points,
what are their aspirations.
(18:12):
I give you a very systematic process that I'm going to take you through whenever
you're in micro school masterminds membership.
Even if you are in year three, four or five,
you still have to have this, I still have to have this, I literally throughout
the year will even adapt and change my offer and create more additional services
(18:33):
for families as I'm learning and documenting what families are needing.
Number two, in the core four of marketing is we have to make the invisible visible.
This is when we take our offer and we actually put it down onto paper.
We are connecting with our audience on a very personal and emotional level.
We share our story of our micro school, our mission, our values,
(18:57):
the impact that we're making, and that all comes into the introductory packet.
The introductory packet, if you're going to be in Micro School Masterminds membership,
you get 50% off the updated version of our packet.
Introductory packet. The updated version gives you all of my materials that
I have been working on over the past couple of years as well to make the introductory
(19:18):
packet, the handbook contract, all of that better.
But you get 50% off if you're in the membership program.
The introductory packet is where we take our heart, our soul,
our passion, and we make it visible for families.
And a lot of times people say, what if it has too many words?
I teach you how to build in infographics into your introductory packet that
(19:42):
really connects with families.
But it can't just be cold. It has to be warm. We have to connect with our with our families.
That's where the marketing really becomes extremely beneficial.
Number three, and the core four is we have to choose platforms that get our messaging out.
We have to have social proof, we've got to leverage this.
(20:03):
It's a very powerful marketing strategy, we can highlight testimonials,
success stories, Case studies from either satisfied students,
parents, staff members. We've done a podcast.
We've done a YouTube video. We have testimonials. We've done surveys.
We have all of that in place for families that helps us to leverage where we
(20:25):
are socially to prove to parents that this is a really great option for them.
The two platforms that we choose are Facebook and our website.
Something else that we'll teach you in the Microschool Masterminds membership
membership, but it's super important that you have platforms.
And not only that, but a strategy with those platforms.
(20:49):
So even with our website, we have really strong email marketing campaigns that
we just started building over the past couple years. I didn't have that my first two years.
Really, it was a little iffy even my third year. I was learning,
I was building, I was growing.
We We don't have to do all of it. If you, this is the core four.
(21:09):
So if maybe your core four, you are struggling with just your offer, let's nail that down.
Maybe you're struggling with taking the invisible and making it visible.
Let's now nail that down.
Maybe you've done that already and you just need to streamline your platforms.
Let's work on that. That's your third one. And then the fourth one,
the fourth one that I see all of us struggling with is consistency.
(21:32):
We can't underestimate the importance of consistency,
of following through with families, of putting our offer out into the world,
being authentic in our marketing efforts, being very genuine, being transparent,
not being afraid to show up on camera, not being afraid to put your pictures
out into the world, staying true to really what you identify with and what your values are.
(21:58):
And I noticed that people struggle with this because maybe they're having a
hard time thinking it's not the way that I want it to be.
Oh, gosh, I work with people in this area.
They say, Mackenzie, I don't want to put pictures out on Facebook because I'm
not where I want to be yet.
And that's so real.
It's so real. I've faced that myself with having it in my home and all of the
(22:24):
different visions that I had for our school.
And I'm like, I'm not there yet. and if I put it out there, it's not gonna look
like it's authentic, but guess what? It was real.
It was really what we're going through. People wanna see real.
They don't wanna see fake. They don't wanna see phony. They wanna see what's really happening.
And if we don't believe it ourselves, it's difficult to be consistent.
(22:46):
And I'm not saying that we fake it till we make it, but I'm saying that we show
up and we put out to the world what we're creating, even if it's messy,
because it's a lot better than not showing up at all. Honest to goodness.
You're not making a fool of yourself. You're really, I mean,
I look back at what I had four years ago, no website, no email marketing,
random pictures on Facebook, completely inconsistent. And look at where we are now.
(23:11):
Honestly, I had to start somewhere. And so do you.
So you've got your offer. You have making the invisible visible.
You've got your platforms and consistency. Consistency, those are the core four
that we, now, again, there's so much more that goes into marketing,
but let's get good with those.
(23:31):
Let's get good with just the basics because when we implement these strategies,
we'll be well on our way to attracting the students and the families who are
not just customers, but they're literally raving fans.
They're lifers of your program. So what are you waiting for?
We gotta get some work. We gotta get some enrollment soaring here.
(23:52):
So don't forget to join the Teachers Let Your Light Shine, our micro school
mastermind membership.
You want to head over to teachersletyourlightshine.com slash masterminds so
that you can be put on the waitlist because when the doors open.
You don't have to pay anything right now. It's just getting on the waitlist.
So when the doors open, you can get in, you can snag your introductory pricing
(24:15):
for a lifetime and that pricing goes up starting in May. but you can get in
there, get your pricing situated, get your mindset ready.
And then when the doors open in April, you'll be into our community. We'll send you an email.
You can go ahead and enter into the membership and then you can get started
with all of the goodies that are in there and get prepared for our very first
(24:39):
live coaching session and all of the great things that we have planned to give
you every Thursday of the month in our Masterminds membership.
Can't wait to see you there. That's TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds.
Parents and teachers, the time has come.
The time for us to gather together and create the ultimate learning environment
(25:00):
for those of us leading the movement and education by creating micro schools
and homeschool hybrids.
Now introducing Micro School Masterminds, the one and only program for those
of us who who are dedicated to making a change and creating such incredible opportunities,
(25:20):
not only for our community, for our own families, for our own life.
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed and isolated in your journey of building
a micro school or homeschool hybrid, Micro School Masterminds is here to support
you through the frustration, the uncertainty.
Music.
The building business task, the direction, the vision, the time constraints,
(25:41):
the fumbling through your finances, the wondering how to grow what you already
have. Your answer is here.
You've been asking for this and we've created it.
Microschool Masterminds, the one and only ultimate solution to transform your
dream into your reality.
Boost your success with efficient time management, financial planning,
(26:02):
strategic marketing, and systems and processes to streamline all your wild and
amazing ideas is so you can actually move the mountains standing in your way
of your greatest success.
We know what it's like to struggle with analysis paralysis, financial insecurity,
and marketing challenges in your micro school.
Music.
(26:28):
Current micro school owner, and the person who is ready to grow their existing business and mindset.
With micro school masterminds, you'll receive monthly group coaching sessions
with me, Mackenzie Oliver, private support, community access,
and weekly content filled with templates, videos, and printables to help you
with all of your business building tasks.
(26:49):
If you're feeling stuck in a rut, battling time management issues,
needing clarity over your budget or your finances, If you're struggling to hire
the dream team or craving accountability and inspiration, Microschool Masterminds is your answer.
We've helped hundreds of teachers pave the way to their microschool or homeschool hybrid dream.
We've created 733% of growth in our own microschool.
(27:14):
We're not letting stagnation, overwhelm, or missed opportunities hold you back.
Act now and join Microschool Masterminds to unlock the tools,
the guidance, and the community you need to thrive.
Don't miss out on this chance to transform your educational business and secure your success.
Visit TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds to sign up today and lock
(27:37):
in introductory pricing for life.
Again, that's TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds.
Music.
Imagine having a steady stream of students and families coming into your micro
school or your homeschool hybrid program,
and they're all eager to experience the transformative education or opportunities that you are offering.
Today, I'm going to be delving into the realm of marketing mastery.
(00:22):
And while there are so many components of marketing, today I'm going to share with you the core four.
These are the core four strategies that we are going to be harnessing as we
begin to develop an incredible opportunity experience, not only for families, but for ourselves.
(00:43):
Get ready because we are going to unlock some of the most powerful ways to be
effective and ways to resonate with your target audience to boost your enrollment.
Parents and teachers, the time has come.
The time for us to gather together and create the ultimate learning environment
(01:04):
for those of us leading the movement and education by creating micro schools
and homeschool hybrids.
Now introducing Micro School Masterminds, the one and only program for those
of us who are dedicated to making a change and creating such incredible opportunities,
(01:24):
not only for our community, for our own families, for our own life.
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed and isolated in your journey of building
a micro school or homeschool hybrid, Micro School Masterminds is is here to
support you through the frustration, the uncertainty.
Music.
The building business task, the direction, the vision, the time constraints,
(01:45):
the fumbling through your finances, the wondering how to grow what you already have.
Your answer is here. You've been asking for this and we've created it.
Microschool Masterminds, the one and only ultimate solution to transform your
dream into your reality.
Boost your success with efficient time management, financial planning,
(02:06):
strategic marketing and systems and processes to streamline all your wild and
amazing ideas so you can actually move the mountains standing in your way of
your greatest success we know what it's like to struggle with analysis paralysis
financial insecurity and marketing challenges and.
Music.
(02:32):
Beginner, current micro school owner, and the person who is ready to grow their
existing business and mindset.
With micro school masterminds, you'll receive monthly group coaching sessions
with me, Mackenzie Oliver, private support, community access,
and weekly content filled with templates, videos, and printables to help you
with all of your business building tasks.
(02:53):
If you're feeling stuck in a rut, battling time management issues,
needing clarity over your budget or your finances, If you're struggling to hire
the dream team or craving accountability and inspiration, Microschool Masterminds is your answer.
We've helped hundreds of teachers pave the way to their micro school or homeschool hybrid dream.
We've created 733% of growth in our own micro school.
(03:18):
We're not letting stagnation, overwhelm, or missed opportunities hold you back.
Act now and join Microschool Masterminds to unlock the tools,
the guidance, and the community you need to thrive.
Don't miss out on this chance to transform your educational business and secure your success.
Visit TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds to sign up today and lock
(03:41):
in introductory pricing for life.
Again, that's TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds.
I will be waiting for you on the other side.
After so many wonderful, Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful coaching sessions.
I come to you in this episode with a very empathetic heart.
(04:04):
Really and truly, I understand what it feels like to have this incredible idea,
this vision, but also be afraid that either people are not going to,
quote unquote, want it, or quote quote unquote,
pay for it, and then have this overwhelming fear of putting it out into the
(04:26):
world, being afraid of rejection,
or that it's not going to work.
Even just putting yourself in a position to say, yes, I'm going to do what I'm what I'm going to do.
Every year, I want you to know that every year in building this micro school
and then it coming into a homeschool hybrid program, program.
(04:46):
I will be completely honest with you.
We have changed so much.
Every time we have changed.
I have feared that change, but I've also felt very empowered by it.
And I'll give you an example.
When we first started our micro school, which I didn't even know was a micro school.
At the time, I just thought this is just a homeschooling co-op on steroids,
(05:09):
I guess. I didn't even know what the terminology was.
I only taught full-time students, or I only taught students that would come
to my house for five days a week.
But then as I developed more awareness to what my surrounding families were
needing and were wanting,
I was able to begin adding different components on to our program,
(05:35):
which has now become a homeschool hybrid.
Hybrid now even whenever i started the homeschool hybrid
program i went from having two days
a week and then three days a week and now we
offer five different options for families we have diversified our income stream
but it wasn't like that to begin with and i and i want to meet you where you
(05:56):
are right now to tell you that right now this could feel very very pieced together
it can feel a a little foggy.
And I just want you to understand that you're still right where you need to be.
It's going to feel foggy. It's going to be a situation where you are not going
to know exactly what the results are going to be. That feels risky.
(06:20):
It feels very vulnerable.
It's just the same feeling that Chick-fil-A felt whenever they decided to start
selling their chicken sandwiches.
It's the same way that Amazon felt when they began their company or the mastermind
behind it. Let's just say that.
So you're not alone when it comes to being an entrepreneur and having an idea
(06:40):
and putting it out into the world, but we've got to get in position to overcome
the analysis paralysis or the perfectionism or the fear.
And in a world filled with a lot of distractions, a lot of things coming on
social social media, a lot of things just in your world, in your community.
(07:02):
We have to figure out how we can stand out and capture the attention of our
ideal students and families.
And again, let me emphasize ideal students and families.
It truly all starts with number one. Today, I'm going to go over the core four.
There's so many components of marketing.
But in today's episode, I want to to share with you the core four,
(07:26):
the core four that I work with, when I'm coaching my students, my clients,
I'm working with these four things, even if they've already have an established micro school.
So I coach those who have.
Either have a micro school or homeschool hybrid program, or they have a micro
school, they want to turn it into a hybrid program, or they have a hybrid program,
(07:50):
they want to turn it into a micro school,
or they are just starting for the first time, which by the way, we are going to be.
Resolving the deluxe coaching and the jumpstart coaching program until further
notice probably over the next several months,
because we are starting our micro school mastermind membership,
(08:11):
and I'm pouring 100% into that membership program.
I'm still offering clarity coaching, which is one session of getting unstuck, getting clarified,
but the deluxe coaching, the jumpstart coaching, if you are interested in four
to eight sessions of us working together,
please snag that within the next couple of weeks because when our Microschool
(08:35):
Mastermind membership launches April 1st, we'll no longer be doing the deluxe
coaching or jumpstart coaching program.
But this is what I'm helping people with, even if they've been established for
a while. I still have to go through this.
We just created a brand new offer for our school this year, and it is for middle school.
Not only do we offer this brand new, we already had middle school,
(08:57):
but we're doing a complete and total different program for middle school that's
going to cost investing. It's going to cost a lot of courage.
It's going to cost a different marketing strategy, but we're also offering different
different opportunities for our families from one to five days a week.
So every year we have changed our offer and it's just getting better and better.
And we've only been able to do that because we have known our demographics.
(09:22):
So number one of the core four is our offer.
And I know exactly what you're feeling like when you're like,
I don't know, should we do this? Should we do that?
I really want it to look like this, but I don't even have the,
I don't have the right location. I don't have the right staff.
Many people really struggle to gain clarity on what their offer is.
(09:43):
They think that they know what they want to offer.
But they struggle to put it on paper. That's a key sign. If you're having a
really difficult time putting it on paper, it's not because you have writer's block.
It's because you're lacking clarity. We have to take the invisible and make it visible.
So if you're struggling to put it on paper, that's your first sign that we're not crystal clear.
(10:06):
Now, I like to relate this to cooking.
When I'm developing, let's say, my meal plan for the week, I would love to eat
a variety of vegetables and rice.
That's me. That's great. That's what I love. But I'm serving a house full of
people who do not want vegetables and rice.
(10:30):
My teenage daughter, she needs meat right now as she's growing. She needs red meat.
She needs to build up her iron. My younger daughter loves fruit.
I'm not that much of a fruit person. My husband, he loves fruit.
He loves vegetables. He will not touch meat.
My youngest daughter, she's pretty much almost a vegetarian as well.
(10:53):
Now, when I go to cook, let's say I create a big old pot roast.
The only person who's going to be interested in that is my daughter, my oldest daughter.
My husband's not going to touch it. My youngest daughter might pick at it.
I'm probably not going to touch it either. I'll probably eat the potatoes and the carrots.
(11:13):
I'll have a little bit. My oldest daughter also likes carbs.
No one else in my family is really a carb person.
It's just this whole demographic of people that have different needs,
different desires, different tastes, different interests.
What I struggle with is knowing every week when I go sit down to plan,
I'm struggling to figure out what is it that these wonderful people that I serve want to eat.
(11:41):
And a lot of times I lack meal planning, although I love to do it.
When I'm on it, I'm on it, baby.
But I lack meal planning because I do not have the ultimate clear path for what
the people in my family want me to make for them.
And a lot of times it's because I haven't even asked them.
So one day I went up to my daughter and I said, if you could have your very
(12:05):
favorite meal this week, what would it be?
I would want you to make me hash brown casserole. Great.
If you could have your very favorite meal this week, what would it be?
I want steak great Honey, what would you like?
I want vegetable soup. Great. Now I knew exactly what my audience wanted.
Now I'm going to go and I'm going to make a plan for it before I go do my grocery shopping.
(12:28):
It's the same thing that we are facing when we are going to create our offer
and we're going to serve it to the world.
First off, we have to know what our audience wants and that takes time. It takes questioning.
It takes asking people in Facebook groups. It takes really talking to people.
(12:50):
We may have a really great offer. Like for me, I would love to make taco casserole.
But no one in my family, it really wants taco casserole.
No one wants it. So why am I going to make taco casserole when no one wants
it? But here's the deal. They don't know how good it is.
They have no clue how great this taco casserole is.
(13:12):
I've got to meet them where they are. I have to build the bridge for them.
Majority of my family, except for my husband, likes tacos, but I can make him tacos with vegetables.
How about I have a taco night? And as I'm making all the ingredients for tacos,
I also make a small little casserole.
Since we're already having tacos,
(13:32):
let me at least try to show them what it is that they have to offer.
I'm building a bridge, connecting what they're already used to,
to what I want them to start enjoying.
Enjoying now let me give you that example it's someone i was just working with
they have this incredible offer of how they want learning to be for their families
(13:55):
but when i ask them who they're serving.
They really struggled to identify, well, I want to create this homeschool hybrid
program, but I know the majority of my families are going to be coming from
public and private school.
Right. Great. So if we know that your families are coming from public and private
school, are they going to be
ready for two to three days a week and now homeschooling their children?
(14:20):
The question really stumped the person I was working with. And me too. It stumps me too. too.
Because I'm like, I got this really great thing. I want to only work two to three days a week.
I want to create this homeschool hybrid program, but I don't really know much
about the homeschool community.
And the people that I anticipate wanting my program are from public and private school.
(14:43):
So I think. But if they were to come to my program, this is a whole separate,
different mindset shift for them.
They don't know how to homeschool their children.
They're going to ask, what do I do the two or three days that they're not with
you? I've got to work. So I've got to meet them where they are.
Maybe I don't start out as a homeschool hybrid program.
(15:05):
Maybe I start out as a micro school and then I maneuver or I resolve into a
homeschool hybrid program because people may just not be ready for it. It's our offer.
A lot of times we struggle to know our audience.
And like I said, it takes time. Many times we think that we know what people
(15:26):
want, but we don't really know because we haven't gotten to know them all that well.
And we're struggling to see what they're really ready for.
Or number three, we go straight to the curriculum and we try to find this awesome
curriculum that matches what we want to deliver to families,
but we haven't created the design, so to speak.
(15:50):
The instructional design before we go and start ordering the curriculum.
And I've made that mistake myself.
Or we create this amazing offer that people just are not ready for.
So we have to build a bridge to meet them there.
Or we have to really educate people on why this is advantageous for them to
(16:13):
either make a change for their life or for their families are or invest their
money into what you have to offer.
Many times people also struggle in this area because they have this incredible vision.
Sometimes I see this with parents. They are not going to be the ones teaching in their school.
They have this incredible vision of what they want it to look like,
(16:35):
but they also have to find the person who can deliver it for them.
Praise God that happened to me. I, by the grace of God, maybe this is where
you can start, praying for the person who can help you integrate your vision
into a solidified offer.
I have an instructional designer that by the grace of God met me because she
(17:00):
was so interested in her kids coming to our school.
And then she herself started pouring into our school with her gifts and talents
in exchange for her children coming to Lighthouse Learning.
A total, total game changer for our school and for me as a leader.
Because now I'm able to focus on other areas of the business and be able to
(17:26):
really focus on Microschool Masterminds membership that will be starting in April,
because I really have this huge desire after many years of not only building
the school, but coaching other people. I know what people need.
I know what you need help with. And I'm so excited to be able to give that to
you because I know what it feels like to struggle through some of these really nitty gritty,
(17:51):
important foundational blocks and growth blocks for our time,
our planning, our money, our growth, our marketing.
So we've got to nail down our offer. We've got to know our audience.
We have to take the time to research and understand the demographics,
where parents are at, what their preferences are, what are their pain points,
what are their aspirations.
(18:12):
I give you a very systematic process that I'm going to take you through whenever
you're in micro school masterminds membership.
Even if you are in year three, four or five,
you still have to have this, I still have to have this, I literally throughout
the year will even adapt and change my offer and create more additional services
(18:33):
for families as I'm learning and documenting what families are needing.
Number two, in the core four of marketing is we have to make the invisible visible.
This is when we take our offer and we actually put it down onto paper.
We are connecting with our audience on a very personal and emotional level.
We share our story of our micro school, our mission, our values,
(18:57):
the impact that we're making, and that all comes into the introductory packet.
The introductory packet, if you're going to be in Micro School Masterminds membership,
you get 50% off the updated version of our packet.
Introductory packet. The updated version gives you all of my materials that
I have been working on over the past couple of years as well to make the introductory
(19:18):
packet, the handbook contract, all of that better.
But you get 50% off if you're in the membership program.
The introductory packet is where we take our heart, our soul,
our passion, and we make it visible for families.
And a lot of times people say, what if it has too many words?
I teach you how to build in infographics into your introductory packet that
(19:42):
really connects with families.
But it can't just be cold. It has to be warm. We have to connect with our with our families.
That's where the marketing really becomes extremely beneficial.
Number three, and the core four is we have to choose platforms that get our messaging out.
We have to have social proof, we've got to leverage this.
(20:03):
It's a very powerful marketing strategy, we can highlight testimonials,
success stories, Case studies from either satisfied students,
parents, staff members. We've done a podcast.
We've done a YouTube video. We have testimonials. We've done surveys.
We have all of that in place for families that helps us to leverage where we
(20:25):
are socially to prove to parents that this is a really great option for them.
The two platforms that we choose are Facebook and our website.
Something else that we'll teach you in the Microschool Masterminds membership
membership, but it's super important that you have platforms.
And not only that, but a strategy with those platforms.
(20:49):
So even with our website, we have really strong email marketing campaigns that
we just started building over the past couple years. I didn't have that my first two years.
Really, it was a little iffy even my third year. I was learning,
I was building, I was growing.
We We don't have to do all of it. If you, this is the core four.
(21:09):
So if maybe your core four, you are struggling with just your offer, let's nail that down.
Maybe you're struggling with taking the invisible and making it visible.
Let's now nail that down.
Maybe you've done that already and you just need to streamline your platforms.
Let's work on that. That's your third one. And then the fourth one,
the fourth one that I see all of us struggling with is consistency.
(21:32):
We can't underestimate the importance of consistency,
of following through with families, of putting our offer out into the world,
being authentic in our marketing efforts, being very genuine, being transparent,
not being afraid to show up on camera, not being afraid to put your pictures
out into the world, staying true to really what you identify with and what your values are.
(21:58):
And I noticed that people struggle with this because maybe they're having a
hard time thinking it's not the way that I want it to be.
Oh, gosh, I work with people in this area.
They say, Mackenzie, I don't want to put pictures out on Facebook because I'm
not where I want to be yet.
And that's so real.
It's so real. I've faced that myself with having it in my home and all of the
(22:24):
different visions that I had for our school.
And I'm like, I'm not there yet. and if I put it out there, it's not gonna look
like it's authentic, but guess what? It was real.
It was really what we're going through. People wanna see real.
They don't wanna see fake. They don't wanna see phony. They wanna see what's really happening.
And if we don't believe it ourselves, it's difficult to be consistent.
(22:46):
And I'm not saying that we fake it till we make it, but I'm saying that we show
up and we put out to the world what we're creating, even if it's messy,
because it's a lot better than not showing up at all. Honest to goodness.
You're not making a fool of yourself. You're really, I mean,
I look back at what I had four years ago, no website, no email marketing,
random pictures on Facebook, completely inconsistent. And look at where we are now.
(23:11):
Honestly, I had to start somewhere. And so do you.
So you've got your offer. You have making the invisible visible.
You've got your platforms and consistency. Consistency, those are the core four
that we, now, again, there's so much more that goes into marketing,
but let's get good with those.
(23:31):
Let's get good with just the basics because when we implement these strategies,
we'll be well on our way to attracting the students and the families who are
not just customers, but they're literally raving fans.
They're lifers of your program. So what are you waiting for?
We gotta get some work. We gotta get some enrollment soaring here.
(23:52):
So don't forget to join the Teachers Let Your Light Shine, our micro school
mastermind membership.
You want to head over to teachersletyourlightshine.com slash masterminds so
that you can be put on the waitlist because when the doors open.
You don't have to pay anything right now. It's just getting on the waitlist.
So when the doors open, you can get in, you can snag your introductory pricing
(24:15):
for a lifetime and that pricing goes up starting in May. but you can get in
there, get your pricing situated, get your mindset ready.
And then when the doors open in April, you'll be into our community. We'll send you an email.
You can go ahead and enter into the membership and then you can get started
with all of the goodies that are in there and get prepared for our very first
(24:39):
live coaching session and all of the great things that we have planned to give
you every Thursday of the month in our Masterminds membership.
Can't wait to see you there. That's TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds.
Parents and teachers, the time has come.
The time for us to gather together and create the ultimate learning environment
(25:00):
for those of us leading the movement and education by creating micro schools
and homeschool hybrids.
Now introducing Micro School Masterminds, the one and only program for those
of us who who are dedicated to making a change and creating such incredible opportunities,
(25:20):
not only for our community, for our own families, for our own life.
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed and isolated in your journey of building
a micro school or homeschool hybrid, Micro School Masterminds is here to support
you through the frustration, the uncertainty.
Music.
The building business task, the direction, the vision, the time constraints,
(25:41):
the fumbling through your finances, the wondering how to grow what you already
have. Your answer is here.
You've been asking for this and we've created it.
Microschool Masterminds, the one and only ultimate solution to transform your
dream into your reality.
Boost your success with efficient time management, financial planning,
(26:02):
strategic marketing, and systems and processes to streamline all your wild and
amazing ideas is so you can actually move the mountains standing in your way
of your greatest success.
We know what it's like to struggle with analysis paralysis, financial insecurity,
and marketing challenges in your micro school.
Music.
(26:28):
Current micro school owner, and the person who is ready to grow their existing business and mindset.
With micro school masterminds, you'll receive monthly group coaching sessions
with me, Mackenzie Oliver, private support, community access,
and weekly content filled with templates, videos, and printables to help you
with all of your business building tasks.
(26:49):
If you're feeling stuck in a rut, battling time management issues,
needing clarity over your budget or your finances, If you're struggling to hire
the dream team or craving accountability and inspiration, Microschool Masterminds is your answer.
We've helped hundreds of teachers pave the way to their microschool or homeschool hybrid dream.
We've created 733% of growth in our own microschool.
(27:14):
We're not letting stagnation, overwhelm, or missed opportunities hold you back.
Act now and join Microschool Masterminds to unlock the tools,
the guidance, and the community you need to thrive.
Don't miss out on this chance to transform your educational business and secure your success.
Visit TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds to sign up today and lock
(27:37):
in introductory pricing for life.
Again, that's TeachersLetYourLightShine.com slash masterminds.
Music.
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