The Best Teachers Are the Best Sellers (They Just Don't Know It But)

Most teachers find selling unnatural and uncomfortable. However, there is a way to sell in a more natural and sustainable way -- by the teaching method.

I have conversations with creators every day. I've conducted research on several hundred (maybe thousand?) of creators on nearly any scale. Each creator is unique. However, if there's just one major lesson to be learned from interacting with our creators, it's that:

  Creators have trouble selling (and consider themselves to be terrible in selling).  

Sell hampers "course creation ability and enthusiasm," one told me. "It's not something that we're accustomed to, or skilled in," another says. "I realize how vital marketing can be, however do understand how to create an effective strategy? It's not my expertise." These kinds of comments pepper conversations on the Facebook group.

I'm determined to create a natural selling method to those who are. My goal is to create a natural selling experience for those that live to instruct.

The most significant aspect of this? shifting the core belief about what "selling" entails. Yes, it can involve creating marketing funnels, paid advertisements, or email blasts. However, that isn't the last thing creators would like to tackle as it saps their passion for teaching.

However, here's the amazing aspect that I would like all creators had known. This is a simple and powerful knowledge that is often overlooked by people. Each creator has the most effective tool available for selling. This happens to be their forte and what they enjoy the most in instructing. In order to increase sales, artists have to be teaching more.

Transformational funnels >>> marketing funnels

I'm beginning to see teaching as guiding transformation. Think about it. Any time you've ever learned something new, you've witnessed a change occurred. A before and after. It could be that someone has gone from "I can't juggle at all" and then "I can handle three balls." That's a transformation! Then, after a couple lessons, another transformation happens that is "I can manage to juggle four balls!" Soon they begin to realize that things can be able to juggle wherever they move. The world becomes an area of endless potential juggling possibilities. That's transformation.

Think back in your life to an instance when you really discovered something. That satisfying, building feeling. There was probably a sequence of shifts that all built upon each other in a series of steps, until you couldn't believe that you once didn't know what to do. It was probably awe-inspiring, right?

Marketing funnels for creators should begin with that first transformation. That's why I like to think of them as an alternative: transformational funnels. When your marketing funnel takes students through a change and then increase sales by teaching.

It takes time to really dig into and master something. Learning and mastery is a gradual build. And almost always, there's a natural sequence of points and milestones that come with the process of learning. (For instance, it's likely that you cannot juggle chainsaws until begin to master juggling three balls, and then four and then two chainsaws or two chainsaws, etc.) Creators who provide that first transformation away to their fans for free are the most successful.

The greatest thing about it? The transformational funnel mimics almost precisely a marketing funnel. Without any strategizing or administrative work, an intuitive and expertise-based funnel (a transformed funnel!) is already in the brain of the designer.

How to sell like a best-selling teacher

Let's look at an example of how this funnel transformation looks like. Take a look at Brandon from the Thrive Training Institute. Brandon is a teacher who teaches one of the most powerful and essential thing is how parents can protect their children during the event of an emergency. He has recently posted an Instagram posting in which he highlighted the vital problem that choking is the main fatal cause of child death. At the end of that post, he directed folks to go to his no-cost information on the topic.

This sounds like a pretty common lead-generating strategy, doesn't it? Create a problem and offer a solution. So, what happened? The post bombed. 17 likes, no comments. Why? Brandon was thinking like an entrepreneur. He made a commercial. It offers a problem with no solution. The student isn't able to move along their journey of changing.

Check out a more recent one. Brandon has a completely unique approach with this one: he instructs parents what they should do when their child is choking. So much value! So, what happened? 153 likes when I wrote the post -- 10x the first post, and tons of comments. By teaching a solution to a problem, Brandon provides a transformation. It's an easy "a ha!" moment that prompts an adventure for the audience. Teaching is powerful!

One thing to keep in mind is that Brandon is giving really good material in exchange for a free subscription. It could be dangerous. Who would buy his course if they can just get it for no cost on Instagram? Of course, 60 minutes isn't long enough to study everything you'll need to know to save a child in an emergency! After they've begun to master the technique, they can finish it with his course. Since his readers are thrilled with the change and sharing his post to others as well. (Think of a time you learned something new, and excitedly told someone about the experience.)

He's building his audience and is offering a significant (and absolutely free!) transformation -- and building a strong lead funnel to his company. Brandon is selling through teaching. He's selling in a way that is natural and genuine. It's easy, it's efficient, and it's intuitive for Brandon and his audience everybody wins.

The power of selling authentically

The most dynamic (and profitable!) companies are built around authentic intention and action. This is also true when it comes to teaching. The most impactful and effective teachers possess a strong feeling of authenticity and motivation. Consider the top teachers you have had in your life. Grab a pen and paper, or take out your notepad, and before you begin reading, make a few words to explain them.

My most impactful and powerful instructors were in deep, in-depth harmony with their authenticity. (Thank to you Bob as well as Irfhan!) They were captivating, inspirational and enthralling. It was because they were real.

By making selling natural, we're working to unlock this potential in every creator who lives to teach. My goal is to empower all creators to be teachers and be in complete alignment with their own authenticity. Think, for one moment, of that potential impact. An ever-growing group of creatives who can be authentic and teach, committing their full selves to share transformative experience on a global level. When I envision and contemplate this idea and then I can clearly realize one thing that is truly amazing that is a new world.