Case Study:  How YouTuber & Online Course Creator C.M. de la Vega Generated $13,322.71 in Thinkific Sales in 7 days

A Step-by-Step Case Study Revealing the Strategy Behind a Successful Online Course Launch

1. Background on and Results
2. My Exact 7 Step “Course Launch” Process - The Secret to Amazing Results
3. Building a strong early adopter list
4. Surveying our audience to find their “hot buttons”
5. Hyping the Launch - Pre Releasing a Teaser Video
6. Creating High Converting Landing Page and Video Sales Letter
7. Opening enrollment
8. Sending a strong email sequence
9. Closing enrollment
10. How YOU can get results like this

BACKGROUND AND RESULTS:

C.M. de la Vega is a professional animator who has made a name for himself doing motion graphics for brands such as the NFL, the MLB, ESPN, Adidas, Nike, and has done features on major sports giants such as Manny Pacquiao, Aaron Rogers, Roberto Clemente and more.

After hitting it big as a professional animator C.M. wanted to share his knowledge of animating professional grade motion graphics with Adobe After Effects. He began making tutorials on AE and in doing so gained a following or 92k (and growing) youtube subscribers.

C.M. came to me wanting to sell paid courses, so we strategized a launch of a Sports Specific motion graphics course… what we named the “Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass”.

On February 27th 2024 opened enrollment for his new online course, and when we closed enrollment for the course on March 5th at 11:59pm we had yielded a staggering $13,000 in sales.

This case study spells out my exact 7 step process for achieving that revenue, as well as the following results.

7 Day Course Launch Results

• Result: 197.72% Increase in monthly email subscriber list growth (no ad spend… all organic)
• Result: 1,881.78% Increase in revenue totaling $13,322.71 in 7 days
• Result: 467.9% Increase in organic new user site traffic

Bonus Results on YouTube “pre launch” video. In the first week here were the results

The following results came from posting 1 well researched video to C.M.’s YouTube channel:

• 144 hours MORE than C.M.s average YouTube video watch time (154.4 hours up from 10)
• 351% view duration increase (5:09 up from 1:28)
• 855 more views than normal (1,798 up from 650)

Total Ad Spend: $48.04

Total Revenue: $13,322.71

Total cups of coffee I drank: I lost count. But I think it was like 2 or 3 per day, so probably between 14 and 21.

View the Sales and YouTube engagement results here: https://komododecks.com/recordings/j8Ryce5Yiapkt7T8JngR?uploadId=Bxah42UGEeb4sEedTEb3

The 7 Step Process I Used To Get Amazing Results for C.M.

Here’s exactly what we did to get these results:

1. Launched a new lead magnet to build a strong early adopter email list
2. Surveyed C.M.’s subscribers to see what they were interested in learning
3. Pre Released a teaser tutorial with REALLY valuable content to his audience giving them a taste of what was to come in the course
4. Created a video sales letter, landing page & payment form
5. Opened enrollment on February 27th
6. Sent a sequence of 5 emails
7. Closed enrollment 7 days later on March 5th at 11:59pm

Where was C.M. before I came along?

Average monthly income before the launch - $708

Average email opt in rate - 7 new subscribers per month

In short, C.M. was…

• Frustrated with his slowed YouTube growth
• Confused on why his course wasn’t selling
• Overwhelmed with the idea of having to learn a new skill (marketing)
• Ready to quit

To turn all of C.M.'s frustration, confusion and worry around, here's the process I walked him through...

STEP 1: We launched a new lead magnet to get more subscribers onto his email list

Purpose: Grow the email list before we launched the course so that it wouldn’t be dead on arrival.

Audience we were launching to: People who wanted to learn how to do professional motion graphics, specifically in the sports category.

This audience consisted of 3 main sub-groups

1. Aspiring professionals
2. Creative enthusiasts
3. Graphic designers who were looking to boost their skill sets

Results:

• Before: Average of 7 new email subscribers per month
• After: Average of 118.4 new email subscribers per month
• Ad spend: $0

Lead magnet name: “The AE Template Mega Bundle”

Lead magnet landing page URL: https://aemastercourse.ac-page.com/mega-bundle-template-landing-page

Launch date: October 21st 2023

Total subscribers before: 593

Total subscribers as of March 1st: 1,192

Average new subscriber rate per month: 138.41

Average increase in subscribers per month: 197.72%

STEP 2: We surveyed the course to see what C.M.’s subscribers were interested in learning

This was a scoping survey… we basically asked a SUPER open ended question asking what C.M.’s subscribers biggest challenges were.

This type of survey is very common and is named different things by different marketers. Jeff Walker calls it a “Shot across the bow”, Russell Brunson calls it an “Ask” campaign, Ryan Levesque calls it a “Deep Dive” survey…

The common thread between all of these guys is that they use an open-ended question to get to the root of what an audience is struggling with.

The method for the survey:

We created the survey with a simple Google Form and we promoted the survey using 2 channels. The first was C.M.’s email list, which had grown by quite a bit since launching his new lead magnet.

The second was a YouTube video short pointing people to the survey.

This is where we spent about $36 of ad spend. C.M. had published a YouTube video telling people about the course. We targeted this at all of everyone who had viewed any of C.M.’s videos in the prior 90 day period.

Here’s the youtube video we boosted: https://youtube.com/shorts/XPu3ZL3pHqI?si=wQK93iz_m-D534ax

STEP 3: We pre-released a teaser tutorial hinting at what was going to be in the course.

C.M. Crushed this… he packed amazing value in this video and we knew exactly what to put in it because we knew exactly what his audience wanted from the survey (last step).

The main point of this video was to inspire people. Here’s the main framework we used:

1. Share the transformation possibility to inspire people to follow their dreams
2. Provide insane value by teaching something relevant to your niche
3. Hint at the new course and send people to the early adopter page.

This video is still public on YouTube. You should be able to view it here: https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=_ygbOOnMWEc&t=108s

This is where we spent the remaining ad spend (roughly $12). We boosted this to see if we could get clicks to the website. Didn’t yield much of a result… honestly, because we barely used any money on this launch and had so little time to optimize ad spend, the majority of the results we got were from organic efforts.

STEP 4: Created a video sales letter & landing page

Here’s a walk through of the exact sales page we used to generate over $12,000 in sales in 7 days:

https://komododecks.com/recordings/Mgxb0b0eLJsC8HwL8FKx

STEP 5: Opened enrollment on February 27th

At this point, just about everything had been built, including:

1. The sales page
2. The “thank you” page
3. The email broadcast sequence (we’ll show you this in the next step)
4. The intro email welcoming people to the course
5. The payment form

STEP 6: Sent a sequence of 5 emails

Here are the exact emails we sent:

Email 1: Sent on February 27th, 2024

Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass Now LIVE!

Hey [NAME],

Great news! My anticipated Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass is now LIVE and available for you! And guess what? People are already diving in, and the enrollments are rolling faster than a sports highlight reel!

This isn't just an online course; it's a transformative journey that will turn you from an Aspiring Motion Graphics Artist into a Sports Animation Specialist.

You'll master Adobe After Effects and create captivating sports animations that will make your portfolio stand out, attract high-profile clients, and give you a competitive edge in the sports multimedia industry.

But here's the catch - it's only open for the next SEVEN days. Yes, you read that right. In just seven days, the doors will close, and this opportunity to skyrocket your animation career will be gone.

Don't miss out. Click here to learn more and get started on your transformation journey right now.

Stay creative and remember,

Life is a gift, make it count!

C.M. de la Vega

Email 2: Sent on March 1st, 2024

Subject: [NAME] - Don't Miss Out: Enrollment Closes Soon!

Hey [NAME],

I’m thrilled to announce that our Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass is now open for enrollment! But you'll have to act quickly - enrollment closes in just four days!

Our online course is your ticket to transforming into a skilled Sports Animation Specialist. You'll not only master Adobe After Effects but also learn how to create captivating, professional-grade sports animations.

This is your chance to increase your employability, attract high-profile clients, and make your mark in the competitive multimedia industry.Remember, your dreams are within reach, but the clock is ticking!

This opportunity to elevate your animation game ends on Tuesday, March 5 at 11:59 P.M. PT. Don't miss out!

Click here to learn more about the course and secure your spot now.

Stay creative and remember...

Life is a gift, make it count!

C.M. de la Vega

Email 3: Sent

Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: Last Day to Register for Sports Motion GFX Masterclass

Hey [NAME],

Today is your final chance to enroll in The Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass. Access closes at 11:59 P.M. Pacific Time tonight. Don't miss out on mastering Adobe After Effects for Sports and elevating your career.

Enroll Now: https://learn.aemastercourse.com/sports-motion-gfx-masterclass.

Best,

C.M. de la Vega

Email 4: Sent March 5th at 2pm

Subject: Last Chance: Transform Your Sports Motion GFX Career Today!

Hey [NAME],

I've got some important news - The Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass will only be available until tonight at 11:59 P.M. Pacific Time. This is your last chance to transform into a skilled Sports Animation Specialist and stand out in the competitive sports multimedia industry.

Our course is designed to give you the skills needed to create professional-grade, captivating sports animations with Adobe After Effects. You will be equipped to increase your employability and attract high-profile clients.

As a professional in the sports industry with 16 years of experience, I've guided many like you to success.

Remember, the window of opportunity closes tonight at 11:59 P.M. Pacific Time.

Don't let this chance pass you by. Take the leap and join the Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass now!

Click here to secure your spot.

Stay creative and remember...

Life is a gift, make it count!

C.M. de la Vega

Email 5: Sent March 5th at 8pm

Subject: 🚨 LAST CALL: 4 Hours Left To Enroll

Hey [NAME],

Final alert: Only 4 hours left to enroll in the Sports Motion Graphics Masterclass. At 11:59 P.M. Pacific Time tonight, registration shuts down.

• 4 hours left
• Deadline: Tonight at 11:59 P.M. PT
• Last chance: Click Here to Enroll

Don't miss this opportunity. Secure your place now.

Best,

C.M. de la Vega

STEP 7: Closed enrollment 7 days later on March 5th

On the last day we stopped taking enrollments, but we knew we’d still get traffic coming through various channels.

Because of this, instead of unpublishing everything, we redirected everyone to a newly created “wait-list” for the next launch so that we could start getting email signups immediately… which we did :)

Note that I’m writing this immediately post launch (March 7th, 2024) so we haven’t started the course yet. Most of our “post launch results” at this point have come in the form of positive youtube comments on C.M.’s channel and the specific pre-launch video we released.

How You Can Get Results Like This

Call Jesse-Lee… (at some point I’ll figure out a clever nickname).

Phone: 602-321-5186

Email: [email protected]