Have you ever wondered what it takes to start a business and gather a following of enthusiastic fans, all eagerly awaiting your next big release? Whether it's a course, a book, or any product or service, the challenge seems intimidating, doesn't it?
Kit Laughlin and Olivia Allnutt from Stretch Therapy™ have done it, and their journey offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to make a mark in their own respective industries.
Stretch Therapy employs the most efficient stretching exercises and the most effective relaxation techniques to transform the experience of living in your own body. They’ve helped students who had given up on doctors and chiropractors, essentially transforming lives.
Keep reading to find out how they've built an online empire that helps people all over the world thanks to Thrive Suite.
The Secret to Building an Audience of True Fans
It's one thing to see your follower count increase on Instagram or Youtube, and another thing to have those followers really admire you and respect you for who you are.
So, what's their secret? It's surprisingly straightforward yet profoundly impactful: create valuable content that genuinely helps people, share it freely, and use this foundation to build products that guide your audience toward a promised transformation or destination. This approach has not only garnered them tens of thousands of followers on YouTube but has also fostered a community of deeply appreciative individuals whose lives have been transformed. These individuals are living testaments to the life-changing power of Stretch Therapy's content.
Each video they release is met with anticipation and excitement, reflecting the loyalty and appreciation of their audience. The comments section of every video overflows with stories of personal transformation and gratitude, highlighting the profound impact their freely shared knowledge has had on individuals worldwide. It proves that you don't need to complicate things or reinvent the wheel; sometimes, the most powerful business strategy is as simple as giving value freely with the intent to genuinely assist and uplift those you reach.
But is that all it takes? Put out Youtube videos for a decade and wait for dollar bills to ring in? Not quite.
You should always keep in mind that Kit and Olivia are experts in their field, if not the best.
They have published books on stretching and flexibility, taught workshops and classes all over the world and have become masters of their craft. They are a true authority in their niche.
But of course, being good at something doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to be able to build a business out of it. So let's talk about how they've built their online stretching empire.
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“The most powerful business strategy is as simple as giving value freely with the intent to genuinely assist and uplift those you reach” -- Olivia Allnutt
Building an Online Empire from a Physical Business
What makes Stretch Therapy such a unique business to learn from is the fact that Kit and Olivia have always relied on in-person workshops to conduct their work.
Before covid, they did sell some video programs on Vimeo, but they didn't have the established online business that they do today.
Let's take a look at 5 key things that led them to building a successful online business.
1. The Importance of Relying on the Right Tools
Stretch Therapy has been around online for a long time. Their domain has a strong track record, being operational for almost two decades. They also have many in-depth articles that we will talk about later.
One of the main keys behind Stretch Therapy's success has been relying on the right tools. Establishing authority takes time and consistency, but having the right tools from the start is crucial. These tools have enabled Stretch Therapy to build and maintain a solid online presence, ensuring they can reach and assist a wide audience effectively.
Enter Thrive Suite.
Stretch Therapy has effectively utilized Thrive Suite to streamline their online operations and offer a cohesive experience to their users. Here’s how:
- Thrive Apprentice: Stretch Therapy delivers all of their courses through Thrive Apprentice. This powerful tool enables them to create, manage, and sell online courses efficiently, providing an intuitive learning experience for their customers.
- Thrive Theme Builder: The entire WordPress theme of Stretch Therapy’s website has been meticulously crafted using Thrive Theme Builder. This customization ensures that the website is not only visually appealing but also optimized for performance and user experience.
- Thrive Architect: Each page on Stretch Therapy’s website is designed with Thrive Architect. This page builder allows them to create stunning, conversion-focused pages that enhance user engagement and drive sales.
2. Being in Control of Your Business
Too many businesses out there rely on the wrong platforms to grow their garden.
Not Stretch Therapy.
You see, it used to be the case that Kit and Olivia made a big part of their online income by selling their video courses on Vimeo.
The problem? They weren't building a business for themselves. They were helping Vimeo build its own.
While there might be benefits to leveraging Vimeo's online infrastructure, they don't even share the emails of your customers with you. This leaves you with a small profit from a course sale and absolutely no data to be able to re-market to those people who have bought your course from you, let alone build a relationship with them!
This is a problem that we see many business owners facing, not just those who rely on Vimeo. Substack, Patreon, and even content creators now exclusively relying on social media are all subject to the rules and regulations of third-party corporations, which can easily turn off the power switch for their businesses. The solution? Get a website up and running and send your audience there.
Olivia Allnutt
"Vimeo worked for us for a while. It was good because it did a lot of the heavy lifting for us. But we soon realized that we couldn't run a business with it. We didn't know who are customers were. We couldn't even send them an email!"
3. Build a Website That Google Loves
To build an audience that is eager to buy your next big thing, you need to make it easy for people to find you first.
Stretch Therapy has built a silo-structured website that Google absolutely loves. In other words, they're excelling at their SEO game.
First things first... In order to be found, there has to be content worth finding.
On stretchtherapy.net, you will find hundreds of articles around stretching, flexibility, mobility, meditation... One could argue that this website is the Wikipedia of stretching and flexibility!
And it is!
Stretch Therapy has its own stretching wiki designed to make it easy for search engines to find useful content. Check this out.
From the image above, notice how Stretch Therapy has archive pages for Stretch Therapy articles, videos, and content specifically around Back Pain, Piriformis, Myofascial, and Relaxation.
These archive pages have the potential to rank really well because they are packed with keywords that they're trying to rank for. They link to various articles and answer frequently asked questions commonly searched online.
They are the purest definition of a wiki page.
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“On our website we have free resources, whether that's videos, articles or even relaxation and meditation audios that anyone can benefit from. And we've put them out there simply for the sake of helping people. In fact, the only difference between our free resources and the paid ones are the journey that you embark on and the style in which you learn.” -- Kit Laughlin
Now, let's go back to the idea of cultivating a tribe that will buy anything from us...
4. How to Cultivate an Army of Fans that will Buy Anything from You
Just by looking at Stretch Therapy's Youtube channel there are a few things that we can take away from how they've built their following.
Their oldest video dates back to January 29, 2009. Yes, you read that right. They started uploading content over 15 years ago. This doesn't mean you need to create content for 15 years to build a loyal fan base, but time does play its part.
Additionally, their videos follow a no-bluff, only-good-stuff approach. They get straight to the subject matter without any distractions. Interestingly, the vast majority of their videos have no calls to action. There might be a URL on-screen so people know their site, but there isn't even an attempt to get viewers to purchase anything.
Again, it's about sharing good content for the sake of helping others. It seems that when you do this over the long run, people respect that.
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“I don't think you can build an army of superfans unless you have something interesting and something useful to say. The reason why we have the success that we have is because we only put out good quality content that we know will work for the vast majority of people. And we know because we've tested our system out ten thousand times.” -- Kit Laughlin
It's probably also worth mentioning that, again, in order to build an audience, you first need to be found. And the hundreds of articles and videos that Kit and Olivia have created have definitely helped them get eyeballs on their content.
5. The Importance of Video Marketing
Video has been a powerful medium for well over a decade now, and it’s no revelation to say that it’s an excellent tool for attracting new audiences to our content. However, the importance of video cannot be overstated.
Even us here at Thrive Themes, we invest significant resources into our video content because we understand that many people prefer watching and learning through videos rather than reading text. Videos can convey complex information more effectively and engagingly, making it easier for viewers to absorb and retain the material.
Moreover, video content helps build a stronger connection with the audience. It allows us to showcase our personality, expertise, and passion in a way that text alone cannot. This personal touch can foster trust and loyalty among viewers, encouraging them to engage more deeply with our brand.
In today’s digital landscape, where attention spans are short and competition for attention is fierce, leveraging video content is crucial. It not only enhances user experience but also boosts SEO rankings, increases website traffic, and drives conversions. By consistently producing high-quality video content, we ensure that we meet the needs and preferences of our audience, ultimately helping us grow and succeed in the online market.
Kit Laughlin
"Youtube, I'd say, is the most important marketing tool that we've had. We've met hundreds of people teaching workshops overseas that kept telling us about how they found us through Youtube."
But don't ignore written content! Scroll back up and re-read the section about how Stretch Therapy uses wiki pages to rank higher on Google to remind yourself why copywriting, SEO-targeted pages, and blog posts are crucial.
Ready to Grow Your Audience?
If there is something we can learn from Stretch Therapy, it’s that you want to invest time and resources into building a business that you control.
This doesn't necessarily mean avoiding tools like YouTube to attract new eyeballs. However, be sure to keep visitors informed about where your primary business activities occur, which should be your website.
A key player for Stretch Therapy was Thrive Suite. This toolkit allowed them to easily consolidate their different platforms in a way that was straightforward to manage and offer a stellar user experience.
Start Your Journey with Thrive Suite
You can do the same thing, too. Starting with building a website that offers value and drives revenue.
Thrive Suite, our premium WordPress plugin bundle, is your key to creating a profitable online business.
You’ve waited long enough to bring your new ideas to life. There’s no better time to start like now.
Purchasing this bundle saves you from spending $1000+ on five to six plugins to try to achieve the same results. Giving you more time and resources to implement marketing strategies that lead to more sales for your business.
These plugins are easy to use, offer an expansive library of customizable templates, and are updated regularly – helping you stay ahead of the competition.
What are you waiting for?
