A few weeks ago, we shared our 115+ FREE Stock Images Download (which you should grab if you don’t have it already!), and it’s been EXTREMELY popular. One of the challenges of creating and marketing online courses can be sourcing GORGEOUS images to go along with your courses, so we’ve done the work for you! We had so many people ask us for more that we’re revealing our sources. We are so pleased to share our top 5 free stock image sites where you can find stunning images to use in your online courses today. Check out the list of the 5 Best Sites for Stunning FREE Images for online coursesClick To Tweet Looking for stock images online can be painful, but not if you know where to look. We’re sharing our top list of favourite free stock images for you to use! While these sites are listed as free, it’s always important to check the license before you use any images to confirm your use is within their terms of service! https://unsplash.com/ - 10 new photos every 10 days. Subscribe to be the first to know. http://www.lifeofpix.com/ & their sister site http://www.lifeofvids.com/ - Free stock images & video clips http://startupstockphotos.com/ - You don’t have to be a startup to love these office-centric shots! http://www.pexels.com/ - One of the larger sites, pulling in images from multiple sources http://stokpic.com/latest-100/ - Love the overview grid of the most recent 100 images   Want a head start? Save time and grab our top picks: Download 115+ FREE Stock Images Right Now The post Top 5 Free Photo Sites to Customize your Online Courses appeared first on Thinkific.

Today we’re thrilled to announce Related Products and Bundles. Together, these new features let you create powerful upgrade and add-on options for your Thinkific courses! Related Products Related Products allows you to list other products to purchase on your course landing page as alternatives to purchasing the course alone. Using related products alone is ideal when you have multiple versions of the same course. For example, you might have a mini course on eBooks that sells for $29, and also have a complete course on eBooks that includes the content from the mini course and more for $39. With Related Products, you can list the complete course for sale on the mini course’s landing page. Related Products + Bundles When combined with our Bundles feature, related products really shines! Together, these features enable course creators to build powerful upsell offers for course landing pages. Check out our offer ideas below. Build powerful upsell offers to maximize online course sales.Click To Tweet Try out These Powerful Offer Ideas: Create a site-wide subscription option by adding all of your courses to a single bundle, for a monthly price. Bundle related courses together at a discount. You can purchase course A alone, or you can purchase course A & B together at a reduced price. Create bundles with additional, non-course options. For example, purchase course A alone, or purchase course A with an hour of consulting time, or even an hour of consulting time PLUS a copy of your book. Best Practices: Include further details about upsell options in your course description. This is the best place to fully explain what the different options are, and why the purchaser should consider them instead. If you use bundles to sell things that aren’t courses (like consulting or an ebook), you’ll need to deliver those separately. Some of our instructors create a separate "course" for these items with a one page description, along with details on next steps for setting up a consulting call or how to claim the included download, to streamline delivery of these options. Remember that purchasers are only purchasing the single item that they select. If you associate a bundle, be sure that the bundle includes access to BOTH the listed course and any additional courses you’ve promised. Similarly, if you want to upsell straight to another course rather than a bundle, be sure that the new course also includes all of the content from the first course.  Check out our full support articles for Related Products and Bundles. The post NEW: Upsell Your Courses appeared first on Thinkific.

BBC News - Viewpoint: Computer code frees us to think in new ways. Very well said. There’s lots here to like and agree with: To date the reasons behind the changes have seemed very skills-based, as if instilling particular skills … Continue reading →

His pursuit of knowledge took Bairav halfway around the world from India to the United States where he is currently working towards a post-graduate degree at Santa Clara University in California. Not only does he have a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics plus four years as a Senior Systems Engineer under his belt, he is also an Oracle Certified Java Programmer. If you’re struggling with Math or Programming, Bairav is your guy! Ready to work with Bairav? Get in touch with him on HelpHub or learn more about him below: Twitter: @bairavaraman Hardest class you’ve ever taken: High School Chemistry. I always procrastinate to learn Organic Chemistry for no reasons which eventually ended up as tough class. How long have you been tutoring/teaching: Since 2006 when I was still in high school, I used to help my classmates understand subjects like Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science. What do you like most about tutoring/teaching? My ultimate aim is to help students to understand the subject and make them to work on it independently. I consider my tutoring successful when the student reaches that confident stage. What made you decide to major in Electronic Engineering? I was fascinated by the electrical and semiconductor concepts I learned in High School Physics. My ultimate aim is to help students to understand the subject and make them to work on it independently. Favorite school memory: Final day at high school, I felt elated for completing the courses successfully and felt uneasy to miss my best friends and school life. Favorite subject in school: Mathematics, I always excel in that subject. No matter how hard the subject is I will learn. Favorite late night snack: Haldiram’s khatta meetha. Is there a subject/trade you wish you could learn not related to your major? I would love to learn Astronomy. If you could study abroad anywhere in the world for free, where would it be and why? England or Spain. I love to visit these countries because of it’s historical greatness, tourist destinations and soccer leagues. Favorite way to study: It’s simple: LLRP methodology. Listen to class, learn on the same day, revise regularly and practice mock tests. Best advice you’ve ever gotten from a teacher or mentor: My Mathematics mentor always emphasize the 8S statement: Sincere Serious Systematic Studies Surely Secure Supreme Success. To connect with Bairav, sign up for HelpHub and start chatting with him and thousands of other tutors now!

I almost walked away from the majority of sales from a promotion I ran a few weeks ago, and nearly disappointed many of my customers in the process. I wanted to share this story with you, to help save you from making the same mistake with your online course promotions. The Customer’s Perspective This weekend I was shopping at a store I visit every few months, and the clerk handed me a great coupon (50% off!) for my next visit, with a short expiry date. I tossed the coupon in the bottom of my bag, telling her that there was no way I was going to remember (I can’t tell you how often I find coupons I fully intended to use, only AFTER the expiry date). She smiled knowingly, and I walked away. And of course it hit me - this was a TERRIBLE experience for both of us! The store isn’t going to get any additional business as a result of that coupon, and while I actually frequent the store and very much would like the discount, the reality is that even if I plan to stick the coupon to my fridge and set a calendar reminder as soon as I am not carrying an armload of bags - I’m not. I’ll have forgotten about it by the time I get back to my car, and I won’t remember until the next time I’m shopping (a week after expiry, of course). As the customer in this scenario, my overall experience wasn’t great. Of course, many of you are more organized than I am, but you’ll still need to add the extra step to remind yourself to use the deal, and ultimately, there’s a lost opportunity here. And I fell into this EXACT scenario as the merchant in this equation recently. The Merchant’s Perspective In February, on a whim I decided to put one of my regular products on sale, and I sent out an unplanned email to my list letting folks know. Even better, I got a few orders that day, and I considered my promotion a success! Then, other than a couple minor mentions, I didn’t give it another thought. For the next 10 days, sales were slow but steady, and I was up to a few hundred dollars that I hadn’t expected. Pretty good for an unplanned sale, right? Wrong. I remembered that it was the last day of the sale the morning of, and only by chance. I thought about sending out a final email, and I ALMOST didn’t do it because I didn’t want to bother people (I’m so Canadian!). I figured that those who wanted to get in on the offer would have already signed up, and I didn’t think people needed to hear from me AGAIN. But - despite being the most casual sale of all time, I knew better. I wrote up a quick last-chance email and sent it out. What happened next was a shocking - and important - reminder. For the rest of the day, I got sale. After sale. After sale. Ultimately, a full 73% of my total sales came in only AFTER that final reminder email, on the last day! And I almost didn’t bother to send it. I almost didn't bother to send the email that got me 73% of my sales.Click To Tweet I really knew better, but I was careless and too worried about not bothering people. Only, the thing to remember is that in addition to losing out on 73% of my total sales, I almost caused 73% of my customers to miss an opportunity to purchase that they clearly didn’t want to miss. We BOTH would have been dissatisfied if I didn’t reach out that final time. Not contacting your customers enough can do you BOTH a disservice. Click To Tweet So - what are the take-aways here? Things that can be put off to later, will. Time limits give a reason for your customer to take action. Reminders are a courtesy - don’t rely on your customer to remind themselves. If you’re running a promotion, make sure you reach out and let your subscribers know when crucial deadlines are coming up. The people on your list actually WANT to hear from you, and you can probably email them more than you think! They signed up for your list for a reason, and if you’re delivering high quality relevant content they want to hear from you. And, as we just learned, being *too* polite can actually be bad for both of you. * Of course, too much of a good thing can be a negative one! There’s a balance between appreciated reminders and relentless spam. Pay close attention to things like unsubscribes when you start sending out more email - you’ll know if there’s a disconnect between the folks on your list and the content you’re sending out by monitoring that number. I’d love to hear your experience with time-bound promotions. Have you used them? What worked and what didn’t? If you haven’t used them, why not? The post Lose 73% of Sales with This Mistake appeared first on Thinkific.

Is there any better time of year to host parties and backyard barbecues? Summer’s the season for entertaining outdoors, and yet so many of summer’s soirees follow the same routine - burgers, beers, and the occasional lawn game. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but if you want to be remembered as the host with the most, you’ll want to step up that grillin’ and chillin’ routine. So what’s the one thing better than a regular old party? A themed party, and a literary one at that. We’re here to help inspire your summer festivities. Check out these 7 great book-themed party ideas that are guaranteed to make your fete the talk of the town. 1) The Great Gatsby Party Breezy summer evenings by the sea are the perfect setting for a Fitzgerald-inspired roaring ‘20s party about love, loss, and the American dream. A Great Gatsby-themed party is not just a throwback but a class act. Gin is in when it comes to cocktails, and doing the Charleston to Jazz Age tunes is a must for all party attendees. If you feel like playing Gatsby, throw some silk shirts around and gaze longingly into the distance. Or deck yourself out in feathers and pearls and flirt the night away. 2) Jaws, the Party Peter Benchley’s 1974 classic novel, Jaws, became the definitive blockbuster movie of the summer of 1975. For anyone planning a pool party or a beach event - make it Jaws-themed! It’ll be the event of the summer social calendar. You’ll have a blast creating shark-themed decor, mixing up Bloody Marys, and blowing up inflatable shark pool toys! The best part is that even those who haven’t read the book can get in on the frightening fun. 3) Haruki Murakami Party Want something a little more low-key, a little more cerebral, but still literary-themed? Here’s how to step up your hipster cred with your hard-to-please literati friends - throw a party based on the works of Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. Play jazz on vinyl, cook spaghetti, and tell everyone to bring their pet cat. Decorate with maps of Tokyo’s intricate subway system and pin up postcards of mysterious-looking sheep. 4) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Party In need of a family friendly book-themed party? This one’s perfect for entertaining children and the adults they bring along with them. At this Lewis Carroll-inspired event, tea and cakes must be served, of course, and games of croquet must be played. Label all your refreshments with "Drink me!" and "Eat me!" Festoon your yard with decks of cards, silly hats and grinning Cheshire cats. 5) Treasure Island Party If you and your friends need an excuse to swear like sailors, walk the plank, and otherwise party like pirates, we’ve got you covered. Or rather, Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island has got you covered. This summer soiree is especially fun if you’re lucky enough to have a boat or a beach to host your buccaneer ball. Decorate with Jolly Roger flags, treasure maps and gold doubloons. Serve up rum cocktails and other sea-worthy treats. Best of all, see how long you can keep your guests saying "Arrr" and "Matey!" 6) A Dr. Seuss Party Summer’s the time for playful rhymes, and what better way, to spend the day than counting fish or refusing a dish or following a cat decked out in a hat? Bring all your favorite Dr. Seuss books to life with a party that everyone, of any age, will enjoy. Serve red and blue fish candies, greenify some eggs and ham, and ask everyone to dress up as Thing 1, Thing 2, or the Cat himself! 7. A Harlequin Romance Party Whatever you think of romance novels, you know that a Harlequin Romance summer party is going to be a hit with the crowd. Have a photo booth at your party where everyone can dress up and pose like they’re on the cover of the summer’s steamiest read. Serve food with titillating names like, "seduced and spellbound salsa," "passionate danger punch" and "tempted by his touch tortilla chips." You’ll have people laughing, living it up, and potentially finding love, all in one torrid summer night. What kind of book-themed party are you throwing this summer?

Receiving a certificate upon completion of a course is an important part of learning culture. Whether it’s the certificate earned to mark a childhood milestone or the one you are handed when you walk across a university stage, certificates in education are universal. And now, we’ve brought certificates to the online world for Thinkific courses! Certificates allow course creators to automatically deliver an official, secure, and verifiable certificate of completion to students who have completed their course. Certificates can be combined with our new Pass/Fail Quizzes to ensure that students have successfully mastered core concepts in order to complete the course. Automatically generated upon course completion Digital certificates are verified and secure Certificates can be shared directly to LinkedIn Certificates look professional, adding credibility to your program Completion Certificates: NEW for Thinkific hosted online courses!Click To Tweet Certificates are a feature exclusive to our Premium and Professional plans. Ready to setup your certificate? Full details in our knowledge base here. The post Introducing: Certificates appeared first on Thinkific.

SCVNGR’s Secret Game Mechanics Playdeck | TechCrunch Guide To This Document: This list is a collection of game dynamics terms, game dynamics theories that are interesting, useful and potentially applicable to your work here at SCVNGR. Many of them have … Continue reading →

Having your course ready to go is step one… but then what? Building is only half the battle; getting your course in front of people so they’ll purchase is the other half, and deserves a lot of time and attention. There are many ways to get your first course sale, but there are a few common tips and tricks that we’ve seen work well time and time again. Let’s dive in! The best time to start telling people about your course is before it launches. This is the right time to start telling your audience what you’re up to, and to get the gears in motion for a pre-sales campaign. Offer up the first chapter or a small sample of what you’ve got in the works, and give your nearest and dearest (ie: your existing list) a tempting offer to jump in site unseen. Check out this past blog post all about building hype. The best time to start selling your online course is before it's available.Click To Tweet Don’t have a list built? You probably have one and just don’t know it. In addition to past students and industry contacts, you can export all of your LinkedIn connections easily by following the instructions here. Your existing contacts are a great place to start, as these are the people who are already interested and engaged in what you are doing, so it’s a great time to reach out.   Participating in online communities can be a great way to expand your audience. In any niche, you are bound to find large groups of people who would welcome a new, knowledgeable participant interested in the same things they are. Some great places to look for communities include: Linkedin Groups Facebook Groups Google+ Communities Twitter Chats If you haven’t heard of Twitter chats, these are a great way to dive into connecting on this social platform. Twitter chats are group conversations that are connected via hashtags, and are a perfect way to meet new people in your niche.  My favourite listings of twitter chats are http://chatsalad.com/ and http://tweetreports.com/twitter-chat-schedule/. Our friends over at Buffer also have a great post up all about these events. You found a group, but what now? When considering etiquette in new communities, I like to equate online communities to their in-person equivalent. If I’m walking into a networking event for the first time and start shouting "BUY MY STUFF!", I’m probably going to get a security escort out the door. Walk into the room screaming BUY THIS and security will escort you out. The same rules apply online.Click To Tweet If, instead, I find a friendly bunch engaged in conversation and join in (adding some valuable points along the way), I’m going to have a much better time. Communities aren’t a one visit proposition - but if you find some groups that are in your niche and that you can really add value to, you’ll find this can go a long way in building your audience organically.   Testimonials are a valuable way to instill confidence in potential purchasers. If they can see written feedback by past students, they are more likely to buy. If you’ve taught before, perfect! Pulling out reviews you’ve received as a teacher (even if written for other material) is helpful here. There is also value in getting your course content into a few hands early, to capture fresh reviews before going live with your launch. If you have a course that caters to a specific group, getting it into the hands of people who are known in your space can do wonders. If you can get a personal review or recommendation from someone who is respected in your niche (and even better, if they’re willing to share the link out, perhaps with a bonus affiliate cut?) that’s a great kickoff. Always give more than you're asking for.Click To Tweet Just remember - when reaching out always give more than you’re asking for, and you’ll be in good form.   There’s nothing quite like being face to face with someone to not only introduce them to your course, but to also build a genuine relationship along the way. If you can teach about a topic, you can speak to a group about it. Check Meetup.com and other event sites in your area to find groups who are already getting together who might be interested in what you are teaching. Groups are often looking for speakers for their events, and if you can get in front of a group of new-to-you people to share what you know about a topic that interests them, you’ll likely find that this translates into a few sales, too. If speaking isn’t your thing, attend for the face to face connections. And, of course, if you can’t find a meetup that suits you, start your own! Inviting people out to connect over a common topic is a great way to find and build your tribe. Even when you sell online, getting face to face with your audience is vital.Click To Tweet Here at Thinkific, we love to get out to speak to local groups and events. Having a face to face connection with our local customers is really valuable, and we love the opportunity to put some faces to names! In-person relationships are also great when you want to ask the tough questions about where you can improve, or if you need a guinea pig for a new module. The perfect opportunity to call up a new friend!   Offering webinars with valuable must-have content to your target audience can be a great way for them to get to know you - and if you deliver on what you’ve offered for free, they’re more likely to purchase seconds. Webinars are particularly beneficial because they’re a way to connect directly with your audience, where folks can ask questions and get answers real-time. I love the community aspect of these events and find them more valuable at times than something like a pre-recorded training video, which doesn’t have the same personal experience. Fixed timelines help you beat audience procrastination.Click To Tweet Webinars also benefit from being a fixed point in time - as we learned earlier this week, specific timelines are perfect for beating audience procrastination!   T These are just the tip of the iceberg as there are so many ways to get out there, but I wanted to share these specific tips not only because they work, but because I can’t stress enough the value of building relationships and connecting with people! The added benefit of finding students this way is that they are MUCH more likely to be really engaged, and to refer you to their friends and their own networks when they know and trust you due to the relationship you’ve built. Now, it’s your turn to share! I’d love to hear what you guys have been doing - what’s working, what’s not, and how you got your first sale. There’s a lot of great insight in this community: share a comment with your story!   The post 5 Ways to Make Your First Course Sale appeared first on Thinkific.

Are you looking to add audio, narration or voice-overs to your Powerpoint or Keynote slide presentations? This can now be done directly within Thinkific, and you can deliver it as part of your online course! Often, simple is key. We’ve heard from many of you that you’d love to create your course by simply adding audio to your Powerpoint and Keynote slide presentations, without having to fight with technology in the process. So, we built it for you. Easily Create Voice Over PowerPoint Presentations with @ThinkificClick To Tweet Simply: Save your slide presentation out of Powerpoint or Keynote as a PDF file Add a new presentation lesson type to your course, importing the PDF you just created Record audio narration slide by slide, directly within the system And you’re done! Students will be able to flip through your presentation slide by slide, and your audio will play automatically. This makes it super simple to convert existing presentations for your courses. Since launching this, we’ve seen people creating online courses faster than ever. You’re able to go from PowerPoint to a complete online course without any extra tools or software. If you’ve already got a presentation ready to deliver, you can use Thinkific’s presentation tool to easily create an online course. Sign up for a free account now to try it out today! Or if you’re already signed up, give our presentation tool a try and see how easy it is to create online courses. Free Download As a bonus, we’ve put together a free resource with the 5 Best Presentation Practices used by our most successful course creators. Knock your next presentation out of the park with this free guide. Knock your next presentation out of the park with these 5 Best PracticesClick To Tweet The post New Feature: Voice Over PowerPoint appeared first on Thinkific.