This online course sells out every time. Here’s how.

How Tom Mills Became the Procurement Protagonist

Introduction to Tom Mills

• Tom Mills, known as the procurement protagonist, sold out his last cohort in 24 hours and has a significant online presence with 125,000 LinkedIn followers and a newsletter called Procure Bites with 25,000 subscribers.

• Despite his success, Tom did not initially aim to be an influencer and lacks a formal marketing background.

Career Transition

• With over 25 years of experience in procurement, Tom faced severe stress that impacted his mental health about a decade ago.

• He recognized that the real challenges stemmed from soft skills like negotiation and rapport-building rather than technical abilities.

Development of Frameworks

• To manage stress, he turned to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helped him create frameworks for handling difficult situations in procurement.

• These frameworks proved effective when coaching team members, leading him to realize their potential value beyond personal use.

Identifying Gaps in Training

• Tom discovered a significant gap in training for soft skills within procurement roles, noting that these skills are crucial for managing stakeholder relationships effectively.

• He observed that many professionals were struggling with similar issues and felt compelled to share his successful frameworks.

Leveraging LinkedIn During COVID

• The COVID pandemic limited traditional teaching methods; thus, Tom began posting on LinkedIn as an outlet for connection and sharing insights.

• His writing resonated widely, allowing him to build connections while helping others navigate their own procurement challenges.

Establishing Expertise

• As he consistently posted content related to procurement on LinkedIn, he aimed for people to associate his name with expertise in this field.

• However, he became aware of the limitations of social media platforms like LinkedIn due to their algorithm-driven nature.

Building an Engaging Newsletter: Tom's Journey

The Decision to Start a Newsletter

• Tom aimed to connect with his audience on a deeper level, leading him to create his newsletter called "For Curees," which quickly gained traction.

• Initially, he had around 5,000 subscribers and recognized this as a significant audience for direct engagement and trust-building.

Strategies for Audience Growth

• Tom achieved 5,000 organic subscribers in just nine months through consistent effort and strategic content delivery.

• He emphasized the importance of consistency in building trust over time, countering the misconception that social media offers quick fixes.

• Content should focus on adding value to the audience rather than self-promotion; he reflected on lessons learned over the years that could benefit others.

Engaging Content Creation

• Tom’s approach involves sharing genuine experiences and insights that resonate with his audience, fostering two-way conversations rather than one-sided communication.

• His success indicated potential for developing sellable products or services based on the needs of his global audience.

Overcoming Initial Challenges

• Despite wanting to share soft skills frameworks globally, Tom initially felt overwhelmed by how to start creating an online course.

• He turned to YouTube for guidance and found helpful resources from Melissa's Wittenwire content, which provided clear and unbiased advice.

Investing in Learning Resources

• As a procurement professional, Tom was cautious about financial investments but recognized the value of joining a course that aligned with his goals.

• Trust was built through prompt responses from Melissa regarding her offerings, reinforcing her commitment to helping him succeed.

Taking Action Towards Course Development

• After enrolling in the program, Tom felt relieved knowing he had support in developing his course idea into actionable steps.

• He quickly progressed from concept development to structuring content and creating a sales page using templates provided by the course.

Procurement Soft Skills Mastery: A Game Changer

Transitioning from Procurement to Course Creation

• Tom reflects on his extensive marketing experience and how he leveraged it to create a course, emphasizing the importance of translating knowledge into actionable content for procurement professionals.

• He introduces his program, "Procurement Soft Skills Mastery," which guides participants through a 10-week journey aimed at enhancing their confidence and skills in procurement roles.

Course Structure and Focus Areas

• The course addresses various challenges faced by procurement professionals, focusing on soft skills that drive impact within organizations regardless of hierarchy or experience level.

• Key topics include effective networking, promotion strategies, interview skills, and managing relationships with senior stakeholders—essentially equipping students with tools for internal influence.

Mindset Shift and Early Success

• Tom discusses the critical mindset shift required for aspiring professionals to pursue promotions confidently, supported by frameworks learned in the course.

• He shares his rapid success in selling his first product just three months after starting the course development process, highlighting the significance of early validation.

Learning Through Interaction

• Tom sold out all 12 spots in his initial enrollment phase within ten days, attributing this success to not waiting for perfection before launching his course.

• He emphasizes that engaging with students during live workshops provided valuable feedback that informed content creation and enhanced relevance for future audiences.

Building Community and Support

• The interaction with students allowed Tom to develop a deeper understanding of their needs while creating a feedback loop that enriched both teaching and learning experiences.

• Inspired by personalized support he received as a student himself, he adopted similar methods in delivering his own course material to foster engagement.

Validation of Course Effectiveness

• By the end of the program's first run, all participants provided five-star testimonials, reinforcing Tom's belief in the value delivered through his curriculum.

• This positive feedback boosted Tom’s confidence in promoting his course further as he recognized its genuine value rather than merely selling a product.

Promoting Success: Tom's Journey in Course Creation

Initial Doubts and Validation

• Tom expresses initial skepticism about the sustainability of his course sales, questioning if his first success was a fluke or due to suppressed demand.

• He utilized testimonials from previous students to validate his sales approach, which helped him confidently promote subsequent cohorts.

• Limiting the number of slots for each course was intentional, aiming to provide intimate access to himself during workshops.

• The positive feedback reinforced Tom's belief that there is genuine demand for his offerings, motivating him to continue promoting them.

Transitioning to Full-Time Entrepreneurship

• While still employed in a corporate role, Tom recognized the potential of his service and its impact on people's lives. This realization prompted him to consider transitioning into full-time entrepreneurship.

• Coming from a non-entrepreneurial family background made this decision feel daunting; however, he felt compelled by the growing interest in his courses.

• His LinkedIn audience and newsletter subscribers were increasing rapidly, indicating strong market interest and support for his work.

Immediate Impact of Going Full-Time

• After committing fully to his business, Tom experienced significant revenue growth—tripling within three months—due to increased energy and confidence in promoting online.

• The shift from supplemental income to needing to make the business work created a sense of accountability that further fueled his efforts.

Building a Global Network

• Tom has successfully built an international audience through teaching students across various countries including Nigeria, Malaysia, India, South Africa, Europe, America, Brazil, and Canada. This global reach has contributed significantly to both personal growth and professional satisfaction.

• He emphasizes the importance of connectedness with diverse cultures as integral not only for happiness but also for enriching experiences in teaching others.

Student Success Stories and Course Demand

• One of Tom's greatest satisfactions comes from maintaining relationships with former students who report career advancements attributed to skills learned in his courses. This ongoing connection fosters advocacy among alumni for future cohorts.

• Since launching "Procurement Soft Skills Mastery" in April 2024, demand has consistently exceeded supply; recent cohorts have sold out quickly after opening registration periods.

Commitment to Live Interaction

• Despite considering evergreen models for course delivery without live interaction, Tom chooses live workshops as they enhance student engagement and learning experience directly with him as their mentor.

Achieving Financial Freedom

• Selling online programs has allowed Tom greater flexibility regarding where and when he works while pursuing financial freedom—a key goal that includes having downtime alongside professional commitments.( t = 1410 s)

Tom's Journey to Work-Life Balance and Business Success

Achieving Work-Life Balance

• Tom reflects on the importance of spending more time with family, highlighting a significant change in his lifestyle by taking an entire month off for personal activities.

• He expresses pride in his business success but emphasizes that true fulfillment comes from helping others, showcasing a deeper definition of success beyond financial metrics.

Helping Others Through Experience

• Tom shares how overcoming personal challenges over a decade ago has equipped him with resilience, which he now uses to assist others facing similar struggles.

• He introduces "The Procurement Vault," a new membership offering that consolidates valuable tools and templates aimed at supporting procurement professionals.

Growth and New Offerings

• The Procurement Vault is described as an evolving resource library that provides high-value content at an accessible price point, enhancing engagement with his audience.

• A pre-sale for the vault attracted 188 sign-ups, demonstrating strong interest and validating the demand for such resources.

Diverse Revenue Streams

• Tom discusses additional revenue sources beyond product sales, including keynote speaking engagements and sponsored partnerships due to his growing audience of 25,000 procurement professionals.

• He credits finding course builders online as a pivotal moment that catalyzed his business growth and diversified income streams.

Commitment to Value Delivery

• Tom praises the value provided by Melissa’s courses, noting how it inspired him to enhance the experience he offers to his own students.

• He contrasts this positive experience with other online courses where expectations were not met, underscoring the importance of delivering exceptional value in educational offerings.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

• Tom encourages those involved in procurement or selling to procurement to subscribe to his free newsletter "Procure Bites" for valuable insights.

• He invites viewers to explore his soft skills mastery course available on his website and connect with him on LinkedIn for further inquiries.

• In closing, he shares motivational advice about overcoming self-doubt by focusing on compelling reasons to pursue goals despite challenges.