TOC #201: why I'm retiring my best-selling course
(October 29, 2024) Why I'm Retiring My Best-Selling Website Copy Course
Her name was Crusty. And to know her was to love her.
We traveled 312,000 miles together before she passed, if you can believe it.
“Places to go, people to see!” was her motto.
Actually, maybe it was mine. I was the one driving.
Crusty was my first car — a 2008 Acura MDX that, when I was 16, was way too nice for me to be driving. And way too nice to be named “Crusty.”
(Thanks for that, Dad! And sorry, Mom, for accidentally stealing what should have been your car.)
…but by the time she finally moved on to greener pastures — aka some dude in Quebec who apparently didn't care that she was on the fritz, and was happy to take her off my hands for a whopping $1200 — she was definitely way too old to be driven safely.
Crusty got me through some gooood years, though.
I got my license in that car.
I drove off to college in that car.
I DD'd 16 sorority sisters home from the bar in that car. (How did we survive that? Why do kids think laws don't apply in college? Send help)
I visited my fuck ass cheating college boyfriend on Long Island in that car, and he drove the wrong way down a one way, in his own hometown. Idiot.
I moved to Canada in that car.
I moved back to America in that car.
I drove Wesley to preschool for the first time in that car.
And then finally, Crusty — my old reliable, my precious baby, my iconic ride, my emotional support crossover Mom car — eventually needed to be replaced by something bigger and better.
Something that would safely serve me for years to come.
…something I'd been dreaming about for a looong time, (sorry, Crusty. I still love you.)
The 2020 Kia Telluride was a MOMENT.
Growing up in a “car household” — aka with a father so obsessed with cars, “obsessed” doesn't even feel like a strong enough word — it's safe to say that I know a thing or two about them.
And ever since Car & Driver ranked the Telluride #1, I went from “a Kia? ew!” to “get me on that waitlist.”
So, in 2021, when I could no longer justify replacing one of Crusty's valuable parts for the 16th time, I knew what I had to do.
That sexy truck was about to be mine.
(It's not actually a truck, I just call it my truck bc it makes weird car boys mad.)
Back then, the car market in general was crazy; trying to buy any car was an uphill battle, with MSRP rendered completely meaningless, cars going for $20k over asking, and waitlists 10+ months long.
And, while sure, I was newly on the Kia train — solely for the Telluride — there was no way in HELLLL ur gurl was gonna pay $70,000 for a KIA.
(Like, no. Back then, that price could've landed me a Yukon.)
Back to the drawing board.
…except, no, not actually back to the drawing board, because I've never been one to really take time to consider my choices.
Call it a character flaw, call it stupid, call it ADHD impulsivity, I don't really care — when I have an idea in my head, that's that: I'm doing it, I'm taking action, it's happening right now.
Exhibit A:
ANYWAY. I digress.
Clearly, my mind was set on a Telluride, so I was gettingggg a Telluride. That day.
…just not from the dealer.
To CarMax, it is!
After about 27 minutes of browsing, I decided that it was fine if I didn't have the wolf gray exterior, and fine if I didn't have the Terracotta interior, and fine if I didn't have the new sick Kia logo (this one stung, but first world problems, so I got a grip).
And two hours after that, I bought Slick used off some dude's 1-year lease, I loved her deeply, and I happily drove her home for *not* $20k over MRSP. Slay!
…until things were not so slay anymore.
See, Slick was perfect for me, until he wasn't anymore.
(That sentence felt like me explaining my breakup? Lol)
And, ya know, maybe that's my fault.
It was recently revealed to me that Slick had been in not one, not two, but THREEE CAR ACCIDENTS before our time together.
When he started aggressively shaking in his boots (aka on the highway every time I accelerated), I knew something was up.
After almost a year of avoiding it (classic), I finally told my dad, and asked him if he thought it was gonna be an expensive repair.
He said “you know how I'd fix it? Trade it in!"
Obviously he was completely kidding, but that one little joke was enough validation I needed to do what I'd secretly been wanting to do since I bought it: get the one I actually wanted.
So, a week later, exactly 3 years after I bought Slick, I found myself in the Kia dealership again, this time prepared to purchase what I really wanted — the brand new 2025 wolf gray Telluride SX X line with the Terracotta interior and 2 sunroofs and the hawt new logo and OH BABYYYYY SHE'S SEXYYYYY!!!
Sex appeal aside, though, she's gonna serve me a lot better than Crusty, and definitely a lot better than Slick, because not only is she exactly what I want, but she's brand new, in perfect condition, meeting both my needs AND my desires.
Making the choice to buy a brand new car after I “just” bought the same one not too long ago might feel like a decision worth questioning…
But, in reality, this new car is the one I originally wanted 3 years ago, but I wasn't able to swing it back then.
I'm glad I bought my Telluride when I did back in 2021 — I genuinely did love the one I got (he was BTL blue and everything!) and I'm happy I was able to replace my beloved Crusty with a solid, reliable SUV I loved.
Now, though? I am jumping up and down with excitement and tap dancing through the Kia dealership ready for my new chapter as a hot mom with black rims and 20-inch wheels.
Despite me giving you a detailed history of my strange love affairs with my vehicles, I actually didn't come here just to write an ode to Crusty, breakup text to Slick, or love letter to my new truck.
I came here to tell you why I'm retiring my best-selling website copywriting course after only 3 years.
Much like Slick, the version of Site Series® available now is the much-needed upgrade to what I refer to as the Crusty of the course.
The original Site Series®, created way back when, was something I absolutely LOVED, and so did my students.
That first launch, people were so excited about it — and implemented what they learned right away, launching websites they could FINALLY be proud of, writing copy their leads actually wanted to read, and getting inquiries from people who they genuinely couldn't wait to work with.
I was proud! I reached one of my biggest goals! It was a huge success!
…but there were things about it I didn't like, too.
I hated Kajabi, the platform it was hosted on.
I wanted to serve more people by adding more website pages.
I felt like it needed more information about SEO.
I knew I could include more detail about copywriting basics.
So, I made a NEW version of the course.
Site Series® went from Crusty to Slick in 2023, and I completely revamped the ENTIRE THING.
I re-recorded every single lesson.
I added hours and hours and hours of content.
I included WAY more bonuses.
I added two entire chapters to the course.
It became the most comprehensive website copywriting course on the Internet, with not a single possible website page missing from the curriculum.
But now, Site Series® is retiring.
Why I'm Retiring My Best-Selling Website Copy Course
Much like buying the 2025 Telluride seemingly “right after” buying Slick, I've been secretly thinking about this choice the entire time.
And much like buying Slick when I did, creating the version of Site Series® that exists right now was 100% the right choice at the time.
See, back when I originally created the course, COURSES WERE THE MOMENT.
& while they're still helpful, I still believe in them, and I will continue to teach them, I don't think self-paced online courses are what the people want anymore. Not in the same way they wanted them a few years ago, or even last year.
My goal with Site Series® was to create the BEST website copywriting course I possibly could. I did that.
I included every single thing I know about it, I taught about every possible page you could write for your website, I added details not JUST about website copy, but everything ELSE you need for your website to work for you, too…
I'm confident in the course I made — and my 234 students get IMPRESSIVE results from using what they learned. Nothing about that has changed.
And even though I'm retiring the course now, my goal has not changed, either.
I still plan on hosting the best website copywriting course I possibly can.
But that looks different now.
& of course, in time, I'm going to share with you what's different about my next step, but first, I want to tell you WHYYYY I'm retiring Site Series® as you know her:
Retirement Reason #1: People want more support.
And, frankly, I love GIVING the support.
Writing your website copy is a big, fat, scary to-do, and it can be hard to go it alone.
I've learned through yearsss of teaching my mentees and teaching other courses live that I genuinely LOVE helping people through a curriculum, but I never thought I'd be able to teach website copy in the same way, due to how nuanced it is, and how different it is for every single person and business.
(Spoiler alert: I figured out a way to do it and my new way is SICK and so effective and I can't wait.)
Retirement Reason #2: People don't want the “whole ass thing” anymore.
I added more more more to the course when I revamped it — which I loved, and students did, too — but now, I'm finding that the people interested in website copy education are moreso people trying to get their sites LIVE for the first time, not people who want to upgrade their sites to “the whole ass thing.”
For people who just wanted to learn about website copy, it was either out of budget or overwhelming.
Retirement Reason #3: I can't be everything to everyone.
Like I said: Site Series® has EVERYTHING.
Copywriting basics, website copy, website launching, blogging, email marketing, Pinterest… all of it.
& I LOVED that idea in the beginning. No one else was doing it; I was the only one giving everything.
But everything is a LOT — and the course started to feel like a resource students held on to, instead of something they finished.
I didn't mind that at first; I liked people having this resource to refer back to, or to work on as they went.
People message me allll the time saying “I'm gonna rewatch this lesson!” and “now that my site is live, I'm gonna go watch the email chapter!” and “I used the copy basics chapter to help me with my launch, now I'm gonna focus on my website!” — and that's really rewarding to hear.
…but is it the POINT of Site Series®? Or do I want to create something more actionable, at a more affordable pricepoint?
Retirement Reason #4: I'm launching something even better.
You knew that was coming, didn't you? 😉
Site Series® is retiring, but I will ALWAYS teach website copy. It's a huge part of what I do over here at Between The Lines. I'm Website Girl, after all!
So, while you'll need to stay tuned for just a TIIIINY bit longer to see what I have in store for you — and in replacement of Site Series® — you *do* still have a chance to snag the course before she's gone 4ever and 4always, THIS FRIDAY.
LAST CHANCE (EVER!) FOR SITE SERIES®!
Make sure you use code “RETIREMENT” to take 30% off of my website copywriting course — she's officially in retirement as of this Friday November 1st.
The second Mariah defrosts, Site Series® as you know her is GONE… and, as to be expected, something new + shiny will be taking her place.
…but if you've been wanting my full ass copywriting course — aka THE MOST comprehensive website copywriting course on the Internet — it officially your LAST opportunity to ever buy it.
(Still not over that - I can't believe it! I'm kinda scared! I love her!)
(But it's the right choice.)
(Why am I getting emotional?)
(Ok bye. Here's 30% off all payment plans of The Site Series® Bundle.)
If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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