If you think ads are the secret to building a thriving Skool community, you’re missing the point. Shortcuts don’t build empires. Mastering the fundamentals does.
Remember Pinocchio? He thought taking the easy route would turn him into something real. It didn’t.
It was integrity, effort, and doing the right thing that made him a “real boy.” The same goes for your Skool community.
Your Skool needs to be built on authenticity and real value if you want it to last. After working with countless communities, I’ve found that real success comes down to five things:
Offer. About page. Ads. Fulfillment. Retention.
That’s it. Nail these, and you’ll build something that lasts.
Let’s break it down.
OFFER
Get obsessed with your offer. You don’t need perfection to run ads, but you do need something that hooks people.
Launch ads early, even with a rough draft of your offer. Spend a few hundred bucks, get real customers, and refine based on their feedback.
Quick iterations win.
Have real conversations. Let your offer evolve.
FULFILLMENT
What do people actually get when they join? Maybe it’s a course, or a monthly call. You have to think about scale.
If you promise one-on-one calls to every member, how long until that breaks? Can you handle 30 calls? What about 100 members? You need to think ahead, or you’ll hit a wall.
ABOUT PAGE
Your about page is your storefront. If you’re driving traffic but not converting, it’s one of two things
The ads or the about page.
Dial in your about page. Spend days refining it.
VSL, images, copy.
It all needs to hit hard. It’s not just about getting eyeballs. You need something substantial behind the door, or you’ll burn through ad dollars for nothing.
(It's ok to run some traffic to an unoptimized about page to get early customer feedback to build your offer.)
RETENTION
Retention makes or breaks you. You can have the best offer, the slickest ads, but if people bail after one month, you’ve got a major issue. You're just a hustle.
Make cash with integrity. People are paying you for something real. Deliver on that. Keep them engaged, keep them satisfied, and keep them coming back.
SCALING FULFILLMENT
As your group grows, you’ll need help. That help is already in your community.
People will naturally step up and take leadership roles. Let them. This is how you scale without burning out. Find someone who can manage the day-to-day so you can focus on the big picture.
ACTION ITEMS
- Test your offer early. Spend a few hundred bucks on ads to get your first customers. Refine the offer based on real feedback.
- Plan for scalability. Don’t wait until you’re drowning. Know how much fulfillment you can realistically handle as your community grows.
- Optimize your about page. Make sure it converts (Mine converts at 3.7%). If it’s not working, dig deep and fix it.
- Retention is key. Deliver what you promised. Quickly. Consistently. If you don’t, it’ll catch you.
- Scale smart. Lean on your community to help you grow. Focus on strategy. Let them handle the day-to-day.
BOTTOM LINE
Like the story of Pinocchio, building a sustainable Skool community isn’t about shortcuts or fast wins.
Pinocchio became real when he earned it by showing integrity and doing what was right. You can’t build something lasting with tricks or quick hacks.
Spend the minimum to attract people. Have real conversations. Adjust, refine, and always deliver for your members.
Balance = short-term growth + long-term sustainability
Short-term revenue + long-term success = business
All short term = you’re a hustle.
All long term = you’re a hobby.