6 Great low-cost programs for small business owners (2024)

In the ever-evolving world of online business, knowledge is power. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or a budding online seller with big dreams, continuous learning is essential. But let's be honest; every dollar counts when starting out. I remember being very cautious (and scared) of spending money in my first year as self-employed, and it took me some time to realize how valuable it is to invest in both courses and tech.

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In my previous blog post Why you shouldn't be afraid of spending money in your business, I discussed the importance of investing in your entrepreneurial journey. However, I also understand the need to proceed cautiously at the beginning. That's why, in this post, I'll guide you through a handpicked selection of low-cost, high-value online courses and other helpful resources, all priced between $9 and $67. These affordable courses and resources are perfect for anyone who's starting out selling online.

Now, let's explore how you can harness the power of knowledge and resources affordably! Check out these 6 low-cost programs for small business owners and service providers. The first course recommendations are courses by the British online business strategist Elizabeth Goddard. I've bought many of her courses, and these three are my absolute favorites.

1.Liz Wilcox's $9 Email Marketing Membership

If you're struggling to send consistent newsletters or feel like email marketing is too complicated, you need to check out Liz Wilcox's Email Marketing Membership for just $9 a month. Known as the "Fresh Princess of Email Marketing," Liz makes email ridiculously simple.

Inside the membership, you get weekly newsletter templates complete with video tutorials—that's 52 newsletters you don't have to write from scratch if you stay for a year! You also get foundational email marketing trainings, monthly live Q&A sessions for personalized feedback, and quarterly guest expert sessions on topics like podcast pitching and social media list building.

At just $9 a month, this is one of the best investments you can make in your business. Check out Liz Wilcox's Email Marketing Membership here.

2. Pin Generator

If you're using Pinterest to drive traffic, you know how time-consuming it is to create fresh pins daily. Pinterest rewards consistency, but who has time to design and post pins daily? That's where Pin Generator comes in.

Pin Generator automates your Pinterest marketing. Simply enter your website URL, and it creates minimalistic pins in seconds using your images and product data.

The tool includes an AI text writer for titles and descriptions, a bulk scheduler, and a template builder for branded designs. I think their AI is much better than Tailwind's Ghostwriter, and it's so easy to just insert the URL instead of giving the AI lots of input. You can also post directly from Pin generator. Try a month for free now

3. Ideogram AI Image Generator

Creating eye-catching graphics for social media and marketing can be expensive. Ideogram is an AI-powered image generator that starts at just $8 a month (or $7 a month annually).

Ideogram excels at creating everything from text-based social media posts with perfectly rendered typography, to realistic photography, logos, and illustrations.

The AI generates high-quality, professional images that most other generators struggle to match.

The Basic plan at $8 a month gives you 400 priority credits per month, which is enough to generate 100 images. I personally went for the $20 a month option cause I use it for Pinterest, clipart, backgrounds and illustrating my blogposts. Whether you're creating Instagram posts, Pinterest pins, blog headers, or promotional graphics, Ideogram makes professional visuals incredibly affordable. Try the free trial of Ideogram

4. Small But Mighty $9 Offers by Elizabeth Goddard ($9) Elizabeth Goddard's Small But Mighty $9 Offers is a super-meta, teeny-tiny course that provides digital product creators with insider knowledge on adding a bite-sized $9 offer to their business. In this course, you'll discover why $9 offers are perfect for growing your email list and making money while exploring her favorite strategies for a low-key, tiny offer launch.

5. That Black Friday Feeling by Elizabeth Goddard ($9) Another fantastic $9 course by Elizabeth Goddard is That Black Friday Feeling. This one-hour lesson is packed with tips on creating eight different Black Friday offers, pro tips for maximizing your sales, insights on planning the ideal dates for your Black Friday offer, and the compelling reasons why having a Black Friday offer is a smart move, even in a seemingly saturated market.

6. The Tripwire Training ($47)

The Tripwire Training introduces you to the concept of a tripwire — a reduced-price offer presented right after someone joins your email list, right on the Thank You page. This means new subscribers can snag a sweet deal on one of your products immediately while you can enjoy the thrill of surprise income as you build your email list. Learn all about Elizabeth's strategy and her best tips in this course.

Elizabeth is so damn good at what she does, and the affordability of many of her programs is what brought me into her world in the first place. She also sells some really expensive programs, the priciest one is 3000 dollars (!). So it's incredible that she also sells these bite-sized courses, which are affordable to everyone. One of my favorite things about her courses is that in addition to videos, you can also download the courses to a private podcast feed and listen to her teachings on the go! I haven't seen a single of her course videos cause the podcast feed is just so amazing.

She also offers a lot of freebies, which you can find right here on her website, along with a list of everything else she offers in her business.

You can also check out my blog post How to make a digital planner to sell on Etsy, if you want to learn more about other programs which can help you start your digital planner journey.

👉 Lastly, don't miss out on my post on free small business resources for more tips!