One of the most challenging parts of running an online store is crafting promotions that truly build lasting trust and loyalty. Layers of Learning offers a great example of how intentional coupon marketing can do exactly that!
At the core of their marketing strategy is a simple but impactful idea: when customers are given the chance to experience the product firsthand, trust naturally follows. With coupon marketing ideas powered by Advanced Coupons, Layers of Learning has crafted an approach that focuses not just on making a sale, but on creating meaningful experiences that lead to long-term loyalty.
We had the opportunity to interview the founders of Layers of Learning to learn more about their journey. In this special feature, we’ll explore how they use Advanced Coupons to create promotions that foster a loyal community of lifelong learners.
Get To Know Layers Of Learning: Empowering Families Through Education
Layers of Learning is a homeschool curriculum company that creates family-style courses. Founded by sisters Michelle and Karen in 2008, it began as a passion project to create hands-on, multi-age homeschool curriculum that fit the needs of real families.
Today, their store provides a rich collection of history, geography, science, art, and writing resources–all designed with flexibility, creativity, and a deep love for learning in mind. Layers of Learning has become a trusted resource for homeschoolers and educators around the world who seek to make education joyful, meaningful, and shared.
Connect with Layers of Learning:
How Layers Of Learning Builds Trust With Coupon Marketing
We had the opportunity to ask the founders of Layers of Learning about their marketing strategy, the role of Advanced Coupons in their success, and their best advice for other WooCommerce store owners. Here’s what they shared with us:
Can you tell us about your business, your story, and what you sell on your store?
Michelle and Karen
Founders of Layers of Learning
“My sister and I started Layers of Learning back in 2008. We were both homeschooling and couldn’t find a curriculum that hit everything we wanted so we started, first, a blog, and that later grew into a curriculum that we sell.”
“Now we sell history, geography, science, art, and writing curriculum to homeschoolers and teachers all over the world. Since we both have multiple children, we made a curriculum that can be taught to many ages at once. It’s hands-on and incorporates lots of books. Basically, it covers our entire wish list that we had from homeschooling our own children!”
Before using Advanced Coupons, what were your biggest challenges when it came to running promotions or managing coupons?
“It is important to us that our customers are confident in our product before they buy it. So we wanted to give people a way to get a free unit. We needed unique codes for each person and the ability to choose between five different options, and Advanced Coupons has the ability to meet that need.”
What role does Advanced Coupons play in your overall marketing strategy?
“Our biggest goal is not just sales, but happy customers who
spread the word and come back again and again.”
“We also love using BOGO coupons! Every spring we have a “Try it out” sale where we give away a free unit when one is purchased. It helps customers who are still hesitant to give us a bigger try for very little investment.
In our experience, once someone is sold on Layers of Learning they stick with it, but they have to be able to try it with their children before we can truly make that life-long sale. Between the free unit giveaway and the BOGO spring sale, we have very few customers who are unhappy with our product once they’ve invested their entire year’s curriculum budget into it.
Our biggest goal is not just sales, but happy customers who spread the word and come back again and again.”
What types of promotions work best for your store and your audience?
“We use BOGO sales and sitewide sales the most, besides the free unit coupon code that everyone can receive once. We do like that we can fine-tune which types of products go on sale. We sell both paperback books and pdf versions of the curriculum. It’s great to have a digital-only sale or a complete set sale, where we fine-tune by category of product in our store.”
How do you promote your discounts and coupons to your customers?
“We promote sales on a banner on our site, in email newsletters, and on Facebook and Instagram.”
What results or wins have you seen since using Advanced Coupons?
“The biggest result is that when people can try a free unit they are much more likely to become customers. Probably nothing increases our sales more than that first interaction. People discover our curriculum, explore the site a bit, and then sign up for a coupon code. Curriculum is a big investment both financially and in your children’s education, so the ability people have to try it free first is massive.”
What advice would you give to other WooCommerce store owners who are thinking of trying Advanced Coupons?
“The moment you decide you need more than a basic site-wide discount,
you need Advanced Coupons.”
“The moment you decide you need more than a basic site-wide discount, you need Advanced Coupons. We tried the free version of Advanced Coupons first to decide if it would work for us. It can do so many things, most of which we haven’t even tried yet, that it was a bit of a learning curve to configure the coupons. But once it is set up, it works smoothly. We eventually decided it was paying off enough and that we would like the extra features, so we have been using the paid version for some time now.”
Key Takeaways: What Layers Of Learning Show Us About Smart Marketing
Layers of Learning’s story teaches us that the most impactful marketing promotions are those built around genuine connection and trust. By placing your customers at the heart of your business strategy, promotions become a bridge to foster lasting relationships.
Here are just a few coupon marketing ideas and lessons we can learn from their success:
1. Give customers a way to experience your product firsthand
Layers of Learning offers new customers a free curriculum they can try through a special coupon code, allowing interested shoppers to experience the value of their products firsthand. By lowering the barrier to entry, they make it easier for families and educators to feel confident in their purchase decision. This positive experience builds immediate trust and confidence early in the customer journey, increasing the likelihood that first-time buyers will come back.
2. Leverage BOGO to engage customers
BOGO deals are one of the most impactful coupon marketing ideas, and Layers of Learning weaves them seamlessly into their strategy. By launching an annual spring “Try It Out” BOGO sale, they invite customers to invest in their products with minimal extra cost.
BOGO promotions let you offer a bonus product alongside a purchase, introducing customers to more of what you offer. This encourages them to explore your product range and creates a sense of added value.
3. Tailor your promotions for full impact
Layers of Learning offers both digital and paperback versions of their curriculum, and they fine-tune their promotions based on the type of product category that goes on sale.
Targeted promotions like this allow store owners to maximize the appeal and relevance of each sale. It also makes each sale feel more intentional, helping customers find exactly what they need while reinforcing the value behind each offer.
4. Start simple, then scale from there
Layers of Learning started with the free version of Advanced Coupons to set up simple, thoughtful offers that address customer needs. As their store grew and their marketing needs evolved, they upgraded to Advanced Coupons Premium to unlock more powerful features.
This serves as a reminder for all store owners: you don’t need to implement complex strategies right away. You can start with small, intentional promotions that meet customer needs, then scale your tools and campaign strategies as your store evolves. Taking it step by step ensures that your overall marketing strategy stays aligned with your goals, capacity, and customer needs.
Conclusion
Layers of Learning’s journey is a beautiful reminder that impactful marketing starts with listening to your customers and building trust. By implementing intentional coupon marketing ideas powered by Advanced Coupons, they’ve built a strategy that not only drives sales but also nurtures long-term relationships with the families and educators they support.
Here are some key strategy takeaways for store owners:
- Give customers a way to experience your offers firsthand
- Leverage the power of BOGO to engage customers
- Fine-tune your promotions for maximum impact
- Start simple, then scale from there
We hope this store highlight sparked fresh ideas and inspiration for your store!
We’re incredibly grateful to Michelle and Karen of Layers of Learning for sharing their journey with us. ♥️ Their experience is a beautiful example for store owners looking to create meaningful, results-driven promotions.
