Educational Live Support: Mastering Calendar Bookings, Video Optimization & Marketing Funnels

Master recurring bookings, video compression, marketing funnels & course management with expert guidance from Zenler's Educational Live Support Desk.

About Zenler's Educational Live Support Desk

Zenler hosts weekly Educational Live Support Desk sessions via Zoom where course creators receive real-time assistance from platform experts. These interactive sessions provide direct access to solutions for technical challenges, marketing strategies, and platform optimization. All sessions are recorded and made available on Zenler's YouTube channel with convenient chapter markers for easy navigation.

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✉️ Zenler Technical Support Email: support@zenler.com

The latest Zenler Educational Live Support Desk session delivered practical solutions to common challenges faced by course creators. From setting up complex booking systems to optimizing video content and creating sophisticated marketing funnels, this session covered essential techniques for building successful online course platforms.

Setting Up Recurring One-to-One Calendar Bookings

One of the most complex questions addressed involved setting up recurring one-to-one meetings for course participants. This is particularly valuable for coaches and consultants who need scheduled consultation calls as part of their course offerings.

The Challenge

Course creators often need to offer personalized consultation sessions at multiple times throughout the week, allowing students to select convenient time slots. The challenge is creating a system that:

Displays available time slots across multiple days and weeks
Prevents double-booking
Automatically registers participants
Sends confirmation and reminder emails

The Solution

While Zenler's calendar system differs from dedicated booking platforms like Calendly, you can create an effective booking system using recurring live events combined with a custom landing page:

Step 1: Set Up Recurring Live Events

Create your one-to-one session as a live event
Set participant limit to 1 to prevent double-booking
Configure recurring occurrences for your available time slots
Enable the "apply to all occurrences" toggle for automations

Step 2: Create a Landing Page

Design a landing page displaying all available time slots
Add buttons for each time slot
Link each button to the specific live event registration

Step 3: Configure Automations

Set up email confirmations for registered participants
Enable the critical "on all occurrences" toggle switch
Create reminder emails for upcoming sessions

Important Note on Calendly Integration

For course creators who prefer Calendly's self-service booking functionality, Zenler can integrate with Calendly using Zapier. However, this requires additional automation setup to enroll participants into your Zenler courses after booking.

Video Compression: Optimizing Course Content

Video file size management is crucial for course performance. Large video files slow down page loading, consume excessive bandwidth, and create poor user experiences.

The Compression Misconception

Many course creators believe they need separate compression software like Handbrake. However, if you're using any video editing software—including Camtasia, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, or even mobile apps—compression options are already built in.

For Desktop Video Editors

Best Practice: Configure compression settings during export, not as a separate step.

When exporting from editing software:

Select MP4 as your output format (avoid AVI or MOV files)
Adjust quality settings to balance file size and visual quality
Consider your target resolution (1080p is usually sufficient)
Use H.264 codec for maximum compatibility

For iPhone Users Recording Direct Video

If you're recording course videos directly on your phone without editing:

Check Your Recording Settings:

Navigate to iPhone Settings → Camera
Adjust video recording resolution (4K creates massive files)
Consider recording at 1080p at 30fps for most course content
Use apps like CapCut (available on mobile and desktop) for basic editing and compression

File Size Targets

A properly optimized video should achieve:

10-15 minutes of content: 50-150 MB
30-minute lesson: 150-300 MB
Hour-long session: 300-600 MB

Compare this to uncompressed files that can reach 1-5 GB for the same content—a dramatic difference in performance.

Creating Lead-Capture Marketing Funnels

Marketing funnels are powerful tools for capturing leads, validating email addresses, and nurturing potential students. This session demonstrated how to create a sophisticated funnel for delivering video content while building your email list.

The Three-Step Funnel Strategy

Step 1: Opt-In Page

Create a lead magnet funnel (not video series funnel)
Design an attractive opt-in form
Add compelling copy about your free content
Configure post-submit action to go to thank you page
Add tags to segment leads by source (summit, social media, etc.)

Step 2: Thank You Page

Direct users to check their inbox
Explain they'll receive a link via email
Add a short video encouraging them to watch for the email
Do NOT place the actual content here

Step 3: Hidden Video Delivery Page

Clone the thank you page to create a third step
This page has no navigation links to it
Upload your video content here
Add calls-to-action for your paid courses
Include testimonials or additional value propositions

Why This Structure Works

Email Validation: By requiring users to click a link in their email to access content, you verify they provided a legitimate email address. Users who enter fake emails (test@test.com) won't access your content, protecting you from invalid leads.

Automated Nurturing: The email automation can include:

Immediate access link to the video
Follow-up emails with additional value
Progressive offers leading to paid courses
Personalization using first name and other variables

Flexible Sequencing: You can extend this funnel indefinitely:

Add multiple video steps
Create a multi-day or multi-week sequence
Branch paths based on user behavior
Include surveys for deeper segmentation

Setting Up Email Automation

Within your funnel's automation section:

Create a welcome email triggered by opt-in
Personalize with variables like {{first_name}}
Add a clear call-to-action button linking to your hidden video page
Style the email professionally using the built-in editor
Set the automation to "live" status

Critical Step: Always test your funnel by opting in yourself to verify the complete user experience.

Managing Course Curriculum

Organizing course content effectively impacts student experience and completion rates. This session addressed common curriculum management challenges.

Reordering Lessons and Sections

Zenler's drag-and-drop interface makes reorganization simple:

Moving Lessons Between Sections:

Click and hold the corner handle of any lesson
Drag to a new position within or between sections
Release to drop in the new location

Reordering Sections:

Sections can be dragged to change their sequence
Lessons automatically move with their parent section

Splitting Combined Lessons

If you've accidentally combined two lessons into one text block:

Method 1: Copy and Paste

Create a new lesson of the same type
Open the combined lesson and select all content for the second topic
Copy the content
Delete it from the original lesson
Paste into the new lesson
Adjust positioning as needed

Method 2: Copy Lesson Feature

Use the "Copy Lesson" option in the lesson menu
Select the destination course or section
Edit both copies to split the content appropriately

Customizing the Student Dashboard

The new Zenler student dashboard provides a modern, engaging interface showing course progress, achievements, and available courses.

Current Customization Options

The dashboard is currently not customizable by design. This intentional limitation prevents users from accidentally breaking dynamic functionality like:

Real-time progress tracking
Leaderboard updates
Achievement displays
Course enrollment status

When the Dashboard Appears

The enhanced dashboard activates only when gamification is enabled for your site. This ensures the leaderboards, points, and achievement features function correctly.

Future Customization

The Zenler development team is working on:

Toggle options to enable/disable specific dashboard elements
Custom block support for membership sites
Greater control while maintaining core functionality
Integration with the upcoming advanced page builder

For membership sites requiring complete control over the student landing page, you may prefer to keep gamification disabled and design a custom landing page using Zenler's page builder.

Working with Top Navigation Menus

Menu management is essential for creating intuitive site navigation. Understanding how to edit, reorder, and optimize your menu improves user experience.

Accessing Menu Settings

Since most users employ the dynamic header menu:

Navigate to any page on your site
Click "Edit" to enter the page editor
Click the header menu (it highlights in a gold/mustard color)
Click the settings wheel icon in the corner

Menu Management Techniques

Reordering Menu Items:

Drag items to new positions along the top menu
Drag items within dropdown menus to reorder
Changes apply instantly across all pages

Adding to Dropdown Menus:

Click the parent menu item
Select "Submenu"
Add your new item with its link
Click save to apply

Removing Menu Items:

There's no hide/show toggle for individual items
Delete items you don't want displayed
You can easily re-add them later by creating a new menu item with the same link

Menu Optimization Tips

Keep It Simple: Limit top-level menu items to 5-6 maximum. More items cause the login/signup buttons to drop to a second line, creating an unprofessional appearance.

Use Dropdowns Strategically: Group related content under dropdown menus to keep your main navigation clean and organized.

Moving Items Between Levels: You cannot drag items from a dropdown to the top level. Instead:

Open the menu item and copy its link
Delete the item from the dropdown
Create a new top-level menu item
Paste the link
Update the label

Copying Quizzes Across Multiple Courses

When you improve a quiz in one course, you'll want to implement those improvements across all your courses without manually recreating them.

The Copy Lesson Feature

Zenler's "Copy Lesson" function works for all lesson types, including quizzes:

Navigate to the course containing your improved quiz
Click the three-dot menu next to the quiz lesson
Select "Copy Lesson"
Choose the destination course from the dropdown
Select the specific section if applicable
Click copy

Important Consideration: When copying quizzes, test whether updates to the original quiz automatically sync to copied versions, or whether they function as independent clones. This affects your workflow when making future improvements.

Understanding Video Series vs. Lead Magnet Funnels

Zenler offers different funnel types for different purposes. Understanding when to use each maximizes their effectiveness.

Video Series Funnels

Limitations:

Maximum of 10 video steps
Template-based design with locked video icons
Cannot add additional steps beyond 10

Best Use Cases:

Short video courses (10 lessons or fewer)
Product demonstrations
Mini-courses or challenges

Lead Magnet Funnels

Advantages:

Unlimited steps (you can add 30, 50, or even more)
Flexible design options
Can include videos, text, downloads, surveys
Cross-linking between funnel steps
Better for complex sequences

Best Use Cases:

Extended video series (30+ days)
Email sequences with multiple touchpoints
Progressive offers and upsells
Treatment follow-up sequences
Any funnel requiring more than 10 steps

Pro Tip: For a 30-day video reminder sequence, always use lead magnet funnels. Add each day as a separate step, then create email automations to send users to each step on schedule.

Service-Based Businesses vs. Course Structure

Course creators offering services rather than traditional courses face unique challenges around pricing, bundling, and checkout processes.

Current Checkout Limitations

Zenler currently processes payments individually per course/service. There's no shopping cart allowing customers to select multiple items and check out once.

Workarounds for Service Providers

Option 1: Pricing Tiers

Structure a single "course" containing all your services as separate sections:

Section 1: Service A
Section 2: Service B
Section 3: Service C

Create pricing tiers:

Tier 1 ($100): Access to Service A only
Tier 2 ($200): Access to Services A + B
Tier 3 ($300): Access to all services

Option 2: Course Bundles

Set up each service as an individual course, then create bundles:

Service A + B Bundle ($180 - save $20)
Service B + C Bundle ($190 - save $10)
Complete Package ($250 - save $50)

Option 3: Automated Coupon Strategy

When someone purchases any service:

They complete checkout individually
An automated email sends immediately
The email includes a coupon code for 20% off other services
The coupon link takes them directly to the checkout page
The discount auto-applies when they click through

This approach encourages additional purchases while maintaining automated workflow.

WordPress to Zenler Migration Strategy

Many established course creators worry about migrating from WordPress to Zenler, particularly concerning SEO and traffic loss.

The Subdomain Approach

Do Not Abandon Your WordPress Site if it has:

Established traffic (100+ visitors per day)
High search engine rankings
Indexed pages driving organic traffic
Several years of content and authority

Recommended Setup

Keep WordPress for:

Your primary domain (yourname.com)
Blog content
Lead generation pages
Content marketing

Use Zenler for:

Course delivery (courses.yourname.com)
Student management
Community features
Membership content

Setting Up a Subdomain

Access your domain provider (GoDaddy, NameCheap, etc.)
Navigate to DNS management
Add a CNAME record pointing to your Zenler site
Wait 12-48 hours for DNS propagation
Verify the connection in Zenler's custom domain settings

Complete Documentation Available:

Zenler provides step-by-step guides for major hosting providers:

GoDaddy subdomain setup
NameCheap configuration
cPanel instructions
Hostinger setup
Site Ground integration

Visit support.newzenler.com and search for "subdomain" to access these guides, including video tutorials with screenshots.

The Analogy

Think of your domain as a house (WordPress site) with a garage (Zenler subdomain). They're separate structures but part of the same property. You can have multiple "garages" (subdomains) around your main house (root domain)—each serving a specific purpose while maintaining connection to your primary brand.

Automation Integration with Zapier

Advanced course creators often need to connect Zenler with external systems for sophisticated workflows.

Zapier Integration Capabilities

Zenler integrates natively with Zapier, enabling connections to thousands of apps:

Common Use Cases:

Enroll users from external payment systems
Add students to CRM platforms
Trigger email sequences in third-party tools
Update spreadsheets with enrollment data
Connect with project management tools

API Access

For developers or advanced users, Zenler's API provides additional control:

Custom enrollment workflows
Automated user management
Data synchronization
Webhook triggers for real-time updates

Alternative: Pabbly Connect offers similar functionality to Zapier and can access Zenler's API for automation purposes.

Recurring Webinar Automation Settings

A common mistake causes automation emails to fail after the first occurrence of a recurring webinar.

The Critical Toggle Switch

When setting up recurring webinars:

Create your live event with multiple occurrences
Navigate to the automation settings
Locate the "Apply to All Occurrences" toggle
Enable this toggle

If this toggle remains disabled, automation emails only send for the first occurrence. Subsequent sessions won't trigger any emails, leaving participants without confirmation or reminder messages.

Verifying Your Settings

Access: Live Interactive Webinars → Select Your Event → Settings → Automations

Check that the recurring toggle is enabled before launching your webinar series.

Support Documentation: Search "recurring" at support.newzenler.com for detailed guides including screenshots showing exactly where this toggle appears.

Branching Logic Surveys

One of Zenler's most underutilized features, branching surveys enable sophisticated lead segmentation and personalization.

How Branching Surveys Work

Based on answers participants provide, the system:

Sends targeted email sequences
Routes users to specific course offerings
Tags leads with relevant attributes
Creates personalized learning paths

Example Use Case

Dog Training Course Selection:

Question 1: "What best describes your dog?"

Puppy (under 1 year)
Adult dog (1-7 years)
Senior dog (7+ years)

Question 2: "What's your primary training goal?"

Basic obedience
Behavioral issues
Advanced tricks

Based on responses, the survey automatically:

Sends emails about age-appropriate courses
Tags the lead (e.g., "puppy-owner-obedience")
Directs them to the most relevant course offering
Adjusts email sequences accordingly

Creating Branching Surveys

Watch Zenler's comprehensive tutorial on branching surveys by searching "Zenler branching surveys" on YouTube. The feature appears complex initially but becomes intuitive once you understand the logic flow.

Key Takeaways from This Session

Success with Zenler requires understanding both technical features and strategic implementation:

Technical Mastery

Optimize all video content before uploading to prevent performance issues
Use lead magnet funnels instead of video series funnels for unlimited steps
Enable "all occurrences" toggle for recurring event automations
Validate email addresses by requiring inbox clicks to access content
Set up subdomains rather than abandoning established WordPress sites

Strategic Implementation

Invest 95% of your time in marketing, not endless course refinement
Build sophisticated funnels to automate lead nurturing
Use course bundles and pricing tiers to offer flexible purchase options
Leverage branching surveys for personalized student experiences
Keep navigation simple with 5-6 top menu items maximum

Support Resources

Never struggle alone—Zenler provides extensive support:

Educational Live Support Desk: Weekly sessions with live Q&A
The Complete Guide to Zenler: Comprehensive video training
Support Documentation: Searchable guides at support.newzenler.com
Direct Email Support: support@zenler.com
Facebook Community: Active group of fellow course creators

Join the Next Live Support Session

Don't miss future Educational Live Support Desk sessions! These interactive meetings provide direct access to Zenler experts who solve your specific challenges in real-time.

Every Session Covers

Live demonstrations of platform features
Real-time problem solving
Marketing and growth strategies
Technical troubleshooting
Best practices from successful course creators

All sessions are recorded with chapter markers, allowing you to jump directly to topics relevant to your needs.

Additional Resources

Zenler Tutorial Site: tutorials.newzenler.com
Marketing Basics with Zenler Course: Available in the Training Library
Survey Funnels and Branching: Complete Workshop 3 Hours on YouTube

Conclusion

The Educational Live Support Desk demonstrates Zenler's commitment to course creator success. Whether you're troubleshooting technical challenges, optimizing your marketing funnels, or scaling your online education business, these weekly sessions provide practical solutions from platform experts.

Remember: Your course content is valuable, but success depends on effective delivery, smart marketing, and optimized technical performance. Use these tools and strategies to create a professional, efficient learning platform that serves your students and grows your business.

The platform is your foundation—your marketing and student experience determine your success.

Categories: : Live Support Desk