Bear Grylls. Cesar Millan. Warren Buffet. Suze Orman.
What do these people have in common?
They are great teachers in their selected fields.
And you just joined their ranks by launching your own online course!
Yep, you gained the expertise of your niche that you could do a TED talk on it.
But what if I told you that creating online courses is the easiest part? Sure, the process of creating online courses isn't a cakewalk.
But see it this way: When you don't promote your course effectively...
All of your knowledge and hard work will go down the drain.
As an online course creator, you want to sell online courses and help others, but no one knows about it!
Continue reading for a complete guide to a profitable online course as you learn:
- Why you need to promote your online course business
- Things you need to consider before selling online courses
- Effective ways how to sell courses online
Let's get right into it with the question...
Why You Should Promote And Market Your Online Course?
You may know this already... Online courses are a great way to connect with your target audience.
Plus, when they see your online course creation, it immediately establishes your authority in your chosen niche.
Another reason you need to promote online courses is it's a good stream of passive income.
Just take a peek at these numbers:
- By 2025, eLearning will grow up to $325 billion.
- Online courses increase retention rate by 25% to 60%.
- In US organizations, eLearning increased income for 42% of them.
- 90% of US corporations have incorporated online learning
Remember podcasting and vlogging? It started as a small niche. Then, it grew to be a part of household conversations.
Here is my point...
Online courses are about to be mainstream.
And you can stand out NOW. It might be too late to get noticed in a few years.
When you sell courses online, you have to make sure that you get the attention of your target audience. Your online course will amount to nothing if they don't.
But before you learn how to sell online courses, you have to know...
Things You Need To Do Before You Sell Online Courses
When you create an online course, you make sure that your course material is in top form. That means you offer high-quality videos, audio, and concise scripts.
Once you are sure that your online school is in top shape, you can focus better on the strategies to sell your online courses.
For a successful marketing strategy for your online business, take the first step on the checklist...
📝 Know Your Target Audience
It's almost impossible to sell online courses when you don't know WHO you are selling to.
As an entrepreneur, you have to visualize who your target customers are.
To also help with your sales funnel and identify them, you can create a customer profile.
You can do this by answering:
- Who wants to learn from your online training?
- Where do they stay online?
- Why are they interested in what you offer?
- What pain points will you be addressing?
- How can you help them with their problems?
List all of the qualities you find through your research. That way, you'll have a clearer view of your target customer.
After identifying them, you have to...
📝 Develop A Clear Value Proposition
Let's face it; there are other course creators you have to compete within the same industry. You also have to worry about other people, such as bloggers, other teachers, etc.
So, think about what makes your online course special.
What makes you stand out?
It may be your brand story, skill set, or learning management system. Highlight your unique value proposition (UVP) to your customers.
Selling courses also entails...
📝 Create Valuable Course Content
The last thing you need to do before you sell online courses is to know how you can help your target market.
You have to clearly define the learning outcomes you wish to see from your customers. Give them a substantial reason to learn.
Here's what I mean.
Go back to the set of questions on knowing your audience. Think of their pain points, then show the solution on your course.
Create an interactive online course that stimulates them. Use the solution you have listed as the motivation for your marketing campaign.
With it, you can compel your customer base to invest in your online course.
Let's get to the juicy part!
14 Compelling Ways On How To Promote Your Online Course
The first thing you need to know on how to sell online courses is...
1. Amplify Your Content Marketing
This part includes...
✍️ Start A Blog About Relevant Topics
There's a reason why blogging is still an effective marketing tool.
Let me explain.
With blog posts, you can easily demonstrate your expertise in your niche. It also means you create authority around your industry.
For instance, the first thing you usually open on a new website is the About Page. Next would be their blog page.
That's because you want to know just how much they know about their business industry.
Of course, you also have to maintain it and keep adding fresh content. You can build a devoted audience with your blogs with this.
Up next, you can...
🎙️ Host Or Join A Podcast
Do you want to be more in-depth? You can make use of another medium through a podcast.
This medium is perfect for people who are always on the go.
If you don't have the ability to create your own podcast yet, you can contact popular podcasts for a chance to be a guest.
Doing so can introduce you to a whole new target market on another online course platform.
Ever heard of video hosting? Because if so, you can...
🎥 Upload A Promotional Video
More than half of consumers want to see video content from businesses they support. Clearly, the demand for video won't go anywhere.
It's also an effective way to be more engaging. Users go to social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok for fun.
You can be both informational and fun in your videos. You can make short videos that answer one or two questions. Or you can even film longer ones that you can use on your website.
This free content can give your course the momentum it needs.
You can sell online courses when you...
2. Run A Live Webinar
Hosting a live webinar gives you a chance to connect with your audience.
It usually runs for 45-60 minutes, where your audience can interact with you through a Q&A portion. With it, you can also showcase your expertise and market your course.
Yes, running ads during your webinar is possible to sell your online course faster.
Going online means you can't ignore...
3. Boost Your Social Media Presence
These days, everyone and their mothers are on social media.
It's the most powerful channel you can use in your marketing.
Choose two or three platforms you think can engage best with your audience. There's Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and SlideShare.
No matter what platforms you use, make sure that you deliver valuable content to your followers. And sometimes, that means your posts will come from other sources.
Here's a bonus tip:
Set up a private Facebook group for your audience. Facebook groups allow creators like you to build an online community.
Your first online course may get you to...
4. Invest In Paid Ads
The previous ideas we've discussed so far focus on organic marketing.
These are all useful tools, but getting results may take some time.
If you need results NOW, you can kick-start your strategies with paid ads.
Paid ads get faster results. It's also easier to track your success and target your customer base. Some of your ad strategies may include:
- Google AdWords
- Facebook Ads
- Banner Ads
- YouTube Ads
- Instagram Ads
Keep your overall budget in mind. Make sure that you can afford the ads before posting them.
Going back to a free course...
5. Create A Free Mini-Course
Do you notice how service companies offer free trials?
You might try to do the same.
The problem is, that your audience is fast learners who can learn your material before their trial expires.
But creating a mini-course can help you accomplish the same.
The free online course can show your deep knowledge of the topic. And the free courses will let your students realize how little they know about your niche.
With this strategy, they'll want to learn more and buy your course.
Another idea for a successful online course is...
6. Build Your Email List
Don't forget to nurture your leads!
You can do that through email marketing.
You can build your list through the content marketing you just learned. After every content, put in calls to action to encourage them to subscribe to your business.
Email automation at hand will let you consistently deliver to your customers.
You can talk to them about your course and ask them for their feedback.
Speaking of feedback...
7. Leverage Reviews And Testimonials
This is understandable:
There are not a lot of people who want to be the first ones to buy a product or service. They need social proof before they can trust a business.
And the best social proof you can use is testimonials and reviews from previous students.
Check this out... Debutify Reviews is almost here! You can collect reviews on autopilot and manage them with ease!
Of course, influencers are also great social proof. They have a devoted audience who trust their recommendations — like your online course!
Online course platforms should also be aware of the next one...
8. Utilize SEO
A lot of course makers pay no mind to search engine optimization (SEO). Don't be one of them!
You see, SEO is crucial to reaching your target market and beyond. And you don't even have to be an SEO expert to utilize it well. Our SEO for Beginners Guide can help you out.
All you have to do is optimize the content you already have. For instance, you can use...
- Keyword research. Use SEO tools online to find out the relevant keywords you can use.
- On-Page SEO. Optimize your web pages in terms of appearance and speed to get higher spots in search engine results pages.
- Off-Page SEO. Link building includes backlinks to a website to boost your SERPs.
Go ahead and...
9. Partner With Other Entrepreneurs In Your Niche
Let's face it; you are not alone no matter what kind of business you are in.
For example, your course may be related to someone's book or podcast.
You can collaborate with each other to market to other target customers. They can also become your customers who can give you feedback or testimonials.
You might even develop a new course with them!
Consider your learning management system in mind when you...
10. Offer Discount For First Time Students
Discounts make your customers feel like they are getting a great deal.
And when you include bundling your courses, they'll be more enticed to sign up for more.
Here's more.
You can generate tangible revenue that you can use in the early stages of your business. This setup also allows you to gather feedback from them.
Now don't go overboard on the next one...
11. Write A Press Release
Spread the word with a press release. Just make sure that what you have to release is newsworthy, such as a new course or a new collaboration.
Write a summary of your news. Include a brief blurb about your brand and the courses you offer.
As your course is online...
12. Integrate Yourself Into Existing Communities
There are a lot of online groups that might not know what you can offer.
So don't forget to seek out established communities online.
Search for Facebook Groups relevant to your topic. You can also join forums such as Quora, Reddit, and social media groups.
Don't directly promote, though. Just provide value to develop rapport. That leads to building your audience within.
Think outside the box and...
13. Translate Your Course To Another Language
The best way to expand your reach?
Translate your course for a bigger audience. And you don't have to do it yourself.
But don't use an automatic program like Google Translate, too.
Instead, you can hire a translator to run your course in different languages. Services like Upwork or Fiverr can help you find translators for less money.
Last but not least...
14. Create Your Online Course Website
If you learn one thing from this blog...
Having your own website is essential!
Running one will help you funnel your traffic. It's the first thing users will look for.
So ensure that your website is optimized.
Your testimonials should be properly displayed. As well as all the information they need, such as your credentials.
As you go through your course, you can conduct A/B testing to boost your website further.
With all these ideas in your arsenal, you can...
Spread Your Knowledge!
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge," says Albert Einstein.
Yep, now that you know how to sell online courses, see to it that what you provide is valuable... and fun to learn!
When you do, your audience won't get enough of your courses... which translates to sales.
Debutify can help you achieve the perfect balance while increasing revenue.
With over 50+ Add-Ons, you can create a smooth experience for your students... while you increase conversions and boost profits!
Build A Top-Notch eCommerce Site To Sell Your Online Courses With Debutify... For Free!
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Ricky Hayes
Trisha Ballesteros