You have an idea for a course, but how will you actually sell online courses to make money. The course doesn't pay the bills, sales do. How can you find people to buy what you created? The answer is build an audience that needs and wants it.
So how do I build an audience for my online course? I know I've got this thing I can teach. I know it's going to change people's lives how do I find the people that need this? We want to create something that will give those people value. It has to show them that you are the person that can help them with this. You need to show up as the expert. Here's three ways to do that and build an audience ready to join your couse.
How Do I Find People For My Online Course?
The first thing that you want to do to build an audience for your online course is to create a gift or a lead magnet as we call it and this could be as simple as a free community.
It could be a download like our course creation book. That's a 30-page document that outlines visually, in list format, all the things that you need to know to create an amazing online course or program. Also includes things you must have in it for success, things to avoid, ideas for student success, ideas for student benchmarks and milestones and feedback. There are ideas for evaluations, ideas for making them feel seen and heard and safe. We know that no one can learn if they don't feel like they are safe.
That's a psychological brain thing that happens. We've got to find a way to make our students feel safe.
That free gift of ours is something that if you are a course creator, or if you were an author, a speaker, an influencer thinking about creating an online course, you're going to immediately raise your hand and be like, oh, I want that course creation blueprint.
By, collecting your right fit person on an email list you have a captive audience when you launch your course. Also, you can continue to nurture them and help them see why you are the perfect person to meet their needs.
How Do I Sell a Course on Social Media?
You want to build an audience on social media, just as you are doing with your opt-in, above. This is the best way to sell via social media. Posting, “Buy my product!” is the worse way to do it.
Optimize your social media to point everybody to that free gift. If you've been on my Facebook page lately, you will see at the top, it says course creation coach and business strategist with the link is to KatieHornor.com/CCC, where you can go and sign up for our free community for course creators.
If you've been on my Instagram it’s the same thing. Click on the link and it will show you how to access our free podcast, our free community, and our free download. So, we're using all of those social media avenues to point people back to the free gift.
So then, I can go out on my social media and say, “Hey, where are my authors, speakers, influencers, and course creators? I've got something that can help you.”
Then, I can invite them in to my list. You can do the same thing for your people. Call them out on your social media, and invite them in to grab that free thing. So, make sure to optimize every single one of your platforms.
Best Tip to Sell Online Courses
There's a person on the other side of every single one of your business transactions. If you believe that these gifts that God has given you to use in your business are your sacred duty to do. The Bible says, “In the end, these three will remain: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love.”
If you believe that the greatest of these is love then you have to show that love to your people and really care about them. During an assessment call with a prospective client for one of our programs, I'm not thinking about the sale.
I'm thinking about what's going to be the best next step for this person? This is not just a dollar sign on the other end of the call, this is a person with needs, desires, and emotions. What's going to be the next right step for this particular person?
If it's my program, that's wonderful. If not, how can I help him or her get to that next right step? It's my sacred duty not to make money, but to help you reach your people with your message. So if my program's not the right fit for you, then it's my sacred duty to care enough to tell you so. “I don't think this is going to serve you, how can we help you find the next right step?”
That's the attitude that you have when you care when that comes through for your people.
Download our Course Creation Blueprint: handprintlegacy.com/ccb