So why sell online courses? Is it worth it?

In today's digital age, online courses are more popular than ever. According to a report by Research and Markets, the global e-learning market is expected to reach $336.98 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.1%.

That's a lot of potential revenue waiting to be tapped into!

But it's not just about the money. Online course sales also allow you to have a greater impact on the world.

By sharing your expertise with others, you can help people learn new skills, overcome obstacles, and achieve their goals.

And who knows, you might even become the next online celebrity like Marie Forleo or Tim Ferriss!

So if you're ready to take the leap and start selling your online course, buckle up and get ready for an exciting ride.

In this blog post, I'll guide you through the essential steps to create and promote your online course to reach your target audience and generate sales.

Let's gooooo!

Creating an online course can be an exciting and rewarding process, but it all starts with knowing who your course is for.

Understanding your audience is key to creating content that resonates with them and meets their specific needs and goals.

To begin, ask yourself these questions:

Who needs my course? Who will benefit the most from it?

What are the challenges my audience is facing and how can we turn that around?

What knowledge or skills does my audience need to achieve their goals?

What motivates my audience to learn and take action?

Once you have a clear picture of who your audience is, you can start creating a customer persona. A customer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer, based on research and data. It helps you understand your audience's demographics, interests, and behaviors, and create content that speaks directly to them.

To create a customer persona, start by defining your audience's demographics, such as age, gender, education level, and income. Then, dive deeper into their interests, values, and behaviors.

What do they like to do in their free time?

What kind of content do they consume?

What motivates them to learn and take action?

You can gather this information by conducting market research, analyzing social media conversations, or surveying your existing audience. The more data you have, the more accurate your customer persona will be.

Once you have a customer persona, use it as a reference throughout your course creation process. Make sure your content aligns with your persona's needs, preferences, and goals. I also really like to speak to the personality of this person - what language will they vibe with?

This will help you create a course that resonates with your audience and generates more sales.

Once you know exactly who you’re speaking to and who your course is for, it’s time to write an outline for your course.

Let’s cover how to create engaging course content that keeps your audience hooked from start to finish.

Oh, the joys of developing course content. It can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and just plain stressful.

And let's be real, who has the time for that? Not you, rockstar.

You're a busy educator with a niche area of expertise to teach and a hunger for success. But how do you create a course that resonates with your audience without losing your mind?

Don't worry, I'm here to show you how you can develop a course without spending countless hours procrastinating and without building a full university length course before offering it.

Instead, you can presell your course with your first members and run it live, to validate your course idea, get feedback from your audience, and improve your content as you go. I know that running a course live may sound scary but it is easier than you think.

Let's dive in!

Here's how we make the creation of your first course easier:

Let’s keep it simple. Create a simple outline of your course, with clear learning objectives and milestones. This will help you stay organized and focused.

All of my courses start out as a bullet point list. Once you have your list of core modules, go back and make a sub-list of all of the topics within that module that make the finer details.

You will end up with a list of modules and lessons that should flow in a logical order so that your students can progress seamlessly.

Now go back, and for each module, write the benefits and outcomes that your students will get if they complete the module - refer to these points on your sales page and in your marketing.

Run it live, baby!

Once you have your first members, run your course live, using a platform like Zoom. Interact with your audience, answer their questions, and adjust your content based on their feedback.

This will create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, which can help increase sales. And the best part? You'll be able to improve your course content in real-time, making it even more valuable for your future customers.

Create a sales page that explains what your course is about, what your audience will learn, and how it will benefit them. Be sure to include some killer testimonials for your work if you have them, and a clear call-to-action.

Don't be shy, your content is magnificent and you need to shout it from the rooftops.

You got this.

I recommend using this platform to build your course and sales pages, and run your email marketing, all in one place.

It’s time to spread the word, you cool cats and kittens.

Offer your existing audience a special presale discount and reach a wider audience by running ads or collaborating with influencers in your niche. Let your creativity run wild and watch your sales skyrocket.

You did it, you course creation rockstar!

You've created a course that resonates with your audience, generates more sales, and helps you establish yourself as an authority in your niche.

Best of allou did it without losing your mind. So go ahead, celebrate your success. You deserve it!

Alright, my awesome course creating legend, we've covered a lot of ground today.

We talked about the value of adding online courses to your business and how it can help you establish yourself as an authority in your niche, generate more sales, and create a scalable business model.

We also discussed how you can identify your target audience, develop a simple outline for your course, and presell it to validate your course idea and improve your content as you go.

But the journey doesn't end here, the world of online courses is constantly evolving, and there's always room for improvement.

So don't be afraid to experiment, take risks, and think outside the box. And most importantly, don't forget to have fun. You're doing something that you love, and that's a beautiful thing.

Keep pushing forward.

Believe in yourself, your expertise, and your ability to make a difference in people's lives. And if you ever need some inspiration or guidance, remember that I'm always here for you.

You get step by step guidance inside The Online Course Journey - my course creation program that guides you from idea to sales success with a 30 day launch plan. Read more here.

Cheers to your success!