How Online Course Marketing Works
I've taught more than 500 students in my online writing course. Here's what I've learned about marketing.
1. Start with an audience: Online education is a marketing business. The success of your course depends on the quality of your audience.
I've taught more than 500 students in my online writing course. Here's what I've learned about marketing.
1. Start with an audience: Online education is a marketing business. The success of your course depends on the quality of your audience.
2. Social media makes headlines, email makes money.
Grow your audience on open platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Then, build relationships on email. Grow your list with free essays, giveaways, and digital workshops.
Grow your audience on open platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Then, build relationships on email. Grow your list with free essays, giveaways, and digital workshops.
3. Audience Quality > Quantity
Pricing power comes from differentiation, so aim to become the only person who does what you do. Build your own style, language, and Personal Monopoly. Remember, you can build a profitable business without a huge audience.
Pricing power comes from differentiation, so aim to become the only person who does what you do. Build your own style, language, and Personal Monopoly. Remember, you can build a profitable business without a huge audience.
4. Build Relationships Slowly
Master the art of turning casual fans into potential customers. Don't sell people too fast. Let them opt-into your sales cycle. The more expensive your product, the longer your sales cycle.
Here are two examples of what a course opt-in looks like.
Master the art of turning casual fans into potential customers. Don't sell people too fast. Let them opt-into your sales cycle. The more expensive your product, the longer your sales cycle.
Here are two examples of what a course opt-in looks like.
5. Focus on the Opt-In List
People who say they want to hear about your course want to hear from you, so send them emails. Educate them. Tell them about the course. Speak to their goals and dreams, their challenges, and their insecurities.
Here's what my launch plan looks like.
People who say they want to hear about your course want to hear from you, so send them emails. Educate them. Tell them about the course. Speak to their goals and dreams, their challenges, and their insecurities.
Here's what my launch plan looks like.
6. The longer the runway, the bigger the launch
Big-ticket courses tend to be live. They only happen 1-3 times per year, so you should be a master of course launches. Start your launch 4-6 weeks before the course begins. Go beyond emails with Q&As, workshops, and interviews.
Big-ticket courses tend to be live. They only happen 1-3 times per year, so you should be a master of course launches. Start your launch 4-6 weeks before the course begins. Go beyond emails with Q&As, workshops, and interviews.
7. Master the student experience
Your product has to be exceptional. People who take an online course pay for learning, entertainment, and an outcome. The curriculum is a commodity, so focus on entertainment. Then, focus on building helping your students make friendships.
Your product has to be exceptional. People who take an online course pay for learning, entertainment, and an outcome. The curriculum is a commodity, so focus on entertainment. Then, focus on building helping your students make friendships.
8. Cut the fluff
Your best learnings will come from your happiest customers and your angriest ones. Use the time between cohorts to improve assignments, the curriculum, and the student experience. Students should be challenged, but never confused.
Here's my course in a photo.
Your best learnings will come from your happiest customers and your angriest ones. Use the time between cohorts to improve assignments, the curriculum, and the student experience. Students should be challenged, but never confused.
Here's my course in a photo.
9. Marketing after the course
People don't sign up for high-end online courses without social proof. Word-of-mouth only happens if the course is exceptional and memorable. The more your students follow through on your instruction, the more they'll recommend your course.
People don't sign up for high-end online courses without social proof. Word-of-mouth only happens if the course is exceptional and memorable. The more your students follow through on your instruction, the more they'll recommend your course.
10. Advanced Marketing Strategies
Acquiring a new customer is expensive. It's much easier to sell to existing customers, so high-end online courses grow their student base with affiliate partnerships, cross-sells to related courses, and up-sells to subscription products.
Acquiring a new customer is expensive. It's much easier to sell to existing customers, so high-end online courses grow their student base with affiliate partnerships, cross-sells to related courses, and up-sells to subscription products.
Twitter is a fantastic place to build an audience.
It's a place to connect with other course creators, and validate interest for your product before you make it.
It's a place to connect with other course creators, and validate interest for your product before you make it.
If you want to create digital products, sign up for my free email course.
You'll learn the basics of writing online, like why you should follow The Netflix Principle.
ageofleverage.com/course
You'll learn the basics of writing online, like why you should follow The Netflix Principle.
ageofleverage.com/course
