#7 steps to create an online course that sells

Demand for online courses has been on the rise in recent years, and more so since physical classes were not an option due to the pandemic. If you are thinking of tapping into this market, it is an excellent business opportunity. With knowledge and teaching skills, you can create and sell courses with minimal effort and cost. To succeed, it is important to market yourself better than your competitors. Additionally, it is vital to build a strong bond with students, motivating them to work hard and stay positive in life.

1. Choose the right subject

Discover your niche and create an online course that caters to them. Get to know your target audience, their objectives, what drives them, and their pain points. Learn what skills and attitudes are important to them and how they learn best so you can adjust your content and delivery method accordingly.

2. Choose an online platform to host your course

When you have your curriculum and course material set, you can post your high-quality content and start generating revenue. To publish your course online your choices include self-hosting (e.g. in WordPress), online course marketplaces, and learning management/online course platforms (e.g. Teachable, Kajabi, Podia, or Thinkific). To determine the best platform for you, take a look at our list of recommended online course-selling platforms.

3. Create your course and add prices

Choosing the right price for your course is critical to generating revenue. Here are the main options: one-off payment, subscription-based, course bundles, and free content with paid certifications.

One-off payment: the simplest option, customers pay a single fee for access to the material. Prices range from $29 to hundreds of dollars but avoid setting it too low or profits will be limited.

Subscription-based: customers pay for ongoing access to the course material, usually on a month-to-month basis. This is a great way to deliver more content and monetize post-course benefits like a private community.

Course bundles: sell multiple courses at a discounted rate, adding value to each sale and providing users with multiple resources at a more affordable price.

Free content, paid certifications: offer the course for free but require a fee for certification. To make it attractive, create a thorough course to accompany it and ensure the certification is well respected.

4. Set up your social profiles

Social media can be a great support for marketing your online course. Utilize platforms like Facebook and Instagram to publicize new classes and build relationships with your target audience. Posting regularly with topics relevant to your niche can open doors to collaborations, too.

Don't just make it all about promoting, though - share interesting stuff and express thoughts on the industry. Connecting with viewers on all accounts will help create an image and transform potential customers into real ones.

5. Presell your course

When crafting your course, you don't always know precisely what your learners need. Pre-selling it, then refining it based on their feedback, is the best way to develop an amazing course. One common mistake of inexperienced course creators is not selling the course before creating it, which leads to zero sales. However, you do need to have something ready upfront. Make the first module available before selling the course so your students can start it right away.

6. Create a lead magnet and build your email list

Offer a freebie on your website as an incentive for people to join your email list. Lead magnets are an effective way to grow your email audience and are a great way to market your course in the long run. Give your students something of value that will help them understand your course better - for example, if you're teaching people how to get a promotion, including a lead magnet that shows them how to calculate how much more they'd earn.

7. Utilize feedback to build trust

Think about how you decide if something is worth buying. Do you read the website, check social media, or look for feedback? Of course! That's why it's key to make it easy for your future students to know if your class is worth signing up for. Instead of talking yourself up, let other students do that for you. Put reviews and social proof on your website, add testimonials with pictures, create a Google business listing, source reviews for your Facebook page, and don't forget Bing! All these little things add up.

- Final thoughts: Developing an online course is an ideal way to grow your brand and bring in passive income. With the world shifting towards online education, this is a great opportunity to enter the industry and gain good returns. To maximize success, you must create a marketing strategy to boost sales.