How To Sell Online Course Like A Pro?
Have you launched an online course already and not sure about How to Sell Online Course in such a way that skyrocket your sales?
Why people create an online course?
Basically, the obvious reason is to generate revenue.
This is the simplest use case – you just create an online course once, and people will buy from you over and over again.
Of course, creating an online course is not that easy.
There are a lot of things that go into it, But that’s the allure of creating an online course.
See, if you are selling a physical asset. It will be different but online course as a digital asset, it doesn’t really cost much to produce, other than your time, and it’s also cheap to distribute. No shipping costs or handling.
Many of the people in different professions have shifted to Online course for their revenue.
For example, Bloggers publish their posts so that people can read it for free and you are basically helping them.
Maybe the blog is monetized through affiliate links and banner ads.
Now they’re gradually realizing that by creating an in-depth course on your expertise is a more lucrative and a natural to monetize your knowledge and blog.
Podcasters are also eschewing the sponsorship model from brands and companies in favor of creating and selling their own courses. This basically allows them to monetize their own audience with their products without interrupting their shows with advertorials for other brands and companies.
Authors have also been augmenting their diminishing book revenues by creating their own follow-on courses. These courses are more of a natural extension of the concepts that they cover in their own books. More of like Behind the scenes or cut scenes which people are more curious about.
One example is Dorie Clark who is the best-selling author and one one of the best in personal branding expert. After the success of her books, she decided to take it to the next level with her fame and recognition in the Expert online course.
So, you want to learn how to sell your own online courses or maybe you’re an affiliate for somebody else’s courses.
Either way, make sure you read this article all the way through because if you don’t get these three things right.
Well, you’re not gonna be selling anything.
I’m really excited for you because there’s a lot of opportunities with online courses.
How To Sell Online Course : 3 Strategies To Follow
There are different types of ways to promote online courses and I’m stoked because today I’m going to share with you the three things you need to know in order to really make this all work for you.
Now there are lots of tactics for you to choose from when it comes to how to promote an online course from emails to funnels to Facebook Ads to a podcast, blogging videos and all kinds of things but these tactics don’t matter unless you get these three principles right.
You could have the best tactics in the world, but if you don’t get these three principles right then.
Well, you’re just amplifying a big mistake.
Alright, let’s dive in with number one.
1. Highlight the expected outcome after implementing techniques in your Course
What! But it’s true though, think about it.
Nobody wakes up by saying ” Today I am thinking about buying somebody course today”
What people really want are the outcomes and the results that an online course could potentially give them.
That’s the secret to selling anything.
People want the results, the outcome and how life is gonna be different after using that product and it just so happens the product we’re talking about right now of online courses.
If the results and if the outcome that that course promise is not clear
Well then it’s not going to be a clear buying decision for potential customers and your work promoting that course your own or as an affiliate is gonna be much harder.
This is why sales pages that focus primarily on the features of a product.
As an example, five modules with thirty videos and office hours far underperform vs products that promote the outcome.
For example, with a course about marketing that says you’ll have a client on the day that you launch your marketing company.
As you promote online courses, keep in mind the desired outcome that your target audience has and if that desired outcome is not desirable.
Well, then you probably shouldn’t be promoting or selling that course anyway.
As an online course creator or as an affiliate your role doesn’t end by making a sale.
It is your responsibility to see through and ensure that your students who buy your course are spending their hard earned money and are putting their faith on you to actually help them and learn what you teach and succeed.
Besides, if your students are happy and successful, there will be more likely less complains or refunds.
As a matter of fact, they may even refer friends and trust me word of mouth may be old marketing methods but is still one of the best and hopeful ways of getting a sale.
They may even return to take more of your future courses, provide helpful and powerful feedback, leave positive reviews and fruitful testimonials.
In short, basically, if your students are successful, so are you. If you are an affiliate and you are the one to refer it. they may even thank you for referring them in the first place.
2. Provide Proof and Build Trust to increase Course Sales
Number two when it comes to How to Sell Online Course, trust and proof are gonna be your best friends.
Selling an online course is not easy.
Let’s take in contrast. For example, something like software that does a specific job for somebody in a very very convenient way a potential customer can easily imagine using that software.
If they have that problem that the software solves and they can imagine getting that result immediately out of the box.
But with online courses which are usually information, you can’t really demonstrate that and the results aren’t clear and people aren’t going to get results to the moment they buy.
They have to actually take action to get through that process and then see the results
Now if you’re selling your online course, the trust should have been built before selling that course in some way.
You can do it over a long period of time through content marketing and such or you could do it hopefully in a short period of time through perhaps starting with an ad going into some value that’s added in some way shape or form.
Even a webinar can work very well to build that trust up so that a person can trust that you are the instructor to lead them into that solution.
And of course all throughout this process, the proof is really important.
Proof coming in the form of actually showing how this thing can actually work or better yet testimonials of other people previous students sharing their success with your online course.
Now the hardest part about selling an online course as an affiliate and for those of you with your own online courses.
Keep this in mind when you have affiliates promoting your online course, the hardest part is building that trust because you’re not promoting your own course.
When you build trust with an audience and then send them over to somebody else.
It’s basically saying like “Since you and I have known each other, I’d love to introduce you to my friend over here and you are going to buy something from him”
In real life that’s not going to come across very well and the same thing happens online too.
Beyond the desired outcome the most important thing to do is to have your audience be convinced that the person creating the course is the right person to teach that material.
So how do you do that?
Well, some ways of doing that are actually interviewing the founders or creators of those online courses and bringing them on your blog.
Which is also a great relationship building tool.
Whenever you tried to promote a course, use yourself first.
See how it went and when interviewing the creator of the course, talk about your experience too.
Let him speak and let your audience know what you loved about it and appreciate the care that the course grader gave to you to help achieve certain success.
And again this is proof and testimonials.
Right not just from you but from other people too, specifically those in your audience if possible.
3. Provide Actionable Details and More value which Stands Out from all other content Available Anywhere in Internet
Number three and this might sound kind of ridiculous when you hear it and don’t be scared.
I’ll explain realize that in most cases for most online courses that exist out there.
The information that exists in those courses can be already found for free on the internet.
The information inside them could potentially be found for free on places like Google or YouTube or even on social media posts and when you really think about.
It’s kind of obvious, there’s not really any brand-new never ever said in the history of time information in any of these courses.
So why do we even or why would even people buy these courses?
How do they even sell?
For example, you sell an ebook that comprised of 95% the same material that could be found for free on another blog or youtube video.
Maybe you are thinking that every person who bought would ask for a refund and complain about that very fast.
But most of the time, nine out of tens will not complain about it unless it’s a scam or misleading title or pure garbage.
So, do we sell anyway knowing people are too lazy to complain and ask for a refund?
No, that’s not what we’re talking about here and trust me if people who aren’t happy with their purchase, they’re gonna be quick to ask you for a refund.
The reason people buy online courses beyond the desired outcome, beyond the person who is the one who created that course people are buying it because it’s simply convenient
You’re literally saving people time by giving and rounding up all that information they need and only the information for their needs to get success.
They need to be compressed into that one spot for them to take action on and get results.
You’re helping people save time.
For example, Uber! think about it what does it do?
It helps you get rides wherever you want?
no, it helps you save time.
Upgrading the early bird seating on Southwest you can sit up front.
It’s because you like the front seats?
no, it’s because you like to save time.
Online course because people love to sit down in front of a computer and take an online course.
No, it’s because people hate having to look for all the information they need to have that desired outcome.
It saves people time and beyond that, there’s no additional help that comes when people find all this information for free online.
People want their handheld, they want that accountability through that process whether it’s through something like perhaps structurally through the framework of that course.
When a purchase is made and dollars are spent, it’s a decision that the person is ready and makes that yes I want to do this.
I’ve put skin in the game and I’m gonna make it happen and it’s your responsibility as a course creator or is the person who’s promoting another person’s course to make sure that they get that result.
Final Words
So, what did you learn today? I hope by reading this post, you’ve embarked upon a journey to teach how to sell an online course or promote other people products.
These principles are the underlying foundation behind all the sales that you make.
So go out there and make some sales.
Be confident and realize that you can sell and serve at the same time.
If you have anything you would like to add, leave your thoughts in the comments below.