5 Ways to Make Your First Sale on an Online Course
Making sure your course is ready to go is step one... But how do you go about it? Building your online course is just one part of the process getting it in the hands of those who will make a purchase is the other that's worth a lot of attention and time.
There are many ways to get your first online course sale However, there are some common strategies and techniques that have proven successful time and time again. We'll get started!
1. Create hype
Do you not have a checklist? Most likely, you already have one but you're not aware of the details. The contacts you have already made are a great place to start, as they are people that are involved and interested in the work you're doing. So, this is a good opportunity to connect with them.
2. Meet new people
Engaging in online communities can be a great way to expand your audience. Whatever your field it is likely to come across large crowds of individuals who are willing to welcome an experienced, new participant interested in the same aspects they're. The best places to search for communities include:
- LinkedIn Groups
- Facebook Groups
- Google+ Communities
- Twitter Chats
If you're not familiar with Twitter chats, they're a great way to dive into connecting on this social network. Twitter chats are group conversations which are linked by hashtags. They can be a great way to connect with people outside of your field. My favorite listings of twitter chats are https://twitter.com/chatsalad and http://tweetreports.com/twitter-chat-schedule/. Our good friends at Buffer also offer an excellent blog post all about these events.
You found a group, but what now?
When considering etiquette in emerging communities, I tend to compare online communities with their offline counterparts. If I'm walking into an event of networking for the first time , and you start screaming "BUY MY STUFF!", I'm probably going to get an security guard to take me out of the door.
If I find a friendly bunch engaging in conversation and then take part (adding some valuable points during the conversation) I'll have a much better time. Communities aren't a one visit option - however, if you discover some communities which are relevant to your area and which you could add value to, it is a great way to go to establishing your brand's audience naturally.
3. Collect social proof
Testimonials can be a great technique to boost confidence among prospective buyers. When they are able to see written feedback by past students, they'll be more likely to purchase.
If you've previously taught you're good! Gathering reviews that you've received in your role as a teacher (even in the case of reviews written for other materials) will be useful here. There is also value in getting the course materials into a few hands early, so that you can get fresh reviews in place prior to going live with your launch.
If you have a course that caters to a specific group, getting it into the hands of individuals that are well-known within your field can work amazing things. If you're able to obtain an honest review or recommendation from someone who is respected within your field (and even better, when they're willing to give your link, maybe with a bonus affiliate cut?) This is a fantastic way to kick off.
Just remember - when reaching for help, always offer more than what you're asking You'll be well-behaved.
4. Get offline
There's nothing like getting confronted with someone in order to not only present them with your program but to also build an actual friendship throughout the process.
If you have the ability to instruct on a topic, you can present to a group of people about the subject. You can check Meetup.com and other event sites in your area to locate groups that are currently meeting and may be interested in what you are instructing. Many groups are in search of speakers to speak at their events, and if you can get in front of people who have never met to speak to them about a topic that interests people, it's likely that it leads to some sales too.
If speaking isn't your thing, attend for the meeting face-to-face connections. Also in the event that you don't locate an event that you like create your own! The idea of inviting people to get together over a common topic is an excellent method to build your own tribe.
We at adore the opportunity to give talks to local groups and events. Meeting face-to-face connection with our local customers is extremely beneficial, and we love the opportunity to put some faces to names! These relationships can be beneficial in situations where you'd like to get hard questions about how you could improve your service your business, or even if you require to be a test subject for a new module. The perfect opportunity to call up a new friend!
5. Donate it away
Offering webinars with valuable must-have information to your intended customers is a fantastic method for them to come familiar with your company - and if you deliver on what you've offered for free, they're more likely to purchase seconds.
Webinars are particularly beneficial because they allow you to communicate directly with your audience in which people can pose questions and get answers in real-time. I am a fan of the social aspect of these events and consider them to be more useful sometimes than a pre-recorded training video, which doesn't have the same personal experience.
Webinars also benefit from being fixed in their time, and specific timelines make them ideal for overcoming people who are procrastinating!
Now it's your turn!
This is only the tips on the iceberg, as there are a myriad of ways to be found However, I'd like to share these specific strategies not just because they're effective, but because I can't emphasize enough how important it is to creating relationships and networking to people!
One of the benefits of introducing students in this manner is that they are MUCH more likely to be really involved, and will recommend you to friends and networks, if they know and trust you due to the relationship you've built.