Latest / Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs / 88: 10 effective ways to sell your online course

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88: 10 effective ways to sell your online course · Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 88, and in today's episode, I'm going to be sharing 10 effective ways to sell your online course.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in and let's get started.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the digitally she does it show.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host Karen and I'm here to lift the lid on what it actually takes to create a successful business.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you are an ambitious creative ready to build a business on your own terms and without compromise, then this podcast is perfect for you.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: With my award-winning approach to marketing and expert knowledge in creating online courses, this show will leave you feeling inspired, energized, and ready to bring those big dreams to life.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Join me each week for a dose of motivation and marketing know-how, along with actionable step-by-step strategies to help you accelerate your business's growth.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes, which drop every Wednesday.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, I've got a bonus as well that I'm going to be sharing.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: But before I do, let's talk about the Digital Creators Hub.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: This is your one-stop shop for getting started online.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now, by accessing the hub for completely free, there is no cost, you will gain access to a treasure trove of resources that's going to help you to kickstart your online journey.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: I have so many things in the hub.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: I have resources, planning tools, templates.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: I even share my recommended tools to help you get started.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I've even put in some training so that if you have an idea but you don't know how to bring that idea to life, then this training is going to help you to get started.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as I said, it's completely free.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: So head on over to www.pink-lemondigital.com forward slash hub to go and gain access.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about today's episode, and today I am talking about how to sell your online course because you can't really create an online course for your business if you don't know how to sell it.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the most common questions that I get asked a lot is how do I actually sell my course?
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now I know when it comes to selling, sometimes it can be a really tricky one.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Not everybody enjoys selling.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: To some people, it does make them feel icky, and I completely get that.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think selling is all about serving, so I think it is about reframing how you see selling.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: If you are creating something like an online course, and that online course is going to be taking somebody from a place of challenge to a place where they're going to have a solution that's going to improve their life, then that needs to be shared with the world.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: You owe it to that person to get your course in front of them so they get the opportunity to buy it.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: So I think when it comes to selling, it's all about reframing how you see what it is you're doing.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, of course, there is an exchange, there is a quid pro quo, I give you my course, you give me money, but at the end of the day, what you're doing is you're actually making somebody's life better, and so yes, you are making money off the back of that, but essentially what you're doing is you're improving somebody's life, and and that is has a huge value.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: And why wouldn't they want to hand over money to get that if it's going to help them to transform whatever problem or challenge they're currently experiencing?
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are somebody that really does struggle with the idea of selling, and even the thought of it brings you out in hot sweats because maybe you just feel like you can't sell, maybe it makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe you don't know how to sell, because I think sometimes it just does boil down to maybe sort of lacking skills, then I think the best way that you can sell out of probably everything that I'm gonna share today is simply through having a conversation.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Because if you have a conversation with somebody and you are passionate about the thing that you are selling, you do not need to sell because what you'll do is you'll communicate the benefits and why you're doing what you're doing in the most authentic way, and you will position your product as being one that is needed through authenticity, and that goes a long way.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: I sell a lot of my products through having conversations with people.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: I go to networking events and I have lots of one-to-ones, and I really enjoy that.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: I like meeting people, I like getting to know people, I like having connected conversations that actually mean something.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: I like being around other people that have a similar thought pattern, that is in this world of entrepreneurship and has a vision, and I love meeting people that are on a journey, but of course, part of that process is about talking about what we do, what our businesses are, and how we support our clients.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so when I'm talking about what I do, naturally I'm going to be having passion for the thing that I do because I believe 100%, million percent that what I do can actually be a game changer for other entrepreneurs, being able to package up your knowledge, your skills, your expertise, and then selling it on repeat so that you support more people, you make more impact, you are able to help other people on a much deeper level just by delivering what you know.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: I think it has a huge amount of value, and of course, I'm passionate about that.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: I have worked with some clients that have created some amazing courses.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: I was working with a client last year, they are creating an online course for a charity, and this charity supports carers that look after people with dementia, and the course that's been created is something that's going to give those carers the support that they need in order to support the people that suffer with dementia.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: So that course in itself is going to be highly valuable, it's going to bring together content and resources and things that those carers need to gain access to in order to do what they do in the best way possible.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: How brilliant is that?
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: Just simply by pulling together content, you are making somebody else's life so much better, so much easier.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're saving them time, maybe you're making a thing that they're doing so much easier because you're breaking it down into a really simplified system.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever that might be, the power of online courses is undeniable.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: To be able to share what it is you know in the most effective way, in a simple way, that gets other people's results is incredible, and that needs to be paid for because that has a huge amount of value.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, the only way that you are going to get money for the thing that you are creating is by selling, whether it's through conversation or whether it's through implementing other types of strategies, but you have to sell, you have to sell what it is you're creating in order to be able to get the money that you deserve because the expertise and the knowledge that you are sharing in your course has value, and so when it comes to selling, I think it does actually boil down to the way we reframe that concept.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not gonna say that my journey to selling has been easy, and I think I still have huge amounts to learn.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: I am a work in progress when it comes to selling, I am getting better at it.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: I have learned over the years that the best and most effective way to sell is just by simply talking about the thing that I've created.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: However, years ago, I really did struggle.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: I was delivering some online classes, and part of the online classes was presenting an offer, and I bottled it.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: I absolutely bottled it, I skipped over it, I didn't even mention the offer, and then I finished the masterclass having not sold anything, and then I watched a training video by a guy called Colin Boyd, he's an Australian chap who I think his thing is about selling via the stage, and he talks about selling and about selling through things like masterclasses and webinars and everything.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, I came across his masterclass that he was delivering, and something that he said really struck a chord with me, and he it was something like and I'm paraphrasing so because I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was something along the lines of when people come to a masterclass or a workshop or a webinar, however you want to describe it, they're coming to learn something, and naturally you're going to be teaching them something in that masterclass that's going to be of value, but in order for them to take action, they need to go through the door, and your offer is that door, and all you're doing is presenting that offer to them, you're giving them the option to step through that door, and it's an idea that is so simple, but I found it so powerful because that started to reframe how I felt about selling.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Because in order to serve people and to make a difference in other people's lives, they have to buy what we have to offer, they have to in order to get the results.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's it, it's down to them whether or not they take that opportunity.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are somebody that struggles with selling and it does make you feel uncomfortable, think about selling as serving.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: You are helping somebody to improve their life, you are giving them the opportunity to make a change.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's what you're doing, and it's entirely down to them whether or not they take that opportunity.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: So if you want to know more about how to sell, then go and check out Colin Boyd.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: I really enjoyed listening to his content.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: I felt what he said made a lot of sense, and it definitely shifted my perspective around selling.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about ways to sell your online course.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Before I share sort of my 10 ways, I just want to pop in a little caveat.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: Everything that you should do in your business should have a strategy.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't recommend just randomly doing stuff, plan it out, have a plan in place so that you know what it is you're doing, what your intentions are, so that everything that you do do is done with purpose.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Your plan doesn't have to be overly comprehensive, it can be as simple as what you want it to be, but by having a plan in place, it's just going to help set you up for success so that you know what you're doing, when you're doing it, and who you're targeting.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get started.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: And my first preferred way of selling is through conversation.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think personally, this is the most effective way that you can sell what it is you have to offer because no post, no copy, no visuals are going to deliver the level of passion that you feel for what you have created more than you.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: You are your best advocate for selling your online course.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: I've always found personally that when it comes to selling, conversation is by far the most effective way to do it.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: You can really break it down, you can go into the ins and outs of what it is you offer, you can focus on the transformation, you can you can share all of that stuff, and then you can follow up with all of your collateral, all of your links, taking them to a sales page or wherever.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: None of that is going to sell better than you selling your own online course.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: So, my first tip, if you like, is to sell through conversations, it's the most effective and authentic way to sell.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_00: Number two is about leveraging social media.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: We have these platforms available to us, so we may as well use them.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: The great thing about social media is obviously it is free to be on the platforms so you can get your content in front of your audience in a very simple and quick way.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: So use social media and don't be afraid to talk about what it is you're you're offering.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: Talk about your online course, talk about the benefits, talk about the transformational aspect of it, be really clear about it, share content, jump on and do some lives, talk about it.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: People will only know that your online course exists if you talk about it publicly.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: So use these platforms, create content, and share what it is you have to share online.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: Use these platforms, they're great, and it's a great way to bring people into your world.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: Number three is email marketing.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: Email marketing is really effective.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: Interestingly, the last time I delivered my masterclass, the majority of my signups and I had a lot of people attend, came from my email list.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Building an email list is a smart move, it gives you an audience that you own.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: Your email list is your asset, you're not governed by social media platforms, Facebook could disappear tomorrow, and if you've focused on building your following on Facebook, that then would present a huge problem.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: So don't put all your eggs in one basket, build an email list.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: That email list is yours.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: You get to bring people onto your email list, you get to nudge them in your way, you get to bring them into your world and share things with them.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: One of the great things about building an email list is you can be really targeted with who you bring onto your list.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: So as long as you know who your ideal customer is, then you can target that person to bring them into your world so that when you do present an offer, you're presenting it in front of the right people.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: So email lists can be really effective and it can be a really great way to sell your online course.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: So number four is content marketing.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: Content marketing gives you the opportunity to educate your audience, the content that you're sharing needs to be valuable.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, in order to be able to do this effectively, you really need to understand what your audience are struggling with and why what you're offering is going to be suitable for them.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: So you need to do the research and you need to have a really deep understanding about your ideal person that you're looking to sell your online course to.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: However, it can be a really effective way to get sales because you can nurture people, you can bring them into your world, you can get them onto your email list, you can have connected conversations with them online, and you can answer their questions and their objections simply through creating high valuable content.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: Platforms like Pinterest are brilliant.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: Not only is Pinterest a traffic driver, so it will drive traffic to wherever you want it to go, but it's also a search engine, which means that if you have some really great content that you want to share with your audience and get out in the world so that you become visible, you can use a platform like Pinterest to share that content.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Content marketing is a really effective way of being able to not only sell your online course but to educate your audience.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: But you need to be in it for the long game, it won't happen overnight, and that's probably one of the negatives about content marketing.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: It takes time to build your audience, it takes time to get visible, it takes time for people to build that no like and trust with you and for you to get those conversions.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: However, it can happen.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: You can put some posts onto Pinterest that take people to your online course and you can get sales.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: Number five is about delivering free masterclasses.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: I really like this approach outside of having direct conversations with people.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: This is sort of my second sort of preference, if you like, because I really enjoy being able to teach people things that I need them to know before they buy whatever it is I'm offering.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's an opportunity to not only build your email list because everybody that signs up to your masterclass or your webinar will come into your email list.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's just a great way to be able to serve other people, even if they don't buy what you're offering within your masterclass.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: The other great thing about delivering a free masterclass is that once it's done and if you record it, then you can package it up and sell it.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: So there are plenty of benefits for this approach, but it is also a great way to sell your online course.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: So number six is about running a monthly workshop.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are looking to build your audience, you're looking to build your email list, you're looking to obviously make sales and get people buying your online course, then run a workshop, take them through a simple process that gets them a very quick result.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: That in itself is going to be powerful because it's going to showcase what it is you can do.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: So think about running a monthly workshop and then promote that online.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: Number seven is about collaborating with other people.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you have an online course that has synergy with somebody else's online course, then pair up and work together so that maybe you could offer a deal.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if you if somebody buys one course, maybe get they get the other course half price or something, and then work out an agreed fee.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: Or go onto somebody's podcast, guest blog for them, go and do things for other people that have really good synergy with you so that you can promote your online course to their audience.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's a really great way to kind of piggyback off other people and to be able to leverage their audience so that you get more eyes on the thing that you're selling.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: Number eight is about using paid advertising.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: So things like Google ads and Facebook ads or Pinterest ads or LinkedIn ads, most platforms now offer paid advertising.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's a great way to expand your reach, to get in front of new audiences, to again to build your email list.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: Always think about building your email list as you're reaching out to people.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: Paid advertising is a great way to attract the right people that you want to sell your online course to.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: Number nine is running an offer because this is going to create urgency with limited time discounts or maybe bonuses that you want to include.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: So this is a great way to entice people to maybe try before they buy, or maybe you're giving them something of a bonus that entices them to buy the full course.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_00: So think about running some kind of offer, but always put a time limit on it because you don't want it to be open ended.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: You want people to take action, and the only way they really take action is by providing a time limit on something.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: So think about running something.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Some kind of offer that promotes your online course, and then number 10 is about showing up in forums online where you can talk about what it is that you help people with, and you can start conversations with people and be of service to them.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this isn't a direct way of selling your online course because nobody wants somebody to just pop up in a forum and then start promoting what it is that they have to offer, but it is a great way to get yourself known to help other people to provide support and then to nurture them into your world so that they find out more about you, so then when they're ready, they can buy the thing that you have to offer.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: But online forums and communities and that are a great place to hang out because you get to be around the people that you want to help and support in a really authentic way as well.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: And as I said, I always think if you're gonna sell something, do it with purpose and make sure that you're you've got the right intentions behind it.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's about selling with purpose and helping people to overcome something that they're struggling with through the thing that you're offering.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: Forums, communities are a great way to do that and to be effective.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: So there you have it 10 effective ways to sell your online course.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: So just to recap, we've got number one, we've got selling through conversations, number two, leveraging social media, three, email marketing, four content marketing, five, offering free webinars, masterclasses, workshops, six running a monthly workshop, seven collaborating with other people in your space, eight using paid advertising like Google Ads and Facebook ads, number nine, offering limited time discounts and offers, and then we've got ten is about engaging in online forums and communities where you can show up and be of service.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, of course, there are many other ways to sell your online course, and I've just offered 10 today, but hopefully, these 10 will start to get you thinking about what you can do and how you can actually sell your online course and make money from it.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: I really hope you found this episode of value, and of course, please feel free to share it with anyone who you think will benefit from listening to today's episode.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: If you are feeling inspired and would like to know more about getting started with an online course or even just getting started online, then go and join the digital creators hub at www.pink-lemondigital.com forward slash hub.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_00: I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday, so why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today, and I will see you next time.