You have reached the point in your business where you want to turn the best of what you’ve been offering as a 1:1 and/or DFY service into an online course – yay!
I’ll never forget when I reached this point as well.
A point that was filled with equal parts possibility and nervousness.
Creating a course felt like I was starting business all over again, with so much to learn and understand. How much to put into the course, what to price it at, which platform to use, etc. etc. etc.
Yet, at the same time, I also knew that this was what I needed in order to create the kind of sustainability and freedom I was looking for. A way of business that could work both with or without me there.
I dove in head first, and it completely changed the way I both work and live.
I then began working with business owners who were feeling that same nudge to expand beyond 1:1/DFY work. Either because they no longer wanted to offer 1:1/DFY or because they wanted it to become a want to vs need to in their business.
This also means that, throughout these past five years, I’ve seen a lot of common issues that happen when it comes to selling your course.
Issues that can be avoided with questions that get you to go deeper than just the surface level of selling a course online.
Are you down for that?
If so, let’s get to it!
Questions to Help You Narrow Down what You Actually Sell with Your Course
You are not selling information. You’re also not selling modules, bonuses, tutorials, swipes, video files or workbooks.
You are selling a specific result to a specific person by providing them with a curated path to get there. A curated path that is a result of your unique experience, methodology and teaching style.
Think of the last time you bought a car. Did you ask about the crank shaft? Or what the spark plugs look like? Nope. You didn’t care about the things that support the end result of a car successfully getting you from Point A – Point B. You just care that it happens. And that is what you’re willing to pay for.
What are you actually selling your audience? Is it what they actually want?
Or are you running around with your hands in the air yelling about the importance of replacing spark plugs?
Questions to ask yourself:
1. How does my course change someone’s life for the better? The more specific the better!
2. Why does that change matter to them on a deep level?
3. What is the ripple effect of that result on those around them?
4. In what ways are they costing themselves more money/time/energy by not going through my course?
Questions to Make Sure Your Sales Copy is On Track
If I had a dollar for every time I held someone’s market research against their sales copy and said “Can you tell me why you’re saying X, when they’re saying Y?” let’s say, I’d probably have A LOT of puppies right now.
Seriously though, we talk a lot about asking the right questions in the market research process in order to create the right course topic. However, you don’t want to forget about all the gems within it when it comes to writing your sales copy.
It not only makes it easier for you to write but it also helps your audience to self select themselves as ideal for your course, without any confusion.
Questions to ask yourself:
5. What are those who would buy my course secretly saying to themselves about the struggle they are having? In what way do they feel defeated in this area?
6. What are those who would buy my course saying about their current situation to others?
7. What have they tried already that hasn’t worked and why hasn’t it worked?
8. How is the solution my course provides different from anything else on the market?
Questions to Avoid Chasing Audience Size and Prosper with Your Course – Now
I hear it all the time… “if only my audience was bigger” and “if only I could run ads” and “if only I could have affiliates.”
And I respond in the same way every time…
“What about those you DO have? Those who already know, like and trust you? Those who have been asking about what you offer but can’t afford your 1:1? Those who follow you on social?”
Waiting for “more” or “enough” people without giving those right in front of you the chance to get results from your course costs you money and them the transformation they deserve.
It also keeps you in a place of inaction vs profit.
When I teach the women to pre-sell their course before they create it in the Presell + Profit Method™, we talk about the power of the right offer, in front of the right people at the right time.
This combination is also how I turned 2 hours of selling time (combined over the span of two weeks) into an additional $80k to our bottom line, with a beta offer. This then gave us a nice financial cushion to move into an evergreen funnel, ad spend, etc.
Questions to ask yourself:
9. Who do I know, right now that could benefit from the course idea I have? List everyone you can think of.
10. What’s the worst that could happen if I put this course in front of them? Is it really that bad?
11. What’s the best that could happen if I put this course in front of them?
12. What would make selling this course feel fun for me AND them?
Questions to Keep Yourself Focused on What Matters When it Comes to Selling Your Course
If this time in the world is showing us anything, it’s that humans do NOT like the unknown.
We want answers and we want them now.
Except, that’s not how life works. For most things, you figure them out as you get there. It’s how you learn skills along the way that allow you to navigate them when (and if!) they come up.
You can only find the answers you’re seeking through action.
“What if I have too many modules?”
Sell it and if they say then need less, you’ll tighten things up.
“What if I should do videos instead of audios?”
Sell it and if you find that they prefer video, you’ll change it up.
“What if I find that I want to add in a community?”
Sell it and if you see the need, you’ll create it.
“What if I chose the wrong course platform?”
Sell it and if they tell you they’re confused by it, you’ll switch.
These are just a few examples of the things you will never know until you sell.
It’s why courses only get better over time because, just like your audience, YOU and your course are continuously evolving too.
All you need to focus on the step you’re on right now and trust that as the next ones come, you’ll 1) figure it out or 2) get help to figure it out.
In fact, your entire life up to this point is proof of this fact.
Questions to ask yourself:
13. When is a time in my business when I need to make a change with an existing offer?
14. What did I learn from that change?
15. How can I apply this to the way I sell my course as well, allowing it to grow and evolve along the way?
There has never been a better time to get your course out into the world.Trust in your vision and make it happen!
If you need help, check out the Presell + Profit Method™.
If you want to share your thoughts on this blog, come find me on Instagram – I’d love to connect!