You’ve gone through the process of getting your course online and now you need to know how to promote your online course! Just like when you launch a brand-new website, people will not find you without promoting it. Often, launching a website or an online course can be an anti-climax and in fact, the launch of your course or website is only the beginning of your journey.
Promote Your Online Course by…
Having Helpful Conversations
I know I used the word “promote” in the title of this blog but that was really to grab your attention and if you’re reading this, then that worked. Instead of the word “promote” I would rather refer to promotion as “having a helpful conversation”. The best way to raise awareness of you and what you do is to have conversations with other people. These conversations, however, should not be about you. The conversations you have should be about the person you are talking to and seeing how you might be able to help them. After all, what you want to be known for is a helpful, problem solver, not someone who is hell-bent on selling, more about that later.
The biggest takeaway before we get started is that there is no quick-fix, one method way of reaching the right people with your course. It takes a steady, consistent approach, reaching out to where the people you want to help by hanging out where they do. To refine on who you want to approach is the first place to start.
Knowing Who You Are You Trying to Help
Before you even put pen to paper and started writing the content for your course, you will have asked yourself the question of “who” is it that you want to help. Now you have created this course for your ideal participant, you need to go and find them and help them.
Find out where your ideal client hangs out. This may be online through a particular social media channel or it could be offline. Find out where they hang out and be there, having helpful conversations.
Knowing What Problem You Solve?
Your prospective client is not so much interested in you but the problem that you solve for them. So you need to examine what their underlying motivation is in considering whether your course solves a problem for them. What will it help them achieve? What tangible value will they receive if they take your course and how do they measure that result?
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How to Let People Know About Your Online Course
There are lots of different ways to help you spread the word and different ones will work for you and your business depending on what type of business you are and the online course that you offer. Here’s a quick rundown of some ways you can consider to connect with potential clients you can help:-
1. Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing is all about attracting potential clients by writing helpful content that adds tons of value and helps them to begin to solve the problem that they have. The best example you can do this is through your blogs and social media. The guys at HubSpot wrote a great article about Inbound Marketing, you can read it here
2. Podcasts
Find a Podcast that serves a community that you want to reach and see if you can be a guest. It’s all about helping and adding value to others and this is a really great way to do that at the same time as raising your own profile.
3. Networking
Network on and offline and start having those helpful conversations. For me personally, networking is not about the “Big Sell” but about being able to help someone else. Start by building relationships with other businesses. Networking is not only about finding clients you can help but also about striking up relationships with other businesses who may need your insights too which could lead to future joint ventures.
4. YouTube
Video is incredibly powerful. In the article, The State of Video Marketing in 2018 [Infographic] published by Social Media Today, two statistics jump out about how powerful video is:-
- 90% of consumers say video can help them make buying decisions
- Mentioning the word ‘video’ in your email subject line increases open rates by 19%
- Video on landing pages can increase conversions by up to 80%
The guys at DepositPhotos put together this Infographic to summarise the power behind video.
Credit: Deposit Photos original article
5. Free Mini-Course or Resource
Offer a Free Mini-Course or downloadable resource which gives even more value. You can offer an abridged version of your course or insights to share which helps the prospective client find out if they are a step nearer to finding out that you might be able to solve and help with their problem. It also means you can send out further relevant resources to them and increasing the possibility of them working with you.
6. Host a Webinar
Hosting a webinar is a great value-add for someone who is interested in your course and the content it offers to help solve the problem they have. It’s a good way to demonstrate your expertise as well and help answer questions that they may have in a live situation. Of course, a webinar leads through to your offering as well but it also establishes your authority in your field of knowledge.
Conclusion
There is no quick-fix, quick-win to gain traction for your Online Course. Just as in any part of your business, you have to show up consistently, build the right relationships with clients and other businesses, be you and be helpful.
