FINALIZE YOUR COURSE

We’ve reached the final installment of our series on creating an online course. The world around us is changing, and we see online learning as an industry that will continue to evolve far beyond our current environment. Online courses are becoming part of marketing and revenue strategies that will benefit businesses for years to come.

Previously, we covered how to form a class concept, construct content, create feedback loops, and develop a content delivery structure. Finally, we’re in the home stretch, but there are a few more things to consider.

CREATING RESULTS – HOW DO YOU CLOSE YOUR ONLINE COURSE EXPERIENCE?

The result is where all your work comes to fruition. At the beginning of development, you started creating your concept based on its intended effect. Now its time to reinforce that result with your user. The learner needs to feel like they have achieved a goal and that the course had an overall value. The following list details a few ideas of how you can reinforce the feeling of success with your audience.

The final product

• Did they create the perfect cupcake?
• Certificate Education credit
• Completion badge
• Level-up – Can they proceed to a higher level class?

WHERE CAN USERS ACCESS THE CLASS?

You have produced terrific content, and now you need to give consumers a place to access your course. We’ve compiled a few ideas of where you can launch your content.

• Website
  • Membership site
  • Open on a public page
  • The Learning Management System (LMS) and Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
    Some examples: LearnDash, Teachable, Lynda, Udemy, Shareskill, Thinkific
• Social Media
  • Facebook – Live, in a group or on your page.
  • LinkedIn – LinkedIn has an official online learning site. If you have done an excellent job developing your content, you can submit a sample to LinkedIn to become an approved instructor. If you qualify, it is an outstanding opportunity to expand your audience and customer base!
• Video conferencing
• Email

HOW CAN YOU CAPTURE AND FOLLOW-UP WITH LEARNERS FOR THE LONG-RUN?

You’ve come a long way from the start of this process, from development to results. Now, what can you do to engage your new audience in future ventures? Don’t forget to invite your learners to be part of your regular marketing and communications. If you have a weekly newsletter 😉, add sign-up to your class registration. Encourage people to post their results on your social media. You can even create a hashtag for your class #AtHomeCupcakeMaster. Make recommendations for additional content, classes, and services. Recommendations can position your company as a reliable resource. And always ask for reviews, always!!
 

Payment tools without a website:
PayPal.me
Stripe + SimplePay.me
Leadpages + Stripe
Freshbooks/Quickbooks
Payment Apps
PayPal
Venmo
Square Cash
Zelle
Google Pay
Facebook Messenger

How much should this course cost?

When pricing any new product or service, you need to position yourself properly in the market. To begin, reflect on the following points:

Check out your competition – Reviewing similar courses already available will help give you an idea behind the demand for your topic.
Look for the sweet spot – Pricing your course too low can create an unintended psychological effect that devalues your content.
Consider the costs – Content creation has a lot of soft costs, like your time and expertise. However, there are extraneous costs to include in your pricing strategy, too. On top of expenses for online structure, delivery tools, and payment administration, you should also factor in costs for marketing your course and long-term course management. Don’t price yourself out of business by not considering your profit potential versus costs. Remember, if your purpose is revenue, it takes the same amount of effort to create a low priced course as it does a high priced one.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this series and seriously consider how you can turn your skills into an online course. Whether you need to gain exposure, credibility, or revenue, we know you can create a great program around your expertise. If you have questions or need assistance with structuring your new course, your team at Woodchuck Arts is always happy to help!