Online social media courses are one of the most popular ways to learn new things. They are accessible and easy to follow and can be done remotely. What’s more, they cover such a broad range of topics within social media that you’re sure to find what you’re looking for with a quick Google search.
However, with so many social media courses available the competition is fierce. Don’t worry though. We know how tricky it can be and that’s why in this article we will share all the tips you need to sell your online social media course successfully.
Choose the Right Market
According to a recent study, 42 % of entrepreneurs fail because there is no market for their products. This is a very common problem and one that can be easily avoided. After all, just because you are interested in something doesn’t automatically mean everyone else will be. If you want to sell your online social media course successfully, you need to choose the right market and adopt a targeted approach when promoting and selling your course.
There are many reasons why your online social media course might not meet your market, from being too niche to being too expensive. Choosing the right market, through strategies such as audience research (which we will cover soon) and building a reputable brand can make all the difference to your course’s success.
Research Your Target Audience
A big part of choosing the right market comes down to audience research. If you want to sell your online social media course successfully, you need to know your target audience; their wants and needs. When you take the time to get to know your target audience, you optimise your chances of success and ensure that what your online social media course offers, will in fact meet their needs.
Conducting in-depth audience research is one of the most important elements of a successful business strategy. It ensures you know your customers and you are offering what they are looking for. If you can do this, you can basically guarantee they will buy your product.
💡 Top Tip: Google Analytics is the best tool for audience research. You will gain in-depth insight into your audience, their behaviours, their wants and needs, and so much more!
Enhance Your Brand Image and Reputation
Brand reputation matters when selling an online course. In fact, it can often mean the difference between the success or failure of a course. So, it’s important to prioritise. Unfortunately, building your brand image and online reputation can take some time. But the pay-offs are definitely worth it.
There are many ways to enhance your brand image and course reputation online. Strategies such as digital PR, link building, content creation, and social media management all help to enhance your online presence and get your brand noticed.
You should be helping people solve their problems, responding to questions and reviews, and connecting with new audiences. These things will get your brand and social media course noticed for all the right reasons. The more well-known your brand becomes, the more you will gain peoples’ trust. And more trust means more students signing up for your course.
Charge the Right Price
When it comes to selling social media courses online, price matters. Too low and people will assume your course isn’t of high enough quality. Too high and you won’t make any sales. It’s all about striking the right balance.
The price of your online social media course directly impacts pretty much every aspect of your business, so it is important to give this part of the selling process a good deal of thought. We recommend pricing your social media course based on the value it provides to others. Consider the amount of training and support you are offering and the value of what you’re helping them achieve, and use this information to inform your pricing choice.
💡 Top Tip: Don’t forget that you can always adjust your prices later. Sometimes, this process requires a trial and error approach. Despite our advice, your customers may respond better to discounts or free course teasers. Our best advice is to just give things a try and see what works for you.
Connect and Communicate with Your Students
Your students are the most important part of selling your online social media course. Without them, you wouldn’t have any sales. As Zen Media confirms, “connecting to your audience will allow you to understand their reactions, wants, and needs. Since many audiences are constantly changing, it’s a great idea to get connected and stay connected with your audience. This way, you keep up with your target audience and adapt whatever you need to in order to stay relevant.”
If you want your online social media course to succeed, your audience must be your top priority.
Our advice would be to stay in touch with your students as much as you can. Whether responding to reviews, answering questions, taking calls, or sending emails, communication and connection are the keys to online success. They help build trust and loyalty between your customers and your brand so that you can sell more courses and ultimately provide real value to your users.
Work with Influencers
Influencers can play a huge role in the success of your online social media course. Working with influencers is one of the best ways to boost your brand reputation. It helps you reach new audiences. It increases your credibility and brand trust. And it allows for cross-promotion opportunities. What’s more, according to Twitter, nearly 40% of users say they make purchase decisions as a direct result of influencer marketing.
Reach out to relevant influencers and offer a percentage of the sales purchased through their unique code. Have them boost your brand, advertise your courses, and promote your offerings to their audience. Not only will you automatically gain a wider reach, but you will win more followers, earn people’s trust, and make more sales. What could be better than that?
Do One Thing and Do It Well
Many course creators want to make as much money as they can, as fast as they can. So, when they create courses they create a whole bunch at once in the hopes of boosting their revenue. While this might seem like a good idea at first, it doesn’t often work out that well in the long term. The whole ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ idea comes to mind.
We always recommend that you do one thing and do it well. Don’t try to create and juggle multiple social media courses at once. This can cause you to have numerous courses of low quality rather than one top-quality course. Instead, focus on creating one course of the highest quality so that you don’t stretch yourself too thin and you’re able to put all your efforts into creating your best course yet.
Create Compelling Content
Content creation is the most essential element of your online social media course. Without the content, you aren’t selling anything. So, it’s important to prioritise the creation of some top-quality content.
We recommend varying the types of content you produce so that you engage all types of learners. You can write long-form articles, create infographics and animations, and record videos. Videos and imagery are one of the best ways people learn. In fact, according to Insivia, people retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when they are reading text. So, varying your content is a great way to increase engagement and ensure users get the most out of your online course.
Ask for Reviews
Finally, you should always ask your students to share their feedback through reviews. Asking for reviews is one of the most important things you can do as a course creator.
Reviews have a powerful impact on the success of your course, influencing not only consumer divisions but also informing any improvements to your online social media course. In fact, 93% of consumers report that online reviews influence their purchase decisions. Reviews go a long way towards the success of your online course, helping you sell to more people and attract new audiences.
Final Words
So, there you have it. Our top tips to help you sell your online social media course. If you prioritise the needs of your customers and deliver high-quality content that provides real value, the rest should fall into place.
Despite the competition, customers love to support creators that are dedicated to providing a top-quality service.
Harvey Holloway has worked for several UK marketing agencies over the past decade, and other businesses such as Restream and eClincher. Through his writing, Harvey hopes to inspire and connect with leading marketing professionals in the industry. Connect with Harvey on Twitter!
