Did you know that in 2022 the online education industry was evaluated to be worth $217 billion? Yep. Billion. With a B. Not only that, but it’s expected to more than double in worth by 2030.
While I don’t necessarily believe that the potential revenue is the most important factor in the online course industry, it definitely matters (this is business after all) and this potential revenue tells us a story. Those numbers say, there’s room for you. Even when it feels like everyone and their grandma has a course of some sort … there’s room for you. People are still spending money to learn and are expected to continue doing so.
And I’m here to not just say that there’s room for you, but to say there’s room for you at the TOP where the courses are streamlined, the curriculum is strong, and clients thrive under the care of you and your team. Now these types of courses? These are the ones that are few and far between. These are the ones that have people tapping their cards on the table and saying, “Take my money.”
So how does someone create a course that people are excited about? Here are a few things to consider:
I think it goes without saying that the most sellable courses are the ones with top-notch content that answers clients’ most burning questions in a simple and straightforward way. It’s well organized and user-friendly and doesn’t include any unnecessary fluff.
That’s probably the most challenging part of course design. Please know that more content does not equal more value. More strategic content equals more value. More impactful content equals more value. But not just more for more’s sake. That just creates more work for everyone.
It’s important to know your audience first and foremost, but in general it’s safe to say that people are busier than ever. As you create your course, keep this in mind. How can you get your clients only the information they need to solve their current and most pressing problem, and in the fastest way possible?
One part of creating a well-rounded course experience that helps clients learn and solve problems is providing examples. If you’ll model whatever you’re asking students to take action on, not only will this help them understand what they’re trying to accomplish, but it’s also going to keep them engaged with a clear target in mind.
Keeping clients engaged can be difficult. Various research tells us the completion rate for online courses is anywhere between 3% and 15%, which is insanely low for an industry bringing in so much revenue. The simple truth is: once clients disengage, it is SO HARD to bring them back.
Disengagement happens for a number of reasons–personal, professional, and everything in between–so it’s rarely (if ever) within our control. Our major responsibility as course creators and leaders is to create the opportunity for engagement and to lead the client along the journey.
The most obvious opportunity for clients to engage is for them to consume the educational content inside the course. It needs to be easy for them to watch, read, or listen to. Each lesson should build on the previous one. And perhaps most importantly, you should be asking them to take action. Providing the opportunity to implement what they are learning is not only going to teach them the concept faster, but it’s also going to help them reach their goal faster. Clients tend to stay engaged when they’re making progress.
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Giving clients the opportunity to get feedback on the action they’re taking, whether live or recorded, 1:1 or group, is incredibly valuable. This gives them the best opportunity to experience breakthroughs and implement what they are learning (which is a big factor in a positive client experience), but it’s also great for you to notice common sticky places in your curriculum and make data-driven decisions about content updates.
And it’s not just coaching, community plays a huge role in the overall client experience. Let’s be honest, working on your business can get really lonely. It’s nice to have peers that you can talk to, commiserate with, and bounce ideas off of. Creating a sense of safety within the community is the top priority, and then from there the question becomes, what kind of opportunities can I offer my clients so that they can interact with and support one another? This might look like accountability groups, learning cohorts, happy hours, spotlights, hot seats, celebrations … The options are endless. (Just remember to do only what’s sustainable for you as a leader.)
Creating and fostering a strong sense of community and culture within your course or program is going to be an incredible value-add for your clients today, and most likely will lead to additional revenue down the line (because who wants to leave a community where they feel valued and seen?)
And above all, clients buy courses to be successful. They say yes hoping for the best possible outcome. It would be great if we could guarantee incredible results for every single client, but the truth is we just can’t do that. There are too many variables at play that are beyond our control. But you know what we can do? We can make their success a priority.
In the design phase of course creation, get really clear on the learning objectives and milestones that clients can work toward so that they’re able to see the progress they’ve made and you can get a better sense of where they are in the curriculum and their skills.
Tracking progress and measuring client success is a team effort. Offer tools and resources so that clients can do some tracking and self-monitoring and create a system to get to know your clients WELL. Take notes and keep profiles, set reminders to ask about that thing they shared with you a couple weeks ago. Set up a “wellness check” system so that you’re regularly reaching out privately to check in, see how things are going, ask for feedback, and offer support. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent wellness check emails on behalf of clients whose students have begun to drop off and that simple email gets them re-engaged. This is where the real work of course creation is … ensuring that no one falls through the cracks.
I would argue that the most successful courses are human-first, so from here … you talk to people. You get to know your potential students and figure out what they need (and more importantly what they don’t.) And then you build it, one tiny next step at a time with these things in mind:
And remember that creating this kind of course experience takes time and support. Be sure to give yourself the grace needed to do it once and refine it as you go, and to ask for help along the way.
Sources:
https://www.fnfresearch.com/online-education-market
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-completion-rate-online-courses-so-low-matthew-mason/
Erica Nash is a curriculum designer who specializes in client success. She helps ambitious business owners create courses that fit their lifestyle, get results, and satisfy clients. She believes that anyone can learn anything and that education changes lives.
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