Hey welcome here to help you make more money save more time and help more people – and I’m really excited for you because there’s a lot of opportunities with online courses I’ve sold millions of dollars worth of online courses of my own and as an affiliate for other people’s courses – and over the years I’ve learned a ton by experimenting with different types of ways to promote online courses and I’m stoked because today I’m going to share with you the three things you need to know in order to really make this all work for you now there’s lots of tactics for you to choose from when it comes to how to promote an online course from emails to funnels to Facebook Ads to podcast blogging videos all kinds of things but the tactics don’t matter unless you get these three principles right you could have the best tic-tacs in the world the tactics oh my gosh you could have the best tactics in the world if you don’t get these three principles right then well you’re just amplifying a big mistake alright let’s dive in with number one people don’t want to buy online courses wait what it’s true though think about it nobody wakes up like this you know I think a bit about on that course today nobody what people really want are the outcomes and the results that an online course could potentially give them that’s the secret to selling anything people want the results the outcome the how life is gonna be different after using that product and it just so happens the product we’re talking about right now our online courses if the results if the outcome that that course promises is not clear well then it’s not going to be a clear buying decision for potential customers and your work promoting that course your own or as an affiliate is gonna be much harder this is why sales pages that focus primarily on the features of a product for example five modules with thirty videos and office hours far underperform vs products that promote the outcome for example with my course power up podcasting you’ll have a podcast up and running with listeners on the day that you publish your podcast as you promote online courses keep in mind the desired outcome that your target audience has and if that desired outcome is not desirable well then you probably shouldn’t be promoting or selling that course anyway number two when it comes to selling online courses trust and proof are gonna be your best friends selling an online course is not easy let’s taking contrast for example something like a software that does a specific job for somebody in a very very convenient way a potential customer can easily imagine using that software if they have that problem that that sawhorse solves and they can imagine getting that result immediately out of the box with online courses which is usually information you can’t really demonstrate that and the results aren’t clear and people aren’t going to get results to the moment they buy they have to actually take action to get through that process and then see the results now if you’re selling your online course the trust should have been built before selling that course in some way you can do it over a long period of time through content marketing and such or you could perhaps do it hopefully in a short period of time through perhaps starting with an ad going into some value that’s added in some way shape or form even a webinar can work very well to build that trust up so that a person can trust that you are the instructor to lead them into that solution and of course all throughout this process the proof is really important proof coming in the form of you know actually showing how this thing can actually work or better yet testimonials of other people previous students sharing their success with your online course now the hardest part about selling an online course as affiliate and for those of you with your own online courses keep this in mind when you have affiliates promoting your online course the hardest part is building that trust because you’re not promoting your own course when you build trust with an audience and then send them over to somebody else it’s almost like saying okay so now that we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well you know which is really cool I’d love to introduce you to my friend over here you’ve never met him before but he’s gonna actually ask you to buy something in real life that’s not going to come across very well and the same thing happens online to beyond the desired outcome the most important thing to do is to have your audience be convinced that the person creating the course is the right person to teach them that material so how do you do that well some ways that I’ve done it is actually interviewing the founders or creators of those online courses and bringing them on my podcast which is a great relationship building tool most of the time I promote courses that I’ve used myself and I just talk about my own experience and what I loved about it and why I appreciate the care that the course grader gave to me to help me achieve certain success and again proof testimonials right not just from you but from other people too specifically those in your audience if possible trust and proof don’t forget those things number three and this might sound kind of ridiculous when you hear it and don’t be scared I’ll explain realize that in most cases for most online courses that exists out there the information that exists in those courses can be already found for free on the internet the information inside them could potentially be found for free on places like Google or YouTube or even on social media posts and when you really think about it it’s kind of obvious there’s not really any brand-new never ever said in the history of time information in any of these courses so why do we even or why would even people buy these courses how do they even sell I learned this important lesson back in 2008 when I sold my first online product which was an e-book study guide to help people pass the LEED exam a very specific same in the architecture space that ebook was comprised of 95% the same material that could be found for free on my blog in fact right before I sold that product I remember being scared to death thinking that every person who bought would ask for a refund and complain about that very fast not one not one person out of tens of thousands of copies sold had ever ever complained about that so do we sell anyway knowing people are too lazy to complain and ask for a refund no no that’s not what we’re talking about here and trust me if people who aren’t happy with their purchase they’re gonna be quick to ask you for a refund we’re not running a gym membership here the reason people buy online courses beyond the desired outcome beyond the person who is the one who created that course people are buying it because it’s simply convenient you’re saving people time by having all that information they need and only the information they need compressed into that one spot for them to take action on and get results you’re helping people save time uber think about it what does it do it helps you get rides wherever you want no it helps you save time upgrading the early bird seating on Southwest you can sit up front is it because you like the front seats no it’s because you like to save time online course because people love to sit down in front of a computer and take an online course no it’s because people hate having to look for all the information they need to have that desired outcome it saves people time and beyond that there’s no additional help that comes when people find all this information for free online people want their handheld they want that accountability through that process whether it’s through something like what I offered mine courses which are like office hours every week or perhaps just structurally through the framework of that course when a purchase is made and dollars are spent it’s a decision that that person makes that yes I want to do this I’ve put skin in the game and I’m gonna make it happen and it’s your responsibility as a course creator or is the person who’s promoting another person’s course to make sure that they get that result cool cool now I really want to make sure you get this and to prove it to me I want you to do a couple things for me one hook me up with a thumbs up and number two comment below with and I get it I just really want to make sure you understand these principles because they are the underlying foundation behind all the sales that you make so comment below with I get it use the hash tag team Flynn if you’re a part of team Flynn and subscribe to the channel here what’s up team Flynn so go out there and make some sales be confident and realize that you can sell and serve at the same time so yeah make sure you catch some of the other videos that are over here we got some good stuff coming your way so make sure you subscribe below but also right here make sure that you click on some of these videos to see what else I got for you so thanks again click over here to keep going – Hey, you want to learn how to sell online courses? Maybe they’re your own courses or you’re an affiliate for somebody else’s courses.
Either way, make sure you watch this video all the way through, because if you don’t get these three things right, well, you’re not gonna be selling anything. Hey, my name is Pat Flynn, here to help you make more money, save more time, and help more people too.
And I’m really excited for you, because there’s a lot of opportunities with online courses. I’ve sold millions of dollars worth of online courses of my own and as an affiliate for other people’s courses too.
And over the years, I’ve learned a ton by experimenting with different types of ways to promote online courses and I’m stoked, because today I’m going to share with you the three things you need to know in order to really make this all work for you.
Now there’s lots of tactics for you to choose from when it comes to how to promote an online course, from emails to funnels to Facebook ads to podcast, blogging, videos, all kinds of things, but the tactics don’t matter unless you get these three principles right.
You could have the best Tic Tacs in the world. (laughing) The tactics, oh my gosh. You could have the best tactics in the world, if you don’t get these three principles right, then, well, you’re just amplifying a big mistake.
Alright, let’s dive in with number one. People don’t want to buy online courses. Wait, what? It’s true though. Think about it, nobody wakes up like this. (yawning) Yeah. You know, I think I’m gonna buy an online course today.
Nobody. What people really want are the outcomes and the results that an online course could potentially give them. That’s the secret to selling anything. People want the results, the outcome, the how life is gonna be different after using that product.
And it just so happens, the product we’re talking about right now are online courses. If the results, if the outcome that that course promises is not clear, well, then it’s not going to be a clear buying decision for potential customers and your work promoting that course, your own or as an affiliate, is gonna be much harder.
This is why sales pages that focus primarily on the features of a product, for example, five modules with 30 videos and office hours, far underperform versus products that promote the outcome, for example, with my course Power-Up Podcasting, you’ll have a podcast up and running with listeners on the day that you publish your podcast.
As you promote online courses, keep in mind the desired outcome that your target audience has and if that desired outcome is not desirable, well, then you probably shouldn’t be promoting or selling that course anyway.
Number two, when it comes to selling online courses, trust and proof are gonna be your best friends. Selling an online course is not easy. Let’s take in contrast, for example, something like a software that does a specific job for somebody in a very, very convenient way.
A potential customer can easily imagine using that software if they have that problem that that software solves and they can imagine getting that result immediately out of the box. With online courses, which is usually information, you can’t really demonstrate that and the results aren’t clear and people aren’t going to get results the moment they buy.
They have to actually take action to get through that process and then see the results. Now if you’re selling your online course, the trust should have been built before selling that course in some way.
You can do it over a long period of time through content marketing and such or you could perhaps do it, hopefully in a short period of time, through perhaps starting with an ad, going into some value that’s added in some way, shape, or form, even a webinar can work very well, to build that trust up so that a person can trust that you are the instructor to lead them into that solution.
And, of course, all throughout this process, the proof is really important, proof coming in the form of actually showing how this thing can actually work or better yet, testimonials of other people, previous students sharing their success with your online course.
Now the hardest part about selling an online course as an affiliate, and for those of you with your own online courses, keep this in mind when you have affiliates promoting your online course, the hardest part is building that trust, because you’re not promoting your own course.
When you build trust with an audience and then send them over to somebody else, it’s almost like saying, “Hey, so now that “we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well, “you know, which is really cool, “I’d love to introduce you to my friend over here.
“You’ve never met him before, “but he’s gonna actually ask you to buy something.” In real life, that’s not going to come across very well and the same thing happens online too.
Beyond the desired outcome, the most important thing to do is to have your audience be convinced that the person creating the course is the right person to teach them that material. So how do you do that? Well some ways that I’ve done it is actually interviewing the founders or creators of those online courses and bringing them on my podcast, which is a great relationship building tool.
Most of the time, I promote courses that I’ve used myself and I just talk about my own experience and what I loved about it and why I appreciate the care that the course grader gave to me to help me achieve certain success.
And again, proof, testimonials, right? Not just from you, but from other people too, specifically those in your audience, if possible. Trust and proof, don’t forget those things. Number three, and this might sound kind of ridiculous when you hear it and don’t be scared, I’ll explain.
Realize that, in most cases, for most online courses that exists out there, the information that exists in those courses can be already found for free on the internet. The information inside them could potentially be found for free on places like Google or YouTube or even on social media posts.
and when you really think about it, it’s kind of obvious. There’s not really any brand-new, never ever said in the history of time information in any of these courses. So why do we even, or why would even people buy these courses? How do they even sell? I learned this important lesson back in 2008 when I sold my first online product, which was an e-book study guide to help people pass the LEED exam, a very specific exam in the architecture space.
That e-book was comprised of 95% of the same material that could be found for free on my blog. In fact, right before I sold that product, I remember being scared to death thinking that every person who bought would ask for a refund and complain about that very fact.
Not one. Not one person out of tens of thousands of copies sold had ever, ever complained about that. So do we sell anyway knowing people are too lazy to complain and ask for a refund? No, no, that’s not what we’re talking about here.
And trust me, if people who aren’t happy with their purchase they’re gonna be quick to ask you for a refund. We’re not running a gym membership here. (men shouting) The reason people buy online courses, beyond the desired outcome, beyond the person who is the one who created that course, people are buying it because it’s simply convenient.
You’re saving people time by having all that information they need, and only the information they need, compressed into that one spot for them to take action on and get results. You’re helping people save time.
Uber, think about it. What does it do? It helps you get rides wherever you want. No, it helps you save time. Upgrading the EarlyBird seating on Southwest so you can sit up front. Is it because you like the front seats? No, it’s because you like to save time.
Online course, because people love to sit down in front of a computer and take an online course? No, it’s because people hate having to look for all the information they need to have that desired outcome.
It saves people time. And beyond that, there’s no additional help that comes when people find all this information for free online. People want their hand held, they want that accountability through that process, whether it’s through something like what I offer in my courses, which are like office hours every week, or perhaps just structurally through the framework of that course.
When a purchase is made and dollars are spent, it’s a decision that that person makes that yes, I want to do this, I’ve put skin in the game, and I’m gonna make it happen. And it’s your responsibility, as a course creator or as the person who’s promoting another person’s course, to make sure that they get that result.