Do you need an email list to launch an online course?
March 24, 2022
You don’t need an email list to launch an online course. Or fancy email marketing software. But you do need to be realistic about your online course sales.
Are you holding back from launching your online course because you don’t have an email list?
Perhaps you do have an email list but it’s small.
Or you have a list you haven’t emailed regularly (maybe even never).
But none of this should hold you back from launching an online course – as long as you’re realistic about the kind of sale you might make to start with.
In this episode of the Courageous Content Podcast, I share what you need to know if you’re launching an online course with a small or non-existent email list.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
Why you don’t need an email list to launch an online course
While you don’t need an email list to launch an online course. Or fancy email marketing software.
As a new course creator, sales of your course are likely to be modest.
So as long as you are compliant with data protection law, you can send all your sales emails – and even deliver your digital product – manually, if you need to.
And there are tons of free and low cost options to host your online course. Which means you don’t need to worry about fancy course hosting software either.
Because your students aren’t interested in where/how you host your learning resources. Or how you deliver them. They are interested in the quality of the resources – and whether they get the outcome they are hoping for.
So if you’re creating your first online course (or trying to increase sales of one you already have) your priority should be creating a great learning experience – NOT worrying about where to host your course. Or how to deliver it to people.
What kind of sales can you expect with a small/non-existent email list
What you do need is realistic expectations about how many courses you might be able to sell in relation to your audience size.
The average conversion rate for online sales is just 1-2% – so without a decent sized email list you’re probably not going to make millions.
But if your course solves a specific problem, you know some people who have that problem (or how to find them) and you’re willing to get out there and sell your course….you will make sales of your course.
Why it’s still worth launching an online course even if you don’t have a list
There is a LOT to learn about launching an online course. And you have to create a ton of content. And work out what order to do things in. Which means – if you have little or no experience of creating and selling online courses – it’s unrealistic to expect to have 6 or 7 figure business selling digital products next week (or even next year).
While you may not make millions to start with, you will learn tons from launching a simple one module online course. And you’ll be earning while you learn.
PLUS how do you know selling digital products is for you until you try it?
So if you’re thinking of launching an online course, but holding back because you don’t have a big email list (or don’t have one at all), please think again.
Because you really don’t need any fancy tech to get started. And if you stop worrying about things you don’t actually need you can get started and start bringing recurring revenue into your business today.
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Useful Links
Janet Murray
Other Links
- Janet Murray’s Courators Kit
- Which online course platform is best? (The answer might surprise you) (podcast)
- Should you join my 90 Day Course Launch Sprint? (podcast)
- 3 myths about online course creation (podcast)
- You could start generating recurring revenue today (so why aren't you doing it?) (podcast)
- The obsession with 6 and 7 figure businesses (and how it could be harming yours) (podcast)