No matter how many coaches you work with or courses you take, I don't think anything can really prepare you for the roller coaster that is your first e-course launch…. at least not for me. I just needed to go through the launch in order to learn these lessons, even if people said them to me in the past, they didn't really sink in until I loved it.
I had wanted to launch a course for about 8 months now. I kept telling myself “it just isn't the right time” or that “I don't know enough yet” — Who can relate?
Then one day I was just HIT with this wave of “I NEED”.
As in…” I NEED TO LAUNCH A COURSE” as if my life depended on it. The week after that was a flurry of blind chaos. I decided on an impulse I would do it on Instagram since I had just seen over 600% growth in one months time and was on target to more than double that in the second month (As I sit here writing, 2 months and one week after I decided to get serious about Instagram, I have now seen an 1800% increase in followers and went from having less than .5% engagement on posts to over 8% engagement on posts!) I decided that I've seen what I can do, and I've answered enough people's questions about the social media platform, that I must have something worth teaching.
So I decided to just start writing a course. No market research. No testing whether it was viable or wanted. I just did it.
In that past, I had studied so much about the “right way” to go about a course launch… but I didn't care, I just wanted to get it done.
In two days time I had 4 modules completely written out. I designed the slides and graphics, and then decided I hated them, so I gave them to my designer… then I started writing my email campaigns and creating my content calendar for social media promotion while I waited for the slides re-design.
Once I got the slides back, I spent 5 hours recording all of the audio and video for the course, in one day! By that night, I was bleary eyed and exhausted, but excited to start editing the next day… I woke up, sat down at my desk, and opened the files to start editing and then the horror started sinking in…
… one after one…file after file…
The audio was completely unsalvageable!
Seriously, terrible feeling that I hope you never experience. I was BURNT! I didn't want to keep going, I wanted to quit or push the launch date… But somehow I rallied. I can't really tell you where I mustered the strength… I stared at my computer screen, robotically spooning oatmeal into my mouth, and nothing went through my head. Then all of the sudden, I was like “Ok I need to get started again!” and just opened up my recorder to start again.
I finished recording and editing the videos a few days before the final cart launch. I thought that I would be able to close the “Cart” at a certain time on Teachable, but it doesn't appear I can… so now I feel kind of bad because I kept advertising “cart close”, but now I realize why all the big coaches who host their courses on Teachable advertise “bonuses ending”, its because they actually leave their courses up for purchase all the time… they just do “re-launches” with bonuses and to get buzz going again.
Main takeaways from my course launch:
1. You really need 90 days from start to finish. I did everything in less than 60 but half of that I was working 16 hour days like a crazy woman.
2. Re-launch bonuses, not the actual course. The big coaches who “re-launch” the course seem to sell the course year round, and just re-launch to get the buzz going and sweeten the deal for customers with bonuses.
3. Really only focus on 2, max 3 social media platforms. I was on Instagram, Periscope, Twitter, and Facebook and what I really should've done was run FB and IG ads, while building relationships and engagement on Periscope and Twitter.
4. Don't worry, just get it done. Seriously this was the biggest lesson I learned. I kept going back and re-doing certain parts of the course, even over the weekend while people were going through the course. The perfectionist in me was already re-writing the e-mail campaigns and opt-ins and actual course content to make it even better. Finally, I talked with my team and created a new schedule to re-launch the bonuses for the course in the coming months and am leaving things alone until then!
5. The course is never done. Aside from the points outlined above, the other reason I kept updating and changing information is because of how quickly things evolve on the internet, by the time you perfect the course, the information would be outdated. I am speaking from experience here. I had entire modules done and then with the Instagram June API and policy changes, I was going back and editing/updating those as we learned more and more about third party apps no longer integrated.
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I’ve definitely thought about starting a techie basics course for other bloggers. Love all of your suggestions here – definitely going to keep them in mind.
XO Amanda | http://www.glitterandspice.com
Sounds fun Amanda!
I am definitely a perfectionist too so I feel you on that! Going back over things over and over again can drive you crazy!
Totally! It’s funny, after I did my first course, and was getting frustrated about things not being perfect on the first run through or having to edit stuff… I was going back through top coaches courses I’ve taken, and actually started to notice their editing snaffoos and stuff… I guess we are only hyper aware when its ours haha!
This is fantastic. I know I want to do a course someday, but I have no idea on what or for whom. I am definitely pinning this for the future when I figure that out! Your tips are so helpful and now I want to follow you on IG too 🙂
Awe thank you Megan!! I want to do another course on identifying your course idea too!! Haha, just think about what you feel innately called to do and what people keep asking you about! — And do it! My instagram is @theconfusedmillennial!
what an interesting post. I have never had the desire to launch a course but it is most interesting reading about the process and how too’s
I’ve been considering launching a course, so these are fabulous tips! Definitely bookmarking this 🙂
Thanks Kait!
Wow that is amazing growth! This is great!
Tori
mooretori.blogspot.com
Thanks Tori!
When I own a business, I want to do courses as well. These are super important lessons and I can’t wait to see other courses that you may launch!
Thanks Ashley!
What a great post, Im so with you I like everything to be perfect too!!
http://xoxobella.com
I am the same way I like everything to be perfect no matter how many times I go over it lol!!
http://xoxobella.com
These are great tips!! I would love to have my own course one day!
Thank you! You can totally do it Adriana!
Never thought of launching a course, but congrats on launching yours!! I’m def a perfectionist too and I feel like it’s such a blessing a curse!
Haha thank you! It definitely is a blessing and a curse!
Such amazing tips! Your e-course sounds absolutely incredible.
Thanks Teresa!
Great tips. I am working on a free email course right now that will have videos and worksheets/cheatsheets before I make a paid course. But I am just pushing through!
Thats awesome! Yeah I am re-working the launch plan and funnel for the next course to include something similar to what you are describing! Good luck with yours!
This is so great! I’ve never thought of launching a course myself, but if I do, this post will serve as a great guideline. I can’t imagine how it must have felt to lose all of your audio. I definitely would have shed many tears and probably would have given up. Kudos to you for tuckering through!
Thanks Tiffany!
These are great tips! Though crazy, congrats on the big accomplishment! Excited to see you continue to expand your brand 🙂
XO, Sami || sparkleandshinesami.com
Thank you Sami!
So interesting!! I’ve never heard of this but what a fun read.
xo,
sarakatestyling.blogspot.com
Such great tips! So exciting for you!
http://www.kayleighskloset.com
Thank you Kayleigh!
So interesting to read your first-time experience! Thanks for sharing and your honesty — and congrats for getting it going!
Thank you!
This is so interesting coming back to now since I obviously just launched my first course (BOSSPITCH, HOLLAH). I closed cart by deleting the enroll button and adding an email collection widget instead to get in for next launch…maybe that’s a new addition??
Coming Up Roses