Building a thriving online course to scale your business sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Working from a beach somewhere, laptop in hand. But here’s the rub – it’s not as simple as it sounds.

I’ve seen it all in this game – people with massive followings who can’t seem to make a cent, and others with all the fancy strategies but no one to sell to. The key takeaway? You’ve got to build an audience first. Without that, your course is like a tinnie without oars – going nowhere fast.

3 ACTUAL Non-negotiables for Course Success

If you’re nodding along, wondering how to scale without a following, here are some crucial points to consider:

1. Traffic is Everything: You could have the fanciest setup on Kajabi or GoHighLevel, but if no one’s there to click ‘buy’, what’s the point? My advice? Sell the idea before you build the course. Use waiting lists to see if there’s interest. If people sign up, you might be onto something.

2. Protect Your Confidence: There’s nothing worse than pouring your heart into a course that no one buys. Trust me, it’s a hit your confidence doesn’t need. So, build your audience first to avoid this trap.

3. Market Validation: You might think your course idea is brilliant, but the market gets the final say. Make sure you’re creating something people actually want.

Now, how do you build this audience? There are loads of ways, but here’s my current favourite: be everywhere on social media.

The goal is to dominate your potential client’s newsfeed. You want to be the person they see on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram – the lot. Keep showing up with valuable content. It not only engages your audience but also boosts your SEO rankings. And don’t forget about YouTube – it’s the second-largest search engine, after all.

And One More Thing!

Blogging is another great way to boost your visibility. Each blog post tells Google you’re actively providing valuable content. Do it right, and you’ll see your search rankings improve.

By being omnipresent across different channels, you’re building your audience one follower at a time. As your presence grows, so does the top of your funnel. And with a solid nurturing process, those followers can become ready-to-buy course participants.

The Rub

So, before you dive into creating that course, make sure you’ve got a marketing strategy that fills your funnel with leads who are likely to convert. Launch your course when you’ve got an audience eager to learn from you.

Starting from scratch? Prioritise building your database and social media following with high-quality, free content. It’s a journey, and while you might not be there yet, embracing these truths will set you on the right path.

Fancy a yarn about your specific situation? I’m always here for a natter. Until then, keep pushing forward. Remember, the foundation of any successful online course is the audience waiting to learn from you.