5 Mistakes to Avoid When Launching Your Online Course
Launching a six-figure online course is an exciting milestone for any entrepreneur. But if you don't have everything ready to go before you launch, then it can turn into a nightmare.
Here are five common mistakes that people make when planning their launches:
Forgetting to plan your launch strategy in advance
The launch of a course is an important milestone in your business. It's the moment when you can finally show the world what you've been working on, and hopefully make some sales at the same time.
But it's also one of those things that can easily slip through the cracks if you don't plan properly. And when it comes to planning, there are several mistakes that many people make:
Failing to consider all possible outcomes (and how they might affect your business) before starting any work on a project. This means making sure that all resources are available in case something goes wrong during execution (like not having enough bandwidth for live streaming).
Not having clear goals from the beginning of any project; this will help keep everyone focused and motivated throughout its duration.
Not having a clear plan of action, which means that you have to be ready to deal with unanticipated problems and setbacks. This can be especially important when it comes to projects that take longer than expected (like live streaming a concert).
Not considering the needs of all parties involved. This includes making sure that your client understands what is required from them so that they can provide it as well as not underestimating how long it will take for every step in the process.
Not having a plan for what to do if something goes wrong. This means that you need to make sure you have the right tools and materials on hand, as well as the ability to contact people who can help when things go wrong.
Not having enough content/lectures ready to go before the launch
You need to have enough content to last you for at least a few weeks.
If you don't have enough content, then the first few weeks of your launch will be slow and uneventful. This can cause buyers to lose interest and leave the page before they buy anything from you.
You also won't be able to sell as many courses during this time because there aren't as many options available for them on their dashboard or in their shopping cart (which means less money in sales!).
Focusing on the wrong audience
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to focus on the wrong audience. If you're not targeting your ideal customer, then it doesn't matter how much money or time you invest into your course.
If you don't know who your ideal customer is, take some time and do some research. Look at other successful online courses and see who their audience was (and if possible find out what demographic information they have).
Then dig deeper: ask yourself why people bought those courses, what problems did they solve for them? How did these products help them achieve their goals?
Not being able to communicate your message effectively
The first step toward communicating your message effectively is to make sure that your message is clear.
You should use visual aids like graphs, charts, and other illustrations when possible. This will help you communicate more effectively with your audience. Don't be afraid to go over the top when communicating a point. If it helps someone understand something better, then do it!
Humor can also be an effective tool for getting people's attention: if something is funny or interesting enough for someone else to tell their friends about it later (or even just laugh out loud), then it'll probably work well as part of your launch plan too.
Finally: metaphors are great ways of explaining complicated concepts in simple terms . They can help your readers connect with the subject matter in a way that's more memorable than simply stating the facts.
Not having a backup plan if things don't go as planned.
It's important to have a backup plan in case things don't go as planned.
If you're planning a six-figure launch and haven't thought about what would happen if you didn't reach your goals, it's time to start thinking about it now.
Having a contingency plan for if you don't reach your goals is critical because it can help keep you focused on what really matters: getting results!
Here are some things that might happen during the course of your launch:
You might not get as many sales as expected (or any at all). This means that while there may still be people who want access, they just aren't willing or able to pay for it at this time--and that's okay! Just because someone doesn't buy now doesn't mean they won't buy later; most likely they just haven't had time yet due their busy schedule or maybe even just forgetfulness on their part...but either way there will always be another opportunity down the line so don't panic :)
You could end up spending more money than anticipated due unforeseen expenses such as taxes related expenses such as accounting services fees etcetera...so make sure you keep track of these costs while planning so they don't catch anyone off guard later down the road when reviewing financial statements :)
Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you launch.
You should have already done a lot of research about your industry and competitors, but it’s also important to know what will set you apart from all the other companies in your niche.
What makes you unique?
What makes your brand stand out from all the others?
These are questions you should be able to answer easily before launching into any business venture...or at least have some form of strategy for how you plan to do so.
Remember that:
Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you launch.
Planning is a process, not an event.
Planning is about setting goals and making decisions that will help you achieve those goals (like deciding which audience to target or what resources to use for promotion).
It's also about identifying risks and planning for them (for example, if there's no curriculum in place yet, how do we get one ready by next week so we can start marketing the course?).
Finally, good planning includes making sure that everything goes smoothly when the time comes. That includes:
Making sure that everyone knows how they should communicate with each other during launch week
Organizing an orientation session with your team who might need extra support
Ensuring adequate bandwidth at all locations where video recording will take place during video production sessions (and don't forget backups!).
Conclusion
The bottom line is that when it comes to launching your online course, you have to be prepared. It's not something that happens overnight, and if you want it to succeed then you need to take the time necessary beforehand.
Don't let yourself get caught up in the excitement of the moment or else all those hours spent planning could be wasted!
For free consultations regarding the technology behind creating, launching, marketing, and managing an online course, please do not hesitate to contact me. My team and I can help you deploy the right tools and strategies to ensure that your course is a success.