Whether you’re a seasoned course creator or just starting, how you structure and plan your courses directly impacts how well you attract students and deliver real value. It even influences your marketing success.
So let’s walk through a roadmap that will help you plan and structure your course to set it up for success!
Know Your Audience
Before you start planning your course, you need to know exactly who you’re creating it for. Understanding your audience is the foundation of any successful course offering. What are their pain points? What are they struggling with? And most importantly, what do they want to achieve by taking your course?
You want to listen to your audience. This could mean conducting surveys, checking the comments on your social media, or paying attention to the questions people ask in your day-to-day life. The better you understand your audience, the better you can tailor your course to solve their problems.
Craft a Learning Journey
The next step is to craft a learning journey for your students. You don’t want to just offer random lessons here and there; instead, create a structured pathway. Start with a foundational course that introduces key concepts, and then build on it with intermediate or advanced content. You could even foster a specialised series of workshops or webinars that dive deeper into the material.
This approach doesn’t just help your students grow their skills – it keeps them coming back for more. When they see how much progress they’ve made, they’re excited to move on to the next step in their learning journey.
Choose the Right Format
When it comes to course format, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. The best format is the one that you can create and deliver confidently. Whether it’s live courses, self-paced, or cohort-based, the key is to choose what works for both you and your audience.
For example, in my Marketing Circle, I run a hybrid model where I offer live courses alongside self-paced content. The live sessions give students the chance to interact with me in real time, while the self-paced materials let them learn at their own pace.
And don’t forget about the community! Learning together as a group is becoming more important in course creation. Building a sense of community adds value and enhances the learning experience.
Pricing Your Course
Pricing your course can be tricky because you want to provide value while also making it accessible. I recommend tiered pricing.
Offer a basic course that covers the essentials, then a premium tier that includes extras like one-on-one coaching or webinars. You could also add a guided version where students work through the material with you, step by step. Bundling related courses together can also offer a discount and make the learning path clearer for your students.
Planning the Launch
Once your course is ready to go, it’s time to plan your launch! If you haven’t started building an audience yet, now’s the time. You want to be tapping into other people’s audiences, talking about your course on podcasts, and building buzz well ahead of your launch date.
Teasers, early bird offers, and even a waitlist can be powerful tools to get people excited about your course. When people join your waitlist, you not only build anticipation but also get their email so you can continue marketing to them.
Measure & Improve
Finally, once your course is live, keep an eye on how things are going. Measure what’s working and what isn’t – both marketing and student engagement. Are students dropping off at a certain point? Are reviews coming in? Use that data to make improvements for next time. Course creation is always an evolving process.
Let’s Get Planning!
Planning is at the heart of any successful course. It gives you a clear message and roadmap to guide your students to success.
For a step-by-step guide to help you kickstart your course creation journey, check out The Course Creation Guidebook and The Course Creators Circle Hub.
Highlights
- [00:00] Introduction to Course Planning
- [01:09] Understanding Your Audience
- [02:10] Crafting a Learning Journey
- [03:01] Choosing the Right Course Format
- [04:02] Pricing Your Course
- [05:07] Planning Your Course Launch
- [05:53] Measuring Success and Gathering Feedback
Resources Mentioned in the Podcast
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Get More Course Creation Tips in The Course Creators Circle Hub
The Course Creation Hub is for educators who love to teach what they do. Led by Thinkific Expert Linda Reed-Enever, our hub offers a wealth of tools, tips, and checklists to help you craft and market your courses with ease.
