In this post, I'm sharing some tips for using bonuses to create a compelling course offer. If you're new to course creation, here's some more articles that cover the basics:
Choosing a topic for your online course
Creating course materials the fast and easy way
So who doesn't love bonuses? Whether we're talking about unexpected cash, extra toppings on your pizza, or extra savings at your favorite store, bonuses are pretty much always a good thing.
For online course creators, bonuses can be a really powerful tool for packaging and putting together a compelling course offer.
The best bonuses:
Provide real value for your course’s audience
Help potential purchasers overcome hesitations that make them think the course might not work for them
Make it easier or more fun to implement your materials.
So how can you determine which course bonuses will work best for you? In this blog post, I'm laying out a simple process you can use to help come up with a great offer for your next online course.
Start with Knowing Your Audience
When crafting your course offer, it's important to think about your audience and understand the reasons why they might be hesitant to purchase your product. One way to identify these potential purchasing blocks is to think about the questions you get asked about your content most frequently.
Another way to get to this list is to play the “yes but” game. To play this game imagine yourself pitching your product to a prospective student. Every time you offer a feature or benefit of your course they respond by saying “yes but________”
Filling in the blank will help you come up with a list of potential reasons people have for why they believe your course won't work for them.
Some examples of purchasing blocks might include
They think they won't have time to implement what they learn
It won’t work for their industry
The technology is difficult to use
They won't have support or someone to ask questions of
Once you have this list, the next step is thinking of bonuses you can offer that help your students overcome some of these issues. Basically, good bonuses fall into one of the following categories. They either:
Make it easier
Bonuses that make content easier to implement include things like templates, swipe files, and technology guides that students can use to help them apply what you teach in your course. For example if you're teaching someone social media, you might want to include templates for social media graphics in your course. If you learners are not graphic designers themselves, having these templates available to them will make it easier for them to implement what you teach, and help get them over any hesitation they might have about not having the time or ability to do the work.
Make it more fun
Great course bonuses can also be things that make it more fun to use your course. An example of a bonus that makes things more fun would be a set of really awesome stock images that help students bring their content to life. Facebook groups can also fall into this category since they give learners a fun way to interact with one another.
Provide access to the course creator (that’s you!)
Another great kind of bonus to offer is something that provides the learner with extra access to you. One way you can do this is through going live in your private Facebook group that's just for your students. This allows you to answer their questions and talk to them directly. Another way to do this is by adding live group or one-on-one coaching to your online course. If you have a very large course with a high number of students, this might not be super feasible. But, if you're just starting out and in the building stage of your business, including live coaching in your online training program is a great way to really set your course apart and provide extra value.
Provide accountability and community
Bonuses like Facebook groups, small group training, and one-on-one coaching also benefit the learner because they provide accountability (AKA someone to help make sure that they are actually implementing your content). Additionally they offer a sense of community that allows them to not only ask questions but it also gives them a chance to interact and build relationships with others who are doing similar work.
Have you used bonuses before? What has worked well for you?
Meet Rachel
I’m an instructional designer providing eCourse solutions for creative entrepreneurs. My focus is on helping you learn how to talk to your audience and validate your programs to take the uncertainty out of launching.
Have questions about creating your online course? Click below to learn how we can work together!
