How to build your online course business from scratch: 3 areas to focus on first
Hello hello + welcome to another episode the Simplify Your Sales podcast! And today we’re going to talk about the 3 areas you MUST focus on + get clarity around before you do anything else in your business.
These are serious foundational elements that have the potential to DRASTICALLY impact your success (or failure!) as an online course creator. So taking the time NOW to figure this out is going to save you a lot of headache and heartache down the line.
The reason I wanted to really dive into this today is because I’ve actually recently gone through these questions myself. As I’ve pivoted from teaching Etsy sellers how to market on Etsy to teaching them instead how to build ridiculously profitable online course businesses, I’ve had to go back to the basics.
Like, the very very basics. Like “who am I + who do I serve?” types of introspection. It’s been very humbling simply because I haven’t had to do this for 4 ½ years, but it’s also been a really fantastic opportunity to feel like I have clarity in my business again and have a clear path laid out for me.
So if you’re feeling confused or overwhelmed or just “out of sync” in your own business, I’d encourage you to go into this podcast episode ready to figure these 3 things out for yourself as well. And if you’ve never taken the time to figure out who you really are as an online business owner + who you serve, definitely grab a pen + paper and get ready to take lots and lots of notes-- because the stuff we’re going to talk about today is not something you want to run a business without understanding first.
And while I’m obviously speaking to the aspiring course creators in the audience, know that this applies no matter WHAT type of business you are creating or currently running-- Etsy shop, service provider, blogger, anything-- but like I mentioned, I’m really going to use this episode to hone in on these ideas for online course creators.
Step 1: I’d figure out what makes ME unique
The very first thing I’d do is get clear on what I am all about-- what I do, who I help, and how I help them. I’d hone in on what makes ME unique (based on my experiences, my passions, and just my overall unique human blueprint).
Because #truthbomb alert: YOU. ARE. UNIQUE.
The simple fact that you are a human with a unique DNA blueprint, unique talents/skills, and unique work + life experiences automatically gives you a different perspective from anyone else in this entire world— isn’t that crazy?!
Honing in on your inherent “uniqueness” is the first step to setting yourself apart from the crowd and— and helping you gain mega clarity + confidence around what YOU bring to the table as an online business owner that is different than anyone else. It’s not the only step, but it’s the first one.
And trust me— figuring this out now— before you dive into the nitty gritty of course creation— is essential to creating a business that feels easy (truly!) and enjoyable...and, well, like YOU!
In order to figure out what makes YOU unique + determine what YOU bring to the table, ask yourself the following questions:
What are you doing when you feel like you're in a "flow state" and things are effortless?
If you had to talk about ONE thing for the rest of your life...what would it be?
What is a transformation you have been through that you get excited to share with others?
Why should someone learn from you vs. someone else?
What unique experience(s) do you have that have shaped who you are today?
What unique perspectives on things do you have that differ from the industry "norm"?
What are you the "go-to" for among your friends + family?
And then once you’ve answered those questions, analyzing your answers-- looking for patterns and repetition. Those things you see pop up time + time again? THEY ARE THE THINGS THAT YOUR UNIQUE-NESS IS PUSHING YOU TO FOCUS ON!
Step 2: I’d figure out what makes my AUDIENCE unique
But it’s not enough to figure out what makes YOU unique-- you need to know what makes your audience unique. Because your goal isn’t to attract everyone under the sun-- but instead to attract a very specific type of person that will benefit from your online course.
Quick biz lesson:
This is going to seem like a little bit of a tangent, but REALLY important so we’re going to do a quick Business 101 lesson that is going to make ALL the difference in your online business and how you approach making money.
Making money in business is actually really simple-- it all boils down to this:
You make specific offers to solve problems for people (your audience), and people pay you for that help.
That’s seriously it-- it works in e-commerce, retail, services, and (you guessed it!) online courses!
In order to get people to pay you for those offers, however, you need to know WHO you are making those offers to. You need to get clear on your audience.
So coming back full circle to niching down-- but what does that actually mean?!
What is an audience niche?
Your audience niche = the problem that you solve for your people
That’s seriously it.
Forget the “ideal client avatar” niche exercises because it really doesn’t matter what their hair color is or what magazines they read or where they shop for clothes (unless you’re in a fashion niche, of course!).
All you really need to focus on answering is:
What is the main problem your ideal customer is facing right now?
..and how you can solve it for them?
And once you can answer that question, you have a strong foundation to start building your actual business on.
One of the fastest + easiest ways to do this is to create a simple survey that you can send to your online network.
Asking questions like:
What are you struggling with the most when it comes to [blank]?
What have you tried previously to fix/solve/overcome [blank]?
What fears do you have about working on _______ (insert problem here)? Does anything about the process of getting there, or the final result, scare you?
Is there anything going on in your life that you feel like is keeping you from being able to fix/solve/overcome [insert problem they are facing]?
What would be a complete WIN for you right now?
If you have 0 business audience whatsoever, you’re going to start by talking to people in your PERSONAL network. And everyone I know has a personal network, so don’t give me your excuses! You’re going to ask them to fill out your survey if they think they’re a good fit. And if they’re not, do they know anybody that could be a good fit-- and then having them put you in contact with them?
Your goal is to get 8-10 HIGH QUALITY responses to your survey. And if you have to be scrappy to do it, so be it. Post it in FB groups. Find relevant reddit threads.Do whatever you’ve got to do to get those responses. But skipping this step is the most overlooked part of creating an online business-- and it’s the one that causes most businesses out there to fail.
And if you really have NO DESIRE to do this + gain a deeper understanding with your audience, then I would encourage you to re-evaluate if this is the right business patch for you to take. And I’m being a little melodramatic with that, but it’s true-- creating an online course business is ALL about serving your audience and helping them. If you have no desire to put in the work now to get to know them, you might be barking up the wrong business tree. Just some food for thought.
And finally, I’d figure out what made my BUSINESS unique.
And to do that, you’re going to want to take a look at your market research-- the answers your audience gave you to your survey-- and use that to determine your unique business message and point of view.
THIS IS WHAT’S GOING TO SET YOU APART FROM THE COMPETITION.
Your message is your core business idea— or the foundational anchor that everything in your business is built around. It’s your deeper WHY.
Your point of view is what you believe is the best way to achieve your message.
>> Basically, what is your WHY behind your business?
Quick tip: This is NOT the selfish reasons of “I want to earn passive income” or “I want to be able to work from anywhere,” but rather the unselfish WHY-- Why do you care about your niche topic? Why is THIS the thing that lights you up?
This is essentially the essence of what you are all about.
And we’re going to use that to determine your business message + point of view.
There are two parts to this that we need to get clarity around:
Your big WHY (the core concept)— the actual “message” behind your brand + what you believe in
Your point of view (what YOU believe is the best way to achieve that big WHY/core concept)
✨ EXAMPLE ✨
In my business, my message is focused around helping women create financial freedom through simple (yet profitable!) online businesses.
I believe the best way to achieve this (or my point of view around this) is to create an online course.
Other business owners may want to help women create financial freedom as well, but their point of view may be different-- they believe it’s through an Etsy shop or through a POD store or through offering 1:1 coaching services.
The fact that I believe it’s best done through online courses? THAT’S what makes me unique from everyone else.
So you need to figure this out for yourself-- figure out the real WHY of your business-- that message-- and then the point of view you have on what the best way to achieve that big WHY is.
And there you have it! My 3-step approach to beginning a business from scratch and getting the clarity you need to create a profitable foundation to move forward with.
Figure out what makes YOU unique
Figure out what makes YOUR AUDIENCE unique
And then figure out what makes your BUSINESS unique.
And once you’ve got that all figured out, standing out in a crowded marketplace is going to be easy.
See you next time-- same time, same place here on the Simplify Your Sales podcast!