Is a Course Right for Your Brand?

Growth is part of every business but can come in different shapes and sizes.

Depending on the season your business is in, you might be looking for fresh ways to grow your brand, boost revenue, or connect with a wider audience. One effective strategy some brands use is creating an online course. But with a packed to-do list, you might wonder, “Is a course right for my brand?” 🤔

Let’s explore whether launching an online course could be a good option for you! 💡

Why Create an Online Course?

First, why should you even consider creating an online course? Here are some great reasons why a course could benefit your brand:

• Share Your Expertise: You’ve got knowledge that others want! Packaging it into a course lets you share your wisdom with a wider audience.

• Diversify Your Income: Courses can create a new revenue stream. Whether it’s a one-time purchase or a subscription model, it can bring in consistent cash flow.

• Boost Your Brand's Authority: Offering a course positions you as an expert in your field, building trust and credibility with your audience.

• Scale: Once created, your course can be sold repeatedly with minimal effort—unlike one-on-one services or physical products.

But how do you know if a course is right for your brand specifically? Let’s break it down!

1. Do You Have Valuable Knowledge to Share?

To create a successful course, you need to have expertise in an area that people are willing to pay to learn about. Ask yourself:

• What skills or knowledge do I have that could solve a problem or fulfil a desire for my audience? 

• Do customers frequently ask me for advice on specific topics? 

If there is a demand for your expertise, then you might already have the foundation for a great course! For example, if you’re a social media strategist, you could create a course on building a loyal Instagram following.

2. Is Your Audience Ready for a Course?

So, your audience wants to learn more from you, but do they want to do that through a course? Think about your current followers or customers and ask yourself:

• Do they actively seek out knowledge or skills that I can provide? 

• Are they willing to pay for educational content? 

You can easily gauge interest by running a poll, or survey, or simply asking questions on social media. If you get a positive response, it’s a good sign your audience is ready for what you have to offer! 📱

3. Do You Have the Time and Resources to Create a Course?

Building an online course isn’t for the faint-hearted! It can be a lengthy and pricey process because it involves:

• Planning and outlining content

• Recording video or audio content

• Creating the core learning content and other materials like workbooks or templates

• Marketing and launching the course

In between all of that you also need to review, review, review! If you’re already juggling a million tasks, you might not have the bandwidth to create a course right now. But if you can carve out the time—or outsource parts of the process—it can be worth the effort in the long run! 🏆

4. Does a Course Align with Your Long-Term Goals?

Think about where you want your brand to go. If growing your authority, expanding your audience, and generating passive income are part of your long-term vision, an online course can help you:

• Reach a global audience — Online courses have no geographical limits!

• Create evergreen content — Once it’s made, your course can be sold for years. (With some updates here and there!)

• Free up your time — After the initial setup, you can focus on other parts of your business while your course runs in the background.

If you’re looking to scale, a course could be the ticket! But, if your business is based on providing highly personalized services, it probably won’t be the best fit.

Final Thoughts: Is a Course Right for You?

Creating an online course can be a game-changer for a brand, but it’s not for everyone. If a course isn’t for you, explore other ways for your business to grow organically. If you’ve got valuable knowledge, an engaged audience, and the time to commit to the project, a course could be the perfect next step!

Ready to teach the world what you know? If so, look out for the next two instalments in my course development series:

• Course Building Made Simple

• Design and Develop Your Brand’s Signature Course