If you have read any of our other blogs, you will know that we have been around since 1979. That’s 43 years. We are not a newcomer to the world of online and distance learning. If fact, we have only ever sold distance learning courses, so we specialised from the start.
In those 43 years, we have learned a great deal from selling courses.
Here are just ten things we have learned from selling online and distance learning courses
1. Is the course useful and meaningful?
The courses we sell should be meaningful and useful. When people buy a course, they generally buy it for a reason. To gain a qualification, to gain knowledge, for interest, for a hobby, to improve a skill. They want a particular result. So you can develop a fantastic course, that looks wonderful, but if it doesn’t give the student a benefit or meaning inn some way, it is unlikely to sell well.
2. Does anyone want the course?
Again, we want students to want to study the course. If no one is likely to want to study it, then it is a bit pointless to develop it. That doesn’t mean we should not develop niche or special interest courses. At ACS, our Lavender Growing Course and other niche courses have sold well, because they are specialist and unique courses. So it is about finding niche and general courses that people want to study.
3. Do I need a big launch?
Not really. If you are launching the occasional cause, then may be a big launch is necessary, but if you are offering courses that students can study at any time, as we do, then a big launch isn’t really necessary. They are there and ready for the student to study when they want to.
4. Developing relationships with Students
Marketing your products is important. You can spend a lot of time preparing adverts, social media posts etc. But it is not just marketing that is important. Developing relationships is also important. We have many students who enrol with us over and over again, because they like our courses and think that they are good value.
5. Developing Relationships With Potential Students
It is not just about developing relationships with existing students though. It is also about developing relationships with potential students. Many students contact us to ask questions.
- We aim to answer promptly and clearly.
- Showing respect to your students and potential students is important.
- Taking the time to answer their queries and answer them well is also important.
6. Be honest
Be honest when answering student and potential student queries. If you don’t think a course is right for them, tell them! It is better than they do not enrol than enrol and have a bad experience with you.
7. Support students with technology
Technology is changing rapidly throughout the world and in education. Some students may worry about understanding the technology required or worry they won’t be able to do the course.
- Advise them
- Support them
- But also make sure that the technology is not so complicated it is hard for people to understand
As people use the technology and become more confident with it, they are developing another skill.
8. Learn how to communicate with people
Potential students can enquire about courses in a number of different ways – phone calls, chat, email, contact us pages, social media etc etc etc. It is important to communicate well with students and potential students.
- Answer promptly
- Answer clearly
But above all –
- Be friendly
- Be enthusiastic
- Be informative
Students are not just purchasing a course, they are also purchasing support from staff and tutors, and knowledge. So good communication is essential.
9. Be prepared for rejection
Not everything goes right all of the time. Students don’t always like courses. People don’t always enrol. People sometimes don’t want to talk to you anymore. Be prepared for that rejection.
- Be polite
- Say thank you for their feedback and comments
- Listen to their feedback and comments and act on them if necessary
People may not enrol for a range of reasons. For example –
- You don’t do the right course
- They can’t afford your course
- They found one they prefer with a competitor
- Or they simply aren’t ready to study at that time
If you are respectful at the time, they might come back in the future and study with you. So never close a door with negative behaviour. Be positive and welcome them to come back in the future.
Another aspect of rejection is actually that it teaches us lessons. We learn from rejection – why students didn’t enrol, why we did wrong (if anything), so learn the lessons and improve next time.
10. Listen!
Don’t just talk. Make sure you listen to. If we talk and talk, people might enrol on our courses. But if we also listen, we can find out more about them –
- Their goals
- Their needs
- Why they want to study
- Any barriers to study
- What they hope to achieve
And so on. By listening, we may be able to advise them differently on what course may be more suitable to them, so pay attention to what people say. Don’t just keep talking. A good sales person will pay attention to what the customer says and wants.
We have sold courses for 43 years as we said earlier.
We have been successful in selling courses by paying attention to what our students and potential students want.
The most important thing about selling is to pay attention, to truly listen and to react to that information to make sure students enrol on a course that is right for them.
If you are interested in selling courses, we offer over 700 online courses and 150+ eBooks. Find out more about selling our courses and eBooks here.