One of the challenges of owning a startup is having limited resources to promote your brand. An entrepreneur may not have enough budget for an aggressive advertising and marketing campaign. Another limitation could be that the business owner has limited manpower to execute more complex marketing strategies. With these challenges being faced by a startup business owner, how can their business thrive in a highly competitive environment?
One great way an entrepreneur can promote their business is by teaching through an online course. Many small business owners possess the knowledge and experience which they can share through online courses. This is actually a great way to build brand credibility, widen market reach, and earn additional revenue. You don’t have to be a technical person to be able to sell online courses, so don’t get intimidated by the idea of sharing your expertise via an e-learning platform. If you have a startup business and is a little hesitant to try teaching through an e-learning platform, here are three reasons that will convince you.
Trusted Brand and Credibility
Everyone wants to buy from a trusted brand. And what better way for entrepreneurs to build trust and credibility than to offer online courses that show just how well you know your industry. From your target market’s standpoint, your product or service becomes more and more appealing to them because it comes from a company whose owner seems to be an expert in the industry. Your offer ceases to become an inanimate object as it becomes more familiar to them because they know you.
Reach Your Audience
Beyond your local marketing efforts, having an online course gives you the opportunity to reach out to a wider market on the web, where the possibilities are virtually limitless. People who are looking to know more about the industry or anything related to your product will find their way to you and, whether they sign up for your course or not, they will be able to learn about your brand. Another opportunity would be from people who will be sharing your course to their friends and family. Thanks to social media, it is now so much easier to spread the word.
Incorporating Sales
There is no harm in incorporating sales into your online course. You can add a page where you can introduce your product or service and simply add a “Buy Now” button, or you can have a link to your website or Facebook page on the “About the Instructor” page where they can buy online or learn where your physical business location is. You will be amazed at how you can increase your sales revenue by adding a button or link to your online course!
Developing an e-learning platform is not confined to teaching professionals. If you have the expertise, consider sharing this with your online community and see how much people you can help with your knowledge. You get to earn additional revenue by doing so and you also get to promote your business.
Michelle Gonzalez has been writing for SMEs across the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK for the last five years. She is a highly-experienced blogger and SEO copywriter, writing business blogs for various industries such as marketing, law, health and wellness, beauty, and education, particularly on e-learning platforms such as www.teachable.com.