The Value of Online Courses over Books: Why Someone Would Buy Your Course (even if the book is cheaper)
Ever wonder why people would choose your online course over a cheaper book covering similar content? The answer lies in the unique transformation your course offers.
Yesterday, Angela and I were giving feedback on one of our Impact Incubator participant’s new lead magnet.
It was a beautifully designed, multi-page PDF with a self-assessment for stress management followed by a CTA to join their paid program.
Angela suggested that they also include a page after the self-assessment with some foundational tips for managing stress before going right to the pitch to give the reader a quick win and establish their authority on the subject.
Our client said, “I had a page in there that did that, but a coach I worked with a while ago said I was giving away too much– it was cannibalizing my course.”
In other words– why pay for the cow when you can get the milk for free?
CRINGEY saying, but definitely something to ponder when it comes to creating courses online.
Why would someone buy my more expensive offer when they can get the same information in a less expensive offer?
We have another client in the Incubator– Tami, who wrote a book last year. Her signature coaching program is essentially the exact same information that is found in her book.
Someone can spend $20 and buy her book or $3600 and go through her program over several months with her.
So again, WHY would someone invest in a course if they could get the same information in a book for $20 or even in a lead magnet for free?
Because when people invest in courses, they aren’t buying the INFORMATION.
They are buying the TRANSFORMATION.
Let’s look at the fitness industry.
EVERYONE knows that if you want to get healthy, you need to eat right and exercise.
You can get that information for free everywhere.
Then why are personal trainers in such high demand?
MOST people won’t implement without accountability. No matter the information. No matter how unique or good or important your work is.
People can read your book, or download your lead magnet and it can have the EXACT SAME INFORMATION in it as what you present inside your courses and programs and people will still invest in the higher ticket offer.
Again- it’s because they aren’t buying information.
They are buying YOUR perspective because they like your teaching style or they find something in common with you– you’ve walked in their shoes and you’re the perfect person to help them through to the next phase of their journey.
They are buying your holding them accountable to what they say they want.
They are buying your process.
They are buying the opportunity for interpersonal interaction either with you as the facilitator and/or a group of others going through the same process.
They are buying the act of you taking a big concept and breaking it down into manageable, implementable chunks over time.
They are buying an experience.
Think about it– not even the best teachers can ever compete with Google.
Meaning, Google will always have more information, probably better information, than you can ever have.
That’s why your curriculum cannot just be informational. It must be designed to be transformational.
And that’s exactly where we start with all of our clients who are teaching on the most wide variety of topics– sports, photography, organizing, the college application process, mental health, cancer support, money mindset, equal division of labor in the home, HR processes for construction companies, and on and on.
All of these brilliant industry minds start with INTENTIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN.
So that they can be sure their clients actually put into practice what they came to learn.
When you’re ready to take your processes and your IP and turn it into a group learning experience–in person or online– here are two ways you can work with us:
1. Join us inside the Impact Incubator– our year long mentorship program that provides you with the guidance necessary to take you through every stage of your offer creation and can meet you at whatever stage of the process you’re in– curriculum development, digital course creation, marketing, launching, enrolling/selling, facilitating, and revision. Click here to book a call with us to see if it’s a fit.
2. We take on a VERY small number of private clients each year– clients who are ready to build out their own certification programs. Is this you? Book a call to see if we might be a fit to start in mid Q2.
3. Already have a program or course that’s humming along, but you know it can be better? We offer 30- day Program Audit and Strategy Sprints. We comb through your curriculum and marketing and help you improve client outcomes, increase retention, enroll more clients, and help you fall in love with your offers again. Book a call with us to see if this is the right solution.