online courses business plan

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8 steps to building an online course business (+ business plan template), share this article.

There has never been a better time to build a business selling online courses . By 2027, the global e-learning market is estimated to reach an enormous $521.8 billion ( Research and Markets ), signalling an enormous potential.  Millions of people are purchasing online courses, inside and outside of the traditional education system, in order to upgrade their knowledge and skills.

Skip ahead:

Step 1: Decide what to teach

Step 2: create a business plan for your online training business, step 3: validate market demand, step 4: create a compelling and unique brand, step 5: build your audience, step 6: create an online course, step 7: focus on customer success, step 8: scale your business.

It comes as no surprise that in response to this demand, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts from all over the world have started creating and selling online courses to share their knowledge with others.

At Thinkific, we’ve felt the effects of this demand first hand as thousands of individuals and organizations have started using our platform to create online courses .

Creating an online course is just one part of building an online course business. Building a business is the other part.

But let’s be real here. If you ask ANY type of business owner if it was easy for them to build their business, they will tell you that it wasn’t.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is an online course business

At the beginning of 2017, I watched a close friend of mine open his own barbershop. It took him 3 months of renovations and tens of thousands of dollars just to get his barbershop ready for him to welcome his first customer through the front door. (I was his second customer, by the way. Someone else beat me to the grand opening by about 5 minutes!)

For my friend, those 3 months of preparation work was just the beginning. During the next 6 months after his grand opening, he worked 7 days per week to build up his clientele and recoup his startup costs before he started hiring more barbers. Why did he do this? Because that’s what it took to start his own barbershop. 

What does this have to do with building an online course business?

The point of this story is that it takes a lot of work upfront to build a business . It doesn’t happen overnight and building an online course business is no exception. There is a lot of work you will have to do, both before and after you create your course, in order to be successful.

Unfortunately, most course creators give up on their business before putting in the work required to ensure they will be successful. They stop digging for gold before they experience the big payoff that makes all the hard work worth it.

Even though it takes a lot of work to build a successful online course business, there are plenty of other people that have done it before (check out our customer stories to see some examples). 

With that in mind, we reached out to more than 40 successful entrepreneurs and online course creators. These people have literally built their careers by sharing their knowledge with others, many of them selling millions of dollars worth of training programs and online courses throughout their careers.

After reviewing all of the valuable insights these online course creation experts and entrepreneurs shared with us, we managed to distill the process of building a successful online course business into 8 specific steps (well, more like phases, since each one of these phases has several steps involved).

In this guide to building an online course business, we’ll be sharing these 8 steps with you.

8 Steps to Building a Successful Online Course Business

Before we jump into Step 1, there is something very important that you need to understand:

By itself, an online course is NOT a business

Without an online course to sell, you can’t exactly build an online course business. But creating your online course is just one part of building your business . Your online course is your product. It’s not your entire business.

As you can see from the graphic below, a typical online course business has many other parts as well:

This may surprise you, but creating an online course isn’t even the first step in the process of building an online course business. Out of the 8 steps we’re about to go through, creating a course is Step #6.

You’re welcome to skip steps 1-5 if you want to, but I would advise against it and here’s why:

If you jump straight to creating a course without strategically choosing a topic to teach (Step 1), creating a business model (Step 2), and validating demand for that topic (Step 3), you could end up creating a course that no one wants to sign up for.

Secondly, if you don’t build your brand (Step 4) and audience (Step 5) before you launch your course, you won’t have a way to stand out among your competition or have an audience to promote your course to.

Even if you have the “perfect” course created today, without a compelling brand and an audience to promote it to, it will be very difficult to generate sales. No sales = no business.

So to save yourself many hours of effort and (potentially) thousands of dollars in course creation and marketing costs, don’t skip these steps.

Okay, let’s dive in…

The first step in building an online course business is deciding what you will teach. What topic do you want to become known for? What topic are you expert enough to teach to others?

To be an expert at something, you just have to know more about your topic than the person you are teaching. That’s it. To that person, you’re an expert. Don’t overthink this.

Choose your course topic

Between the combination of your life experience and your professional experience, there are likely several topics that you know enough about to create a course on.

To help narrow down a specific course topic , we recommend completing the following exercise:

On a piece of paper, draw 2 vertical lines to create 3 columns. Label the first column Passions & Interests . Label the second column Skills . Label the third column Experience & Achievements .

Next, start adding as many things as you can think of to each column (aim for at least 20 per column).

Once you’ve done this, identify the top 2-3 topics where your passions/interests, your skills, and your experience/achievements intersect.

For example, if you like science fiction ( passion/interest ), you’re a great writer ( skill ), and you’ve written several science fiction novels ( experience/achievement ), then “how to write a science fiction novel” is a viable topic to consider teaching to others.

“You’ve been given a talent, you’ve been given a gift, you’ve been given experiences in your life that are here to serve others.” – Alexi Panos

Identify a specific target audience

Once you’ve identified a specific topic to teach, the next step is to identify a specific target audience (aka a target market) that is interested in that topic.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your topic (and therefore your course) will appeal to everyone. If you try to create a course that appeals to everyone, it will likely appeal to no one. I know it’s counter-intuitive, but trust me on this.

To give you an example, one of our customers ( Lizzie Lasater ) is a yoga practitioner and instructor. When she decided to create online courses , naturally, she decided to start teaching yoga online  

Instead of creating courses to teach people how to practice yoga (a very broad and highly competitive topic) she decided to narrow her target audience to other yoga instructors (more specific). With other yoga instructors as her target audience, she created courses that are specifically about how to become a better yoga teacher.

Once you have decided on what to teach and have sufficient clarity about your course topic, it is time to get your business plan ready. 

A business plan or business model is a formal blueprint describing how you will structure, manage and market your online course business. It is important to create one as it helps to ensure that your online course business will remain competitive and financially successful in the long term. 

You can choose one of the many software tools to create a standard business plan or use a regular spreadsheet or word processing software.

Now, as every business is different, their business models can vary drastically. However, certain aspects remain common to most companies. 

Here, we have laid out what you must include in your business plan:

Describe your business

A business description is needed to clearly state the purpose of your business, your target audience, and how you plan to deliver your products and services. 

When drafting it, you must be as objective and concise as possible regarding the nature of your online course and how it intends to help the target audience. 

Make sure to highlight if you will deliver your courses only online or offline. It also helps to state if your courses will be instructor-led or delivered through other e-learning methods. 

Identify your marketing strategy

Once you describe the nature of your business, the next step is to put together a marketing and sales strategy. 

Describe the strategies you will use to market your online course and how you plan to implement your email marketing, social media marketing, and other organic methods. 

In addition, you need to plan to allocate a budget for your paid advertisements and online marketing if you decide to opt for pay-per-click ad programs. 

Hiring and team management

While many online course creators choose to run their own shows, many opt to hire virtual assistants or full-time employees for help. Others choose to delegate tasks to freelancers or third-party vendors. 

Make sure to describe how you plan to delegate the tasks you cannot do. It is always a good idea to outsource tasks that do not require your intervention to save time for those that require your expertise.

Business operations

This section of the b-plan states how your day-to-day business activities will be structured and managed. 

You can include your course content, operational hours, telecom and IT-related necessities, insurance, etc. The more concise your operations section, the better ground it makes for you to validate your plan later. 

Every business requires money to run, and online businesses are no exception. In addition to the marketing and advertising expenses mentioned above, you will also need to factor in infrastructure, technology, hiring, etc. Remember to also describe what you plan to sell and how you plan to monetize your business. 

With this, make sure to have a detailed budget plan and allocate your resources to different expenses fairly. However, be careful to ensure that your budget is within what you can commit to and it does not make you feel overstretched. 

Please note that in addition to your online business course, you may also add other income streams such as selling ebooks, offering paid talks, etc. 

Two financial calculations you should consider initially are:

Gross Profit Margin: This is the number of courses you sell minus the cost of running your online course. It can be represented as a percentage. 

Gross Profit Margin = (Net course sale revenues – cost of running your online course) / net course sales x 100

Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Ratio : This figure tells you the percentage of your online course sales revenue used to cover your operational expenses. 

SGA = [Selling + General + Operational (Administrative) expenses] / Net online course sales revenue

While we have described the essential aspects of a business plan, it also helps to follow the structure of a formal Business Model Canvas .  This concept was popularized by Alexander Osterwalder in 2005 and consisted of nine building blocks. These include key partners, activities, resources, cost structure, revenue streams, value propositions, customer relationships, channels, and customer segments.

Once you’ve identified a specific topic to teach and have your basic business plan blueprint in place, the next step is to validate the demand for that topic.

As a course creator it sucks to spend several weeks, maybe even months (or years?!), creating an online course about a topic that you find out there is no demand for.

It’s a lot more efficient to validate demand for your course upfront before you invest time, effort and money creating a course.

Here are 2 ways you can validate the demand for your course topic:

Research your competition

See if you can find other people or companies that are selling courses and other forms of training about your topic (or a similar one), or who serve your target audience.

• Bestselling books on Amazon
• Other online courses
• Popular blogs and forums
• Top podcasts on iTunes
• In-person seminars, conferences, workshops
• Online events (virtual summits, webinars )
• Networking groups on Meetup
• Coaches and consultants

If you can’t find anyone that is profitably teaching your topic to others, that is a red flag that there isn’t enough market demand for that topic to justify creating an online course (or building a business). Competition is usually a proof of market demand.

What if there is no competition?!

On the rare occasion that you can’t find any competing products or services about your topic, that could mean one of two things:

• There is demand, but no one is serving that market yet (rare), or
• There is no demand, and you should pick a different topic

Either way, there are still two more steps you should take before you pull the trigger and decide to create (or not create) your course.

A great way to gauge demand for your topic is to use Google’s Keyword Planner to see how many people are searching for your topic per month. The higher the search volume, the higher the demand.

“Do not be afraid of competition. Their very existence validates that there is demand for the problem you’re trying to solve or for a solution to it.” – Greg Smith, CEO of Thinkific

Ask your target audience what they want to learn

If you have access to your target audience, whether online or offline, the best way to find out what they want to learn (and would be willing to pay to learn) is to ask them directly!

Here are a few ways you can ask your audience what they want to learn:

• Ask your list of email subscribers
• Ask your fans/followers on social media
• Ask your past and/or existing clients

With each of these options, you can send people a link to a survey, ask them open-ended questions directly, or ask them to have a quick call with you.

Another way is direct outreach (aka cold calling) to your target audience by phone, email or social media. Do this in a polite, non-spammy way of course.

See how many people are searching for your course idea on google

Engaging in keyword research is a great way to identify a course topic that can possibly sell like hotcakes, without directly asking your audience., keyword research essentially helps you to understand what people are looking for online by keying in terms on google or other search engines. , to conduct keyword research on topics that may interest your audience, you can use specialised tools such as semrush or ahrefs . , irrespective of the tool you choose to use, here is the basic framework to engage in keyword research:, identify your seed term, which would be an umbrella term for your course topic. , type in “course” + your seed term., get specific and find a niche area that has not been covered by other course creators but has a high search volume. check out this tool to identify search volume, continue to search and eliminate topics that are not feasible or interesting. , for example, if you wish to start an online course on gardening, type “gardening course” in the keyword search tool. you will see multiple results with different search volumes. these results will help you get more specific. for example, you may find that “gardening courses in semi-arid regions” is a possible course topic with a decent search volume. , alternatively, you can also use our search volume too l to discover popular course topic ideas. .

Remember: If you can’t find anyone that wants to learn the topic that you’re thinking of teaching, you should probably move on to another topic.

If you can’t find buyers before you create your course, you probably won’t find any after either!

The ideal scenario is you choose a topic that there is obviously a demand for (proven by competing products and services about that topic), but nothing that is for your specific target audience.

Facebook marketing , for example, is a broad topic with strong market demand (proven by all of the blogs, books, courses, consultants, seminars, etc. about this topic).

Now, assuming we want to create a course about Facebook marketing, let’s see what topics we come up with as we hone in on a specific target audience:

• Topic 1: Facebook marketing 101 (very broad)
• Topic 2: Facebook marketing for business owners (more specific, still pretty broad)
• Topic 3: Facebook marketing for local businesses (not bad)
• Topic 4: Facebook marketing for real estate agents (very specific)
• Topic 5: Facebook marketing strategies to get more listings (ding ding ding, we have a winner!)

If you are a real estate agent and you want to learn how to use Facebook to get more listings, which course topic is going to appeal to you the most? Which topic would you pay the most money for? Probably #5, because it is the most specific. It is exactly what you want to learn.

“The easiest way to know what to do is listen to what people are asking for and then give that to them.” – JJ Virgin , Celebrity Nutritionist & Fitness Expert

Once you’ve decided on a specific topic to teach, it’s time to start building your brand.

Don’t jump straight to getting your logo, website, and business cards designed. Those things do play a role in representing your brand, but they are not the starting point.

The starting point to creating a compelling and unique brand is making a conscious decision about how you want to be positioned in your industry. Branding is about positioning .

Your brand should position you as the go-to expert on your topic. Unless you’re positioned as an expert and a trusted authority on your topic, it will be hard to convince someone to buy a course (or any product or service) from you.

Even though we’re told not to, we do judge a book by its cover. Think of your brand as the “book cover” for your business.

Be strategic with your positioning

The biggest mistake that people (and organizations) make with their branding is trying to appeal to everyone. Don’t do that. Be strategic with your positioning.

Build a brand that appeals to your specific target audience. Don’t try to appeal to everyone, because everyone is not your ideal customer/client.

Here are some questions to consider as you create your brand:

How do you want to be positioned and perceived in your marketplace? What do you want people to think of when they think of you? Who do you want to attract? Who do you NOT want to attract? What do you stand for? What do you stand against? Why do you do what you do?

When your target audience is searching for information about your topic, you want them to find you and immediately feel like they’ve come to the right place. They should feel like they’ve found the exact person (or company) that can help them overcome a specific problem or achieve a specific outcome.

“A great brand starts with understanding who you are, what you stand for, understanding your marketplace and understanding your positioning.” – Re Perez, CEO of Branding For The People

Identify your Unique Value Proposition

An exercise that we recommend all course creators complete is creating a Unique Value Proposition (UVP). Your UVP is what will help you differentiate yourself from your competition.

To create your UVP, answer these questions:

• Who do you help?
• What do you help them do?
• Why is that beneficial for them?

Once you have the answers to these questions, tie them together in a single sentence.

To give you an example, one of our customers Ellie Diop aka Ellie Talks Money , is a business coach with a proven track record that helps you scale your business and have financial success. Pretty good UVP right?

Here is a screenshot of her website’s homepage:

As you can see, anyone who visits her website will be able to instantly figure out who she is, what she does, and who her target audience is. She has a clear and compelling personal brand . If you’re someone who wants to improve your business and reach financial success, it’s obvious you’ve come to the right place. 

Good branding makes your target audience feel like they’ve come to the right place.

Once you’ve decided how you want to be positioned in your market, it’s time to start building your audience.

Your audience is the sum total of all the people that you have the ability to communicate with through various distribution channels (your blog, social media, email list , personal network, etc.).

Why is it important to build an audience?

Without an audience that knows, likes, and trusts you, it will be very difficult to sell your course for the simple reason that you don’t have anyone to sell it to!

So the sooner you start building your audience, the better.

“Online courses are the wave of the future. They can help expand my content and message into places and countries that I have yet to physically visit. Online courses have boosted my income and helped me share my message with a much larger audience.” – Andrea Beaman , Health Educator & Author

Related: How to Create Epic Content Your Customers Will Love

How to define your target audience

It helps if you follow a systematic framework to define your target audience . Some useful steps to that end include: 

• Ask your current customers
• Get details on demographics like age, gender, location, etc.
•  Understand their needs and pain points
• Analyze the solution they’re hoping for
• Create a customer avatar

Download our detailed step-by-step guide for audience research

Size is important (but not the most important)

The size of your audience is important, but not as important as you might think. The obvious benefit of having a large audience is the ability to reach more people. If you have 10,000 fans on Facebook, for example, your posts will probably be seen by more people than if you had 1,000 fans (all else being equal).

But the size of your audience is not as important as the relationship you build with your audience.

It’s more valuable to have 100 people on your email list that open and read every email you send them than it is to have 1,000 followers on Twitter who rarely see your Tweets or engage with you in any way.

When it comes to building an audience, loyalty and engagement are the most important.

Here are some of the most common ways that online course creators are building their audience:

• Social media

Set up profiles and/or pages on the social network networks that your target audience spends time on. You don’t need a presence on every social media network. Choose the top 2-3 that make the most sense for you and focus your efforts there. Share your content, join relevant groups, start your own Facebook group , and engage in conversations. The goal here is to build real relationships with other people that are interested in your course topic.

Read More: Social Media Marketing Guide: Uncracking the Code for Course Creators

• Content marketing

Publish free content about your course topic as often as you can. Free content helps you build trust and authority in your industry. Common types of content that you can create are articles, videos, podcast episodes, images, and infographics. All of these help to increase traffic to your website and exposure for your business.

The more content you publish on your website and other platforms (like YouTube ), the more likely your target audience will find you as they are searching for information about your topic.

• How To Generate Leads With Content Marketing (6 Simple Steps)
• The Complete Content Marketing Guide: Organic Growth Toolkit
• Publicity & PR

One of the quickest ways to build your audience is to get in front of existing audiences. Writing articles for popular publications in your industry, getting interviewed on podcasts , and getting featured in traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, print magazines, etc.) are all great ways to increase your exposure and build authority in your industry.

• Networking & joint ventures

Build relationships with other experts and influencers in your industry. It doesn’t happen overnight, but building mutually beneficial relationships with others can lead to a number of opportunities including guest blogging, interviews, joint ventures , partnerships, and customer referrals.

• Public speaking

Reach out to event hosts and organizers of conferences and seminars that your target audience attends. Offer to give a presentation on your topic. Some events will even let you sell your course directly to their audience, in exchange for a percentage of your sales. A major advantage of public speaking is you have the undivided attention of everyone in the room during your presentation, and that can be very hard to get online.

• Email marketing

When it comes to marketing your online course (or any product or service online for that matter), email marketing is hands down the most effective way to generate sales. An email list of people that have expressed interest in your course topic and have given you permission to communicate with them will likely be your most valuable asset as an online course creator.

Start building your email list as soon as possible. Stay in touch with your subscribers by sending them helpful emails and links to your content on a regular basis. This is a great way to earn their trust before you ask them to buy from you.

• Paid advertising

Even with a modest budget, paid advertising can be a great way to grow your audience. By utilizing advertising platforms such as Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can target people based on specific criteria including demographics, interests, search terms, job titles, and more. In fact, many of Thinkific’s most successful customers have been using Facebook ads to grow their audience and generate consistent leads and sales for their online courses.

“Consistency is what did it for us. Doing something every week, at least once a week, helped us get better really, really fast because we were putting in the time and putting in the practice.”

– Jordan Harbinger , Author & Podcast Host

Creating an online course is definitely one of the more exciting steps in this entire process, but it can also be the most time consuming one if you’re not careful.

Most people spend several weeks (or months, depending on the course) creating their online course. Other, more experienced course creators have perfected this process and can create an entire online course in one weekend .

But regardless of how long it takes you to create your course, the process that you go through will most likely look a lot like this:

• Choose your course title and subtitle. 
• Ensure that your topic has high demand in the market
• Ensure that the learning outcomes are stellar
• Gather material for your online course content
• Create a lesson plan (aka course outline) and choose your lesson types (audio, video, text, etc.)
• Identify the best ways to deliver each of your course modules
• Film, record, and edit your online course
• Set up your online course, including a website
• Choose a price for your course
• Create a sales page and focus on marketing your course

Instead of going through each of these steps in more detail right here in this article (which would make it way longer than it already is!), I’m going to share a few of the most important lessons we’ve learned about course creation from the experts we interviewed.

Want to create an online course business, but unsure of where to start? Use Thinkific for free and get free training !

Or sign up for our free mini series that will teach you how to profitably create and sell an online course in just a week.

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Create a “Minimum Viable Course”

A concept that has been popularized by American writer and entrepreneur Eric Ries in his book Lean Startup is the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) .

An MVP is a development technique used by organizations (especially startups) in which a new product is developed with sufficient features to satisfy early adopters. The final, complete set of features is only designed and developed after considering feedback from the product’s initial users.

Applying this concept to creating online courses, that means that you should not try to create the perfect course the first time. Instead, create a Minimum Viable Course (MVC).

Here’s why…

The problem with trying to create the “perfect” course before you show it or sell it to anyone is that “perfect” is a very subjective term. What you think is perfect is probably not the same as what your customers/students think is perfect. Even if it is, your course does not have to be perfect in order to be valuable .

Perfectionism has stopped more people from creating and launching their online courses than anything else. Don’t let this happen to you. If your course (imperfect as it may be) is good enough to help someone, then it is good enough to publish. Done is better than perfect.

Create your MVC as quickly as possible so you can publish it and get real feedback from real students. Based on their feedback and other important data (such as course completion and engagement rates ) you can remove training, add training, and make revisions to your course to make it better.

“Don’t be a perfectionist because the world can’t wait for perfect. Get it done, get it out and get it sold. It’s not a book so you can always revisit it periodically but your number one priority is creating a transformation in your clients, so keep your focus there.” – Shazzie Love , Business Strategist

Course length ≠ course value

Read More: How to decide on the ideal course length ?

Another big mistake to avoid is trying to teach everything that you know about your topic in a single course. Doing this will most likely result in a super long course that your students won’t complete and that takes a ridiculous amount of time to create in the first place. Wrong approach!!

Your online course is the shortcut

The purpose of your course is to teach your student how to get from Point A to Point B as quickly and as efficiently as possible. It’s the shortcut.

Your online course is the shortcut. Help your students get from A to B as quickly as possible.

You absolutely should not overwhelm your students by brain-dumping everything that you know about your topic into your course. Your course should be as short as possible without sacrificing the key concepts in your training.

Don’t create 8 hours of training if you can teach your students what they need to know with 3 hours of training. As long as they learn what you promised to teach them, they won’t complain that your course was “too short”. Instead, they’ll probably thank you for not wasting their time with fluff or filler content.

Launch to a small test group first

Another important lesson we learned from the experts we interviewed is not to launch the first version of your course (your MVC!) to your entire audience.

Instead, you should promote your course to a small segment of your audience at a lower price than what you eventually want to charge for your course. If you do promote your course to your entire audience, consider imposing a limit on the number of students that can enroll in it. Once you hit your goal, you temporarily close enrollment for your course.

This strategy is often called a beta launch (similar to pre-selling ). The goal of this type of launch is to get your course into the hands of a small number of students who will “test” your course. In exchange for accessing your course at a reduced price, you ask your students to provide you with feedback to help you improve the course and testimonials to use in your future marketing.

Based on the feedback from your students, you can make changes to improve your course. When you have a revised version of your course that is better than the first and positive student testimonials to use in your marketing, you re-open enrollment for your course and sell it a higher price.

If you’re ready to start marketing your course, check out these 55 online course marketing ideas here .

Okay, let’s pretend that you’ve already completed Steps 1 to 5.

• You’ve decided what topic you’re going to teach. It’s not too broad, and it appeals to a specific target audience.
• You’ve validated market demand for your topic. Thousands of people around the world are interested in it, and they’re already spending money to learn it.
• You’ve crafted a compelling brand. You are known in your industry as an expert on your topic. When your target audience finds you, they trust that you can help them.
• You’ve built an audience. You have followers on social media. You have people on your email list. You have relationships with other experts in your industry. You’ve been featured in other publications, podcasts, and media outlets.
• You’ve created an online course. And after promoting your course to your audience, you are proud to say that you have customers. Your business is generating revenue.

Even though it is a HUGE accomplishment to get this far (and yes, you deserve to celebrate at this point!), there is still work to be done.

Acquiring customers is just the beginning. Now your job is to deliver on the promise you made to your customers.

Think of any local business you are a customer of. A restaurant. A nail salon. A coffee shop. A convenience store.

These businesses don’t stay in business because they are constantly attracting new customers. They stay in business because their existing customers come back more than once, often bringing their friends and family with them. This same rule applies to your online course business.

“We’re not in this business just to get people to buy our stuff. We want them to see the change and the impact and create the success stories.” – Nick Unsworth, CEO of Life on Fire

It’s a lot cheaper to keep a customer than acquire a new one

If you are constantly investing in marketing and promotion to attract new customers, but you’re doing nothing to ensure the success of those customers, it will be very difficult (and expensive!) for you to build a profitable and sustainable business.

When a customer purchases your online course, this should not be the end of your relationship with them. This should be the beginning.

Your customers should be so thrilled with the training and overall experience that you provide to them that they purchase additional courses from you in the future, and they tell others about your courses too.

Related: The Top Customer Success Strategies Used By Successful Companies

Here are a few ways you can increase your student engagement and retention rates:

• Gamify the learning experience

Create incentives and offer rewards to your students for achieving specific milestones in your course.

Related: Gamification in Training: The Complete Guide to E-Learning Gamification [2022]

• Help your students be accountable

Pair them up with an accountability partner, offer 1-on-1 or group coaching calls with your students, or create a private group or discussion board for them to interact with each other.

• Appeal to different learning styles

Don’t create training that appeals to just one learning style. Utilize different media types to deliver your content (text, video, audio, worksheets, quizzes, etc.).

• Create small, bite-sized lessons

Shorter lessons are more likely to be completed by students than longer ones. If it takes you a while to teach a specific concept, try breaking up the concept into several shorter lessons.

• Bite Sized Learning: A New Strategy For Teaching (How It Works & Tips)
• What Is Microlearning? The Case For Shorter, Bite Sized Learning
• Send reminder emails to your students

If you notice that a student isn’t accessing or completing the training in your course, send them a polite reminder email to re-engage them. Show them that you care.

The final step in building a successful online course business is to scale your business by creating systems and/or hiring people to ensure that it continues to grow.

According to Greg Smith, CEO of Thinkific , you should only scale something that works.

The 76 steps that came before this one are your chance to do just that. To prove that your online course business works. Once you have a business that works, it’s time to shift from spending the majority of your time working in your business to working on it.

This is accomplished by creating systems and hiring people to handle the repetitive, day-to-day tasks involved in running your business. The goal is to free yourself up to focus the majority of your time on activities that move your business forward, such as:

• Building your audience
• Building your network
• Creating sales funnels to acquire new customers
• Creating additional courses and/or services to sell to your customers

Here are a few of the key lessons we learned about scaling an online course business from the expert we interviewed:

1. Automate repetitive tasks

Identify the tasks in your business that are highly repetitive and not the best use of your time as an entrepreneur. Document the process for those tasks and delegate them to someone else, or use technology/software to automate that task for you. Every repetitive task that you automate today buys you more time to focus on other activities tomorrow.

“The way you multiply time is by spending time on things today that give you more time tomorrow.” – Rory Vaden, Southwestern Consulting

2. Build a team as early as possible

To grow an online course business to 6 or even 7 figures in annual revenue and beyond, you’re going to need some help. Very few entrepreneurs are able to build successful and sustainable businesses without a team of people to help them make it happen. There is simply too much to learn and do, and not enough hours in the day for one person to do it all.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

Hiring a virtual assistant or a personal assistant is a great starting point. From there, consider hiring help for other areas of your business including content creation and editing, marketing and advertising, branding, accounting, etc. These do not have to be full-time employees. Many course creators have teams that consist of freelancers and independent contractors from around the world.

Related: How to Hire a Virtual Assistant (An Entrepreneur’s Guide To Outsourcing)

3. Tie your business to a greater purpose

Sharing your knowledge by creating online courses is a great way to empower others through education and move humanity forward. But creating online courses is certainly not the only way to make a positive impact in the world.

There are countless organizations that are doing incredible things to make the world a better place. By partnering with other organizations and tying your business to a greater purpose, you ensure that as your business grows, so does the impact you make in the world.

“Whether you’re in the non-profit structure or the for-profit structure, you have a tremendous opportunity to use business as a force for good.” – Adam Braun, Founder of Pencils of Promise

This article was originally published May 2018, and refreshed with new information in February, 2024. 

As the Content Marketing Manager at Thinkific (2016-2019), Tyler Basu helped to create, publish, and promote content to help thousands of entrepreneurs learn how to create and sell online courses . Today, he works directly with entrepreneurs to help them create content that attracts and converts their ideal clients.

• 10 Steps To Creating A Wildly Successful Online Course
• How to Price Your Online Course (Complete Guide to Course Pricing)
• The Ultimate Online Course Launch Checklist (Free Guide + Templates)
• Best Equipment & Software For Creating Online Courses
• The Best Online Course Platforms in 2024

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How to Start an Online Course Business: A Comprehensive Guide

Deciding What to Teach: Identifying Your Niche

How to create an online course for first-timers, crafting your business plan: your blueprint for success, pricing your course: striking the perfect balance, building your brand: distinguishing your online training business, launching your course: a step-by-step guide for first-time creators, growing your business: nurturing success beyond the launch, harnessing the power of online platforms for educational success, staying ahead of trends in e-learning, maximizing profits: cost-effective strategies for online courses, mastering the art of course sales: strategies for business owners, the potential earnings: unleashing the power of online courses, tax deductions: navigating the financial aspects of online courses, embarking on a rewarding journey: the final word on starting your online course business.

Welcome to the exciting world of digital learning! If you’ve ever dreamt of channeling your expertise into a thriving online course business, this comprehensive guide is your golden ticket. Tailored for aspiring course creators, we’ll navigate through the ins and outs of launching your own online education venture.

From pinpointing your perfect course topic to marketing your digital classroom, this guide promises to equip you with all the tools you need to transform your knowledge and passion into a successful and rewarding online business. Get ready to embark on a journey that could redefine your professional landscape and connect you with eager learners across the globe!

Embarking on your quest to sell online courses starts with a pivotal decision: what will you teach? This isn’t just about picking a subject; it’s about discovering your niche, the sweet spot where your expertise meets market need.

The right choice here can set the stage for your success in the competitive world of online education. In this section, we delve into the art of identifying that perfect niche, ensuring your course not only captivates but also sells.

Understanding Market Demand

Before anything else, you need to get a grasp on market demand. But how? Here’s a simple yet effective roadmap:

Keyword Research : Start with tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. Look for keywords related to potential course topics. High search volumes with low competition are golden tickets. It indicates a hungry audience with not enough supply.

Explore Online Platforms : Dive into platforms like Udemy, Coursera, or LinkedIn Learning. What courses are trending? What topics are getting rave reviews but have limited course options? This can be a goldmine for identifying gaps in the market.

Social Media and Forums : Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and specific Facebook groups can be insightful. Look for frequently asked questions or topics that stir up a lot of engagement.

Aligning Your Interests and Expertise

Now, let’s turn the lens inward. It’s time to align market demand with your own expertise and interests. Here’s how you can approach this:

Assess Your Skills : List down your skills and expertise. What are you good at? What do people often ask for your help with? Your strongest skills are potential course topics.

Passion Matters : Passion is contagious. If you’re excited about a topic, it’ll shine through in your course, engaging your students more effectively. Choose a topic you love talking about, something that doesn’t feel like work when you delve into it.

Market Viability of Your Interests : Sometimes, our passions might be too niche. In such cases, tweak your angle. How can you make your passion more appealing to a broader audience? For example, if you’re into vintage toy collecting, consider a course on “The Art of Collecting: Building a Profitable Vintage Toy Collection.”

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Validating Your Course Idea

Validation is key. You don’t want to invest time and resources into creating a course only to find out there’s no paying market for it. Here are a few strategies:

Surveys and Polls : Use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to create surveys. Share them in your network, social media groups, or relevant online communities. This direct feedback is invaluable.

Pilot Programs or Mini-Courses : Consider launching a mini-course or a workshop on your chosen topic. The response you get will be a strong indicator of interest in a more extensive course.

Competitor Analysis : Look at competitors who are offering similar courses. What are they doing right? Where are they lacking? This can help you position your course to fill those gaps.

Engage with Prospective Students : Use social media or blogging platforms to start discussions on topics related to your course. The engagement level can be a good indicator of interest.

Bringing It All Together

Combining market demand with your passion and expertise is an art. It’s about finding that sweet spot where your knowledge meets your audience’s needs. Remember, the most successful online course business is one that not only educates but also inspires and connects with the audience on a personal level.

So, take the leap! Your unique insights, combined with a keen understanding of market demands, can lead to an online course that not only sells but also makes a significant impact. The world of online learning is your oyster, and you’re just getting started!

Creating an online course can be an enriching experience and a lucrative business idea. If you’re considering stepping into the realm where knowledge meets digital innovation, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you create your first course.

1. Planning the Cost of Creating Your Course

Before diving into the course creation process, it’s crucial to plan your budget. Here’s what to consider:

Time Investment : The most significant investment in creating online courses is your time. Depending on the complexity and length of your course, it could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to develop quality content.

Editing Software : Quality content requires good editing. Factor in the cost of video editing, graphic design, and course authoring software. Prices vary, but there are both free and paid options available.

Additional Expenses : These might include costs for a professional microphone, camera, lighting equipment, and possibly hiring subject matter experts or voice-over artists.

2. Selecting the Best Learning Management System (LMS)

Choosing the right LMS is critical for your success in selling online courses. A few factors to consider are ease of use, customization options, integrations, and pricing. Some of the top current LMS platforms include:

• Moodle : Known for its flexibility and vast array of plugins.
• Blackboard : Popular in academic settings for its comprehensive features.
• Teachable : Ideal for beginners with its user-friendly interface.
• Thinkific : Offers great customization and marketing tools.
• Canvas : Known for its clean design and ease of use.

Why Teach.io is Ideal for First-Time Course Creators

Teach.io stands out as a great choice, especially for first-timers. Here’s why:

User-Friendly Interface : Its intuitive design makes it easy to create an online course without any technical background.

Supportive Community : Teach.io offers an amazing learning community for both creators and students, making it easier to share ideas, get feedback, and connect with paying customers.

Integrated Tools : It provides tools for content creation, marketing, and analytics, essential for online businesses.

3. Creating Your Course Content

When you create online courses , content is king. Here’s how to do it:

Define Your Objectives : Clearly outline what you want your students to learn.

Structure Your Content : Break down your course into sections or modules. This makes the content digestible and organized.

Create Engaging Materials : Use a mix of videos, text, quizzes, and interactive elements to cater to different learning styles.

Quality Production : Ensure your audio and video quality is professional. This enhances the learning experience and adds value to your course.

4. Attracting and Retaining Paying Customers

Attracting customers requires strategic marketing:

Identify Your Target Audience : Understand who your course is for and tailor your marketing efforts to this group.

Leverage Social Media : Utilize platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to promote your course.

Content Marketing : Start a blog or a YouTube channel related to your course topic to attract potential customers.

Email Marketing : Build an email list to keep your audience informed about your course offerings.

5. Launching Your Online School

Launching your online school is the culmination of your hard work. Before the launch:

Test Your Course : Ensure there are no technical glitches.

Gather Feedback : Consider offering a beta version to a select group for feedback.

Plan Your Launch : Create excitement around your launch with countdowns, teasers, and early bird discounts.

By following these steps, you can successfully create and launch your first online course. Remember, your journey in creating online courses is not just about sharing knowledge; it’s about creating an impactful learning experience that resonates with your audience.

With the right approach and tools, especially platforms like Teach.io , you’re well on your way to establishing a successful online course business.

As an online course creator, venturing into the world of digital education demands more than just subject matter expertise; it necessitates a comprehensive, strategic approach. Crafting a robust business plan is akin to charting a course through the ever-evolving terrain of online learning.

Defining Your Online Course Topic

Your course topic is the foundation of your online course creation journey. It’s imperative to choose a subject that not only showcases your expertise but also aligns with the needs and interests of your target audience . Here’s how to refine your choice:

• Assess Your Strengths : Identify areas where your knowledge and passion intersect. Your unique insights here can set you apart in a typical online course business market.
• Analyze Market Trends : Research current trends in online education to find topics that are both popular and underrepresented. Utilizing tools like Google Trends can provide valuable insights into what potential learners are seeking.
• Survey Potential Learners : Directly engaging with your intended audience through surveys or social media polls can give you a clear idea of their preferences and pain points.

Conducting a Thorough Market Analysis

Understanding the market is crucial in positioning your course effectively. This involves:

• Identifying Your Audience : Who are they? What are their learning objectives, challenges, and preferences? Creating learner personas can be a helpful exercise.
• Competitor Analysis : Evaluate other courses in your niche. What are they offering, and how can you differentiate your course? Identifying gaps in their offerings can highlight opportunities for you.
• Market Demand : Assess the demand for your chosen topic. This can involve analyzing search engine data, social media trends, and existing course enrollments.

Developing a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

To ensure your course reaches its intended audience, a multifaceted marketing strategy is key:

• Social Media Outreach : Utilize platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to create buzz around your course. Tailoring content to each platform can increase engagement.
• Email Marketing : Building an email list and regularly engaging with subscribers can be an effective way to promote your course.
• Content Marketing : Starting a blog or YouTube channel related to your course topic can attract and educate potential customers, establishing you as an authority in your field.
• Partnerships and Collaborations : Partnering with influencers or other course creators can expand your reach and lend credibility to your course.

Projecting Your Financials

A crucial component of your business plan is the financial forecast. This involves:

• Calculating Initial Investment : Consider costs like software for course creation, marketing expenses, and any technical or administrative support you might need.
• Ongoing Costs : These can include website hosting fees, continued marketing efforts, and any updates or enhancements to your course.
• Revenue Projections : Estimate your potential earnings based on your pricing strategy and projected enrollments. Be realistic and consider offering different pricing tiers or packages to appeal to a broader audience.
• Break-Even Analysis : Determine how many course sales you need to cover your initial and ongoing costs. This will give you a clear goal to aim for in your sales strategy.

By meticulously crafting your business plan, you lay the groundwork for a successful online course creation journey . This plan should not only align with your vision as an online course creator but also resonate with your target audience , ultimately leading you to establish a profitable online course business .

Determining the right price for your online course is a critical step in ensuring its success. It’s a delicate balance – price it too high, and you risk alienating potential students; too low, and you might inadvertently signal low quality or undervalue your expertise. To find that pricing sweet spot, consider the following strategies:

Conduct Comprehensive Market Research

Start by exploring what competitors in your niche are charging. This will give you a benchmark, but remember, it’s not just about matching their prices. Analyze:

Competitor Course Features : Look at the length, depth, and format of their courses. How does your course compare in terms of content and delivery?

Target Audience Financial Capacity : Understand the spending capacity of your potential students. Students in different demographics or professional fields might have varying expectations and budgets.

Reviews and Feedback : Check what students are saying about these courses. High ratings and positive feedback can justify a higher price, while negative reviews might point to the need for lower pricing or added value.

Evaluate Your Course’s Unique Value Proposition

Your course’s unique aspects play a crucial role in pricing. Consider:

Course Length and Depth : Longer, more comprehensive courses can command higher prices. However, ensure that the length adds value and isn’t just filler content.

Quality of Content : High-quality, professionally produced videos, interactive elements, and well-researched materials can increase the perceived value of your course.

Your Expertise and Credentials : If you’re a recognized expert or have significant experience in the field, you can price your course higher. People are willing to pay more for learning from industry leaders or subject matter experts.

Factor in Additional Costs and Goals

When setting your price, also consider:

Production Costs : Factor in the costs incurred in creating the course, such as software, equipment, and any hired help like editors or graphic designers.

Business Goals : Align your pricing with your business objectives. If you’re looking to build a broad audience quickly, you might opt for a lower price. For a more niche, specialized audience, a higher price could be more appropriate.

Pricing Models : Beyond a one-time fee, consider subscription models, payment plans, or tiered pricing for different levels of course access.

Test and Adjust

Finally, remember that pricing isn’t set in stone. You can:

Offer Promotional Prices : Initially offer the course at a lower rate to attract students and gather reviews, then adjust the price based on feedback and demand.

A/B Testing : Try different pricing strategies to see what resonates best with your audience. Monitor enrollment rates, feedback, and overall satisfaction.

Listen to Your Audience : Pay attention to student feedback regarding pricing. If many potential students express interest but hesitate at the price, it might be time to reconsider your strategy.

In conclusion, finding the right price for your course involves understanding your market, recognizing your course’s value, considering your costs and business goals, and being flexible to adjustments based on feedback. A well-thought-out pricing strategy not only reflects the value of your course but also ensures its appeal to your target audience.

In the bustling world of digital education, your brand is your identity. It’s much more than just a sleek logo or a memorable name. It embodies your story, your ethos, and the unique connection you establish with your audience. A robust and relatable brand is a powerful tool to differentiate your online training business in a competitive market. Here’s how you can build and enhance your brand:

Crafting a Compelling Brand Narrative

Define Your Brand Story : Your story should reflect why you started your business, what drives you, and what you hope to achieve. This narrative forms an emotional connection with your audience.

Establish Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) : Identify what sets your courses apart. Is it your teaching methodology, course content, personal experience, or success stories? Your USP should resonate throughout your branding.

Consistent Branding Across Platforms : Ensure your brand’s visual and verbal identity is consistent across all platforms, including your course platform , website, social media, and marketing materials.

Leveraging Social Media Marketing

Social media isn’t just a marketing tool; it’s a storytelling platform. Here’s how to use it effectively:

Engage with Your Audience : Regularly post content that adds value, answers questions, and starts conversations. Engagement builds community and loyalty.

Showcase Success Stories : Share testimonials and success stories from your students. This not only provides social proof but also humanizes your brand.

Utilize Various Formats : Use a mix of videos, images, live sessions, and stories to keep your content dynamic and engaging. This variety can cater to different preferences within your audience.

Utilizing Content Marketing to Build Authority

Content marketing is crucial for establishing credibility and trust:

Educational Blog Posts : Write about topics related to your courses. This not only boosts SEO but also demonstrates your expertise.

Instructional Videos and Webinars : These can provide a sneak peek into your teaching style and course content, enticing potential students.

E-books and Guides : Offering free downloadable resources can be a great way to gather leads while providing value.

Developing a Strong Course Outline

Your course outline is a direct reflection of your brand’s quality and commitment. A well-structured outline:

Clarifies Course Objectives : It should clearly state what the course will cover and what students will achieve by the end.

Enhances Learning Experience : A good outline ensures that the course is organized, coherent, and progressively builds upon each section.

Reflects Professionalism : A meticulously crafted outline shows that you value your students’ time and learning experience.

Choosing the Right Online Course Platform

The online course platform you choose can significantly impact your brand perception:

User Experience : A platform that is easy to navigate and reliable enhances the overall brand experience for your students.

Customization Options : Platforms that allow for branding and customization can help in maintaining consistency in your brand’s look and feel.

Marketing Features : Some platforms offer built-in tools for marketing online courses , such as SEO features, social media integrations, and email marketing capabilities.

Building a strong brand for your online training business goes beyond superficial aesthetics. It’s about creating a narrative that resonates with your audience, using social media marketing effectively, providing valuable content, meticulously planning your course outline , and choosing the right course platform . Each of these elements plays a pivotal role in how your brand is perceived and, ultimately, how well your course sells online courses .

The launch of your online course marks a significant milestone in your journey as an online educator. For first-time course creators, this step can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. A successful launch requires meticulous planning, thorough testing, and strategic marketing. Here’s how you can ensure a smooth and effective launch:

Final Pre-Launch Checks

Testing Everything : Ensure every aspect of your course, from the signup process to the final assessment, works flawlessly. Test the payment process, video playback, and any interactive elements. It’s crucial that your course platform operates seamlessly across different devices and browsers.

Quality Assurance of Course Material : Review all course materials for clarity, accuracy, and engagement. This includes proofreading texts, checking video and audio quality, and ensuring that all links and resources are functioning correctly.

Feedback from a Beta Group : Before going live, consider offering your course to a small group of beta testers. Their feedback can be invaluable in identifying any issues and improving the overall learner experience.

Crafting a Compelling Launch Strategy

Email Marketing Campaign : Build anticipation with a series of emails leading up to the launch. Start with a teaser, follow up with more in-depth information about the course, and finally, send an announcement on launch day.

Utilizing Social Media Channels : Announce your course launch on all your social media platforms. Create engaging posts, share snippets or previews of your course, and consider going live to talk about your course and answer questions.

Leveraging Existing Networks : If you have existing clients or connections with local businesses, reach out to them. They can help spread the word within their networks, increasing your course’s visibility.

Engaging Launch Activities

Webinar or Live Q&A Session : Host a webinar or a live Q&A session on your course topic. This not only promotes your course but also establishes you as an authority in your field.

Special Launch Offers : Attract students with an early bird discount, exclusive bonuses, or additional resources available only for a limited time.

Collaborating with Influencers or Industry Experts : Partner with influencers or experts in your field to tap into their follower base. This can significantly boost your course’s reach and credibility.

Content Marketing : Publish blog posts, infographics, or videos related to your course topic. This content should provide value while also highlighting the benefits of your course.

Post-Launch: Monitoring and Adjusting

Once your course is live, the work doesn’t end. Monitor the performance of your course closely:

Collect and Analyze Feedback : Gather feedback from your students to understand what’s working and what can be improved.

Adjust Marketing Tactics : Based on the initial response, you might need to tweak your marketing strategy. Track which channels are driving the most enrollments and focus your efforts accordingly.

Stay Engaged with Your Students : Regularly communicate with your students through emails, discussion forums, or social media. This helps in building a community and enhancing the learning experience.

Launching your online course successfully sets the tone for its future growth. With careful planning, thorough testing, and strategic marketing, you can ensure that your course not only reaches your target audience but also provides them with a valuable and engaging learning experience. Remember, a successful launch is just the beginning of your journey as an online course creator.

Launching your online course is a significant achievement, but the journey doesn’t end there. The growth phase is where you solidify your position in the market and expand your reach. For most course creators, this phase is vital for sustaining and scaling their business.

Here’s how you can effectively grow your online course business, focusing on key areas like understanding your target market, refining your offerings, and employing strategic marketing techniques.

Continuously Gathering and Implementing Feedback

Active Feedback Collection : Regularly solicit feedback from your students through surveys, direct emails, or discussion forums. Understanding their experiences and suggestions is crucial for improvement.

Iterative Course Refinement : Based on feedback, make necessary adjustments to your course content. This could involve enhancing clarity in certain sections, adding more resources, or improving interactive elements.

Tracking Learning Outcomes : Monitor how well students are achieving the learning outcomes you’ve set. Adjust your teaching methods or course content if you find that many students are struggling with specific concepts.

Expanding Your Course Offerings

Creating Additional Courses : Based on the success of your initial course and the needs of your target market, consider creating courses that delve into related topics or more advanced material.

Personalized Coaching or Consulting : Offering personalized coaching or consulting can be an excellent way to provide more value to your students and generate additional revenue.

Enhancing Marketing Strategies

Refining Digital Marketing Efforts : Utilize data from your initial launch to fine-tune your digital marketing strategy. Identify which channels and messaging resonated most with your audience and optimize accordingly.

Leveraging Paid Advertising : Invest in paid advertising on platforms where your target market is most active. This can be an effective way to reach new students and start selling more courses.

Developing a Proven Track Record : Showcase the success stories and positive outcomes of your students. This helps in building credibility and a proven track record, which is essential when you sell courses.

Pricing Strategies for Sustained Growth

Evaluating Course Price : Periodically review your course price to ensure it remains competitive and reflects the value you’re offering. Consider special promotions or bundled deals to attract new students.

Dynamic Pricing Models : Experiment with different pricing models, such as subscriptions, one time payments, or tiered pricing structures, to see what works best for your audience and content.

From Point A to Point B : Remember, the goal is to take your students from point A (where they are before taking the course) to point B (where they aspire to be). Ensure your pricing and course structure reflect this transformational journey.

In summary, growing your online course business involves a mix of strategic improvements, expanded offerings, and targeted marketing efforts. By consistently engaging with your students, refining your content based on their feedback, and adapting your marketing and pricing strategies, you can build a sustainable and thriving business that continues to attract and benefit learners around the world.

In today’s digital age, thriving in the online education sector extends beyond creating compelling courses. A crucial aspect of success lies in effectively utilizing online platforms for brand enhancement and visibility.

Among these, YouTube stands out as a powerful tool for educators and course creators. Here’s a deeper look into maximizing this platform’s potential, including expert advice on forming strategic partnerships.

Maximizing YouTube for Brand Visibility

Establish a Strong YouTube Presence : Start by creating a YouTube channel that aligns with your brand identity. Regularly post educational content, course teasers, and insightful discussions related to your course topics.

Engage with Your Audience : Use YouTube to interact with your viewers through comments and live streams. This interaction not only builds a community around your brand but also provides valuable insights into your audience’s preferences.

SEO Optimization : Ensure your YouTube content is easily discoverable by optimizing video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords. This enhances visibility and drives traffic to your courses.

Building Partnerships and Sponsorships

Leveraging Sponsorships : As your channel grows, consider partnering with brands and businesses that align with your educational niche. Sponsorships can provide additional revenue streams and increase brand credibility. For a comprehensive guide on this, explore how to get sponsored on YouTube , which offers valuable insights into building these partnerships effectively.

Collaborations with Other Educators : Collaborate with fellow educators or influencers in your field. This not only broadens your reach but also adds diverse perspectives to your content, enriching the learning experience for your audience.

Utilizing YouTube Ads : Use YouTube’s advertising platform to promote your courses. This can be a targeted way to reach potential students who are already interested in similar educational content.

Expert Advice for Online Platform Success

Consistency is Key : Maintain a regular posting schedule. Consistency helps in building a loyal audience and enhances your channel’s ranking on YouTube.

Quality Over Quantity : While regular uploads are important, prioritize the quality of your content. High-quality, informative videos are more likely to attract and retain viewers.

Engage Beyond YouTube : Use your YouTube presence as a springboard to direct viewers to your other platforms, like your course website or social media profiles. This integrated approach can significantly boost your overall online visibility and student enrollment.

By harnessing the power of YouTube and other online platforms, you can significantly enhance your brand’s visibility and credibility in the online education sphere. Remember, it’s not just about creating content; it’s about creating connections and opportunities that can take your educational business to new heights.

In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of online education, staying updated with the latest trends is crucial for any course creator. The field of e-learning continuously introduces new technologies, teaching methodologies, and learner preferences.

By keeping a pulse on these developments, you can adapt and refine your strategy to meet the changing needs of your students. To dive deep into the latest evolutions and understand what’s driving the future of digital learning, explore Trends in E-Learning . This resource offers valuable insights into emerging trends that are shaping the world of online education today and beyond.

Establishing a successful online course business doesn’t necessarily require a hefty investment. In fact, with the right approach, it’s possible to create a profitable venture with minimal start-up costs. The key is to identify and implement low-cost, high-profit business strategies that align with your course content and target audience.

This can involve leveraging existing resources, focusing on niche topics, or adopting scalable digital marketing strategies. For practical ideas and strategies that combine affordability with profitability, take a look at Low-Cost Business Ideas with High Profit . This guide can serve as a source of inspiration, providing you with innovative ideas to launch and grow your online course business without significant financial strain.

For any business owner in the realm of online education, selling your course is not just a transaction; it’s an art form. Your course is indeed your masterpiece, crafted with expertise and passion. However, the success of this masterpiece hinges not just on its quality, but also on your ability to effectively market and sell it. This is where understanding diverse business models and sales strategies becomes paramount.

To excel in this aspect, it’s vital to explore and implement effective techniques tailored to your unique content and target audience. From choosing the right marketing channels to crafting compelling sales pitches, every step plays a crucial role in attracting and converting potential students. But how do you begin to unravel these strategies and apply them effectively?

A great starting point is diving into resources like How to Sell an Online Course . This guide is a treasure trove of insights, offering a comprehensive look at various tactics and approaches that can elevate your course from a hidden gem to a sought-after commodity. It covers a range of topics, including:

• Identifying the Right Business Models : Understanding different models can help you determine the best approach to sell your course. Whether it’s a one-time purchase, a subscription model, or a tiered pricing structure, each model has its unique advantages and can be tailored to suit your course and audience.
• Effective Marketing Techniques : Learn about the various marketing strategies that can amplify your course’s visibility. This could include digital marketing, content marketing, social media campaigns, and more.
• Building a Sales Funnel : Discover how to create a sales funnel that guides potential customers from awareness to purchase. This includes crafting engaging landing pages, using email marketing to nurture leads, and employing persuasive call-to-actions.
• Leveraging Testimonials and Reviews : Understand how to use social proof effectively to build trust and credibility for your course.
• Utilizing Analytics : Learn how to use data and analytics to refine your sales strategy, understand your audience better, and make informed decisions to boost sales.

As a business owner, mastering the art of selling your online course involves continuous learning, experimenting, and adapting. By leveraging the wealth of knowledge available in resources like the aforementioned guide, and staying attuned to the ever-evolving landscape of online education, you can develop a robust sales strategy that not only sells your course but also builds a lasting and profitable business.

The realm of online course creation is not just about sharing knowledge; it’s also a pathway to significant earning potential. If you’ve ever pondered the question, “How much can I earn from selling online courses?”, you’re in for some encouraging news.

The earning potential in this field can be substantial, depending on various factors like the popularity of your course topic, marketing strategies, and the engagement level of your courses.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the financial possibilities and what factors contribute to the success of an online course, delve into How Much Can You Make Selling Online Courses? . This resource provides valuable insights into the earnings landscape of online courses, helping you set realistic goals and strategies for your venture.

An often-overlooked aspect of running an online course business is understanding its financial intricacies, particularly tax implications. As an online course creator, you may be eligible for various tax deductions that can significantly impact your financial planning.

These deductions can range from expenses incurred in the creation and marketing of your courses to the technology and tools used to deliver them. Navigating these tax nuances is essential for optimizing your profits and ensuring compliance.

For detailed information on what aspects of your online course business might be tax-deductible, explore Are Online Courses Tax Deductible? . This guide offers a clearer understanding of the tax benefits associated with online courses, providing you with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions in your business journey.

In conclusion, starting an online course business is an adventure that blends passion with practicality, creativity with strategy, and knowledge with marketing savvy. As we’ve journeyed through the comprehensive steps of this guide, it’s clear that the path to creating a successful online course business is multifaceted.

From the initial stages of identifying your niche and crafting a business plan to the intricate processes of creating, pricing, and marketing your course, each step is crucial in building a sustainable and profitable online education venture.

Embarking on this journey requires you to wear multiple hats – as an educator, a marketer, a content creator, and a business owner. The key lies in your ability to convey your expertise in a way that resonates with your target audience, meeting their learning needs while also providing them with an engaging and valuable experience.

Remember, the success of your online course business is not solely measured by immediate profits or enrollments but also by the lasting impact and value you deliver to your students.

As you move forward, stay agile and responsive to the evolving trends in e-learning. Continuously refine your courses based on student feedback and market demands. Embrace the power of digital platforms, not just for selling your courses, but for building a community around your brand. Leverage tools and resources, like those provided by Teach.io , to enhance your course creation and marketing efforts.

Moreover, don’t underestimate the importance of the financial and legal aspects of your business. Understand the tax implications and maintain a sound financial strategy to ensure your business thrives without any unforeseen fiscal hiccups.

As we wrap up this guide, remember that the journey of starting an online course business is a marathon, not a sprint. It demands patience, perseverance, and a continual willingness to learn and adapt. The world of online education is vast and ever-growing, presenting endless opportunities for those willing to explore and innovate.

So, dream big, plan meticulously, execute passionately, and watch as your online course business flourishes into a rewarding and impactful venture. With dedication and the right strategies, your educational content can transform lives and careers, establishing you as a key player in the dynamic world of online learning.

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How To Set Up An Online Course Business: Step-By-Step In 2024

According to a Valuates Reports E-learning Marketing Report , the online learning industry will be worth more than $370 billion by 2026. So, now is an excellent time to start an online course business.

But like any business, you need good planning and smart ideas to succeed. Every step matters, from finding a niche topic to designing good courses and marketing them. One wrong move can ruin your online course business.

Where do you even begin? With countless platforms to choose from, endless marketing strategies, and the overwhelming need to create high-quality content, it's easy to feel paralyzed before you even start.

We'll walk you step-by-step through building a successful online course business. You'll learn to spot the most profitable course ideas, choose the ideal platform for your needs, and attract a loyal audience eager to learn from you.

12 Steps On How To Set Up An Online Course Business

Here are 12 steps on how to set up a successful online course business:

• Market Research and Validation
• Develop Your Business Plan
• Choose a Platform
• Course Development
• Scaffolding and Active Learning
• Build an Online Learning Community
• Select a Business Model
• Create a Conversion-Driven Course Page
• Set Up a Sales Funnel
• Implement Ongoing Marketing Strategies
• Monitor and Enhance Course Quality
• Expand Your Course Offerings

This checklist guides you through everything to create a successful online course business.

1. Market Research And Validation

Doing market research should be the first step when you have an idea for an online course. This means deeply understanding your target audience and the current competition.

Then, proper validation will confirm there is demand and room for your ideas. It will also shape the specifics of your content strategy and business approach.

Identify Your Niche

To kick off, you need to pinpoint the niche you want to focus on. It should be a subject area that interests you and one that you are knowledgeable about. Look into current trends within your field and identify emerging needs that your course could fulfill. This initial step sets the direction for your entire project.

Why does having a niche matter?

• Trying to teach "everything" results in a watered-down course. Being known for a specialty builds authority.
• A crowded general market is harder to compete in. A niche lets you shine.
• Your marketing gets laser-focused, making everything easier.

For example, instead of building an online course on "social media marketing," focus on “Instagram marketing techniques for personal trainers.” Obsessing over niches leads to focused content and better solutions.

Not sure what your niche is? Grab our free guide and learn how to find your niche in less than 10 minutes.

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Understand Pain Points And Goals

Once you've identified your niche, the next step is to understand your audience's pain points and goals:

• What struggles does your audience face?
• What goals do they want to achieve?

To understand the pain points, first, create a detailed profile of your ideal student, including demographic details, learning goals, and challenges. 

Tools like Google Analytics , social media insights, and forums related to your niche can provide valuable data. Understanding your audience helps in tailoring your course to their needs.

Frame your niche around resolving frustrations and helping students accomplish the outcomes they desire from the learning experience.

Explore popular forums, Facebook Groups , subreddits, and online communities for your target audience. Review recent discussions and comments for common questions, frustrations, and desires people post about.

Research The Competition Thoroughly

This next step is to analyze your competition. Use search engines and online course platforms to see who else is offering courses similar to what you have in mind.

Take note of their course content, how they price their courses, and the feedback they receive from students. This will give you a clearer picture of what works, what doesn’t, and where there might be gaps that your course can fill.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What do they do well?
• Where is there room for improvement?
• What topics do they cover? What’s missing?
• What do students rave about?
• What are their complaints?
• What business models and pricing do they use?
• What messaging and selling approaches engage their audience?

This uncovers hidden needs you can address. Gaps show you opportunities to meet unmet needs.

Validate Demand With Keyword Research

Next, do keyword research. Keyword research reveals search volume data — the quantifiable demand for specific topics. It also helps optimize marketing later.

Using platforms like Google’s Keyword Planner , Semrush , or Ahrefs can help you identify the terms and topics your potential students are searching for.

In this step, many often ask themselves, is a keyword with very high competition good?

High-competition keywords, such as those with very high search volume or existing dominant domains targeting them, will be extremely difficult to rank for as a new website. 

The high competition indicates that established sites and authority domains already capture those terms.

Bidding against them for pay-per-click ads will also drive costs high due to the high commercial intent behind these popular searches.

Instead, you'll want to uncover "long-tail" keywords and search queries with solid search volume between 500-5,000 monthly searches. These indicate decent demand from real users but are more targeted and niche-specific phrases with much lower competition.

This allows you to carve out space in the rankings to capture organic traffic more easily in less competitive niches. The demand indicates interest, but competition is not yet saturating the keyword so that you can make a play at dominant positioning.

In summary:

✅ Good = 500-5,000 searches per month, low-medium competition

❌ Bad = 100,000+ searches, high competition existing domains

Get Audience Insights

Directly engaging with your potential audience through surveys can provide specific insights into their preferences and needs.

Ask people matching your target niche about their needs, interests, problems, and willingness to pay for solutions like an online course.

Their direct input further validates you are solving real issues, clears up assumptions, and ensures you craft relevant courses they will invest in.

Use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to create surveys you can distribute via social media, email, or forums.

Pro Tip: Create A Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Creating an entire course needs a lot of effort. So, before fully committing to developing your entire course, consider creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) such as a series of webinars, an eBook, or a mini-course .

This approach allows you to test the market's interest in your course topic with minimal investment. The feedback and engagement from your MVP will help you refine your course concept and content.

Not sure if your product idea will work? Check out our free guide, which will help you validate your idea, find your ideal customer, and discover profitable solutions.

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Adjust And Refine Your Concept

Finally, use analytics to validate the demand for your course. Engagement metrics such as page views, time spent on your content, social shares, and comments can strongly indicate interest.

Also, tweak your audience, course topics, and angles until you have confidence they serve a need and capture the voice of who you intend to serve.

While it takes some legwork upfront, proper validation sets your online course up for sustainable success by intentional design instead of guessing. It helps you know if your course will be profitable .

2. Develop Your Business Plan

After checking that your course idea has demand, the next big step is creating a business plan. This will outline how you will build your online course.

Now, a full-blown traditional business plan might be overkill for some online course creators, but taking the time to map out your approach is essential for a focused and sustainable business.

Here are the key parts to include in an online course business plan:

Define Your Target Students

First, be very specific about who your ideal students are. Go beyond just demographics like age and gender. Also, include details about their motivations, interests, goals, and hesitations around buying courses.

Understand what is most important to them in making a purchasing decision. This helps ensure your messaging really connects with their priorities.

Outline Your Course Topics & Delivery

Map out exactly what subjects your courses will cover and how they will be delivered based on the gaps you found in research.

• Will they be self-paced or as a cohort?
• Will you have single courses, bundles, or memberships?

Show how your educational design addresses student needs and gets them closer to their goals.

Explain Your Marketing And Sales Process

Determine precisely how you will attract students and convert sales. 

What marketing channels, sales messaging, and tools will compel enrollments? Estimate your cost to acquire a student, too.

Outline website traffic sources, lead capture tactics, and launch sequences you will use.

Market Analysis

Research your target audience, including their demographic details, learning preferences, and challenges they face in the current education market.

Additionally, conduct a competitive analysis to identify your main competitors, their offerings, strengths, and weaknesses. This analysis will help you understand your position in the market and identify opportunities for differentiation.

For market analysis, use SimilarWeb . This (paid) tool lets you analyze website traffic data for competitors to gauge total visits, source channels, and engagement metrics. This reveals high-level performance benchmarks to compare to your own.

Financial Plan

One of the most critical components of your business plan is the financial plan. Start with an initial budget that includes startup costs (website development, course creation software, marketing expenses) and operational costs (hosting fees, salaries, ongoing marketing expenses).

Then, project your revenue streams, including course sales, subscription services, or corporate training programs. Provide financial projections for the first year, broken down monthly, and for the next three to five years annually.

When creating your financial plan, be aware that some platforms like Kajabi offer an all-in-one solution for online course entrepreneurs . Kajabi’s platform includes:

• A website builder
• Course creator tools
• Email marketing tools
• Messaging capabilities
• Marketing funnels

This simplifies financial planning by consolidating costs into one predictable subscription fee.

Risk Analysis

Identify potential risks to your business, such as technological changes, market trends, or competitive pressures, and outline strategies to mitigate these risks. This could include diversifying course offerings, investing in marketing, or keeping abreast of technological advancements in e-learning.

Plan For Continuous Improvements

Think about how you'll keep evaluating and improving each business area using customer feedback and data. Set process improvements to increase profits and impact over time.

While planning is key, stay flexible to change tactics when you see what works. Use your plan as an evolving guide.

With a solid business plan, you now have a detailed map for executing the buildout of your online course.

3. Choose A Platform

The right platform you settle on directly influences the success of your online learning business.

The platform you select significantly impacts your course's accessibility, engagement, and overall student experience. In addition, it influences the efficiency of your marketing efforts, the ease of managing your content, and your ability to scale your business. 

For example, if you compare Kajabi vs. Thinkific , you'll find distinct features and benefits. Understanding these differences is key to making an informed decision that aligns with your business goals and the needs of your students.

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for online course creators, providing course hosting and marketing and sales tools integrated into the same ecosystem.

One of Kajabi's standout features is its robust set of marketing tools.

Thinkific, on the other hand, offers great flexibility and control over the course creation and delivery process. It's well-suited for creators who want detailed control over their course's structure and student experience.

Kajabi is better for sales and marketing, while Thinkific has more student assessment features. Kajabi also offers more features for landing page creation.

Apart from Kajabi and Thinkific, there are tens of online course platforms . 

So, how do you know which platform to settle for?

• Understand Your Needs: Understand your requirements. Consider the nature of your courses, the expected volume of students, and the level of interaction you wish to have with them.
• Customization: The ability to customize your online course platform can significantly enhance your brand's visibility and create a unique learning environment for your students. Platforms like Kajabi offer extensive customization options, allowing you to tailor the look and feel of your course pages, landing pages, and email communications.
• Marketing Tools: An ideal platform should offer built-in features like email marketing, landing pages, and sales funnel builders.
• Content Delivery and Engagement Features: Features like video hosting, interactive quizzes, and discussion forums can enhance the learning experience. Additionally, the ability to track student progress, offer certificates of completion, and provide personalized feedback can contribute to a more engaging and rewarding course.
• Scalability: As your online course business grows, you'll need a platform to scale. This means supporting an increasing number of students and courses and offering advanced features like membership sites, affiliate programs, and more sophisticated marketing automation tools.
• Payment and Monetization Options: Your platform should offer flexible payment and monetization options to accommodate different business models. Look for platforms that support multiple payment gateways, offer payment plans, and allow for coupon codes and discounts.
• Support and Community: Finally, consider the level of support and the community surrounding the platform. Additionally, an active community of other course creators can provide insights, advice, and inspiration.

Kajabi offers 24/7 customer support through email and chat, and it has vibrant communities where you can connect and learn from other creators.

While other tools can work, Kajabi specializes in supporting online course creators directly.

Sign up with Kajabi for a 14-day free trial to test our comprehensive features.

4. Develop Your Course

This process involves several key steps — planning your course content, selecting the right delivery methods, and creating engaging materials.

Inventory Your Existing Materials

Begin by taking stock of all the materials you have that are relevant to your course topic. 

This could include blog posts, webinar recordings, podcasts, eBooks, or any other content that provides valuable insights into your subject area. Organize these materials in a way that aligns with your course outline.

Define Your Learning Objectives

Start by clearly defining what you want your students to learn or achieve by the end of the course. These objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Learning objectives are the foundation for your course, guiding the development of your content and assessments.

Take, for example, the course “Photography Basics: Master Your Camera in 30 Days.”

Overall Course Goal:  By the end of this course, students will be able to take professional-looking photographs using their camera's manual mode.

Some broad topics and their SMART learning objectives could be:

• Camera Settings: By the end of Module 1, students will be able to explain the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and how to adjust them for different lighting scenarios.
• Composition: By the end of Module 2, students will be able to apply the rule of thirds and leading lines to compose visually appealing photographs.
• Photo Editing: By the end of Module 3, students can use basic photo editing software to adjust exposure and color balance and crop their images.

Identify Gaps And Create New Content

With your existing materials organized, identify any gaps in the content that need to be filled to meet your learning objectives.

For each gap, plan the creation of new content. Ensure that each piece of content directly contributes to achieving a specific learning objective.

Choose The Right Delivery Methods

Different topics and learning objectives require different teaching methods.

For example, teaching concepts like aperture and shutter speed would benefit from combining short, explanatory videos that demonstrate how these settings affect images in real time.

Supplement this with downloadable cheat sheets and diagrams for quick reference. Additionally, provide practice assignments where students submit photos taken with specific settings.

Build Assessments

Assessments are crucial for measuring student progress and ensuring they meet the learning objectives.

Design quizzes, tests, projects, or peer assessments that align with your course goals. Provide clear instructions and criteria for evaluation to maintain transparency and fairness.

Ensure Content Accessibility

Making your course accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities, is essential. This includes:

• Subtitles and Transcripts: Provide subtitles for videos and transcripts for audio content to aid learners who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Accessible Documents: Ensure downloadable materials are accessible, using clear headings, descriptive links, and alt text for images.
• Responsive Design: Use a responsive platform, ensuring that content is accessible on various devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Pilot Your Course

Consider offering a pilot version of your course to a small group of learners in exchange for detailed feedback.

This can provide insights into how your course is received and highlight areas for improvement before a full launch.

5. Scaffolding And Active Learning

To help students learn step-by-step, use scaffolding when structuring your lessons. Scaffolding means setting up your instruction like building blocks — starting with simpler concepts as the base before advancing to more complex material and skills.

It works like this:

• Introduce the Key Idea. Explain the core concept, like “how to write an effective email subject line,” first without complications. Use examples that isolate the basic skill or fact being learned.
• Add Layers Gradually. Next, provide more use cases, applications, settings, or rules that increase intricacy. In our example, move from general email subject line tips to specifics for e-commerce, then job applications, formal communication, etc. Sequencing easy to difficult allows incremental comprehension.

At each milestone, assess their grasp before progressing.

• Summarize and Check Understanding. Recap key takeaways once complete concepts are covered. Have a final quiz or reflection to help students summarize main ideas or demonstrate new capabilities.

Scaffolding works well because it meets learners where they are and then constructs broader expertise. Use it extensively.

The other core technique, active learning, involves encouraging regular student contribution and interaction.

Design assignments that require students to apply concepts in new and challenging ways. This could include problem-solving exercises, simulations, or creating digital projects.

Scaffolding and active learning strategies support student learning and foster a more engaging and interactive learning environment.

6. Build An Online Learning Community

Don’t just create isolated courses. Facilitate shared learning by building a thriving community among your students.

Humans are social. We discuss ideas, ask questions, and share wins and motivation with others. Your online courses should replicate this collaborative experience.

Here are key ways to foster community:

Create Cohorts

For example, create group sets of students starting/completing courses simultaneously. 

This lets them bond around shared milestones and challenges during the learning journey. Assign group projects and discussions to strengthen relationships.

Host Live Events

Weekly or monthly webinars, live Q&As with instructors, and cohort video meetups make learning conversational. This allows students to interact in real time and get personal mentoring.

Provide Collaborative Learning Opportunities

Design assignments that require collaboration, such as group projects or collaborative research. These activities necessitate interaction and can lead to stronger community ties.

Send Regular Emails

Use email check-ins to nourish the community with curated resources, tips, reminders, motivational stories, or progress check-ins. This facilitates instructor guidance and support.

Kajabi has a Communities feature that simplifies the process of building and nurturing an online learning community within its platform.

This feature offers a space that resembles a social network but is focused on your courses and content, facilitating a more engaging and interactive learning environment.

Features of Kajabi Communities include:

• Discussion Forums: Within the community, you can set up forums on various topics related to the course. These forums can host discussions, answer sessions, and collaborative learning efforts.
• Content Sharing: Students and instructors can share resources, articles, videos, and other educational materials directly within the community.
• Announcements and Updates: Instructors can use the community to post announcements, updates, or motivational messages. 
• Peer-to-Peer Interaction: The Communities feature facilitates peer-to-peer interactions. Students can participate in discussions and connect with peers with similar interests or goals.

By leveraging this feature, you can create a dynamic, supportive, and engaging environment that motivates students, fosters collaboration, and enhances learning outcomes.

7. Select a Business Model

The business model you choose impacts how you market your courses, engage with your students, and, ultimately, how you generate revenue.

The ideal business model aligns with your content, target audience, and financial goals, offering flexibility as your online course business grows.

Blaine Anderson's success story with Dating By Blaine exemplifies how the right business model can lead to extraordinary success in the online course industry.

Blaine's approach revolves around coaching programs, ranging from self-paced courses to more personalized group and 1-on-1 coaching. 

This business model is effective for niches where personal transformation and tailored advice are crucial, such as dating coaching. It allows for premium pricing due to the high value and personalized experience offered to clients.

While Blaine's model emphasizes coaching and personal development, other models in the online course market include:

• Sell Courses Individually: Students pay one fee to get full access to that specific course. For example, you sell a “Baking Cupcakes” online course for a one-time $49 purchase. This is simple but doesn’t bring in money long-term per student.
• Subscription Model: This model, suited for creators with a broad range of content, provides recurring revenue and builds a loyal community. It's effective for topics where ongoing learning and updates are valued, such as tech skills, creative arts, or business strategies.
• Memberships: In this model, you bundle courses into groups that students can access at different tiered pricing levels. For example, your $25 basic cooking membership includes 3 beginner baking courses. The $99 premium membership includes all 15 available advanced cooking courses. This pushes average purchases higher.
• Corporate Training: This targets businesses rather than individuals. Corporate training involves selling your courses to organizations for employee development. This model can lead to larger contracts and a steady client base.
• Freemium Model: The freemium model offers basic course content for free while charging for premium content or additional features. This approach can attract many students and convert a portion into paying customers.

Choosing the right business model for your online course requires a deep understanding of your content, audience, and financial objectives.

Experiment and be flexible. This lets you adapt and refine your business model as your course business evolves.

8. Create A Conversion-Driven Course Page

The goal is to turn visitors into students. You've spent time developing an amazing course and attracting potential students. A low conversion rate means wasted traffic, potential revenue, and all that effort not paying off. 

The course page should, therefore, present your course and convince potential students that your course can solve their problems or fulfill their desires.

The page should adhere to SEO best practices.

Consider a hypothetical course titled "Introduction to Digital Marketing: Master Digital Strategies."

Keyword Research And Optimization

Start by identifying the keywords your target audience is searching for.

For the above digital marketing course, relevant keywords might include "digital marketing course," "learn digital marketing," "online marketing class," etc.

• Page Title: Incorporate your primary keyword naturally. E.g., "Introduction to Digital Marketing: Master Digital Strategies | [Your Brand Name]."
• Meta Description: Write a compelling meta description using related keywords. "Dive into digital marketing with our comprehensive online course. Learn SEO, social media, PPC, and more to skyrocket your marketing skills."
• Headings and Subheadings: Use H1 for your main title and H2s for section headings, including keywords where they fit naturally. E.g., "What You Will Learn in This Digital Marketing Course."

Content Optimization

Write a detailed course description incorporating your target keywords. Ensure the content is informative and engaging and outlines the benefits and outcomes of the course.

Integrate long-tail keywords in your content, such as "how to start in digital marketing" or "beginner digital marketing courses online," to capture more specific search queries.

Social Proof And Testimonials

Highlight video testimonials prominently on your course page. 

You can create a dedicated section titled "Success Stories" or "Student Testimonials" and optimize it with relevant keywords like "digital marketing course reviews" or "student feedback on digital marketing course."

Remember, 79% of consumers watch a video testimonial to learn more about a brand or product. Incorporating video testimonials from past students or a course preview can significantly boost credibility and conversions.

Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Your CTAs should be clear, compelling, and include action-oriented language.

For SEO, ensure that anchor texts leading to your course page are descriptive and keyword-rich when linked from other pages or posts. E.g., "Enroll in our digital marketing course today."

Kajabi offers a complete landing page builder, making it easy to create high-converting pages that attract students.

With Kajabi, you can quickly build professional-looking landing pages by customizing flexible templates instead of complex coding. Easily make beautiful pages for lead capture, sales, launches, etc.

Key features include templates for every use case to promote your course effectively. You can create a webinar registration page, coupon giveaway page, or waitlist join page.

Dynamic sections let you fine-tune design on all devices. And you can seamlessly connect landing pages with the rest of your Kajabi ecosystem, like email and course access.

9. Setting Up A Sales Funnel

Think of a sales funnel as a series of steps that guide someone from being vaguely aware of your course to becoming a paying student.  Some potential students naturally drop out at each stage of the funnel, which is why it's shaped like a funnel — it gets narrower as you get closer to a sale.

Let’s take an example of how you can set up a sales funnel for an online course on digital marketing.

• Create Awareness: Start by writing informative blog posts about topics related to digital marketing and share these on social media platforms. You could also host a free webinar on a relevant subject, such as "The Top Digital Marketing Trends in 2024." The aim is to provide valuable content that introduces the audience to your expertise and leads them to your course's landing page.
• Build Interest: On your landing page, include an engaging summary of what your course offers, highlighting the unique benefits of taking the course. Use a mix of text, images, and videos to keep the potential customer engaged. Include a signup form where they can leave their email in exchange for a free eBook or course sample.
• Facilitate the Decision: Follow up with an email sequence that provides additional information about the course, shares success stories from past students, and addresses common objections. In the final email of the sequence, make a compelling offer, such as a limited-time discount or an exclusive bonus material, to encourage them to make a decision.
• Encourage Action: Ensure your sales page is optimized for conversions. It should clearly state the course price and what’s included and have an easy-to-use checkout process. At this stage, remove any barriers to purchase. Offer multiple payment options and a money-back guarantee.

Kajabi offers several pre-built funnel templates tailored to common business goals, such as product launches, webinar funnels, and lead magnet funnels.

These templates come with recommended steps and content that you can customize to fit your specific needs.

You also get detailed analytics for each funnel. This way, you can track the performance of your sales funnel. You can see how many people enter your funnel, conversion rates at each step, and overall revenue generated.

Want to write killer copy for your sales pages? Get our free "8 Steps to the Perfect Sales Page" worksheet and learn how to write killer copy that turns website visitors into customers today.

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10. Implement Ongoing Marketing Strategies

You should continuously get the word out about your courses through different marketing channels to attract new students over time.

First, publish educational blogs and videos optimized for keywords people search related to your niche. This helps them find you in search engines like Google and draws them to your site.

Make great use of social media. As of January 2024, there are over 5.04 billion social media users globally. Share short video clips, graphics, or student success stories on social media platforms your audience uses, like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. 

Link to free downloads or course discounts in posts to encourage sign-ups.

Other strategies include:

• Email Sequences: When a visitor gives you their email address, trigger a pre-made series of 4-6 automated emails over weeks/months that share tips or course benefits to build interest and guide them to eventually enroll (utilize the sales funnel feature).
• Strategic Partners: Partner with complementary brands and influencers to cross-promote courses and run co-marketing campaigns. Shoutouts, bundled deals, and summits expand awareness.
• Retargeting Ads: If visitors don’t enroll initially, remarket to them through ads on Facebook or Instagram.
• Referrals: Give students unique coupon codes or rewards to share courses with friends for discounts. Word-of-mouth via existing learners works great.

Expert Tip: Analyze cost, conversions, and ROI per channel. This will guide you on where to focus marketing dollars for positive returns.

11. Monitor And Enhance Course Quality

Creating excellent courses is an ongoing effort. Consistently gather student feedback to guide improvements over time.

The best strategy is to prompt students to leave reviews. Positive public reviews build social proof.

Now, don’t be afraid of receiving negative reviews. They are good sources of honest feedback. They indicate where your course may be falling short and offer direct insights into how you can improve.

Expert Tip: Respond to negative feedback promptly and constructively. It demonstrates your commitment to student satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Also, encourage open discussions within your course platform or community forums.

Lastly, regularly send out surveys or questionnaires at the end of your course or module. Ask specific questions about the course content, delivery method, and overall experience to gather actionable insights.

12. Expand Your Course Offerings

Over time, adding more courses at varying skill levels and related topics lets you attract new students while engaging past students more deeply.

Start with newbie courses to build fundamentals. Then, create intermediate and advanced courses to layer on more complex abilities for the same topic.

For example, an initial real estate investing course can be followed by advanced rental property management and commercial real estate investing offerings later.

Also, add courses around related subjects under your niche to capture wider demand.

For instance, expand photography courses into dedicated offerings just on lighting, landscape photography, wedding photography, Adobe Photoshop, and Instagram for photographers.

You can also introduce premium courses. Develop special edition courses with celebrity guest teachers, live interaction through cohorts, or highly tactical skill-building around advanced tactics.

For example, mastermind sessions on copywriting psychology with expert Brian Dean or paid cohorts on building 7-figure agencies .

Final Thoughts

Launching and scaling an online course business is a multifaceted undertaking. It requires careful planning, execution, and ongoing optimization.

From conducting thorough market research to developing high-quality content, choosing the right platform, and implementing effective marketing strategies, each step plays a crucial role in building a successful online education platform.

Platforms like Kajabi simplify execution, accelerating your productivity.

Kajabi’s comprehensive suite of tools—intuitive course builder, customizable landing pages, advanced marketing automation, analytics, secure payments, and funnels—provides you with everything you need to launch and grow your online course business.

Sign up with Kajabi today and explore our full features with a 14-day free trial.

How To Set Up An Online Course Business: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first step in setting up an online course business.

Start by conducting thorough market research and validation. Identify a niche that matches your expertise and interests, and deeply understand the needs and preferences of your target audience.

You should also analyze your competitors to identify gaps in the market and opportunities for differentiation. Validating your course idea is critical. You can do this by offering a mini-course or a free webinar to gauge interest. This ensures a demand for your course, laying a solid foundation for your online course business.

How Do I Choose The Right Platform For Set Up My Online Course? 

First, consider the platform's ease of use. It should be intuitive for both you and your learners to navigate. Next, assess the platform's content delivery capabilities, including support for various media types like video, text, and interactive quizzes.

Additionally, look into the marketing and sales tools provided, such as email marketing integration, landing page builders, and analytics to track student engagement and course performance.

Also, consider the cost and whether the platform offers the scalability to grow with your business. Finally, check for community features that allow for interaction and engagement among students.

What Common Mistakes You Should Avoid When Setting Up Your Online Course Business?

Don’t skip market research and validation. This will create courses with little demand, wasting valuable time and resources. Ensure you understand your target audience's needs and verify their interest in your course topic before development. 

Secondly, underestimating the importance of high-quality content and engaging course design. Invest in professional production and interactive elements to enhance the learning experience.

Additionally, neglecting marketing and student engagement strategies can result in low enrollment numbers. Develop a comprehensive marketing plan and actively engage with your students through forums, email, and social media to build a community around your courses.

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Business Plan Courses and Certifications

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Best Business Plan Courses and Certifications 2023

Anjali Dalal | Nov, 7 2023

Table of Contents

Understanding the intricacies of crafting an effective business plan is essential. Business plan courses and certifications play a crucial role in this process. In this article, we will put down the 12 best business plan courses and certifications .

Why Do You Need A Business Plan?

A well-made business plan can:

Guide Your Business Strategy

A well-crafted business plan can help you make informed decisions and stay on course.

Attract Investors and Lenders

Investors and lenders often require a thorough business plan before committing to your venture. It demonstrates your seriousness and potential for success.

Set Clear Goals and Objectives

A business plan forces you to set clear, measurable goals. It makes it easier to track progress and adapt your strategies as needed.

12 Popular Business Plan Certification Programs At Coggno

12 popular business plan certification courses at Coggno:

• Building A Business Plan Course
• Strategic Business Planning: Strategy Formulation
• Strategic Business Planning: Concept Profile
• Strategic Business Planning: Preliminary Vision Mission Statements
• Business Planning | All Modules
• How To Write A Business Plan For Funding & Growth
• High-Impact Business Planning Course
• Strategic Business Planning: Strategy Implementation
• Business Succession Planning (Course)
• Developing Your Business Plan

1. Building A Business Plan Course

This is a basic 25-minute English program that focuses on crafting a business plan and understanding its contents. It teaches employees whom it is intended for to create a backup plan for contingencies and offers insights into small business statistics. 

Upon finishing the course, participants receive a certificate.

2. Strategic Business Planning: Strategy Formulation

This 60-minute employee-focused course highlights the significance of strategy formulation in achieving organizational goals. It covers essential aspects of strategic business planning, encompassing formulation, implementation, and evaluation. 

With this course, participants acquire theoretical and practical knowledge. It in turn enables them to refine their practices, enhance research skills, and analyze information from diverse sources.

This course doesn’t offer a certificate but is an unmissable course for those seeking to enhance their strategic planning abilities.

3. Strategic Business Planning: Concept Profile

This 60-minute employee-focused course explores international business aspects. It emphasizes the importance of strategic business planning for proactive decision-making. It covers key theories like the Unified Theory of Business Strategy and the Levant program. The course also distinguishes between strategic business plans and traditional business plans, with a focus on long-term goals and marketplace positioning.

The course explains various levels of strategic planning involving top, middle, and operational management while highlighting traditional business planning components such as marketing analysis and financial modeling.

It doesn’t offer a certificate. But you must take this course if you are planning to improve your strategic abilities.

4. Strategic Business Planning: Preliminary Vision Mission Statements

This 60-minute employee-oriented course delves into international business aspects. It underscores the importance of vision and mission statements in strategic business planning. 

The understanding of these statements can shape an organization’s strategic direction and values. The course does not offer a certificate. However, it provides learners with theoretical and practical knowledge to critically analyze information and tackle key challenges in the field. 

5. Business Planning | All Modules

This comprehensive 400-minute English program is designed for employees, with a strong emphasis on the critical importance of strategic business planning for clarity, direction, and proactive decision-making. 

The course covers essential concepts that will help decision-makers to devise practical solutions for various challenges. Participants will also gain access to the Levant Planium—Pro software, complete with detailed instructions for crafting a strategic business plan.

Upon successful completion, participants receive a certificate.

6. How To Write A Business Plan For Funding & Growth

This course is for employees seeking to acquire the skills for creating an effective business plan to secure funding and stimulate business growth. It guides participants through the following: 

• crafting a compelling business plan; 
• offering templates; 
• numerous examples for comprehensive understanding. 

Additionally, it provides online support to address any questions related to the course materials. The course, conducted in English, awards a certificate upon completion and covers a wide range of topics, including:

7. High-Impact Business Planning Course

This practical business planning course prioritizes simplicity and action-oriented plans. It is specifically designed for employees and conducted in English. While it doesn’t provide a certificate, it focuses on the following key topics:

• Understanding the purpose of business planning.
• Distinguishing between strategy, tactics, and operations.
• Crafting a compelling vision statement.
• Defining the keys to success in your business.
• Developing powerful goals and objectives.
• Creating business action plans.
• Simplifying the budgeting process.

The course is aimed at assisting businesses in creating concise, three-page plans with one-page budgets. Its core emphasis is translating your vision into actionable steps and streamlining delegation to efficiently achieve your goals.

8. Strategic Business Planning: Strategy Implementation

This 60-minute course, tailored for employees, delves into various aspects of international business with a specific focus on the critical phase of strategic implementation. 

It emphasizes the importance of effectively executing a strategy following its formulation, highlighting that even a well-devised strategy can fail without proper implementation.

Key points in the course encompass:

• The commitment of the management team to the company’s strategy, vision, and mission.
• Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships.
• Allocating adequate resources, including human resources, for relevant tasks and projects.
• Implementing a formal reporting method to monitor the strategy’s progress.
• Maintaining flexibility to adapt to marketplace changes.

Although it doesn’t offer a certificate, it is a useful course for employees seeking a better understanding of the strategic implementation process.

9. Business Succession Planning (Course)

This course highlights the critical importance of business succession planning for ensuring a company’s long-term survival and success. It goes beyond mere replacement planning, focusing on the effective preparation of individuals to assume leadership responsibilities during transitions.

Key course objectives include:

• Defining business succession planning and its role within the company.
• Establishing the foundations for developing a succession plan.
• Recognizing the significance of mentorship in the process.
• Defining and utilizing a SWOT analysis to establish goals.
• Creating a plan, assigning roles, and executing it.
• Communicating to garner support and manage change.
• Anticipating obstacles, evaluating and adapting goals and plans.
• Characterizing success within the context of succession planning.

The course lasts 60 minutes and provides a certificate upon completion. It also features audio narration.

10. Business Succession Planning (Course)

This course highlights the significance of planning for leadership continuity within a company. It also underlines the potential risks of relying on a single person or a select few for leadership roles, including the possibility of their departure or loss.

Conducted in English and spanning a 60-minute duration, this course is designed for employees seeking to grasp the fundamentals of business succession planning. Although it does not provide a certificate, it is an excellent course for educating employees about the importance of succession planning in securing a business’s future success.

11. Developing Your Business Plan

This short 5-minute course, designed for employees and conducted in English, highlights the significance of having a business plan, not just for new businesses or when seeking loans, but for all businesses. It offers insights into the creation, maintenance, and regular updating of a business plan.

Although it doesn’t provide a certificate, this course is a must-have for employees seeking to grasp the fundamentals of business planning.

12. Business Strategy And Corporate Planning

This course provides employees with the opportunity to master skills related to strategic planning and corporate social responsibility in various business contexts.

The course delves into essential components of a company’s external environment, including industry and competitive analysis, the Five Forces framework, strategic group analysis, key success factors (KSFs), and the role of mission, vision, and values in the strategic planning process.

Conducted in English, it does not offer a certificate.

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Have questions? Contact us for more information or guidance on your business plan journey.

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Do you need a business plan for your online school?

Most people understand the importance of a business plan for physical business. However, many skip over this step with virtual businesses such as online courses. Whether online or brick and mortar, running a business takes a lot of time and effective planning before the dollars roll in. In fact, 20% of businesses fail within the first year. And the lack of a business plan is one of the biggest reasons why.

Because 64% of American preferring to shop online , having a plan for your online business is important now more than ever. If you’re looking for a steady flow of income from your online course or otherwise, consider creating (or revamping) a business plan to give your business the opportunity to thrive.

Building a business plan

A business plan as defined by Investopedia is: “… a written document that describes in detail how a business—usually a startup—defines its objectives and how it is to go about achieving its goals. A business plan lays out a written roadmap for the firm from marketing, financial, and operational standpoints.”

Though a business plan is typically written before launch, it’s essential to revisit and revise as goals and objective change. For instance, many business owners have pivoted different aspects of their businesses at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Constant changes in business and in the world are great reasons to document new goals and objectives in your business plan as they arise.

Though they can be pretty extensive, business plan components include the following.

Executive summary

This is a short summary of your business plan. It includes key information such as your business name, location, your products or services, and information about your employees and leadership team.

Company description

This is where you go into full detail about your business, including what makes it different from existing companies with similar products or services.

Market analysis

Scoping out the competition is a great way to set goals and objectives. In this section, outline who the competitors are, what they do well, and where your business can fill in any gaps.

Organization and management

If you’re not riding solo, make sure to outline the structure of your business. This includes an organizational chart complete with job titles and descriptions. In addition, include external stakeholders such as accountants and advisors that you’ll work alongside.

Service or product line

No business plan is complete without laying out every detail about the product or service you sell. From how your offering stands out against the competition to copyright and trademark information, this section is your turn to spell out what value your business will be offering to potential customers and the industry as a whole.

Marketing and sales

Courses (or any other product or service) aren’t going to sell themselves. Here, lay how you’re going to attract buyers and hopefully make them repeat customers who sing your business’s praises.

Financial projections

If getting funding for your business is a major goal, pay close attention to creating financial projections. For this portion of the business plan, you may want to connect with an accountant, especially if you’re just starting out.

Pro-tip: If you want a template to reference, you can check the U.S. Small Business Adminstration ’s (SBA) official site for examples that can guide you.

Creating a business plan for your online business

Artist and creator Pablo Picasso once said, “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”

To better navigate your business, you first have to know where you are going (i.e. goals and metrics you wish to meet) and how to get there (i.e. with a “roadmap” or business plan). Though creating a business plan may seem like a daunting task, no one knows your business goals better than you. Take you time with your business plan. And, don’t be afraid to make changes as you see fit

If you’re seriously looking to scale your business, creating a business plan should be a the top of your to-do for 2022 and beyond.

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Developing a Business Plan

The foundation of a successful business is a solid business plan. This comprehensive course dives into the details of developing a plan and students emerge with a first draft of a sound business plan.

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• Examine the legal aspects of organizing and managing a small business

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These free online business plan courses are here to help you lead your business in the right direction. With a strong business plan, your business has a solid foundation from which to expand and prosper, ensuring the safety of your interests in the future. If you want an effective and reliable plan for the future of your business, these are the courses for you.... …Read More These free online business plan courses are here to help you lead your business in the right direction. With a strong business plan, your business has a solid foundation from which to expand and prosper, ensuring the safety of your interests in the future. If you want an effective and reliable plan for the future of your business, these are the courses for you. Read Less

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Frequently asked questions.

• Small Business: The Business Plan

This is a great course for anyone who wants a thorough grounding in creating an effective business plan and covers risk, investors, franchising, mission statements and even contingency planning.

• Business Planning: How to Write Your Business Plan

Although this course is focused on Canada, it still has universally valuable lessons if you need back-up on branding, identifying competitors, generating financial statements and organising systems in your small business.

• Business Development Essentials

Another excellent option that will guide you through thinking about the right target market, competitive pricing, packaging, branding and many other factors that take your idea from being just a concept to being an actual company.

Simply put, a business plan is a formal document that lays out what you want to achieve and - more importantly - how you’re going to do it. You need to clarify your goals and the steps it will take to reach them. Writing, ‘I want to open a business and be a millionaire in five years’ time’ is not a true business plan - that’s the ultimate place you want to be. A business plan is the map that will get you to that place of success and financial stability.

Such plans are important because:

They make you think more clearly about opportunities and potential stumbling blocks. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of starting a new business only to find that there are several major factors you haven’t considered (such as the cost of registering your operation, staff compensation, machinery maintenance, increases in the price of materials and so on).

Banks almost always want to see a full business plan before they lend you money. They are taking a chance on you and need to be assured that you have done your ‘homework’. A well-crafted business plan might convince them that you will be able to pay back the funds they lend you (with interest!).

Investors will also require an extensive business plan to be persuaded that your idea can work. Like banks, investors are taking a gamble on an untried business and need to be sure that you’ve considered as much as possible - all laid out in a comprehensive business plan.

The more detail - based on actual research - you can include in your plan, the better. Having a set of questions that you need to find answers to can shape your idea into something even better (it may also show you that your concept won’t work, which is disappointing but will save you time and money you can spend on a different concept!). Planning your business is crucial as it will prevent a lot of costly missteps down the road. Here are basic questions you should be trying to answer:

What is my business idea? 

What product or service am I seeking to provide?

What people or other businesses am I going to target?

How much money will I need to start?

What will this money be spent on?

Why will this business succeed?

Who will my competitors be?

Who will my customers be?

Who will my suppliers be?

What equipment or premises do I need?

What licences, certifications or qualifications will I need to operate legally?

Where will my business be based?

Who will create the branding?

What marketing will I do?

How much debt will I incur to get it up and running?

What are the biggest opportunities?

What are the biggest stumbling blocks?

Will I need staff to help me?

Do I need to open business accounts with my bank?

How will I ensure I am tax compliant?

What will happen if I run out of stock or don’t sell what I’ve ordered?

Where will I keep stock?

Do I need to copyright or patent my idea?

How will I pay rent on premises before I start selling?

When do I want to launch this business?

When do I need to start breaking even?

When do I need to start turning a profit?

How many potential clients or customers will I have?

Why will they use my business and not others?

Why do I want to start this company?

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• POSTED ON July 9, 2024
• by Marcjean Yutuc

In a rapidly changing business world, keeping your knowledge up-to-date is essential to stay ahead of the competition. However, finding the right business course can be a daunting task, especially with the increasing number of online learning platforms . As a lifelong learner in business, I understand the pain point of choosing the best business online course that aligns with your career goals and fits your busy schedule.

That’s why I’ve put together a list of the top 20+ business online courses with certifications for 2024. These courses cover various topics, from business ideas, project management, sales and marketing strategy to human resources and entrepreneurship. With the Skill Success All Access Pass, I had the chance to try out these courses myself and experience their value firsthand.

Not only do these courses provide valuable insights and knowledge in your chosen field, but they also come with certifications that can boost your career development. I’ve also included criteria for choosing the right course and tips to optimize your online learning experience.

Whether you’re looking to advance your career or explore new areas of business, this article has got you covered. So, take the first step towards your professional goals and discover the best online courses to achieve success in 2024.

Criteria For Selecting The Best Business Courses

Choosing the perfect online business course can be tough, but don’t worry. There are a few important things to keep in mind that will help you make the right choice. The right course can make a significant difference in your learning experience. To help you evaluate your options, here are some essential questions to ask when selecting an online business course:

Best Online Business Courses With Certificates

The Art Of Selling: What Every Salesperson Ought To Know

This course offers a modern approach to selling that’s designed for today’s prospects, which can help you close more deals and increase your revenue.

You’ll discover a proven step-by-step system that elite salespeople use for identifying, engaging, and closing high-probability prospects so that you can make more money, waste less time with the wrong people, and enjoy selling more.

What I appreciated the most was the instructor’s fresh approach to selling. As someone who has worked in sales for years, I found that many of the traditional sales training books and programs are outdated and don’t work as well with today’s prospects. This course, on the other hand, is specifically designed for today’s prospects and teaches what actually works in now.

Who is this course for?

I highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their sales skills, regardless of their level of experience. This course provides valuable tools and knowledge to succeed in building rapport with clients, overcoming objections, and ultimately closing more deals.

It’s a great investment in your career, whether you’re just starting out in sales or looking to refresh your skills as an advanced salesperson.

Objection Handling Mastery

In this course, Eric Lofholm shares his 25 years of experience in successfully handling objections to close sales. The course is designed to help salespeople maximize their results and increase their closing ratio. Eric covers various techniques, including specific scripts, to address common objections and the mindset of an objection-handling master.

As someone who has struggled with objection handling in the past, I found this course to be incredibly helpful. Eric breaks down the process step-by-step and provides actionable strategies that can be implemented immediately. The scripts he provides have been a game-changer in my sales presentations, allowing me to confidently address objections and close more deals.

If you’re a business owner looking to improve your sales skills and increase your sales revenue, this course is for you. You’ll gain valuable insights on how to handle objections and close more deals, making it a valuable investment for your business.

This course is also ideal for individuals who are looking to improve their sales skills and become better in sales.

Customer Care: Getting It Right

This course teaches you how to take good care of your customers and why it’s important. Professor Bernard Moss, who knows a lot about communication skills, created this course. It’s a full day of learning that can help you improve your professional skills. If you work with customers, like a receptionist, this course is perfect for you.

The course includes acted-out scenes that provide examples of both good and bad customer care. You’ll also receive a Module Companion E-book, which is great for taking notes and completing exercises.

As someone who interacts with customers frequently, I found this course to be beneficial. They acted out different situations, which made it easy to learn, and I could use what I learned at my job. There were also exercises that helped me think about how I treat customers and how I can do better.

This is perfect for people who work with customers, like receptionists or staff in shops, hotels, banks, call centers, and medical centers. It also works for anyone who helps the public, such as social services.

The course provides acted-out scenes that demonstrate examples of both effective and ineffective customer care. You will surely gain practical insights and techniques to enhance your customer service skills.

Customer Loyalty Masterclass

The Customer Loyalty Masterclass is a course that can teach you how to create a brand that has high levels of loyal customers. 

The course is based on the instructor’s PhD research, where they studied successful brands like Emirates Airline, Apple, and Harley Davidson to understand how they were able to create exceptionally high levels of customer loyalty.

I included this in my list because the instructor has tested their research, models, and tools with a variety of companies from different industries, making it both unique and practical.

In this course, you’ll learn to identify and measure different types of loyal customers. Then, you can make custom marketing strategies for each type and develop a great brand with high levels of loyal customers. You’ll also learn strategies to increase loyalty and transform your brand towards more customer love.

I was responsible for making marketing strategies for my company, but I struggled with making our customers loyal to our brand. This course taught me how to identify the types of loyal customers and measure their loyalty. With this knowledge, I can make strategies that appeal to each type and create a brand with lots of loyal customers.

Who this course is for:

This course is ideal for entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and branding professionals who want to develop practical strategies to increase customer loyalty. It’s also suitable for managers responsible for strategy development, as well as students, freelancers, bloggers, and consultants.

Introduction To Human Resource Management

If you’re interested in a career in human resources management, you should consider taking this course. It covers the basics of HRM, including processes, responsibilities, and effective management strategies.

By taking this course, you’ll not only learn the fundamental principles of HRM but also gain valuable knowledge about the latest industry practices and trends. This can be especially helpful if you’re looking to advance your career in HRM or improve your understanding of this vital organizational function.

Having a certificate in HRM can also make you a more competitive job candidate, as it demonstrates your commitment to ongoing professional development and your expertise in this field.

As someone who has taken this course as part of my ongoing professional development, I highly recommend it. The course is highly engaging and easy to follow, with practical examples and tips that you can apply in your work immediately.

With the rise of quiet hiring , this will be especially helpful in equipping you with the latest industry practices and trends, ensuring you stay up-to-date with the evolving dynamics of the job market.

This course is ideal for anyone interested in learning the basics of HRM and developing practical skills for effective management. It’s especially useful for management learners and students who want to gain a solid understanding of HRM principles and practices. 

Fundamentals Of Public Relations

Imagine you’re launching a new product or service and want to get the word out to your target audience. You know that effective communication and public relations are key to achieving this goal, but you’re not sure where to start. That’s where this course comes in. 

In this course, you’ll learn everything you need to know about public relations strategy and tactics, as well as how to write effective press releases and photo caption releases. 

After taking this course, I can confidently say that it’s a must-have for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills and grow their business or personal brand.

If you also struggle with developing effective communication strategies for your business, I highly recommend this course. I found the step-by-step tutorials and case study examples incredibly helpful!

If you’re looking to improve your communication skills, I highly recommend this course. It’s suitable for marketers, business owners, professionals, personal brand builders, artists, models, MCs, or thought leaders.

Practical Business Continuity And Crisis Management Program

Imagine you have a small business and an unexpected crisis happens, like a natural disaster or cyber attack. You need to respond quickly to prevent damage to your business. Don’t let unexpected situations catch you off guard, equip yourself with the skills you need to keep your business running smoothly.

This course will teach you the skills to make a plan and put it into action in real-life situations. You’ll learn about risk management, crisis communication, and creating a business continuity plan. When you finish the course, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to prepare your business for any crisis.

I found this course very helpful because I’ve gone through a business crisis before. The tutorials and examples made it easy to create a plan that works for my business.  The course is up-to-date and teaches how you can build a resilient business .

It’s a valuable investment for any business owner or professional who wants to protect their operations and reputation!

I highly recommend this course to business owners, students who wish to upskill in “Crisis Management for Business” or “Business Continuity Planning,” and anyone who wants to initiate or implement a practical program of Business Continuity Planning.

Create An Entrepreneurial Mindset That Drives Your Success

As an entrepreneur, one of the most important things you can do for your business is to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset. This course will help you do just that by teaching you the different strategies to optimize your entrepreneurial brain and drive your business’ growth.

In this course, you’ll learn how to focus on the important things that help your business grow and succeed. You’ll learn how to make things that you can use again and again to make your company more valuable. You’ll also learn how to do better than your competitors. This course can teach you the skills you need to do well in the business world!

I found it incredibly insightful. The course covers 15 powerful strategies that every entrepreneur must know, and the step-by-step tutorials made it easy to understand and apply these strategies in my business.

The course helped me address my pain points, especially when it comes to creating a big vision that excites people and creating compelling events to increase sales.

This course is ideal for entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone interested in starting a business. It’s also perfect for those who want to upskill and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset that will help them drive their business growth and success.

Creating A Marketing And Acquisition Strategy For Your Business

For entrepreneurs who want to build a strong customer base, this course is a must. You’ll learn how to create a marketing plan that is specifically tailored to your business needs and includes a detailed marketing action plan for immediate execution.

The course covers 11 marketing programs, including email marketing, SEO, content marketing, and advertising. By the end of the course, you’ll know how to create demand for your products or services using a mix of marketing and sales techniques, and how to identify which selling strategies will yield the right mix of profits and market share.

The course helped me understand the different marketing programs and how to choose the right one for my business. It also gave me valuable insights into creating demand for my products or services, which was a significant challenge for me in the past.

This course is for entrepreneurs who want to make a strong marketing plan for their business. It is good if you’re just starting or if you want to improve your business. You’ll learn how to be a thought leader and how to stand out from competitors!

How To Prepare A One-Page Business Plan

If you’re an entrepreneur or manager, you know how important it is to have a business plan. But writing a traditional business plan can be overwhelming and time-consuming. In this course, you’ll learn how to write a simple yet effective one-page business plan that will help you clarify your business goals and strategy.

What sets this course apart from others is its focus on simplicity and practicality. The one-page business plan is a great alternative to the traditional plan, especially for those who are short on time or resources. You’ll learn what information you need to include in your plan, how to structure it, and how to write each component.

I often struggled with writing traditional business plans, but the one-page plan provided a simplified approach that made the process less daunting. The course provides templates and resources that will help you create a business strategy quickly and efficiently.

This course is ideal for new or existing managers or entrepreneurs who want to write a one-page business plan while acquiring essential strategic planning skills . It’s also great for business professionals, marketing professionals, top executives, middle managers, consultants, employees of non-profit organizations, and students.

The course is perfect for those who want a simplified approach to business planning and want to create a plan quickly and efficiently.

Master Your Business Analysis Skills

Are you looking to start a career in business analysis or want to explore the different pathways available to you in this field? This course might be just what you need.

This beginner-level course is perfect for those interested in learning the basics of business analysis and discovering the potential for business growth and job opportunities in this exciting field.

By mastering your business analysis skills, you’ll become a valuable asset to any organization and open up doors to higher-paying positions. For example, you could become a business intelligence analyst, data analyst, or product manager.

As someone who’s always interested in business education, I found this course to be a great investment. It addressed many of my pain points when it comes to understanding the various career paths available for business analysts.

The course provided me with a solid understanding of how I could utilize my skills to move forward in my career. The instructors were knowledgeable and engaging, making the learning experience enjoyable.

This course is perfect for anyone interested in exploring a career in business analysis or looking to grow their current skills. It’s an excellent resource for business professionals, students, and entrepreneurs who want to gain a deeper understanding of business analysis and how it can be applied to various roles.

Even if you’re new to the field, this course is designed for beginners, so you don’t need any previous experience to enroll.

Business Performance Management

As someone who wants to learn how to improve their business performance, you’ll be interested in this course. Its comprehensive approach to helping you develop performance measures, analyze data, and create action plans to achieve your goals.

You’ll not only gain a deeper understanding of business performance management but also be equipped with the tools and strategies necessary to apply it in any industry.

I found this course to be incredibly valuable. The course’s four-part structure helped me understand how to set performance measures, analyze data, and create action plans to improve business performance.

The examples, exercises, projects, and tests throughout the course were well-designed and helped me to solidify my understanding of the concepts presented. Overall, I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their business performance management skills.

This course is perfect for business owners, managers, and CEOs who want to improve their understanding of Business Performance Management.

Whether you’re just starting out in business or have years of experience, this course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed.

Introduction To Startups

If you are planning to start your business, this course is a great starting point for you. It is designed to teach you the basics of building a startup, including how to deal with incorporation, stock, and intellectual property.

You will also learn how to effectively work with advisors, investors, and venture capitalists, as well as how to sell your startup and the money involved in doing so.

This course is unique in that it is based on interviews and experience, providing practical tips and advice for anyone looking to start their own business.

The insights and tips shared by founders, lawyers, investors, and venture capitalists were particularly helpful. The course also addressed many of the problems I had in business, such as dealing with intellectual property and working with investors. 

This course is perfect for anyone who is thinking of starting a business or is interested in learning more about seed startups.

I also recommend this to investors. Investors will also benefit from this course as they’ll gain a better understanding of what really matters in a startup. No prior knowledge is required to take this course, so anyone can benefit from the insights and knowledge shared.

Create A Profitable Niche Business

Learn how to create a profitable niche business from scratch with this course, even if you’re a beginner. You’ll get step-by-step instructions and learn how to make your business pull in income every month without fail.

Unlike other courses, this one is designed to help you get results fast, without waiting for your website to rank on Google or for your articles to show up.

If you’re feeling frustrated because you’re doing all the right things but no one is buying, this course will teach you how to stand out from the competition in your niche. For example, let’s say you’re interested in selling eco-friendly baby products. With this course, you’ll learn how to research the market, find profitable niches, and create a unique selling proposition that sets you apart from the competition.

I can say this course effectively tackles the challenges that entrepreneurs encounter when establishing and expanding an online business. The course focused on creating a profitable niche business and not just a generic online business.

The tips and tricks provided are practical and actionable, which is important when trying to get results fast. Overall, I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to create a profitable online business.

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to create a profitable niche business and is tired of trying all the right things without any results.

It’s also great for beginners who want to learn how to break into a niche and stand out from the competition.

Scale And Build A Small Business Brand That’s Profitable

Imagine you have a small business that has stopped growing. You’re having trouble getting new customers and don’t know what to do next. This course can help you.

This course is all about helping people like you build and grow a successful small business by improving your branding and attracting more customers. You’ll learn how to make your brand stand out, design great-looking marketing materials, and expand your product line.

As someone who’s always learning about business, I really enjoyed this course. It taught me everything I needed to know about branding, from the basics to more advanced strategies.

It helped me identify the challenges I was facing in my own business and showed me how to overcome them. Thanks to this course, I now have a much better understanding of how to create a strong brand that will help my business grow.

If you’re an entrepreneur with a small business, this course is perfect for you. Whether you’re struggling to make your brand profitable or you’re having trouble building your brand in the first place, this course can help.

It is also ideal for people who want to take their small business to the next level by improving their branding and attracting more customers.

Even if you’re not running an online business with a physical product, you can still benefit from the course’s material if you’re willing to adapt it to your own business.

Amazon FBA Business For Beginners

One of the best ways to start is by selling on Amazon, one of the biggest online marketplaces. However, getting started on Amazon can be intimidating, especially if you’re a beginner. That’s where this course comes in.

This course is specifically designed to help those who are new to Amazon learn how to sell on the platform and take advantage of its massive potential.

I found this course to be a valuable resource for understanding the ins and outs of selling on Amazon. It covers everything from finding the right products to sell to optimizing your product listings for increased sales and decreased advertising costs.

I’m confident that this course can provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to take it to the next level on Amazon.

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to start selling on Amazon but has no prior knowledge of Amazon FBA. It’s also great for entrepreneurs and startups who want to expand their existing businesses onto Amazon.

Start An Etsy Business For Beginners

As an aspiring entrepreneur, have you considered starting an online business on Etsy? With over 81 million buyers, Etsy is a perfect platform to showcase your creative products and reach a wider audience. That’s why I recommend taking this course.

I was impressed with how this course provided a step-by-step guide on how to start an Etsy business. It covered everything from finding the right products to sell, how to source and list them, and how to optimize your listings to get more traffic and sales.

The course also provided insights on how to market your products and build your brand on Etsy, which was helpful for me as a lifelong business learner.

This course is ideal for people who want to start selling on Etsy, whether you’re a complete beginner or have some experience already.

It’s also suitable for Etsy sellers who want to learn how to improve their sales and grow their business. The course is perfect for entrepreneurs who want to learn a new skill and generate extra income through an online business.

How To Sell On Craigslist: How I Made $6K To Fund My Passion

Do you have clutter in your home or office and want to make some extra cash while decluttering? If so, this course can help you turn your decluttering into a profitable business.

You will learn how to sell your items on Craigslist, take appealing photos of your items, price them effectively, and communicate with potential buyers in a fast and efficient way.

This course is unique because it teaches you practical skills that can help you grow your business and make a significant return on investment.

The instructor, Jewel, was easy to understand and engaging throughout the course. I appreciated the step-by-step approach and the real-life examples provided, which made it easier for me to apply the knowledge gained from the course in my own business.

This course is perfect for Craigslist sellers who want to take their sales to the next level. It is also suitable for those who want to start earning online or for entrepreneurs looking to diversify their income streams.

Launch Your First Private Label Product Using Amazon FBA

This course is unique because it provides a step-by-step guide on how to launch your own branded private label product, from researching market demand to creating an optimized product listing and running PPC ad campaigns.

The course also covers finding suppliers and manufacturers to get product inventory and customizing private-label products to stand out from the competition.

The instructor provides a comprehensive guide that is easy to follow, and the course includes pre-built email templates for contacting suppliers, ordering inventory from Alibaba, designing your logo, and more.

I appreciated the actionable steps and real-life examples provided, which made it easier for me to apply the knowledge gained from the course to my own business.

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to start their own private label product business and sell it through Amazon’s FBA service.

It is ideal for beginners who want a step-by-step guide on how to launch their first private-label product on Amazon, experienced Amazon sellers looking to expand into private-labels with Amazon FBA, and anyone looking to create a brand and start their own online eCommerce business.

Amazon Wholesale Selling Masterclass

Are you looking for a scalable business to start from home? If so, this course can help you learn the basics of wholesale selling on Amazon, how to source products from reputable wholesale companies, and how to do product research to ensure profitability and low competition.

I put this course on my list because it teaches you how to leverage Amazon’s distribution, customer service, and employees to build your own business. You will also learn how to sell wholesale products on Amazon and how to start and scale a wholesale business from home. 

The instructor provides practical and actionable steps that are easy to follow, and the course includes real-life examples of successful wholesale selling on Amazon.

I appreciated the focus on sourcing in-demand branded products that are already selling, which saves time and effort in building a brand, marketing, and advertising. 

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to start a wholesale business, start selling on Amazon, or work from home.  If you’re looking for a scalable business to start from home or want to supplement your income by selling wholesale products on Amazon, then this course is for you.

KDP: Paperback Publishing On Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

If you’re an aspiring self-published author or someone who’s looking to further their career in self-publishing, this course is perfect for you. This is a beginner-level course that will help you understand how to publish your book on Amazon KDP.

One thing that makes this course unique is that it explains the changes that came with the CreateSpace merger with Amazon KDP, making it up-to-date and relevant to today’s publishing industry.

In this course, you’ll learn how to input your book’s details into KDP, upload your book’s interior manuscript, create a cover using the Cover Creator, upload your book cover, evaluate distribution rights, understand pricing and royalties on KDP, and more. 

As someone who has always wanted to self-publish a book, this course was a game-changer for me. I was impressed with the step-by-step guide provided in this course, making it easy for me to understand how to publish my book on Amazon KDP.

This course is perfect for beginners who want to learn how to self-publish a paperback book on Amazon KDP. It’s also great for self-published authors who want to understand the changes since CreateSpace merged with Amazon KDP.

Learn How to Make Money Online: Sell Your Knowledge

As someone who is interested in making money online and selling your knowledge, you might want to consider taking this course. The unique aspect of this course is that it helps you identify what skills you have that you can teach to others, and then monetize that knowledge to make a steady and passive income online.

It doesn’t matter if you have limited to no prior experience in teaching, this course will provide you with a variety of methods and channels to get started with your own online teaching business.

I found this course to be very helpful in identifying what skills I have that I could teach to others. The course was straightforward and provided actionable steps to help me get started in creating my own online teaching business. I loved the tips and brainstorming activities provided in the course, which helped me to narrow down my skills and identify the best way to monetize them.

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to make a part-time or full-time income from teaching and tutoring online. Whether you have a particular expertise or just general knowledge that you think others could benefit from, this course will help you to identify your skills and monetize them effectively.

How To Turn Your Passion Into An Online Business

Are you tired of working in a job you’re not passionate about? Do you have a hobby or interest that you would love to turn into a business? If so, then this course is perfect for you! This course is designed for those who are interested in starting an online business based on their hobbies and passions. 

This course is that it teaches you how to monetize your passion and turn it into a profitable business. You’ll learn the top 10 ways to monetize your hobby or interest, the importance of building an audience within your chosen passion, and how to market to that audience.

It provided me with a lot of exciting ideas and showed me ways to monetize my passion that I had never even thought of before. I loved that the course emphasized the importance of building an audience, which is crucial for any successful online business. 

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I wish I could make a living at my favorite hobby/passion,” then this is the course for you. This course is beginner-friendly and requires only a basic understanding of how the internet works.

How To Start A Profitable Online Coaching Business

In just under two hours, you will learn the basics of starting a coaching business, including how to uncover hot niche markets filled with potential clients, the three crucial steps to signing clients, and how to position yourself as an authority in your field.

What sets this course apart from others is its focus on attracting high-ticket clients who are willing to pay top dollar for your services. With the right strategies and marketing plan, you can land your first client within just thirty days of completing the course.

I’ve taken my fair share of courses on starting and growing businesses. One of the biggest pain points for me has always been finding the right clients and charging what my services are worth. This course addressed those issues head-on, providing me with practical strategies for identifying and reaching out to high-ticket clients. The instructor was engaging and knowledgeable, making the course content easy to understand and apply to my own coaching business.

If you’re interested in starting a coaching business and want to learn how to attract high-paying clients, then this course is for you. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, the strategies and tactics covered in this course will help you build a successful coaching business from scratch.

The Complete Dropshipping 101 Success Guide 

This is designed to teach beginners how to start their own successful dropshipping business, even if they have no prior online experience.

You’ll learn everything you need to know, including how to find the best products for your store, how to find vendors that will dropship those products for you, and the best niches and industries to focus on with dropshipping. 

I included this in my list of best business courses online because it offers a step-by-step plan for getting your partners and products in place as quickly as possible and even shows you how to get your store up and running if you have no technical skills.

I was impressed with the level of detail provided and how easy it was to follow along, even for a beginner like myself. The course covers everything from finding the right niche to work with to getting traffic to your store and turning visitors into paying customers. What I liked the most about the course is that it doesn’t promise overnight success or make unrealistic claims about potential earnings. Instead, it offers practical advice and a roadmap to success that anyone can follow.

This course is highly recommended for business owners, those who want to learn about e-commerce and entrepreneurs who are interested in starting their own online store. If you’re looking for a practical, step-by-step guide to starting a successful dropshipping business, then this course is perfect for you.

Start Your Own Successful Home Business

This course is designed for those interested to learn about an easy, quick-start business you can run from home.

You’ll learn how to start and run a business immediately, how to expand or stay small with your business, and discover the “twist” for making your business successful.

I included this in my list of best business courses online because it offers a straightforward plan for getting your business up and running quickly, with no prior knowledge required.

I love how the speaker shares her personal experience applying the course material, making the learning experience more personalized and relatable. The course provides practical advice and a step-by-step guide to starting and managing a successful home-based business. What I appreciate the most about the course is that it offers a practical roadmap that anyone can simply work on.

This course is perfect for business owners and those who are planning to start their own business. If you want an easy-to-follow guide to starting a successful home-based business, then this is your best option.

Tips for Making the Most Out of Online Business Courses

Now that you have the list of the best online courses for business, let me give you some tips for making the most out of your online learning experience.

Establish clear learning objectives

Before starting the course, set clear goals on what you want to learn and achieve. This will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the course.

Create a conducive learning environment

Make sure you have a comfortable and distraction-free space to study. Eliminate any potential interruptions and make sure you have all the necessary resources, such as a reliable internet connection and a laptop or computer.

Set a consistent study schedule

Treat online learning like you would traditional classroom learning. Set aside dedicated study time and make a schedule that works for you. Consistency is key to staying on track and completing the course on time.

Engage with peers and instructors

Take advantage of discussion forums, chat rooms, and other opportunities to connect with other students and your instructor. This will help you stay engaged and motivated, as well as provide valuable networking opportunities.

Apply what you learn in real-life situations

One of the best ways to reinforce learning is to apply it in real-life situations. Look for opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in your work or personal life, and reflect on your progress and areas for improvement. This will help you internalize the learning and make it more meaningful.

Benefits of Online Business Course Certifications

As a lifelong learner and someone who has taken several online business courses, I can attest to the benefits of getting certificates from these courses. In this article, we will explore five reasons why getting certificates from online business courses like Skill Success is essential. 

Increased employability

Certificates from online business courses can increase your chances of getting hired for your desired job or even get promoted to a higher position. For example, taking an online course on digital marketing can help you land a job as a social media specialist or a digital marketing manager.

Skill enhancement

Online business courses provide an opportunity to enhance your skills in specific areas. For instance, taking a course on project management can equip you with skills that can help you effectively manage projects in your job. Similarly, taking an online course on human resources can help you understand the fundamentals of HR and improve your skills in recruitment, employee training, and development.

Professional development

Certificates from online business courses demonstrate to employers and peers that you are committed to your professional development. For instance, taking an online course on leadership can demonstrate that you have taken the initiative to improve your leadership skills, making you a better candidate for promotions or leadership roles in your company.

Flexibility

Online business courses offer flexibility in terms of location and schedule. Unlike traditional courses that require learners to attend classes at specific times and locations, online courses can be accessed from anywhere and at any time. 

This makes it easier for learners to balance their education with other commitments such as business or work, family, or personal obligations. 

Return on investment (ROI)

Online business courses can provide a significant ROI. For example, taking an online course on financial accounting can help you manage your business finances and cash flow better, leading to increased profits in the long run. Similarly, taking an online course on online entrepreneurship, such as selling on Amazon or Craigslist, can provide you with the skills and knowledge to start and run a successful business.

In conclusion, getting certified in online business courses can provide numerous benefits. Make sure to check out the list of the best online business courses I provided and start choosing which ones can benefit you.

Invest in your education and enhance your skills to achieve your professional goals. With the flexibility and convenience of online learning, there’s no reason not to take advantage of these valuable resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these courses only applicable to certain business industries.

No, these courses are designed to be applicable to a wide range of business industries. They cover fundamental business concepts such as marketing, finance, management, and entrepreneurship that can be applied to any type of business.

What skill levels are these courses suitable for?

These courses are suitable for a range of skill levels, from beginners to advanced learners. Each course has its own level of difficulty, so it is important to read the course description and requirements carefully before enrolling.

Can these courses be taken at any time?

Yes, these courses are available online and can be taken at any time that is convenient for the learner. Some courses may have specific start and end dates, while others may be self-paced and can be completed at the learner’s own pace.

Will I receive a certificate upon completing a course?

Yes, you will receive a certificate upon completing a course from Skill Success. This certificate can be used to demonstrate your skills and knowledge to potential employers, clients, or customers. It is a valuable asset that can help you stand out in a crowded job market or business industry.

Are these courses expensive?

The cost of the courses may vary depending on the provider, but Skill Success offers an All Access Pass that provides unlimited access to all courses at a reasonable price. With the All Access Pass, you can take as many courses as you want without any extra fees. It’s a great value for those who are serious about learning and improving their business skills.

Key Takeaways

Lifelong learning is crucial for career advancement and personal growth. By taking these business courses and investing in your education, you can stay competitive in today’s fast-paced business world and enhance your professional skills.

I highly recommend subscribing to Skill Success All Access Pass, which gives you unlimited access to over 4,000 courses, including the best courses for online business we’ve discussed in this article. With a low monthly fee, you can continuously learn and improve your skills without breaking the bank.

Start your journey to success today by signing up for Skill Success All Access Pass .

Marcjean Yutuc

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Bachelor of Science Business Administration

Online Business Management Degree

Adriana Grimes, B.S. Business Management grad

Online Business Degrees For Working Professionals

If you’re looking to advance your career in the world of business, earning an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Management degree could be the perfect path for you. At WGU, we offer a flexible and convenient business management bachelor's program that’s designed to prepare you for a variety of leadership positions in the field, including:

• Operations Manager
• Human Resources Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Financial Analyst
• Business Analyst
• Project Manager
• Sales Manager
• Supply Chain Manager
• Entrepreneur or Small Business Owner

Whether you’re looking to climb the corporate ladder or start your own business, this management program will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed. Learn more about what business management is, what careers graduates can work towards, and how this degree can benefit you in your current position.

61% of graduates finish within 

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.

*WGU Internal Data

Tuition per six-month term is

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their business management degree. Finish faster, pay less!

Average salary increase

B.S. business management graduates report an impressive average salary increase after completing their degree at Western Governors University.

Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?

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Start Dates the 1st of Every Month

Business Management Courses

Program consists of 39 courses

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.

The online management degree program is composed of several industry-relevant courses. Some may be waived through transfer from your previous college experience. Courses are generally completed one at a time instead of simultaneously, and you’ll work with your Program Mentor to build a personalized Degree Plan that keeps you on track.

WGU courses are competency-based which means that once you demonstrate mastery in a specific area, you can move on. This allows you to use your existing knowledge to move through your degree program more quickly compared to a four-year program.

The Bachelor of Science Business Administration, Management program is an all-online degree program. You’ll complete program requirements independently, with instruction and support from WGU faculty. You’ll be expected to complete at least 12 competency units for each 6-month term. Each course is typically three or four units. There’s no limit on the number of units you can complete each term, so the more courses you complete, the quicker you can finish your program.

An unofficial estimated 14 courses are fulfilled by your associate degree leaving 27 courses.

This is an unofficial estimate of your transfer credits. You may receive more or less credits depending upon the specific courses taken to complete your degree and other credits you may have. Below are the anticipated courses that will be fulfilled based on your indication that you have earned an associate’s degree. During the enrollment process this information will be verified.

This course teaches students to think like sociologists, or, in other words, to see and understand the hidden rules, or norms, by which people live, and how they free or restrain behavior. Students will learn about socializing institutions, such as schools and families, as well as workplace organizations and governments. Participants will also learn how people deviate from the rules by challenging norms and how such behavior may result in social change, either on a large scale or within small groups.

Applied Probability and Statistics is designed to help students develop competence in the fundamental concepts of basic statistics including: introductory algebra and graphing; descriptive statistics; regression and correlation; and probability. Statistical data and probability are often used in everyday life, science, business, information technology, and educational settings to make informed decisions about the validity of studies and the effect of data on decisions. This course discusses what constitutes sound research design and how to appropriately model phenomena using statistical data. Additionally, the content covers simple probability calculations, based on events that occur in the business and IT industries. No prerequisites are required for this course.

Applied Algebra is designed to help you develop competence in working with functions, the algebra of functions, and using some applied properties of functions. You will start learning about how we can apply different kinds of functions to relevant, real-life examples. From there, the algebra of several families of functions will be explored, including linear, polynomial, exponential, and logistic functions. You will also learn about relevant, applicable mathematical properties of each family of functions, including rate of change, concavity, maximizing/minimizing, and asymptotes. These properties will be used to solve problems related to your major and make sense of everyday living problems. Students should complete Applied Probability and Statistics or its equivalent prior to engaging in Applied Algebra.

In this course you will learn key critical thinking concepts and how to apply them in the analysis and evaluation of reasons and evidence. The course examines the basic components of an argument, the credibility of evidence sources, the impact of bias, and how to construct an argument that provides good support for a claim. The course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to check your learning, practice, and show how well you understand course content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to gain proficiency in the four competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge or experience, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.

This is World History: Diverse Cultures and Global Connections. In this course, you will focus on three main topics—cultural and religious diversity; pandemics; and the relationship of empires and nation states—as well as the skills of identifying root causes, explaining causes and effects, and analyzing complex systems. This course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through reading, images, videos, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check how well you understand the content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.

Welcome to Composition: Successful Self-Expression! In this course, you will focus on four main topics: professional writing for a cross-cultural audience, narrowing research topics and questions, researching for content to support a topic, and referencing research sources. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to check your learning, practice, and show how well you understand course content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to gain proficiency in the seven competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge or experience, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content. You will demonstrate competency through a performance assessment. There is no prerequisite for this course and there is no specific technical knowledge needed.

Welcome to Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others! It may seem like common knowledge that communication skills are important, and that communicating with others is inescapable in our everyday lives. While this may appear simplistic, the study of communication is actually complex, dynamic, and multifaceted. Strong communication skills are invaluable to strengthening a multitude of aspects of life. Specifically, this course will focus on communication in the professional setting, and present material from multiple vantage points, including communicating with others in a variety of contexts, across situations, and with diverse populations. Upon completion, you will have a deeper understanding of both your own and others’ communication behaviors, and a toolbox of effective behaviors to enhance your experience in the workplace.

This course provides students with an overview of the basic principles and unifying ideas of the physical sciences: physics, chemistry, and earth sciences. Course materials focus on scientific reasoning and practical, everyday applications of physical science concepts to help students integrate conceptual knowledge with practical skills.

Ethics in Technology examines the ethical considerations of technology use in the 21st century and introduces students to a decision-making process informed by ethical frameworks. Students will study specific cases related to important topics such as surveillance, social media, hacking, data manipulation, plagiarism and piracy, artificial intelligence, responsible innovation, and the digital divide. This course has no prerequisites.

Health, Fitness, and Wellness focuses on the importance and foundations of good health and physical fitness—particularly for children and adolescents—addressing health, nutrition, fitness, and substance use and abuse.

This introductory course provides students with an overview of the field of business and a basic understanding of how management, organizational structure, communication, and leadership styles affect the business environment. It also introduces them to some of the power skills that help make successful business professionals, including time management, problem solving, emotional intelligence and innovation; while also teaching them the importance of ethics. This course gives students an opportunity to begin to explore their own strengths and passions in relation to the field while also acclimating them to the online competency-based environment.

Principles of Management provides students with an introductory look at the discipline of management and its context within the business environment. Students of this course build on previously mastered competencies by taking a more in-depth look at management as a discipline and how it differs from leadership while further exploring the importance of communication within business. This course provides students with a business generalist overview in the areas of strategic planning, total quality, entrepreneurship, conflict and change, human resource management, diversity, and organizational structure.

Business Environment Applications 1 provides students with a generalist overview of the business environment and a deeper look at a number of topics that make up the non-discipline areas of business which are required for a business person to be successful within any business environment. The first part of the course focuses on knowledge about organizations and how people operate within organizations, including the areas of organizational theory, structure, and effectiveness. The course then looks at business from a legal perspective with an overview of the legal environment of business. The course will prepare the student to consider specific legal situations and to make legal and ethical decisions related to those situations.

Emotional and Cultural Intelligence focuses on key personal awareness skills that businesses request when hiring personnel. Key among those abilities is communication. Students will increase their skills in written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills. The course then looks at three areas of personal awareness including emotional intelligence (EI), cultural awareness, and ethical self-awareness – building on previously acquired competencies and adding new ones. This course helps start students on a road of self-discovery, cultivating awareness to improve both as a business professional and personally.

Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting provides students with an introduction to the discipline of accounting and its context within the business environment. In this course, students will learn to differentiate between financial, cost, and managerial accounting and where these accounting types fit into the business environment. This course will help students gain a fundamental knowledge of the budgeting process, how to analyze basic financial statements, and how to use spreadsheets to analyze data. This course provides students with a business generalist overview of the field of accounting and acts as a preview course for the accounting major.

This course covers an important part of being a business professional: the knowledge and skills used in building and implementing business strategy. The course helps students build on previously acquired competencies in the areas of management, innovative thinking, and risk management while introducing them to the concepts and theories underpinning business strategy as a general business perspective. The course will help students gain skills in analyzing different business environments and in using quantitative literacy and data analysis in business strategy development and implementation. This course helps to provide students with a generalist overview of the area of business strategy.

This course provides students with an introductory look at the discipline of finance and its context within the business environment. Students gain the knowledge to differentiate between personal and business finance and how they may overlap in a business environment. Students also gain a fundamental knowledge of financial forecasting and budgeting, statement analysis, and decision making. This course provides the student a business generalist overview of the field of finance and builds on previous acquired competencies related to using spreadsheets.

Principles of Economics provides students with the knowledge they need to be successful managers, including basic economic theories related to markets and how markets function. This course starts by defining economics, differentiating between microeconomics and macroeconomics, and explaining the fundamental economic principles of each. It then looks at microeconomics and how it is used to make business and public policy decisions, including the principles of supply, demand, and elasticity, market efficiency, cost of production, and different market structures. The course finishes by looking at macroeconomics and how it is used to make business and public policy decisions, including measurement of macroeconomic variables, aggregate supply and demand, the concepts of an open economy, and how trade policies influence domestic and international markets.

Concepts in Marketing, Sales, and Customer Contact introduces students to the discipline of marketing and its role within the strategic and operational environments of a business. This course covers fundamental knowledge in the area of marketing planning, including the marketing mix, while also describing basic concepts of brand management, digital marketing, customer relationship management, and personal selling and negotiating. All of this helps students identify the role of marketing within an organization. This course provides students with a business generalist overview of the field of marketing and an exploration of the marketing major.

Business Environment II: Logistics, Process, and Operations provides students with a generalist overview of the business environment as they explore themes of ethics, problem-solving, and innovative thinking. This course adds to the students’ business skills and knowledge in a number of professional areas. The first part of the course uncovers a series of business processes like project and risk management. The second part gives an introductory-level look at the specialized areas of operations management, supply chains, and logistics. The course finishes with models of change management and how to use them to overcome barriers in organizations.

Managing in a Global Business Environment provides students with a generalist overview of business from a global perspective, while also developing basic skills and knowledge to help them make strategic decisions, communicate, and develop personal relationships in a global environment. Business today is by its very nature a global environment, and individuals working in business will experience the global nature of business as they progress through their careers. This course builds on previously acquired competencies by providing an overview of U.S. federal laws in relation to doing business in a global environment.

This course ties together all the skills and knowledge covered in the business courses and allows the student to prove their mastery of the competencies by applying them in a simulated business environment. This course will help take the student's knowledge and skills from the theoretical to applicable.

Organizational Behavior and Leadership explores how to lead and manage effectively in diverse business environments. Students are asked to demonstrate the ability to apply organizational leadership theories and management strategies in a series of scenario-based problems.

Business Communication is a survey course of communication skills needed in the business environment. Course content includes writing messages, reports, and résumés and delivering oral presentations. The course emphasizes communication processes, writing skills, message types, and presentation of data. The development of these skills is integrated with the use of technology.

Values-Based Leadership guides students to learn by reflection, design, and scenario planning. Through a combination of theory, reflection, value alignment, and practice, the course helps students examine and understand values-based leadership and explore foundations in creating a culture of care. In this course, students are given the opportunity to identify and define their personal values through an assessment and reflection process. Students then evaluate business cases to practice mapping the influence of values on their own leadership. In this course, students also participate in scenario planning, where they can practice implementing their values in their daily routine (i.e., behaviors) and then in a leadership setting. The course illustrates how values-driven leadership is used in goal setting as well as problem-solving at an organizational level. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Business Ethics is designed to enable students to identify the ethical and socially responsible courses of action available through the exploration of various scenarios in business. Students will also learn to develop appropriate ethics guidelines for a business. This course has no prerequisites.

Operations and Supply Chain Management provides a streamlined introduction to how organizations efficiently produce goods and services, determine supply chain management strategies, and measure performance. Emphasis is placed on integrative topics essential for managers in all disciplines, such as supply chain management, product development, and capacity planning. This course guides students in analyzing processes, managing quality for both services and products, and measuring performance while creating value along the supply chain in a global environment. Topics include forecasting, product and service design, process design and location analysis, capacity planning, management of quality and quality control, inventory management, scheduling, supply chain management, and performance measurement.

Business Management Tasks addresses important concepts needed to effectively manage a business. Topics include understanding the cost-quality relationship, using various types of graphical charts in operations management, managing innovation, and developing strategies for working with individuals and groups.

Quantitative Analysis for Business explores various decision-making models, including expected value models, linear programming models, and inventory models. This course helps student learn to analyze data by using a variety of analytic tools and techniques to make better business decisions. In addition, it covers developing project schedules using the Critical Path Method. Other topics include calculating and evaluating formulas, measures of uncertainty, crash costs, and visual representation of decision-making models using electronic spreadsheets and graphs. This course has no prerequisites.

Change Management provides an understanding of change and an overview of successfully managing change using various methods and tools. Emphasizing change theories and various best practices, this course covers how to recognize and implement change using an array of other effective strategies, including those related to innovation and leadership. Other topics include approaches to change, diagnosing and planning for change, implementing change, and sustaining change.

Project Management prepares you to manage projects from start to finish within any organization structure. The course represents a view into different project-management methods and delves into topics such as project profiling and phases, constraints, building the project team, scheduling, and risk. You will be able to grasp the full scope of projects you may work with on in the future, and apply proper management approaches to complete a project. The course features practice in each of the project phases as you learn how to strategically apply project-management tools and techniques to help organizations achieve their goals.

Talent Acquisition focuses on building a highly skilled workforce that meets organizational staffing needs by using effective strategies and tactics for recruiting, selecting, and onboarding employees. The learner will develop competency in critical skills related to talent acquisition, such as workforce planning, developing strategic recruiting plans, and ensuring effective selection strategies. Talent acquisition is a top skill for HR professionals, and successful talent acquisition practices lend to individual, team, and organizational success.

This course provides an introduction to the management of human resources, which is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment, management, and direction for the people who work in the organization. Students will be introduced to topics such as strategic workforce planning and talent acquisition; compensation and benefits; training and development; employee and labor relations; and occupational health, safety, and security.

Employment and Labor Law reviews the legal and regulatory framework surrounding employment, including recruitment, termination, and discrimination law. The course topics include employment-at-will, EEO, ADA, OSHA, and other laws affecting the workplace. Students will learn to analyze current trends and issues in employment law and apply this knowledge to manage risk in employment relationships effectively. Functions of Human Resources and Introduction to Human Resources are recommended prior to Employment and Labor Law.

Strategic Training and Development focuses on the development of human capital (i.e., growing talent) by applying effective learning theories and practices for training and developing employees. The course will help develop essential skills for improving and empowering organizations through high-caliber training and development processes.

This course develops competence in the design and implementation of total rewards approaches in an organization. The total rewards perspective integrates tangible rewards (e.g., salary, bonuses) with employee benefits (e.g., health insurance, retirement plan) and intangible rewards (e.g., location, work environment). This perspective allows learners to use all forms of rewards fairly and effectively to enable job satisfaction and organizational performance.

This course provides students with knowledge on the sales profession, customer relationship management, and sales management functions. Students gain insights into the sales process, the relationship between sales and marketing, and the responsibilities of sales management within both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) selling environments.

For the Business Management Capstone Written Project students will integrate and synthesize competencies from across their degree program to demonstrate their ability to participate in and contribute value to their chosen professional field.  A comprehensive business plan is developed for a company that plans to sell a product or service in a local market, national market, or on the Internet. The business plan includes a market analysis, financial statements and analysis, and specific strategic actions relevant to the chosen company.

Introduction to IT examines information technology as a discipline and the various roles and functions of the IT department as business support. Students are presented with various IT disciplines including systems and services, network and security, scripting and programming, data management, and business of IT, with a survey of technologies in every area and how they relate to each other and to the business.

Capstone Project

Special requirements for this program

At the end of your program, you will complete a capstone project that represents the culmination of all your hard work—a project that allows you to take what you’ve learned and apply it to a real-world situation, proposing a solution to an actual issue you face in your place of business. 

Skills For Your Résumé

As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for. 

• Management: Provided guidance and direction to teams, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
• Operations: Managed policies and procedures in collaboration with supervising staff and human resources.
• Sales: Connected the organization's mission to sales strategies and tactics, ensuring alignment with overarching goals and values to drive business success.
• Problem Solving:  Conducted research to identify solutions to organizational challenges, leveraging data and insights to inform strategic decision-making and problem-solving efforts.
• Detail Oriented:  Manipulated complex financial data with precision and accuracy, ensuring reliability in financial analyses.
• Written Communication:  Wrote to effectively communicate the analysis and quality of research to a target audience, translating complex findings into clear and understandable insights for stakeholders.

“My enrollment experience was seamless. The first moment I spoke to my Enrollment Counselor got me excited about WGU. They tell you what the different benefits are, the format and everything. They walk you through everything. If you want it, it's there. Getting enrolled and getting started is easy-peasy.”

—Dale Boolton B.S. Business Management

WGU vs. Traditional Universities Compare the Difference

Traditional Universities

TUITION STRUCTURE

Per credit hour

Flat rate per 6-month term

Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors

Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one

Scheduled time

Whenever you feel ready

Professor led lectures at a certain time and place

Courses available anytime, from anywhere

TIME TO FINISH

Approximately 4 years, minimal acceleration options

As quickly as you can master the material, typically less than 3 years

TRANSFER CREDITS

Few accepted, based on certain schools and specific courses

A generous transfer policy that is based on your specific situation

Earning Potential

A management degree can dramatically impact your earning potential. After graduation WGU business management students report earning $14,621* more per year.

On Your Schedule

Competency-based education means you can move as quickly through your degree as you can master the material. You don't have to log in to classes at a certain time—you are truly in the driver's seat of your education

Entirely Online

The business management bachelor's degree at WGU is 100% online, which means it works wherever you are. You can do your coursework at night after working at your full-time job, on weekends, while you're traveling the world or on vacation—it's entirely up to you.

Accredited, Respected, Recognized™

One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.

COST & TIME

Online Business Programs That are Affordable

By charging per six-month term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.

A College Degree Within Reach

There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.

Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits. 

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.

* WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE

A Different Way to Learn: Degree Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time

Professional responsibilities. Family obligations. Personal commitments. At WGU, we understand schedules are tight and often unpredictable for adult students. That’s why we offer a flexible, personalized approach to how education should be. No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused teaching program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected degree as a busy working adult.

"Attending WGU online was the perfect way for me to further my education. I could basically work at my own pace and use the knowledge I had already learned from working for so many years before attending. I love WGU and all the mentors who helped me succeed and earn my bachelor's degree in Business Management.”

—Debra Marshall B.S. Business Management

CAREER OUTLOOK

Success in Management Starts With a College Degree in Business

Whether you aspire to work for a Fortune 500 organization, a government agency, a non-profit organization, or a fast-paced start-up, a degree in business management can be key to thriving in any setting. At WGU, our online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Management degree program was built with input from industry experts to give you the keys to success in a variety of industries, including:

• Finance and Banking
• Manufacturing

Return on Your Investment

On average, wgu graduates see an increase in income post-graduation.

Average income increase from all degrees in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary. Source:  2023 Harris Poll Survey  of 1,655 WGU graduates.

Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.

This program covers a wide range of career-relevant topics such as marketing, finance, human resources, operations, and strategy. You’ll learn how to analyze financial statements, create marketing plans, manage human resources effectively, and make strategic decisions that drive business success. Whether you want to earn a raise, a promotion, or pursue an entirely new future, our program can help you stand out from the competition and achieve your goals.

All management occupations are expected to see 8% growth across industries by the year 2031, largely due to the creation of new businesses.

—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Learn About All the Job Opportunities in Business Management

Our nearly 7,000 Bachelor of Science Business Management alumni have great jobs and satisfying careers.

• Account executive
• Marketing manager
• Business or healthcare analyst
• Project or program manager 

Diverse Industries

• Private companies
• Government and military
• Nonprofit organizations
• Colleges, universities, and K–12 schools/districts 

Major Employers

• American Red Cross
• Kaiser Permanente
• Self-employed 

WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers

Bachelor of business management admission requirements.

Applicants to undergraduate School of Business programs must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent AND demonstrate program readiness through one of the following options below:

• Option 1 : Submit transcripts documenting completion of college-level coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
• Option 2:  Possess a bachelors or associates degree (A.A or A.S. acceptable) from an accredited post-secondary institution.
• Option 3:  Submit high school transcripts for review with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.

NOTE: You do not need to take the ACT or SAT to be admitted to this program. Learn why we don't require these tests.

Get Your Enrollment Checklist

Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.

Get Your Questions Answered

Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.

Transfer Credits

Get added support and flexibility as you start your degree  take a course or two at your pace before committing to a full degree program. strengthen your study habits, gain essential learning skills and, best of all, each completed course counts toward your degree requirements. .

Learn More about Pathways to Starting

MORE DETAILS

Certificates in Business Management

The Business Management degree program allows students to earn valuable credentials on their path to a degree, including the management, strategic thinking and innovation, and leadership certificates. These certificates allow you to demonstrate mastery and add credentials to your résumé before you even graduate with your degree.

Commonly Asked Questions About Our Online Business Management Bachelor's Degree

What jobs can i get with a business management degree.

There are many career opportunities for graduates with a business management degree including:

• Business analyst
• Account manager
• Project manager
• Sales manager
• Operations manager
• Financial advisor
• C-level executive

How long does it take to earn a bachelor's in business management?

Traditional bachelor's degrees take 4 years to complete. However, at online schools like WGU, you may be able to finish faster. The majority of WGU business management students finish their degree program more quickly than a traditional model.

Where can I work with a bachelor’s degree in business management?

Absolutely every industry needs business professionals who can help it run smoothly. With a degree in business management you'll be qualified to work in any industry or organization, from healthcare, to education, to IT, and more. 

What's the best online business school?

• Western Governors University
• University of North Carolina
• Indiana University
• Temple University
• Arizona State University
• University of Florida
• Auburn University
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Arkansas State University

What is the best online college for business management?

How much can you make in a business management career.

• Business analyst - $84,000
• Account manager - $62,000
• Project manager - $75,000
• Sales manager - $99,000
• Operations manager - $75,000
• Financial advisor - $59,000
• Director - $110,000
• C-level executive - $278,000

Is business management a good major?

Busi ness management is a good major that offers a lot of career flexibility. It could prepare you for a career in many different fields including:

• Marketing management
• Operations management
• Technology management
• Human resources management
• Project management

What are business management subjects?

In a business management degree you will cover many subjects, including:

• Communication

The University

For students.

• Student Portal
• Alumni Services

Most Visited Links

• Business Programs
• Student Experience
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Student Communities

More From Forbes

How to launch your online education project in nine steps.

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Julia Ponomareva is the head of International Business Development (Emerging Markets) at GetCourse .

Today, skill-sharing courses and knowledge monetization are becoming increasingly popular and virtually omnipresent around the globe. Social media influencers and online personalities have figured out that the real money is not in internet fame and sponsored Facebook posts, but in launching their very own online courses and coaching programs. And indeed, I see the culture of online education consumption is emerging before our eyes.

But are these skill-sharing business models only for a few vloggers, bloggers and social media stars with an army of followers? Not at all. Any subject matter experts — even without a mass following — can address their target audience with paid ads.

As head of international business development at a software company that provides a platform for content creators, I know from experience that to launch a skill-sharing business, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. For example, my team has used one approach for all our educational projects and over 15,000 learners on our platform. In this article, I will identify the first steps you need to take to monetize your knowledge and launch an online course.

1. Find your niche.

First, define your niche and competitors. This may sound like common advice, but you do need to make sure your product and niche represent something you love to do. If you are going to teach other people and share your knowledge with them, you should not only be a subject matter expert but also a passionate ambassador for the subject you are going to teach. I recommend checking popular niches using trend analysis sites such as Google Trends to verify your topic is popular.

2. Learn the market and your competitors.

After deciding the topic within your niche you are going to promote, the next step is to observe the market and your competitors. Search for similar topics and their trends. If there is no competition in a field, this subject probably is not popular enough. Make a list of viable competitors and check their websites and social media. You can use the Facebook Ads Library to see what ad campaigns your competitors are running.

3. Analyze your target audience.

Identify the characteristics of your audience: gender, age, status, profession, geography, interests, needs, wants, hopes and fears. Then, find your potential users among friends and on social media. Conduct short interviews with five to seven people to verify if the subject of your future course sounds interesting to them.

4. Test your idea.

Announce the course among your friends and social media followers. Your goal is to now find five to ten paid users who will become your first students. Charge the most minimal pricing you can afford. Collect pre-payment for the course and promise to start in two weeks. During the next two weeks, prepare your content and start teaching your first students. Otherwise, refund the students since this was just a test.

5. Set up a product line and pricing.

Once testing is done, you will have some insights on how to improve your course, what to add and what to remove. Now you can create a marketing strategy to promote the course. As the first step of this strategy, design a product line and add real pricing. Here, your research about competitors is needed. Review what the average pricing of similar courses is on the market. Use this to decide how much your course will cost.

Split your course into a few packages. Bear in mind that the pricing of your course will also need to be tested. After the launch, you can adjust to find the best price that works for your students.

6. Create a marketing strategy for your go-to-market approach.

Think of how you will sell your course. For example, if you are a popular blogger and have many followers, it can be enough to just announce the course among your subscribers and post the link to your course landing page. However, if a product is more expensive, you will need to ‘warm up’ the audience. In this case, your sales funnel can include a free webinar or demo with a series of emails and activities to create trust with the audience before you offer them a paid product.

Consider designing a map of your sales funnel and making a detailed plan of what resources you will need: tools, team, budget, etc.

7. Assemble a marketing package for your sales funnel.

Create content for a landing page and all necessary emails and giveaway materials. Remember to design everything in one style. Your course represents your brand. Make people remember your course with uniform visuals.

8. Generate traffic and sell your course.

Use paid traffic (i.e., ads) on social media to attract customers to your course. Invest in growing your followers' database via paid traffic, too. In the future, this organic audience will lend credibility to your paid products.

9. Create content for your course.

At this point, your course structure and description should be ready. The general framework of your course is required to sell it, but the full content delivery will be done in this step.

Some tips on how to create your course: Think of what your students will learn in each lesson and what outcome they will receive after the lesson. Add homework to foster their knowledge after each lesson. Combine videos, texts and downloadables in each lesson.

From my clients’ and my own experience, the process of launching an online course takes up to two months, and net-positive revenue can be expected within a few months after the launch. Overall, launching an online course as a business is not as simple as it looks, but using this suggested approach can help you succeed.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

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How to Create an Online Course? Step by Step Guide for Beginners!

• May 10, 2024

Table of Content

The world is in the midst of a digital learning revolution! With online learning on the rise, learners around the world now have the ability to gain valuable skills and knowledge from the comfort of their own homes. Be it building a new hobby, starting a side hustle or simply learning an additional skill, learners everywhere are looking for quality course content. As an educator/creator, creating online courses is a golden opportunity in the blooming marketspace with the potential to monetize knowledge and expertise built up over years of experience working in your industry or field of study. 

The unprecedented access to learning opportunities has fueled the rise of the global digital learning economy. Online courses have become big business, with the e-learning industry estimated to be worth over $100 billion worldwide! In other words, there has never been a better moment to share your unique insights and teach new skills to students through online course creation. As an educator, online courses can help you reach massive audiences at relatively low cost by bringing your lessons online. With the right approach, teaching an online course can become a profitable revenue stream that leaves a lasting impact.

If you have a great idea for creating an online course, but are not sure about the steps to get started, we have you covered. Go through this step-by-step guide on how to create an online course and take the first step to boost your business with terrific online courses!

What is an Online Course?

An online course is a digital learning program that is delivered via the Internet. It allows students to learn remotely through pre-recorded videos, video conferencing, reading material, quizzes and more. Online courses, unlike traditional programs, are skill specific. Students can learn everything from makeup artistry and fashion design to cooking, digital marketing and product management. Online courses offer flexibility of learning, affordability compared to traditional colleges, and the ability to reach a global audience for course creators. Online courses are generally self-paced, but some may have timelines and deadlines for assessments. As an educator, creating your own personalized online course is a great way to boost business sales, as well as engage your learners through a uniquely curated learning experience.

How to Create an Online Course that Sells? 

With a plethora of digital tools available online, it can become intimidating to create an online course as a beginner. Right from zeroing in on a course topic to deciding where to host your online course, the journey can be simply overwhelming. We have curated a step by step guide to take you through the online course development process seamlessly. 

Here is a step by step guide to create online courses as a beginner –

1. Choose a Subject and Audience.

While choosing a topic for your online course, it is essential to think from the point of view of industry insight, expertise, credibility and interest! Figure out what niché you are deeply knowledgeable about and your audience might be interested in learning from you. This could be a skill, creative arts, topic or industry that you have first-hand professional experience in. Ideally, your online course should fall at the intersection of what you want to teach, what others want to learn and your unique approach or expert edge to providing this learning material. While planning the topic/subject of your online course, ask yourself the following questions –

• Is there demand for this topic based on search volumes, social media trends and questions asked online?
• What similar courses already exist and how does your proposed course differ or provide extra value?
• Which specific skills or qualifications within the broad topic do you excel in teaching?
• Is the career outlook and market potential strong for the skills being taught?

Secondly, who do you want to sell your online course is equally important. Define your target audience using the questions below –

• What background or experience should students ideally have before taking the course?
• Where are your potential students located – certain cities/states or globally?
• How much time are students willing to dedicate to the course?
• At what career level do you want to pitch the course – beginners, intermediates or experts?
• Should the course cater to a certain industry or profession type?

2. Analyze the Market + Demand

Before finalizing the genre of your online course, validate the market demand for the topic or skill you are pitching to teach. Ensure keeping up to date with your industry trends, and actively research existing markets for your genre. Follow few simple steps given below to do so –

• Conduct keyword research on tools like Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, SemRush, etc. 
• Analyze search volumes and compare keywords to see which topics have higher interest. For example, a Digital Marketing Course may have higher search volumes as compared to more specific topics such as SEO Marketing Course.
• Look at what competitors are offering and identify gaps your course can fill. Identify your unique selling point and pitch those while creating an online course.
• You can also create a sample module or webinar to directly gauge response.

3. Define the Format of Your Course

Once you have done this research work, it’s time to get into the specifics of course creation. Decide on the appropriate format based on your topic, target audience, and available time. Typical online course formats include multi-session online courses, mini/masterclass, self-paced courses. The format of your online course should depend on the scope of content you intend to provide in the course and how much your targeted learners are willing to spend on it – in terms of time, money and effort. Decide on the following parameters to define the format and structure of your online course –

• Length of the course
• Delivery Format – is your online course an email series? study material? video course? live sessions? assessment based course? or self-paced recorded course?
• Learning objectives
• Course Content

Consider your topic and audience needs when selecting format/s to use interactive elements that enhance engagement and skill-building like case studies, hands-on projects etc.

4. Create Learning Materials!

Develop high-quality, engaging course content around the chosen topic based on the defined course structure and format. The learning materials could consist of video lectures, presentations, assignments, audio tutorials, infographics, mind-maps and more. Divide your course content into neatly categorized modules and lessons in a logical fashion. You can repurpose existing content from blogs, videos, or documents and reformat it for the online course. Make sure you research each topic and subtopic thoroughly so that at the end of each lesson or module, your learners have clear steps, information or assessments to take away. Keep everything succinct, engaging and informative..

5. Select the Course Delivery Platform

Next, pick the right platform for delivering your course. There are different types of platforms each of which come with their own advantages and limitations. 

• Standalone platforms provide more control over content and data but require separate tools for marketing. 
• All-in-one solutions integrate marketing, website building and delivery in one place but are more on the expensive side. 
• Marketplaces have a built-in audience but less pricing and data control. 

It is important to evaluate these various options to select the platform that best suits the specific needs, taking into account factors like features required, level of technical expertise, and budget. However, please note that the course content itself is more vital than the hosting platform.

You can now create online courses seamlessly with the Classplus App. While you simply have to look after the quality of course content, Classplus will figure out the technicalities for you to sell and market your online courses effectively. With Classplus, educators get their own customized mobile application and website to create online courses. Instructors can design and structure their courses with options to add lessons, assignments, quizzes and multimedia content. In fact, they can also conduct Live classes through the app with interactive tools and even track student engagement and performance using Analytics. The platform handles payments and provides educators ample tools to promote their online courses.

6. Decide Course Pricing.

The price of your online course should be based on factors like content quality, popularity of topic, target segment and competitors’ pricing. It is crucial to test different price points to gauge demand and purchase behavior. Course creators should conduct thorough research of online courses offered by competitors. The point is to neither sell yourself short, nor daunt your potential course buyers with higher prices. Factor in the below parameters to decide course pricing –

• Competitor Prices – Consider prices of competitor’s courses and compare to average course price on your topic to set the right price point.
• Course Quality & Value – Assess the value and benefits learners will get from applying knowledge in the course. The higher the perceived value, the higher would be the price.
• Marketing Effort – How much are you planning to spend on promoting your course? Make sure that this cost reflects in your course pricing.
• Authority of the Creator – Learners are more likely to buy online courses from a course creator who is a renowned industry expert. Evaluate your standing in the marketplace before pricing your course.

Testing course ideas by pre-selling at various introductory prices can help creators to validate demand and zero in on an optimal pricing.

7. Make Your Course Live!

Creating an online course is a job 50% accomplished. The other 50% is when you finally launch your course. It is essential to manage, market and track your online course performance consistently after making it live. Use the following checklist to do so –

• Ensure your course website and payment system are fully functional. 
• Promote your launch across different channels including email, social media and influencer marketing. 
• Offer an introductory discount to attract early signups. 
• Go live on the scheduled date and share the course URL widely. 
• Engage students by going live for the first class to address any issues and answer questions. 
• Monitor analytics and feedback to identify areas for improvement. 
• Maintain communication with students to ensure they have a positive experience. 

Once you have created an online course, also check effective ways to Sell Online Courses to generate profits from your online course content!

Why Should You Create an Online Course as an Edupreneur?

As a creator and educator, creating an online course is one of the best ways to share knowledge and expertise with an interested audience, and at the same time, expand your business online and generate an additional stream of passive income – all while doing what you love! The following are some of the reasons why creating an online course might be beneficial for you –

• Online courses are highly scalable . Edupreneurs can create educational content once and share it with students around the world.
• Online courses offer flexibility . An online course does not require a physical classroom or fixed schedule. Learners can access the content as per their convenience.
• Generate ongoing revenue. Once created, online courses can continue earning sales for years with little additional effort required from educators.
• Reach a global audience. The Internet allows educators to market their courses internationally and sell to students across the world.
• Get high profit margins . Online courses have significantly lower delivery and distribution costs compared to offline modes. This allows the majority of revenue to be retained as profits.
• Online courses have a vast market. Digital learning is on the rise and as a creator, if there is a skill that you have mastered, there are high chances that an audience might want to learn it from you.

How to Make Online Courses More Engaging?

Making your online course engaging and learner-oriented is supremely important if you want to retain them on your course. For creators, an online course narrows down to how effectively it makes learners derive value and make the process of learning fun and engaging. Go through some quick tips provided below to make your online course engaging –

• Gather and organize content effectively . Avoid overload, prioritize essential materials, sequence from simple to complex, define terms and provide day-to-day examples.
• Step into the shoes of your learner and acquire their expectations. 
• Use illustrative elements simply and strategically . For example, include visual guides for skills and worksheets for comprehension in fitness or language courses.
• Keep materials straightforward . Balance lectures with interactive elements like puzzles, activities and assessments to sustain motivation.
• Ensure high audio quality . Record in a soundproof room with noise control using wall panels. Test audio quality before finalizing content.
• Present a structured course outline . Show estimated time frames to set expectations and guide progress check-ins.
• Encourage collaboration through discussions and group assignments . This applies concepts and fulfills the social aspect of learning.
• Evaluate feedback continuously . Gather impressions through surveys and enhance content based on learner insights for maximum engagement.

Are you a Creator looking to expand your online business with curated online courses? Create your personalized business App with Classplus now and build courses using a suite of tools and features!

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Start Your Own Small Business

Learn how to transform your passion and talent into a viable small business. This course will teach you about financing, marketing techniques, employee management, policy writing, and time management - everything you need to know to start your very own small business.

Details + Objectives

Course code: biz.

Learn how to take your dream of starting a business and put it into action. In this class, you will learn everything you need to know about starting a business. You will begin by discovering the tricks to picking the right opportunity for you. Next, you will learn how to develop proven marketing techniques to easily build sales. Since every business needs money, this course discusses traditional and nontraditional financing options. Finally, you will learn easy-to-implement employee-management procedures and how to write business policies that help you build your business.

You, as a business owner, need to manage all your limited resources. One resource that often gets overlooked is your time. Throughout the course, you will learn time management techniques especially for entrepreneurs. While taking this course, you will discover the secrets that separate the successful entrepreneurs from the struggling ones.

What you will learn

• Learn the best ways to choose the right business opportunity
• Develop proven marketing techniques that will help you build sales
• Gain an understanding of traditional and non-traditional financing options
• Learn effective employee-management procedures
• Discover time management techniques designed to help entrepreneurs succeed

How you will benefit

• Gain a complete understanding of what separates a successful business and how to avoid failure
• Discover the single most valuable asset in your business and how it can help you create wealth
• Develop the skills you need to effectively manage your time, relationships and personal financial position
• Pursue your dream of owning a successful business by starting on the right track with proper structures and policies in place

How the course is taught

• Instructor-Moderated or Self-Guided online course
• 6 Weeks or 3 Months access
• 24 course hours

If you've ever dreamed about starting a small business but didn't know where to start, then you have come to the right place. In this first lesson, you will learn why you should start a business, why now might be the perfect time to do it, and what separates successful business owners from those who remain dreamers.

In this lesson, you'll learn about the three different ways to start a business. You'll explore the advantages and disadvantages of buying a franchise, buying a business, and starting a business from scratch.

No matter what business option you're leaning toward, you must find and exploit your unique selling proposition (USP). Your USP is the reason a customer would do business with you instead of someone else. In this lesson, you will develop your USP. Then you will discover the single most valuable asset in your business and how it can create all the wealth you will ever want.

Alan Lakein, a leading expert on time management, says, "Failing to plan is planning to fail." In this lesson, you will learn all the advantages of having a written business plan. You will see how it helps you take advantage of more opportunities and keeps you focused on achieving your goals. If you need to find financing for your business, having a business plan becomes twice as important.

Once you have chosen the business opportunity you're going to pursue, you will need to legally set up your company. To do that, you will have to choose whether to be an S-corporation, a corporation, or a limited liability company. Each of these structures has advantages and disadvantages. In this lesson, you will find out how to decide which one would work best for you.

Unless you have your own vault of money for marketing, you will need to know the best way to spend limited resources to create the most sales. As a future business owner, you need to understand the importance of direct-response marketing along with tracking and testing. You will learn about those things in this lesson as you discover how to expand marketing efforts that work and cut or improve those that are ineffective.

This lesson continues the discussion on marketing and explores the pros and cons of two main forms of it: advertising and publicity. You learn about at free publicity, because it's one of the most cost-effective ways to market your business.

No one can run a business effectively without proper accounting and financial statements. But few business owners take the time to understand the basics of bookkeeping. In this lesson, you will walk hand-in-hand with an actual business owner as she sets up her accounting records. By the end of this lesson, you will know the basics of accounting and be able to analyze and develop your own financial statements.

Most new business owners need to find money to start their business. In this lesson, you will find out the most common, traditional ways to fund a business and a few nontraditional ways as well. Whichever method you choose, your desire to get your company going is what will make the difference. Many people give up too soon or don't use the feedback from a funding source to improve their plan. You don't have to be one of them.

Employees can make or break a business. Just think about the businesses you wouldn't use again because of the poor service their employees provided. Bad employees can cost a company thousands of dollars, and you, as an owner, won't have the luxury of hiring and training employees on an ongoing basis. Hiring, training, motivating, and parting with employees are all complex processes. In this lesson, you will learn tips that make them easier.

Having effective business policies in place helps your business run efficiently. It also gives your employees a framework for knowing what's expected of them. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to develop your own business policies, including sexual harassment and ethics policies.

To ensure success, business owners need to be able to use limited resources efficiently. In this final lesson, you will learn how best to manage your time, relationships, and personal financial position. You will leave this course knowing you have done all the preliminary groundwork to get your business off to a good start.

Instructors & Support

Kris Solie-Johnson

Kris Solie-Johnson, chancellor and president of the American Institute of Small Business, best-selling author, educator, speaker, and mother of three, is an energetic and passionate entrepreneur. Her books are in public libraries, high schools, colleges, and military bases both nationally and internationally. Solie-Johnson has an MBA in Venture Management from the University of St. Thomas and over 19 years of experience helping entrepreneurs reach their goals quickly through joint venture partnerships, creative marketing programs, and innovative financial options. She's dedicated to motivating and inspiring owners to achieve beyond their dreams.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Requirements

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader .
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

When can I get started?

Instructor-Moderated: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.​ Self-Guided: Your course begins immediately after you enroll.​

How does it work?

Instructor-Moderated: Once a course session starts, two lessons will be released each week for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends. You will interact with the instructor through the online discussion area. There are no live sessions or online meetings with the instructor. Self-Guided: You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

How long do I have to complete each lesson?

Instructor-Moderated: The interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes two weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release. However, you will have access to all lessons from the time they are released until the course ends.​ Self-Guided: There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

What if I need an extension?

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.​ Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

As an artist with limited business sense, this was the perfect course for me to take. Kris took a lot of the mystery out of starting a small business. Her teaching style was very friendly and easy to comprehend. Thank you!

Excellent instructor - excellent course! I thoroughly enjoyed taking this class and can't wait to use the information I learned to start setting up my own small business. Thanks for the opportunity for me to be able to take this class. It was very little effort on my part to complete it, but what I learned will stay with me a lifetime.

I enjoyed the course and although I own a small business already, I learned some very important tips.

I enjoyed this class very much, the Professor was extremely knowledgeable and professional. I would definitely recommend it to someone with this particular interest.

I feel this class has helped me gain a greater insight into my own goals and provided support that will be useful going forward in the development of my next career.

I found the instructor to be knowledgeable, approachable, supportive and helpful. She has a very creative side and was very personable as well. I learned a lot in this course and it will all be very useful and applicable in my future business endeavors. I am glad I took this course and will recommend it to others.

I learned a ton and really looked forward to my classes. I am very excited to have found this class and thrilled to have been able to participate in it. Thank you very much.

I really liked the instructor's comments. Especially if it is not what you wanted to hear because sometimes an objective person's point of view helps you decide on what to do and how to do it.

The instructor was very informative and interested in the subject. She was very helpful in the discussion boards. This class was very useful and I would recommend or take any class taught by this instructor.

This was my first online course and I was not sure what to expect. The information was well presented and relevant. I will definitely be signing up for future online courses.

Related Courses

Aug 16, 2024

How to start an online coaching business in 9 steps

Starting an online coaching business offers incredible flexibility. Coaches can work from anywhere and set their schedules, allowing for a work-life balance that is often harder to achieve in traditional jobs.

This article outlines the key steps to launch your own online coaching business, including practical tips and valuable resources. You’ll find insights to help you build a successful practice and connect with your target audience.

How to start an online coaching business

Each step is essential for building a solid foundation for your business and ensuring its long-term success.

1. Research the market and identify your niche

Finding the right niche involves understanding the coaching market trends, your ideal target market, and your skills and knowledge.

Understand market trends and demands

Let’s start by analyzing market trends and demands. Use Google Trends to help identify popular online coaching topics and areas of interest within the industry. We compared the search terms “business coaching”, “life coaching”, and “career coaching.”

Career coaching had a higher search term in January but decreased in June. Business coaching and life coaching have maintained a steady level of interest throughout the year. This shows that business and life coaching may be in demand more than career coaching.

Next, use the data as a guide when selecting your online coaching niche. Combine it with your coaching skills and experience to determine what type of coaching you’ll offer.

Develop your coaching skills

Alternatively, work on your coaching skills to cater to the market trends based on the niche. For instance, “business coaching” is a popular search term. If you have experience in career counseling, you could provide career coaching for business professionals. This combines both the market trends and your coaching experience.

Consider obtaining a certification from the International Coaching Federation . This accreditation can provide credibility and increase your marketability as a coach.

Determine your target audience

After that, create a profile of your ideal client groups related to the niche. For example, life coaching’s client group may include young professionals, working mothers, or retirees.

On the other hand, career coaching could target recent college graduates or mid-career professionals looking for a change.

You can create the client profile by listing questions related to their interests and preferences, which include:

• What are their goals and aspirations?
• What challenges do they face in their personal or professional life?
• What motivates them to seek coaching?
• What are their demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds?

Creating client profiles helps you understand their pain points, goals, and needs. Ultimately, this will help shape your coaching program and unique selling proposition (USP).

2. Create a business plan

Let’s divide your online coaching business plan into several steps.

Define short and long-term goals

Begin your coaching business plan by defining your short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals include setting up your website and enrolling your first five clients. The timeline is usually within the first few months of starting your business.

Long-term goals involve expanding your product and service selection, such as creating online courses or hosting webinars to reach a wider audience. These goals are usually for the first to the fifth year of the business.

Defining these goals is key to a successful online business as it gives you a direction to work towards and helps you stay focused.

Estimate startup costs and ongoing expenses

The costs to start an online coaching business might include:

• Building a professional website that provides web hosting and a custom domain name.
• Investing in video conferencing tools and software.
• Professional certifications to enhance your coaching skills.
• Developing marketing and sales materials.

Adjust these costs with the business goals to determine the capital you need to get your business up and running. For example, if you aim to enroll five clients in the first few months, you may need to invest more in marketing materials and website development.

As your business expands, your expenses will also increase. Be prepared to adjust and allocate funds accordingly.

Develop your pricing strategy and revenue streams

To connect your pricing strategy with revenue streams, identify your income sources. This includes one-on-one coaching, group programs, online courses, memberships, workshops, and digital products.

Combine these revenue streams with your client group’s buying power to maximize profitability:

• One-on-one sessions . Use hourly rates or package deals to provide value and encourage commitment.
• Group programs . Implement tiered pricing for group coaching sessions.
• Online courses . Offer prices as one-time purchases for standalone items or as subscriptions for series items.
• Memberships . Use recurring fees with different benefits to generate steady income.
• Workshops . Monetize through ticket sales, offering early-bird discounts or group rates.
• Digital products . Price competitively, considering bundles for increased sales.

Regularly assess your pricing strategy and revenue streams. Stay informed about industry trends and adjust your pricing based on client needs and market conditions.

Identify your sales funnel

Finally, identify the client acquisition channels – often called your sales funnel . A well-defined sales funnel helps convert prospects into paying clients. There are four stages of the sales funnel:

• Awareness . Use social media ads, blogs, and webinars to introduce your online coaching services widely.
• Interest . To maintain their interest, engage prospects with newsletters, free resources, and live workshops.
• Decision . Case studies, client testimonials, and detailed program descriptions on your website can help prospects make informed decisions.
• Action . Simplify sign-up, offer promotions, and use follow-up emails to convert prospects into clients.

Choosing your sales funnel channels will depend on your target audience and budget. However, it’s important to use a combination from each funnel stage.

For example, social media ads and webinars can increase awareness, while newsletters and free resources can maintain interest.

Download business plan template

3. Define your coaching approach

Your coaching approach is key to attracting your client group. Start by outlining your services and delivery formats . Will you offer one-time sessions for quick fixes, ongoing sessions for more profound work, or subscription-based coaching for continuous growth?

Explore different coaching styles to find what suits you. For example, goal-oriented coaching focuses on helping clients set and achieve specific targets, while holistic coaching looks at the client’s overall well-being.

Online coaching also opens up opportunities for a hybrid approach , combining virtual sessions with in-person workshops or retreats. This can offer a more immersive and personalized experience for your coaching clients.

Consider adding group coaching for a community feel or one-on-one coaching sessions for personalized attention. Techniques like motivational interviewing or accountability coaching can enhance your sessions.

By clearly defining your approach, you’ll attract clients who resonate with your unique style. This clarity ensures your coaching services are aligned with your strengths and client needs.

4. Create a coaching roadmap

Your coaching roadmap is where you turn your coaching style and model into practice, breaking them into specific sessions. This roadmap will also guide each coaching session, keeping you on track and ensuring progress towards your clients’ goals.

When creating your coaching roadmap, consider the following steps:

• Clearly define the goal(s) of each session.
• Identify specific tools or techniques to use for each session.
• Set realistic timelines and milestones for achieving goals.
• Incorporate opportunities for reflection and feedback from clients.

Then, break your coaching program into smaller steps and assign them to each session. For example, activities, assignments, and follow-up actions that will support your clients’ progress.

Finally, share your coaching program with a small group of people, such as friends, family, or colleagues. This will allow you to test its effectiveness and make necessary adjustments before fully launching it with clients.

5. Price your services

Your pricing needs to be calculated based on your pricing strategy, revenue streams, and the value you provide to clients. Consider your target audience’s budget when setting your coaching’s pricing structure .

One-time payments

A one-time fee for your coaching program is a flat rate based on the support and resources for the clients. However, consider modifying your pricing if it suits your audience better.

For example, Melissa Joy’s life and business coaching website offers one payment package but separates the payment into three terms. This makes the fee less intimidating to potential clients, which could lead to more sales.

Subscription-based pricing

Subscription is a popular option for an online coaching business. It helps provide recurring revenue for your coaching business.

Consider tiered pricing and package deals. You can also offer different packages to suit various budgets and adjust them according to your business plan. For example, check out the LightPeak Coaching website, which offers four packages.

When deciding on a pricing structure, it’s essential to understand the costs involved in producing your product or service. This includes direct costs such as materials and labor, and indirect costs like overhead expenses.

By accurately calculating these costs, you can ensure that your prices cover all expenses and leave room for profit.

Test your pricing . Start with a base price and adjust based on customer feedback and market demand. This helps find the sweet spot where your prices are attractive to customers and profitable for your business.

6. Build your online coaching website

Your coaching website is the central hub for your services and information. It’s important to have a professional, user-friendly design that showcases your expertise and attracts potential clients.

Choose an online coaching platform

Among many website platforms available, we recommend Hostinger Website Builder . It’s a user-friendly builder that allows you to create and publish your coaching website in minutes.

There are two plans available: Premium Website Builder and Business Website Builder.

The best plan for your online coaching business is the Business Website Builder . With $3.99/month , you can enjoy features and functionality that support your coaching, which include:

• Appointment feature for seamless coaching service scheduling and booking.
• eCommerce functionality for selling digital products or coaching packages.
• Secure payment options to protect your client’s sensitive information.
• Analytics tools to track your website’s performance and user engagement.
• AI tools to create personalized coaching experiences for your clients.

It also comes with secure web hosting and a free domain for the first year, which helps reduce website development costs.

Create the website with AI

Hostinger Website Builder allows you to create a website with AI or a pre-made template. Choose the AI builder to create a website with minimal effort yet maximum effectiveness.

Choose Online store as the website type. That way, potential clients can follow the intuitive add-to-cart flow when booking your coaching service.

Additionally, you don’t need to integrate with third-party payment gateways to accept payments. This helps save time and streamline the process for your clients.

After that, add your business name and description to help AI create a website with intuitive navigation and functionality.

Click Create a website when ready. The website creation process will take you to the online store setup.

Set up your online store

Hostinger Website Builder’s online store feature allows you to include more than just physical products. As an online coach, you can add your services as Appointment when uploading a new product to your website.

To do so, start by setting up the online store’s country and currency. Then, it’ll take you to the store manager dashboard.

Choose Add your first product → Appointment → Enable appointments to start adding your coaching services.

Add your product photo, title, and description. Remember to include all the necessary details to help your clients understand the coaching programs.

Then, finish the process by including additional info sections, pricing, categories, time and place, and appointment notice time. Click Save once you’re ready.

Repeat the process until you’ve added all your coaching services.

Customize the website

Next, update the details on the essential pages, such as the homepage, About, and Contact pages. Using the site editor, go to each page, and update the content within each section.

Include a clear call to action on each page, inviting potential clients to take the next step and sign up for your services. Some examples include “Book a Session Now” or “Schedule a Free Call.”

Take inspiration from Jennifer Dawn’s website, which features the CTA “Let’s Talk About Your Business.” This creates a sense of personalization and connection with potential clients.

Optimize your website for search engines

Hostinger Website Builder’s built-in SEO tools help optimize your website for search engines. Go to Website settings → SEO settings and add the page description. Next, Hostinger Website Builder will suggest three focus keywords. Choose the ones that match your business best.

After that, you can update the SEO title and description based on the focus keywords.

Do this on every page of your website to help improve your ranking on search engines and attract more traffic.

Download website launch checklist

7. Choose your payment options

Select reliable payment gateways for your online coaching business. This will ensure a more seamless payment process for your clients and potentially build trust in your business. Some popular options include PayPal, Stripe, and Square.

With Hostinger Website Builder, you can connect PayPal and Stripe directly to your website for easy payment processing. You can also choose bank transfers.

Go to Store manager and choose Set up a payment method .

Next, connect your preferred payment methods.

When setting up your payment options, clearly communicate any fees or charges associated with each method. This will help avoid any confusion or unpleasant surprises for your clients when they make a purchase.

In addition to Hostinger Website Builder’s payment gateways, consider using tools for automatic invoice generation and payment reminders to streamline the process

8. Market your online coaching business

To grow your online coaching business, use onsite and offsite marketing strategies to reach more people and establish trust as a reputable coach. Here are actionable steps to get you started.

Onsite marketing

Offer limited-time discounts and free initial consultations to entice potential clients. For discounts, you can set in on Hostinger Website Builder’s online store settings page.

You can set up free consultations on the Appointments page, located in the Store manager section. Most coaches offer free consultation calls for first-timers. This is effective marketing for building trust and establishing relationships with potential clients.

Next, create valuable blog posts to showcase your expertise and provide insights into your coaching style. Start by conducting keyword research. It helps identify what your target audience is searching for and create a list of blog post ideas .

Then, use those keywords in your blog titles and content to increase the chances of being found by potential clients. For example, if you’re a life coach, you could write blog posts about topics such as “5 Tips for Finding Balance in Your Life” or “The Power of Positive Thinking: How to Overcome Negativity.”

Finally, build an email list and send regular newsletters with tips, updates, and exclusive offers. Use tools like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to manage your email list and create professional-looking newsletters easily.

Offsite marketing

Leverage social media platforms to expand your reach and connect with potential clients. Share engaging social media posts, testimonials, and success stories to demonstrate the impact of your coaching.

Go where your target market is. For example, if you specialize in career coaching, join LinkedIn groups and participate in discussions about career development.

Set up targeted social media and search engine ads to reach specific demographics interested in your services. These paid ads can help drive traffic to your website and convert leads into clients.

Build partnerships with other coaches in your industry to promote your launch. Collaborate on webinars, podcasts, or guest posts to tap into their audience and increase your visibility.

9. Provide excellent service and gather feedback

Every coaching session should be a stepping stone toward your client’s goals. Dive deep into their needs and provide personalized strategies that make a real difference. Combine your coaching approach and roadmap to help your clients.

It helps to have a checklist or guidelines to help your coaching session. Ensure the effectiveness of a coaching session by paying attention to the following:

• The coaching session’s goals for that specific client.
• Break down big goals into smaller, achievable steps.
• Encourage open communication and provide practical advice.
• Recap the session’s findings to track progress.
• Ask for feedback and gather testimonials to use for promotion.
• Follow up with clients after the session and offer ongoing support.

Providing excellent service helps ensure client satisfaction and builds a strong reputation. This helps attract new clients through word-of-mouth recommendations.

Additionally, use client feedback gathered from your clients to improve and refine your coaching approach continuously. This will ensure that what you offer is fresh and impactful.

Starting an online coaching business offers the opportunity to impact lives while building a fulfilling career positively.

This article has listed nine steps to build a successful online coaching business. These steps include setting goals, defining your approach, planning your pricing and revenue streams, and effectively marketing your services.

By following the nine steps, you can create a professional website and progress towards building a thriving online coaching business.

How to start an online coaching business FAQ

Is online coaching profitable.

Yes, online coaching can be profitable if you identify a niche, offer valuable content, and build a strong client base. Profitability also depends on your pricing strategy, marketing efforts, and ability to deliver results that meet client expectations.

How do I price my online coaching program?

Price your program based on factors like market rates, your expertise, and the value you provide. Consider offering tiered pricing with different levels of service. Analyze competitor pricing and adjust based on your unique offerings and client results.

Are there legal requirements or licenses needed for an online coaching business?

Although not always mandatory, it is advisable to review local regulations. You might require business licenses or permits. Seek advice from a legal expert and refer to the ICF guide on becoming a coach to ensure compliance with necessary licenses or certifications.

Nurul Siregar

Nurul Siregar has over 3+ years of experience in the tech industry with a passion for writing about digital marketing. Nurul enjoys reading fiction novels and making digital illustration in her free time. Follow her on LinkedIn .

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51 of the best Harvard University courses you can take online for free

TL;DR: Take a wide range of online courses from Harvard University for free with edX.

edX is a special place that hosts free online courses from some of the top educational institutions in the world, including Harvard University. You can become a student of this famous school without spending anything or leaving home.

You can find free online courses from Harvard University on everything from AI to cybersecurity with edX, so what are you waiting for? These are the best free online courses from Harvard University this month:

American Government: Constitutional Foundations

Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature

Applications of TinyML

Building Personal Resilience: Managing Anxiety and Mental Health

CitiesX: The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life

CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals

CS50's Computer Science for Lawyers

CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

CS50's Introduction to Computer Science

CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity

CS50's Introduction to Game Development

CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python

CS50's Introduction to Programming with R

CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch

CS50's Understanding Technology

CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript

Data Science: Capstone

Data Science: Inference and Modelling

Data Science: Machine Learning

Data Science: Productivity Tools

Data Science: R Basics

Data Science: Visualization

Deploying TinyML

Electrochemistry

Energy and Thermodynamics

Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles

Fat Chance: Probability from the Ground Up

Fundamentals of Neuroscience Part 1

Fundamentals of TinyML

High-Dimensional Data Analysis

Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster

Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health

Introduction to Data Science with Python

Introduction to Digital Humanities

Introduction to Probability

Islam Through Its Scriptures

Leadership: Creating Public Value

Leaders of Learning

Machine Learning and AI with Python

Managing Happiness

Masterpieces of World Literature

MLOps for Scaling TinyML

Modern Masterpieces of World Literature

Remote Work Revolution for Everyone

Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

Shakespeare's Life and Work

Statistics and R

Super-Earths and Life

Using Python for Research

You won't get a certificate of completion with these free courses, but don't let that hold you back. Students can still enroll at any time and start learning at their own pace.

Find the best free online courses from Harvard University with edX.

Topics Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Careers

Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming services, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.

Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.

MDEI Courses & Program Structure

The Master of Digital Experience Innovation (MDEI) is a professional, course-based Master's program delivered fully online. The program focuses on the development of creative leaders, with a strong focus on user experience design, marketing, project management, leadership, and business development. Students are taught by faculty as well as industry leaders

MDEI consists of eight (8) core courses anchored by two (2) intensive workshops. These program intensives will provide students with the speed and flexibility of a short online program, while providing exciting real-world learning opportunities developed in collaboration with our industry partners.

Course Work

The program consists of 8 core required courses which can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis:

DEI 612 Working in Teams

DEI 613 Digital Media Solutions 1: Design Principles and Practice

DEI 614 Principles of Marketing in a Globalized World: Leveraging Digital Technology

DEI 623 Digital Media Solutions: Project Management

DEI 616 Special Topics (Design and Innovation)

DEI 625 Business Innovation and Impact

DEI 626 User Experience (UX) Fundamentals and User Research (UER)

DEI 627 Special Topics 2

*Please note this information is reflective of the 2023 academic year. Current students should refer to the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar for course requirements.

Full-time Program Plan

Students enrolled in the MDEI full-time stream will take four courses per term for a total of two terms. The full-time program is eight months in duration. MDEI Program Intensives will take place at the beginning and the end of the program:

Part-time Program Plan

Students who wish to complete the program part-time will take two courses per semester, and will complete the program in 2 years (20 months). MDEI Program Intensives will take place at the beginning and the end of the program:

Intensive Workshops

The program intensives take place at the beginning and the end of the program. They are developed by faculty in collaboration with industry partners and are designed to teach fundamental competencies and to reflect the outcomes of the core courses taught in each semester. Students will design, prototype, and evaluate innovative, forward-thinking design solutions, including problem formulation, solution design, and solution delivery.

Participation is required.

Learn more about the Intensive Workshops →

Industry Projects

The Master of Digital Experience Innovation is a professionally-oriented program that connects you to the real world. You'll be mentored by professors and corporate partners, and complete industry projects that reflect real opportunities in the digital media sector.

By merging theory with business practice you'll be prepared to not only identify challenges – you'll have the proven ability to propose, develop and implement timely, innovative digital solutions that enable businesses to grow and prosper.

• Sun Life Financial Students worked in a start-up environment on a new business initiative launched in August 2016, Sun Life Digital Health Solutions. Leveraging insights gained through research, students built a go-to-market strategy including designing an online interface. 
• IBM Watson Analytics - Cognitive Marketing  Students utilized user-centered strategies and practices to imagine the next generation of IBM Watson Analytics as a cognitive data visualization tool incorporating artificial technologies. 
• IBM Watson Analytics - Cognitive Healthcare  Students analyzed trends to identify and opportunity and solve a problem with human-centred design and product positioning techniques, and finally prototyped the solution. 
• Toronto Police Service Students created a new digital strategy to facilitate the ways in which the public can interact with the police. This included leveraging its digital presence through a new digital brand and improving the usability and relevance of its tools. 
• Media One Creative  With Media One's current technology and marketing strategy in place, students redeveloped the website, set-up and integrated Salesforce, Pardot (MAP), Vidyard and created functionality within the website to allow visitors to have a fully self-guided sales journey. 

Useful links

• Important dates and deadlines
• Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
• Graduate Studies Academic Calendar
• Forms (GSPA)
• Graduate schedule of classes
• QUEST login
• Waterloo LEARN
• Download the MDEI Brochure

Rawls College of Business

Rawls college launches online bba program, in 2021, newsweek named texas tech university the no. 1 school for an online education..

Jacob Gordon | August 16, 2024

As a new academic year is set to kick off, the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business is excited to launch its Online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in General Business program.

The Online BBA program has the potential to expand the reach of Rawls College of Business beyond traditional boundaries," said Dino Villegas , associate dean for undergraduate programs and professor of practice of marketing. "We already have a few students returning to finish their degrees, and they will be graduating soon. The fact that Texas Tech's online programs are highly ranked adds an extra layer of confidence that this program will stand out in the competitive landscape."

Mary Frances Weatherly rejoined Rawls College in May to help guide the vision of the Online BBA Program. She first worked for Rawls College in 2013, serving as senior director of programs. Weatherly served as a part-time marketing instructor and worked for Pearson as a director of marketing for student programs from 2016 until taking on the leadership of the Online BBA program.

"Mary Frances Weatherly's return to Rawls College is a significant asset for the Online BBA program," said Villegas. "Her familiarity with the college's culture, combined with her fresh perspectives from the industry, positions her perfectly to drive the program's vision forward. Her leadership will undoubtedly ensure that the Online BBA program is both innovative and aligned with market demands, setting it up for long-term success."

As the director of the program, Weatherly wants to focus on continual growth and improvement.

"It's crucial that we are always looking to improve the student experience in this program," said Weatherly. "We will launch a strong program in Fall 2024, but we will not be stagnant with it."

Because students will not have an in-person component, Weatherly knows the imperativeness of making sure the program evolves to fit their very different needs. The Online BBA program was designed for students who could not relocate to Lubbock for the on-campus experience, students who had previous college experience, or working adults.

"We are hyper-focused on the students," said Weatherly. "We have dedicated faculty that will teach in this program. I can promise students, they will learn in a real-world environment in this program."

Weatherly is most excited at the potential for the Online BBA program to reach a wider population.

"We will be able to reach students that we previously have not been able to reach in the past," said Weatherly. "Not only does it allow students that had or will have to leave Lubbock to finish their degree, but it also opens the possibility of a Rawls BBA to working people that don't live in Lubbock or Texas."

People or future students who would like more information about the Online BBA program are encouraged to email Weatherly.

tags: College News , Featured News , Rawls College News

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Tepper School of Business

Tepper Online Hybrid MBA: Part-Time Program. Full-On Experience.

The tepper online hybrid mba allows you to earn a stem-designated mba in a part-time, online format that’s laser-focused on the future of business — informed by data, powered by humans..

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A Top-Ranked Online MBA

#2 online mba program, u.s. news & world report (2024), fortune (2024), #2 online mba program, u.s. schools, financial times (2024), why choose the tepper online hybrid mba.

In this top-ranked online program, you’ll work in collaborative teams alongside whip-smart peers with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. 

Guided by the same dynamic faculty who teach our Full-Time MBA program, you’ll pursue an analytics-focused curriculum as you learn to harness emerging technologies and wield data to fuel better decisions.

Have you completed undergraduate business coursework in the past 10 years? You may be eligible for our Online Hybrid Accelerated MBA format. In our Online Hybrid Accelerated MBA format, you’ll earn the same degree, faster. See if you’re eligible.

Identical Degree. Flexible Format.

In our Online Hybrid MBA format, you can count on the same challenging and rewarding core coursework taught by our professors who lead the Tepper Full-Time MBA program. You will graduate with an identical STEM-designated MBA — ready to lead at the speed of change.

Follow 7 steps to progress toward admission and earn an application fee waiver!

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Have you completed undergraduate business coursework? You may be eligible for our Online Hybrid Accelerated MBA format.

Explore an Accelerated MBA

“With an online program, you want to feel you’re part of something, not out there on your own. During the application process, Tepper was so responsive and accommodating. It felt like people really cared about me personally, and that has continued during my time here.”

-  Amarachi Ude, MBA 2024, Industrial Engineer, FedEx Ground

Lasting Connections

Community is a hallmark of the Tepper School experience. 

You’ll complement your Online Hybrid MBA with in-person Access Weekends  — immersive opportunities to forge close ties with your colleagues, take classes, and participate in professional development activities. Both in Pittsburgh and online, you'll tackle team-based projects, soak up diverse perspectives, and strengthen bonds with faculty and fellow students that will continue throughout your career.

Professional Growth

Working with your own leadership coach , you’ll create a customized leadership development plan to guide you to greater empathy, self-awareness, and effectiveness — preparing you to lead tomorrow’s workforce with insight.

It’s where you’ll realize your leadership potential. You’ll graduate ready to manage people, build networks of influence, inspire others to join in your pursuit of a common goal, and execute that goal with excellence.

Application Deadlines

• Round 1: Oct. 1, 2024
• Round 2: Jan. 6, 2025
• Round 3: March 3, 2025
• Round 4: May 5, 2025
• Round 5 (Online Hybrid Only): June 9, 2025

Deadline details

We are offering GMAT/GRE/EA waivers on a case-by-case basis.

Find Out More

Are You a "Right Fit" Candidate?

The Admit.me Index (AMI) — a free, automated profile review for MBA candidates — gives you a candidate profile score, details of what affected your score, and recommends opportunities to strengthen your candidacy. 

Get your report in  just 5 minutes   and  see how your profile compares to the "perfect" candidate and to the schools you are targeting. The score is not expressly indicative of your likelihood of being admitted into the Tepper MBA program and we encourage you to contact our admissions team to discuss your results.

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Flexible Format

Not much room in your life for the challenges of a master’s degree? Our Online Hybrid flexible format is for you.

Live, interactive classes meet just two evenings a week and include offline content that you’ll complete at your own pace. You'll also come to campus multiple times per year, where you'll strengthen the online connections you’ve made. 

Part-Time Schedule, Full-Time Benefits

Personalized leadership training. Professional career services . Access to many professional clubs. An international alumni community that’s there for you. Enjoy all the Tepper MBA advantages as you pursue a flexible online MBA. No matter how you pace your studies, you get the full Tepper School experience.

Find answers to the most common questions about the online MBA in our  Online Hybrid MBA FAQs .

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