Market your courses, workshops and training without a budget

We often meet coaches and trainers who have poured blood, sweat and tears into creating brilliant new client offerings like workshops, retreats, online courses or ebooks, only to find that when it comes to spreading the word about them they’re at a loss for what to do.

Even the most seasoned marketers struggle with getting their messages out into the world – it’s not easy cutting through all the noise and distractions.

A good way to start is by planning a multi-pronged approach to your marketing efforts, so that your new offering has a higher chance of being seen by the right people.

Here are some basic steps you can take fairly quickly.

1. Create a landing Page

A landing page that contains all the key information about your offering and instructions on how to sign up gives you a place to point people who might be interested but want to know more. There are plenty of online platforms with easy-to-use site building tools that host landing pages. Choose one that allows you to integrate the sign-up process, so participants can register on the spot.

2. Create a flyer-style image

Though not essential, an image that captures the important information about your offer is another easy-to-share piece of content that has many uses (which we’ll outline below). Putting one together can be as simple as choosing a stock image and adding your program details to it by using simple design software like Canva, or even editing the image on your smartphone.

3. Share, share, share

Armed with a landing page link and an image, you now have a couple of things to share. Think about where your message will best meet a relevant audience: Facebook (including groups), Instagram, LinkedIn (don’t forget the groups!) and even via WhatsApp and other messaging services.

4. Send emails

Craft a personal email that contains your link and/or image to send to people in your network who might be interested. Remember to ask them to forward the details to anyone they know who may be interested in your offering too.

5. Tap on your friends, peers & professional networks

Take a few minutes to think about the people who you can lean on for support. Ask if they’d be willing to share your image and/or link with their networks, through email and their own social and professional channels. It helps if you craft a message for them, making it as easy as possible for them.

6. Leverage your memberships and affiliations

If you’re a member of a professional training or coaching body, find out if they have a newsletter in which they’d be happy to share your offering. You could offer their community a discount rate in return, for example.

7. Blog

Blogs are a great way to explain the “why” behind your new offering. Elaborating on the “whys” is also a good way to draw people in. You could publish blogs on your own LinkedIn account or offer to write two or three guest blogs for professional organisations that have a relevant audience. Organisations that share content regularly with their communities are often in need of new and fresh material.

Those are just a few of the tips that can get you started with spreading the word. If you can adopt a few of them in tandem, there’s a greater chance of your promotional efforts paying off.

But before you jump in, it’s worth making a plan that takes the following into consideration:

  • Who’s your target client, and where can you find them? Put yourself in their shoes and think about how to customise the strategies above so you’re reaching the right audience.
  • Give yourself enough time (two weeks at the minimum) to market your new offering.
  • Don’t take your foot off the gas! Sharing about your new course or workshop once isn’t going to cut it. Make a plan for how you will keep up communications during your sales period – what are the unique key messages you can share every few days?

Although it sounds like a lot, starting with these simple steps is easier than you think. You’re the subject matter expert of the course, workshop or retreat that you’re trying to sell, so dig into all that knowledge to create some enticing descriptions and key information – it won’t take long.

It’s just a matter of setting aside the time to formulate a plan.

Is there a marketing strategy that you’ve used in the past that has worked well for you and isn’t covered here? If so, we’d love to know! Drop us a line at: support@getfulfilled.co

We’re on a mission to empower coaches and trainers with time-saving technologies to forge meaningful connections with people looking to improve their lives – whether through acquiring a new skill or learning more about themselves.

So, if you’re in the market for an easy way to build and deliver beautiful, impactful courses that come with time-saving tools to engage personally with your clients, manage admin and keep track of business, reach out to us!  Email: support [at] getfulfilled [dot] co