How Many People Do You REALLY Need to Launch a Successful Online Course

How many people do you really need on your “list” to create a successful launch of your online course or your offer?

Even if you have a really tiny list, there are things you can do to engage your people and create a successful launch of your online course.

Years ago, I read a great book by Kevin Kelly titled “A Thousand True Fans”.

After reading his book, it had me totally rethinking the whole idea of quantity and how many followers we actually need us to create success. Kelly shares that we really only need a thousand true fans.

If you’re an artist, if you’re a musician, if you’re an expert, you really only need a thousand people following you to create a really high impact, successful business around what you do.

A Thousand True Fans (or Less)

I want you to imagine that you do have those thousand true fans out there. They spend $97 a year with you and you’ve created what most people consider to be a really successful business, right?

A $97 offer X 1,000 purchasers = $97,000

The thing I want you to think about is like what if your offer wasn’t $97 because most online courses are more than that, right? Most online courses are actually much higher.

If your course was $497 instead, you would only need 200 people to reach a revenue goal of $100,000.

A $497 offer X 200 purchasers = $99,400

A $997 offer x 100 purchasers = $99,700

Crazy, when you think of it this way.

100 people a year is the equivalent of 8 people a month saying “yes” to working with you.

8 people a month= $100,000 a year

Suddenly, it seems doable.

What happens if you’ve only got a small following and you’re really working towards getting to those hundred people? What do you do?

I want to talk about four things that you can do to make that small list an advantage for you.

4 Things to Make the Most of Your Small List

It’s easy to think that because we don’t have a big following, it’s a weakness. In truth, it’s actually an advantage because you can do things that other people with 1 million followers aren’t doing like…

1) Over-Deliver

Instead of asking for something from your audience, give. What can you provide that is high value.

Think about the questions your ideal audience has related to what you do. Make a list.

Start sharing content on social media and in your emails that answer these questions.

It doesn’t have to be lengthy to be helpful. Short, sweet, and consistent is how you build a relationship.

Leading with over-delivering creates a relationship with your customers before they buy from you.

2) Engage

I see people with hundreds of thousands of followers who post and get tons of comments. Comments that they never respond to…it’s like a one-way conversation happening.

Imagine how surprised your people will be when you jump in and reply. You comment and create conversations online. You can grab the opportunity they are missing.

Think about where you can go on your own page, your own Instagram, LinkedIn groups, discussion groups, and start to engage with your people.

3) Email

I know emails seem so old school, right? We think everything should be automated and happening magically.

One big opportunity you have when somebody does choose to opt-in to your list: email them personally.

We all love to be noticed. The online world makes people feel invisible. Let your people know they are seen.

4) Phone Discovery

The fourth thing you can do is something that gets dismissed in the digital space. Again, we think everything should be just automated. No one ever thinks of actually talking to prospects and followers…wait for it…on the phone.

It’s a huge missed opportunity because when everybody else is so focused on automating everything, when you make an effort to connect person to person, you can really stand out.

Phone discovery calls are a great way to kick up the relationship with your fans and guide them into deeper work with you.

Summary

Are you thinking “I only need to get a hundred people this year to say yes to my offer?”

How much easier is that when you’re doing these things?

You’re adding value…

You’re engaging with people…

You see your followers as real people…

You’re personally emailing them…

You’re happy to get on the phone and answer questions about your program…

There’s a lot of ways to really stand out when everybody else is only focused on quantity. You can focus on quality and really find those perfect, true fans of yours that can catapult you to being able to create everything that you want in your business.

Bonus: You get to help your people create results.

What’s one thing you can do to go deeper with your followers?