We assume you have developed a fully-fledged online course with informative and engaging material and are more than eager to launch it to the public now. Now, what kind of marketing strategy should you adopt?
You must stay updated with so many “new” digital marketing methods popping up daily. Luckily, we have found the most effective way to market your state-of-the-art online course. And that is – email marketing.
You might assume emails to be a bit old school, but facts prove otherwise. Both B2B (87%) and BTC (79%) marketers use emails to distribute a promotional deal, a new product, or in your case – an online course. And even customers find it convenient. Most prefer receiving top-notch emails with actual insights, hence increasing conversion rates too.
Overall, you are one step ahead by considering email marketing for promoting online courses; even the ROI for emails is around 122% (higher than other mediums).
Enrollments will increase, and prospective students will join.
Keep reading as we cover one of the most effective strategies to promote courses online.
Get Response: Email Marketing for Online Course Promotion: The Right Way to Go
Like any other campaign, email marketing requires a clear-cut strategy. So, be vigilant before you snoop in someone’s inbox. Send the email as if it’s your first job, and cross-check every minor detail; it matters.
Firstly, collect enough data for an active email list. It’s important to email potential students who might have heard about your course or what your brand stands for.
And even potential students know that they get similar emails every day. Especially now. Living with a quarantined lifestyle, online learning is the standard. You need to come across differently – only a “right” strategy can help.
Creating a course outline can help you identify key themes and topics to include in your email marketing campaigns. By incorporating elements of your course outline into your emails, you can create targeted and relevant content that resonates with your audience and encourages them to take action.
You need to be prepared each step of the way – calculate everything. Merely sending an email to a prospective student isn’t enough. Content quality, timing, consistency, and subject lines matter a lot.
Don’t worry, we’ll go into detail – from finding potential customers to making them purchase the course through emails eventually.
1. Build Your Email List
We strongly encourage you to filter people out and then build a list. So, know your target audience and find every connection possible. Prioritize these three types of customers and consider these sharp points.
Cold prospects: they are not aware of your course or your brand, the difficult buyers. So, customize your message in a specific way that addresses the customer’s problems.
Win-back customers: when learning, there’s never enough, is there? There’s always a successor to the previous one. Win-back customers will surely come for another program and might even recommend a friend. Keep them updated.
Current students: um, your current batch might already be going through many course-related messages and emails daily – it’s better not to disturb them with promotional emails.
Huh, you might be wondering how we get their emails. It’s fairly easy. If the budget is a bit reasonable, purchase a list (laws vary in regions) – Stirista is a popular provider. Or add pop-up pages on your website.
In fact, you can focus on creating distinct and intriguing content where users are eventually required to “sign-up.” Getting a list easy with social media integration, make sure you implement a strategy that converts subscribers.
2. Convert Email Subscribers Into Students
Email marketing is surely the “best” option to consider, but many marketers get disappointed when it comes to generating leads.
It’s good if the email open rate is high but don’t rely on those metrics alone. To be honest, they don’t even matter much. Focus on driving actual conversions – here are a few tips:
- The catchy subject line and overall design
- Customizing email list according to persona – region, and behaviour
- Customer’s journey in mind – their funnel stage
- Add relevant CTAs
When constructing an email, these are the top points to remember. When we say design an email, you should optimize it for different devices.
Studies show that more than 40% of email messaging now happens on mobile, and they’re far more likely to proceed further.
Now, this seems amusing, but you should also know that over 70% of consumers are likely to delete an email if it’s unresponsive. Now, you don’t want to end up in spam, so work on optimizing it.
When it comes to promoting online courses that use webinars, email marketing can be a powerful tool for engaging with your audience. Uh, then it’s just the basics. Craft an email, personalize it, and walla! Basically, research everything about the consumer. – track their journey.
Analyzing behaviour will also help you identify when to send emails and how personal you need to get. Try segmenting lists by filtering out demographics and browsing patterns. Then, tailor the email and click “send.”
3. Nurture Existing Subscribers and Students
While you try to attract prospective students, keep updating current students and subscribers as well, at least to a certain extent. Referral emails are perfect for this.
Once they’ve subscribed to your newsletter, serve them with the absolute best – that means – special offers, welcome notes, acknowledgement gestures, etc.
Don’t forget to keep the email as “human” as possible, like an exchange. It’s all about psychology.
Obviously, emails with a personal touch will keep readers hooked – a 27% higher click rate, in fact. Later on, you can even expect higher enrolment rates. It’s all connected.
On top of this all, use the simplest trick – special offers. Who doesn’t like something at a discount? Maybe a student wants to purchase another course?
What if you send a surprise email with a 50% off promo code, for instance?
Most consumers will go back to a brand they already trust, don’t underestimate referrals.
Best Practices to Write a Perfect Email Copy to Promote Your Online Course
Ok, so we’ve discussed the importance of writing a clear-cut, customized email. Here’s a more in-depth look at “practices” to follow.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to write an email copy that drives conversions, sales, leads, and, most importantly – satisfies the upcoming/current student. So, step-by-step:
1. Eye-catching Subject Line
Subject lines are your first impression; make it worthwhile. And always, always keep it short. Marketers have debated the “length” long enough, and here at Think Orion, we think you should stick with a 6-10 line target.
Also, deliver quickly. We mean to keep the subject with a “curiosity” touch and mention your desired action (online course-related).
Avoid click baits at all costs and be creative with your chosen words; they should reflect the course’s core message.
2. A Killer Preview Text
While writing an email copy, even the little line you see at first glimpse matters. The subject isn’t enough. Here, you’ve more room – utilize it correctly by detailing the course.
Also, perhaps consider trial and error. The classic method always works, and in your case – send emails with different lengths and observe the open rate.
Did it change? Anyway, remember to stand out. Maybe even use emojis. The goal is to be creative and leave a mark on the student. Be easy; no need to be formal.
3. Similar to a Web Copy
Yes! The body of the mail is quite similar to a web copy. Keep the flow as such – follow a set structure, align paragraphs symmetrically, and focus on one idea at a time.
To clear the course’s main points, use subheadings and even bullet points – explain everything in the simplest way possible.
Here’s what we mean. Focus on the “voice of the customer” (VoC). In copywriting, this technique is used to present the customer’s perspective. To sum it up, add affirmations from previous batches – reading another student’s point of view might convince them to continue with the email.
Why Hire an Online Course Marketing Agency to Execute the Right Email Campaigns
And you’re in luck. Here at Think Orion, our services are specially designed to promote online courses. We assure clients that their “prospective” students will turn into life-long ones – enrollments will be at an all-time high.
At Orion, as a leading online course agency – we can further help you out with:
- Social media marketing for online courses
- Customized course landing pages
- SEO optimization
- Conversion rate optimization
And… there’s a lot more.
You can book a free growth session with us, too – let’s talk about your program in detail and plan the perfect email campaign for your online course marketing.
Conclusion
And that’s it! Email marketing for course creators is summed up here. Implement these email marketing strategies, and students will surely line up or “sign-up” for your online programs.
It’s high time brands stop considering emails as inferior. Ironically, it’s the most reliable platform. You never know when Instagram or Facebook will decide to restrict your business account – unlikely – but you don’t want to risk it, do you?
Whether enrollments cross your expectations or not – be confident in the course’s credibility, though. You’ve worked hard enough. With just a bit of advertising, everything will be in shape.
And if you need to boost sales even quicker, do consult us. At Orion, our email campaigns often outperform the client’s expectations.
Think Orion offers digital marketing services for higher ed, edtech marketing services, online course marketing, and more! Where clients get end-to-end solutions and support in the entire digital marketing strategy to get results!
