Hello friends,
Greetings from Barcelona.☀️
Thanks for reading The Quest, your weekly round-up of tips and insights to help you design and lead exceptional online sessions that your group members will love.❤️
A lot of people have been asking me about how I launched my digital course Live Session Magic.
I’m going to break down the exact steps I used to go from idea to launch – with my go-to resources and tools – in case this helps you get your course off the ground. 🚀
Let’s jump right in!
How I Launched My On-Demand Course (Without a Big Team or Huge Budget)
If you’re thinking about launching an online course but feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of planning and tech involved, you’re not alone!
I just went through this myself.
I launched my on-demand video course Live Session Magic, last month. 🚀 I’d been thinking about it for over a year. But I kept putting it off. I couldn’t figure out where to start or the right steps to take.
Now, I’m no self-paced course expert.
And I didn’t have a big budget or production team. But I’m a big fan of learning by doing. And I had quite a bit of input from session leaders upfront to have an idea of what I could create that would deliver value.
I’m not going to candy-coat anything here. Launching a course is a big undertaking. 😅
But it’s 100% worth it. It’s one of the most rewarding ways to refine your ideas and create something valuable for your community that will last.
Here’s how I made it happen and hopefully, these steps will help you with your course launch. 💪
Step 1: Answer the “why?”
I get excited by shiny new ideas. But this time, I wanted to slow down and think about why I was doing this course.
Here are the questions I asked myself upfront:
- Who is it for?
- What problem is it solving? (Be specific)
- What solution does it offer?
- What benefit does it produce?
After thinking through the why, I was able to put it into one sentence:
Live Session Magic is for time-strapped online teachers and trainers who spend too much time and guesswork designing live sessions. It offers a proven process to create top-quality sessions that deliver value and help them grow their business.
Whenever I started to feel overwhelmed, I kept coming back to this sentence to help me focus.
Step 2: Create the content
Creating on-demand content was new for me. I’m used to the energy of live sessions.
Pretty quickly I learned that people don’t want to watch hour-long videos. They want short, actionable content that they can quickly digest and apply.
After getting input (from many of you🙏) and feedback from Breakthrough Facilitation alumni, here’s where I ended up👇
✔️45 Bite-sized videos
✔️5 key takeaways
✔️15 easy application exercises
✔️45 simple downloadable resources
Content Tip: Decide on a consistent format for each lesson early on. It made content creation much faster and easier for users to follow. Here’s how I structured mine: concept, why it’s important, common mistakes, and what to do instead.
The goal was to keep it simple, digestible, and actionable.
Step 3: Set up the production
As a new offer, I knew I’d be continuing to refine the content over time.
Here’s what I used:
Gear: Pretty simple: Macbook Pro, Ombar Softbox lights, RODE mic, Logipro Webcam. And (my splurge) an Elgato teleprompter (no fancy studio here!)👇
Filming: I recorded and edited the videos on Loom. Loom makes it simple to shoot and edit. This is what it looks like👇
Production Tip: Batch record your videos. Once I had written a bunch of modules and got the set-up in place I found that batching content saved me loads of time.
Step 4: Assemble your tech stack
If you are a “slow tech” person like me, figuring out the tech stack can take ages.
Here’s what the LSM tech stack looks like:
- Loom (10€/mo) for video recording and editing.
- Circle (95€/mo) as my course platform. I ❤️ Circle.
- ThriveCart (495€, one-time)for checkout, coupons, and affiliates.
- Notion (8€/mo) for the resource database and course management.
- Kit (75€/mo) for email automation (I also use this for this newsletter).
That’s it! It’s a simple but effective stack that got the job done.
Step 5: Launch the Course
The launch can feel like one of the most daunting steps.
That’s why I decided to break it down into two phases:
1/ Pre-launch:
In July I launched the course to my LSM interest list first. This gave me a deadline to get the course done without the pressure of a big public launch. I was thrilled when the first 30 courses sold out in 2 days!
2/ Official Launch:
In September I opened it up to my newsletter list (you all:) for a three-day launch. Now, it’s evergreen, with plans for quarterly “launch” events to keep interest going.
A Few More Tips:
- Find out what your audience wants first. Survey your people, test ideas, and create something they’re excited about.
- Outsource what you can. Work with a VA. Hire people to do tasks that take too much time. (Big props to Steph DeSousa, Mindy Marzec, course expert Daniel Bustamante, and website pro Ryan Clover.)
- Have support. Find people who you can test ideas with and who can cheer you on when the going gets tough! (Special thanks to Justin Bariso and friends at The Lab.)
Are you thinking of creating a course? Hit reply and let me know!
This Week’s Facilitator Finds 💪
In this section, you’ll find curated events, resources, tips, and tools worth checking out. Since we are on the topic of courses…
1/ 🎙️Jay Clouse’s Breakdown of a Launch. Golden advice from one of my favorite creators where he breaks down his launch strategy for his digital product CreatorHQ.
2/ 📋How to Create LinkedIn Certification. Simple instructions for setting up a badge that will show up on your learner’s LinkedIn profile.
3/ 🛠️Testimonial.to. Software that makes it easy to get and publish testimonials for your products and business. (No paid promo – I just like this tool).
💌 Thanks for reading The Quest
I always love hearing your feedback and suggestions. Just hit reply to share your thoughts and ideas.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to The Quest 👉here.
If you enjoy The Quest, I’d appreciate it if you shared it with anyone you think might like it.
Creatively yours,
Whenever you are ready there are 2 more ways I can help you:
👉Custom coaching & team training. Book a free 15-minute zero-commitment call with me to see how I can support you and your team.
👉 Live Session Design Video Course. Live Session Magic gives you a proven system for designing consistently high-quality online sessions. Join the interest list here and be the first to get access.
👉5-week Live Online Course. The Breakthrough Facilitation course gives you tools, personalized feedback, and a proven framework for designing and leading high-engagement live sessions. Join the interest list and be the first to get the next cohort dates and discounts.
