Digitally She Does It Podcast

EPISODE 96: Strategies for building an engaged audience for your online course

• Karen Davies • Season 1 • Episode 96

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Welcome to another episode of the Digitally She Does It podcast! In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most crucial topics for online course success - how to build an engaged and loyal audience online. I share marketing strategies and expert insights to help you attract, engage, and convert the right people who are not only interested in your course but eager to be a part of your journey.

In this episode, I’ll take you through the process of understanding your audience’s pain points and desires, so you can create content that truly resonates and offers real solutions. 

You’ll discover how to craft targeted messages that speak directly to your ideal audience, build personal connections, and nurture relationships that foster trust. It’s these authentic relationships that will turn followers into loyal, paying customers who believe in your vision and are excited to invest in your course.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’re ready to take your existing course to the next level, this episode is packed with actionable steps you can implement straight away. 

My goal is to leave you feeling inspired, energised, and ready to create meaningful connections that will help your course and business thrive.

Don’t forget to check out my free resources, including the Digital Creators Hub, to help kickstart your online journey. Head over to my website (www.karen-davies.com) to access these tools and get even more tips to grow your audience and boost your success.

So, grab a coffee, settle in, and let’s dive into how you can start building your audience online today!

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Karen Davies [00:00:00]:
Hello and welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show. This is episode 96. And in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about how to build an engaged audience for your online course. So, let's jump right in and let's get started. Welcome to the Digitally. She does it show.

I am your host, Karen, and I'm here to lift the lid on what it actually takes to create a successful business. If you are an ambitious creative ready to build a business on your own terms and without compromise, then this podcast is perfect for you.

Karen Davies [00:00:40]:
With my award winning approach to marketing, and expert knowledge in creating online courses, this show will leave you feeling inspired, energized, and ready to bring those big dreams to life. Join me each week for a dose of motivation and marketing know how along with actionable step by step strategies to help you accelerate your businesses grow. So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes which drop every Wednesday.

Hello, and welcome. Thank you for joining me today for another episode. I am your host, Karen, and I really do appreciate you hitting that play button to listen to today's episode. So today, I am talking about building an engaged audience so that if you are creating an online course or maybe you're thinking about creating an online course, you can build an audience that is prepped, engaged, and ready for what it is that you're going to be offering. But before I do, I want to just talk about the digital creators hub.

Karen Davies [00:01:48]:
This is your one stop shop for getting started online. Now in this hub, I've got tons and tons of resources to help you with your online journey. It's completely free. I'm giving it away for free as a thank you for listening to this show. All you need to do is head on over to my website, www.karen-davies.com/hub, and go and get access to this free hub. There is no better time to get started with your digital journey than now, so go and access these free resources. Okay. So let's jump back into today's episode.

Karen Davies [00:02:30]:
And today, I am talking about a really crucial aspect of online course success and that is building an engaged audience. Now without an engaged audience, selling your online course is going to become an uphill battle. So what I want to do today is I wanna talk about how to attract the right people and how you can keep them engaged so that when you put your offer out there that you can get those sales. Now first and foremost and and this is probably something that I would encourage anybody to sort of spend time on. This is all about you getting to know your audience and understand what their challenges are and what their needs are as well. So as course creators or if you are thinking about creating an online course but you've not yet started, then what is really important is that you go to where your audience are. And what I mean by that is we need to create something that kinda serves are the needs of our students. So with this, it's about understanding what they need from you so that you can create something that ultimately delivers a result.

Karen Davies [00:03:58]:
So this is about understanding what their pain points are, what their goals are, how they often interact as well, how they like to learn so that you can really craft content and offers that ultimately speak directly to them. And I think the more you know what your people need, that's gonna influence how well they're going to engage with you as well because any content that you then put out, if it addresses their pain points and it speaks to them to the hearts of what they're about and really kind of focuses in on their challenges, then you're most likely going to bring them on that journey with you because people need to feel heard. They need to feel understood. I think this is part of human nature. We listen to the people that speak directly to us and I think the more you can understand your audience and understand exactly what it is they that they need, I think the better your offer is going to be and the better your course is going to serve them as well because you'll be able to create something that speaks directly to them. And then of course by doing this it's going to create a sense of connection, trust, and relevance as well which is really vital when you're looking to build relationships with your audience. Now think about it this way. You could have the most amazing course But if you are promoting it to people that don't feel it's relevant to the challenges that they're currently experiencing, it doesn't really matter how good your online course is.

Karen Davies [00:05:51]:
They're just not going to buy into it because it's not relevant to their needs. So you need to get really clear as to who your ideal people are, what they are currently struggling with, how you can help, and what you can then offer them that's going to really make a difference to their life. And when you do that, when you hit on that golden formula that sort of speaks directly to their what it is that they're looking for, that's when they will become engaged because they will then listen to you because you will know what it is that they need. You'll be speaking directly to them. And I think the key is getting people excited about your content because you're making them feel like you get them. You understand them. You understand their struggles. You understand their pain points.

Karen Davies [00:06:50]:
And importantly you can provide the solution as well. I don't think you can underestimate the power of of having an engaged audience. I think it's really important that to to spend that time really understanding what your people are about. Now how you can do this is in several different ways. It doesn't necessarily need to take weeks, month, years to do this. You just need very simple strategies that you can roll out that's going to help you to gather the right insights. So in order to understand your audience, you need to really gain insights about them so that you can ultimately understand them. And I think there's a danger in assuming that you know what they need because you can end up making the wrong assumptions.

Karen Davies [00:07:47]:
And if you're building your course off the back of wrong assumptions then what you'll find is that you won't get those sales. So even at the beginning once you've got maybe you've got your topic, you know you think you know who your audience are, I would highly encourage you to spend that time to gather insight and to really understand exactly who you're trying to target. Now there are several different ways that you can do this. You can run a survey or a poll online. Now these are great. These are really powerful tools for you to use to learn more about your ideal people. You can create detailed surveys that ask questions about what their current challenges are, what their goals are, and the type of solution that they're looking for. I think sometimes the the danger is overcomplicating things.

Karen Davies [00:08:46]:
So sometimes just asking straightforward questions gives you the answers that you're ultimately looking for. So don't underestimate the power of polls, especially in things like Facebook groups, even on LinkedIn, if your audience are on LinkedIn, because people, they enjoy answering polls. They, you know, it doesn't take a lot of their time. And if they see a poll asking a question that's relevant to them, they're most likely going to answer. So surveys and polls are a really useful way to gather insight. The other way is just to have a conversation. If you work with clients and part of what you're looking to create is helping those clients with a problem that you've already worked with, have a conversation and gather insights that way. Direct conversations with your audience is extremely powerful.

Karen Davies [00:09:45]:
So you could set up 1 to 1 calls, or or you could even interact with them directly via DMs on social media, direct messaging. The idea is that you dive deep into what their challenges are so that you can literally create something that gives them a solution. They're so valuable. Like, these tools that we have available on these social media platforms are incredibly powerful and so we should be using them to our advantage. You could put a question out. You can just put a post out with a question and start a conversation around a question. And then listen to what people are saying. Check their comments.

Karen Davies [00:10:29]:
Check the discussions that are happening. And that all and you you can look at trending topics as well. If there's something relating to your area of expertise, you can check out what is currently trending because that might be a gold mine of insights that you can then tap into. Once you have these insights then it starts to make your content that you put out across social media or what you email out to your audience so much easier because every piece of content you create is going to be informed by the insights you've gained. So it's going to make your content so much more targeted. You're gonna have sharper messaging. Your topics are gonna be more relevant and then you're you can provide solutions that are are literally tailored to the needs of your audience. So when you're looking at building your course you are creating content within your course that is exactly what your audience are looking for.

Karen Davies [00:11:32]:
So when it comes to building an engaged audience online, it's easy to simply focus on just creating content. But there's a deeper layer to successfully building an audience online, and that is focusing on building the relationship. Because whilst the great content is essential, because that's what's going to bring people into your world, it's actually going to be the connection that you forge with your audience that's ultimately gonna turn those followers into loyal supporters and, of course, long term customers. So it's vital that when you are putting stuff out online, you are creating things that's going to bring people into your world so you can forge that relationship with them. You cannot get away from the power of personal connection. Because I think in today's digital world, people are constantly being bombarded with information left, right and centre. We are being notified all of the time. Things are constantly pinging and telling us, you know, so and so's posted something and, you know, we need to check this out and we need to do this and and and whatever.

Karen Davies [00:12:52]:
And there's offers that are being thrown at us at every single turn we make. So for your content to truly stand out and resonate with your audience you need to go beyond just delivering information. You need to make your audience feel so seen and understood. And this is where building relationships come into play. Because when people feel like they have a personal connection with you, they are far more likely to trust you, to engage with your content and then eventually to purchase from you as well. So think of it like this. People don't buy from businesses. They buy from people.

Karen Davies [00:13:37]:
It's the people that they like to know about. They like to see what's behind the scenes, what's going on so that they can build that know, like, and trust. And the stronger your relationship is with your audience, the stronger that loyalty is going to be to you. And your audience needs to feel that you genuinely care about their success and that you're not just selling them an online course. So something that I've always done in my business from the get go is I've always taken time to go networking because there is something powerful about meeting people, having a conversation, and building that relationship, especially in business. And I think there's no better way to build that know, like, and trust than to spend time having a conversation. And often, conversations can lead in many different directions. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's gonna result in a sale.

Karen Davies [00:14:39]:
Sometimes it's about collaborating with somebody or helping somebody or just having a really great connected conversation. But networking is always about building relationships. And I know that we are living in a time now where there are a lot of online businesses out there that predominantly are faceless. You don't know who's behind them, but yet you sign up to a freebie and then you get bombarded with offers. The problem with that is if you don't know who the person is and you don't know what they're about, you're less likely going to buy from them because that relationship has not been put into place. So this is where I think that as online entrepreneurs, we can serve ourselves so much better by building that relationship with our audience at the beginning so that you're building that know, like, and trust. So when you do have something to offer that you know is going to support your audience because you've created something specifically for them, you have that relationship in place And you're not going to be seen as this faceless business that is just looking to make money. And I think the temptation now is because we are online and it's easy to build a funnel and to put all those things in place and just send stuff out.

Karen Davies [00:16:06]:
I think that, you know, that relationship piece does actually get forgotten. But the power of personal connection is incredible because we are bombarded by so much stuff online. We're always being notified one way or another and we're having so many things thrown at us at any one time. So how do we cut through the noise? And the way we cut through the noise is by making sure that we do go above and beyond and we make sure that our audiences understand us. They know who we are. They know what we stand for and what we do and how we can help them, not on a level that is just for us to make money, but on a deeper level that's going to help them to solve their problems. And I think if you can create that relationship in your business, I think then when you have something to offer them, they're most likely going to convert into a paying customer because they know that what you have is needed by them. You've already got that trust established.

Karen Davies [00:17:19]:
Because in business, I think it's all about trust. And I think if you don't have that trust and you don't build that loyalty, then you're gonna really struggle to get those sales. So how do we build relationships with our audience online that is going to help you when it comes to selling your online course? Well, I think first and foremost, it's about being consistent. Showing up consistently and sharing really high value content. So whether you go networking or not, I enjoy networking. Other people don't necessarily go networking because it's not available to them. The other way is to be present online and to share content and to engage, to be there, but to show up authentically. Because relationships aren't built through a one way communication.

Karen Davies [00:18:15]:
It it takes 2 people to kinda build a relationship. So just like any other personal relationship that you have in your life, you need to engage with the person at the other end of the screen. And I think by doing that on a consistent basis with authentic interactions, it's going to go a long way to building that know, like, and trust. The other thing that you can do is build interactive content, things that you can encourage your audience to interact with. So, like I say, you can deliver a live session and have a q and a at the end. You can run a poll or a quiz online. Or maybe you can set up a challenge and get people involved in your challenge. So create something that actually brings people in where you can then help them to move forward.

Karen Davies [00:19:11]:
And I think also and I think this is absolute key. Whenever you do anything within your marketing, it should always be about them and not you. Because building a relationship with your audience, it means that you are making them feel valued. And you can do this by keeping your content and your messaging focused on their needs and their experiences. So rather than centering everything around you, your expertise, and what you've accomplished, think about what their problems are and the solutions that you provide and how you can help them to move forward. It's about showing empathy and understanding their challenges and also being there to celebrate their successes along the way. If you can be that person that they think of when they have a problem in in whatever field that you can support them in, then you are doing brilliantly because what that means is is that they're engaging with you enough to think about you at a point when they may need you. And that's what it's about.

Karen Davies [00:20:24]:
It's about showing up, being authentic, being consistent, and being there for your audience, and offering genuine support and value. Not something because you're gonna get something in return. We all want to make money. We all want to grow and scale our businesses and build the life that we dream of. But in business, what I think can sometimes be overlooked is that, yes, we're building businesses that support our life, but our business's main focus should be about serving your audience, serving your customers, and making sure that you're delivering a solution that's gonna help your audience to move forward in their lives. And that's one of the reasons why I love online courses because you can be a real force for good by simply sharing your knowledge and expertise with others. And then of course building a community. Something where you can bring people into your world and support them in a way that is aligned with you.

Karen Davies [00:21:35]:
That can be really powerful and that can really bring people along with you on your journey as well. Because trust is the foundation of any relationship. It doesn't matter whether it's a personal relationship or a business relationship. If you don't have trust, you'll never get the sale. Because when people trust you, they're most likely going to engage with you. They're gonna share your content and invest in you as well. And this trust is gonna come out come from you showing up authentically, providing real value that's going to make a difference, and demonstrating that you have their best interest at heart. Because people don't buy online courses.

Karen Davies [00:22:21]:
This is the truth. The amount of times I've shared this with my members, people don't buy nobody's interested in buying an online course. People are time poor. They've got other things to do in their lives that's more important. What they do do though is they buy solutions and they invest in people that they believe in and in which they trust. So by focusing solely on building that relationship with your audience, what you'll do, you'll create a really great foundation of trust that's going to then lead to long term engagement. You'll get the loyalty and then you'll be able to get those sales which is ultimately going to grow your business. Of course building an engaged audience is going to take time.

Karen Davies [00:23:08]:
It's not a 5 minute job. But if you understand your audience needs and you provide consistent value and you build that sense of community, you will be well on the way to being able to launch a successful online course. Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode.

I hope you found this episode of value. And, of course, please feel free to share it with others who you may think will also benefit from listening to today's episode. If today's discussion has sparked some inspiration and you are eager to dive into creating your online course, then go and visit my website www.karen-davies.com because I've got some great resources to kick start your online journey. 

And if you are ready to take that next step and you want to learn about how to create an online course for your business, then come into my all inclusive membership, sell your brilliance online, which is designed to guide you through creating your first online course with confidence and with ease. Again, just head over to my website www.karenhyphendavies.comforward/membership.

Karen Davies [00:24:24]:
I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week. I hope you enjoyed this episode of the digitally she does it show. Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode. New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday. So, why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Thank you for tuning in today and I will see you next time.