Things can get rather expensive when it comes to running a business. Now I am all for using software and tools that can help you grow, scale, and save time but I also think back to when I first started my business.
And….. There was no way I could afford to spend $300/month on tools and software. You do not need to have all the fancy things right off the get-go when it comes to creating your offer/course. This post will walk you through how you can get your course up and running for free or a small affordable monthly fee.
Key things you need to host your course
Remember one thing. It does not need to be perfect before you put it out into the world. You really do not need tonnes of things to launch a course. Below are some core things you will need:
- Course Platform to host your courses/offers
- Google docs and google sheets
- Domain for the name of your course or you can host it on your regular website domain
- Something to make slide presentations.
- Screen recording software
- Email Marketing Platform
- Payment Processor
Your course hosting platform
So I am going to talk about this one first since if you choose a good one you actually can eliminate a bunch of the other things on the list if you choose an all-in-one platform. Now I literally have tried the majority of the platforms out there and have kept coming back to one that I love because of the features and the ease of use and the price.
Drum roll….. meet Systeme! Systeme is a newer platform to the market but it has so many amazing features and the development team and the ower really do listen to their customers. The features and updates that they keep adding blow my mind away. It has email marketing, evergreen webinars, blog and you can build amazing funnels.
Systeme also has a free plan so that you can get started with your course and even sell it to people without having crazy restrictions. I personally have the webinar plan at $47/month. I recently just switched over to Systeme from Kajabi as I just could not justify the price of Kajabi. $199/month was not in my budget since I am just getting my courses together now. Now I am no beginner when it comes to course creation. This is what I do with my retainer clients.
Some of the other commonly known course hosting platforms are:
- Kajabi
- Teachable
- Funnel Gorgeous
- Click Funnels
- Thinkific
- Podia
- Kartra
- New Zenler
- SamCart
- Learnworlds
Google docs & sheets
Google docs and sheets are one of the things I use the most in my business. They come in really handy for course creation as well. You can use them to plan out your content, create templates for your course/offer, and for launch planning. They are free to use as well so you do not need to pay a subscription fee like Microsoft.
Domain
If you want your course and offer to look professional, I highly suggest that you purchase a domain and attach it to your course hosting platform. You can purchase domains for $1 through GoDaddy and other domain providers. My favorite is namecheap.
Something to create slide presentations
Slide presentations are an effective way to communicate a message. They are a form of visual communication and the most popular form of presentation. When people think about making a presentation, they often think of PowerPoint or Keynote, or other software that creates slides.
Slides can be created with both free and paid software. Some companies offer free templates and others charge for them. The templates usually have layouts, graphics, and fonts that you can use in your slide presentation without much effort on your part.
Some key slides you will want in your presentation:
- Title of the course
- Course description
- Course objectives
- Course prerequisites
- Contact information for the instructor and links to their social
- Date, time, and location of course sessions
Screen Recording Software
Screen recording software is a type of software that records the screen of an individual’s computer and displays the video footage on the individual’s monitor. It is used to create tutorials, demonstrations, and other educational materials.
There are many reasons why someone might want to use screen recording software. A person might want to record themselves using a program or game in order to create tutorials for others who wish to learn how to use it. They might also want to record themselves playing a game so they can post it on YouTube or another video hosting site as a form of entertainment for others.
There are many different types of screen recording software available today and each has its own specific features, strengths, and weaknesses. Some are free while some come with a fee attached. My favorite screen recording software is Vimeo, Loom and Camtasia. Vimeo and Loom both have a free plan that may work at the beginning.
Email Marketing Platform
Email marketing is a marketing technique that is still widely used. It has been around for more than two decades, but it remains to be one of the most effective ways to reach out to potential customers and keep them updated.
Email marketing platforms are specialized services that help businesses send emails and manage email campaigns. They can also provide insights into the campaign’s performance, such as open rates or click-through rates. Some email marketing platforms even offer automation tools that can be used to automatically create and send emails on a regular basis.
Having an email marketing platform setup is something that you will want when launching, selling, and communicating with people that are on your list. My favorite platform for email marketing is Systeme since it is an all-in-one platform.
Payment Processor
A payment processor is a company that handles the process of accepting credit cards and other forms of payments.
A payment processor is a company that handles the process of accepting credit cards and other forms of payments. The job of a payment processor is to authorize transactions, manage risk, and clear funds. Some examples of companies that work as payment processors are MasterCard, Visa, American Express, PayPal, Square, Stripe, etc.
You will need to have a payment processor set up prior to launching your course as you will need a way to collect money.
The Wrap Up
Creating a course can be free or can cost you a bunch of money. It really depends on what you need and what your course/offer needs. I always suggest to my clients that they start with what they need and scale when they need to.
Try not to make it too complicated when you are starting out. This is another reason why I love Systeme since it is all-in-one and has a free plan that will allow you to get started. Then they have affordable plans as you scale. You will not be disappointed.
I cannot wait to see what amazing courses you make.
Affiliate Disclaimer please note that some of the links in this post links may be my affiliate links. It does not cost you anything extra to use my affiliate link. If you make a purchase off an affiliate link I can earn a commission. I only put affiliate links of things I actually use and fully support.