Have you had a look at your competition yet?

Maybe you’ve checked out a few courses similar to the one you want to do…

Maybe you’ve seen their creators on Facebook or Instagram…

How did it make you feel?

Like many first-time course creators, or those considering creating a course, you might have been a bit intimidated.

After all, there they are… WAY ahead of you… with their courses already published… their big social media following… their slick promotional presentations… and their polished courses…

UGH!

No wonder they have such big beaming smiles.

I can see how this might make you want to give up before you begin.

“How can I compete with that?” you might think.

Well, I understand how this could trouble you.

But it’s actually not the problem you believe it to be.

First off, think about this…

Those people had to start somewhere.

They didn’t arrive as the finished article.

This wasn’t handed to them on a plate.

At one time, they were just like you, with no following, no finished product and no marketing machine in place.

So… if anything… what they are doing now should excite you, because there’s no reason why you cannot achieve the same.

It’s all there for you if you can be bold enough to put aside your doubts and take action!

But here’s the most exciting thing you should know about those ‘way ahead’ course creators…

Why you have an ADVANTAGE over the slick competition

Success is great, of course, but what happens when a course creator becomes bigger and more polished, with more customers? They lose something.

They don’t quite have that down-to-earth quality that they did when they started.

Their potential customers can see that they are probably dealing with many hundreds, even thousands of students, so they don’t expect to get the personal touch… and probably don’t expect that the creator will particularly care too much (or even know) if they stick around or leave.

In fact, they’ll feel that there is quite a big distance between their life – struggling to achieve a goal – and the course creator, who is clearly already successful.

It can feel to them that they’re just going to be swept into a giant sales operation.

Which is where YOU come in…

You might not be the well-oiled machine that your bigger competitors are…

And for many people, that’s a GOOD thing.

Because you will care about each and every sign up to your lead magnet… every new email subscriber… and each and every customer you get on your first course.

You will be much more ‘in touch’ with your clients.

Much more available to them…

Much more ‘like’ them, in the sense that you’re a real human being trying to achieve something, just as they are.

There’s much more scope for an emotional connection And your customers will feel more special, and more like you are personally looking out for them.

That’s a very powerful quality indeed.

Here’s why…

Exciting research from Harvard Business

According to a survey published in Harvard Business Review, ‘emotionally-engaged’ customers are:

• Three times more likely to recommend your course, so you’ll get more free word-of-mouth advertising
• Three times more likely to re-purchase a product (i.e. your course, a higher level version, or another course you create or maybe coaching or consulting)
• Less likely to shop around for alternatives to your course (44% said they rarely or never shop around)
• Less price sensitive, so more likely to pay a decent amount for what you offer

So by being more emotionally connected to your potential customers, you can actually gain the advantage over bigger, slicker competitors.

They’ll be much more loyal to you.

They’ll feel more like they are in a small, but special club.

They’ll do much more promotion on your behalf.

And they’ll more happily pay for your course when you offer it.

So you see?

There are huge positives to you being smaller-scale, new, and a little rough around the edges in your presentations.

What’s more, there are simple things you can do to increase that sense of emotional engagement. too…

How to Emotionally Connect With Potential Customers

The first thing to remember is…

Stay in touch!

In the Course Creation Academy I reveal how to set up a series of emails that welcome and nurture all new arrivals on your email list.
This makes them feel included, special and cared for.

Secondly, be yourself!

You might not realise it, but having a few quirks and flaws will only increase the sense of emotional connection.

So it’s ok to stammer a bit, or pause, or get lost momentarily, or have a joke, or express frustration or admit a weakness.

And it’s okay to admit you’re not a techie, or a marketer, or a designer (unless that’s what you are creating a course about ;-))…

You’re just looking to help them achieve their goals and solve their problems – that’s all they really care about.

Finally, encourage them to send you feedback or ask questions – that’ll make them feel like they really count, and it will also allow you to find out how they’re getting on, and how you can improve.

Your reply will mean the world to them, I can guarantee it!

These are simple things that don’t require big budgets and skills.

Just being honest, open and a regular person can have such a powerful effect.