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Create Your Online Course Within 90 Days: Learn from A Launch Expert

Aug 10, 2022

Get tips and suggestions from a Launch Specialist who can help you effectively launch and build your online course in only 90 days.

As a Launch Specialist for the Customer Success Team, I have helped dozens of clients successfully build and launch their first online academies using Plus. As time has passed, I've come to learn the key things that course creators can accomplish to make sure they have a successful launch of their online courses, and our team has created a framework for helping our clients launch courses successfully in the span of just 90 days.

If you're trying to increase your revenue with online education and want to begin your course quickly and in an efficient method, here's some of the most effective advice that I can offer that will set you up to launch your course successfully in just 90 days.

1. Have a Project Planning Session and set your goals (Project Scoping Day 1 to 30)

The first thing you need to take to have a successful launch is to hold a meeting to plan. A project planning session involves taking an hour together with your team members thinking about everything could be thought of that will get you from idea to launch.

  The most important questions you and your team can consider are:  

  • Are you developing a new course? What is your course creation program?
  • Are you planning to transfer your course from another LMS? What is your migration plan?
  • If you're moving to another LMS How will your current students and content be transferred onto ?
  • The date is when the event?
  • Do you have an enrollment goal?
  • Which strategies would you employ as a team to achieve your enrollment goals?

Next, it's important to define the specifics of your student's user flow. Student User Flow is a term used in reference to the path the audience takes when they turn from potential customers to students.

  Some key questions that your team might consider in order for defining your user flow include:  

  • How do students learn about your class?
  • What happens next after they discover? What landing pages or links will they go to? What is the student experience such as?
  • How do you enroll?
  • When students sign up for your course, what happens next? What can you do to support them as they consume the material?
  • Students will be able to make use of SSO (Single Sign-On) for accessing other courses in your academy which they previously enrolled in?
  • Will students SSO (Single Sign On) on a different platform the classes?
  • Are there any key integrations you need to be conscious of? Some examples include email marketing as well as CRM and analytical platforms, and other payments solutions.
  • Are there resources or knowledge base materials, or lists of FAQs that you could prepare ahead of time in order to supply your students with more information to improve their knowledge?

Once you've laid out everything that you need to do before launching then it's time to establish dates and begin implementing all of the different elements of your plan including creating your course's website and content, and preparing all of the necessary details and tasks that you have outlined in your meeting to plan the launch to be successful.

2. Develop your online course's online contents and layout your website (Project Implementation Phase Days 30-60)

Our customer Success Team likes to call days 30-60 of the launch journey"the "Project Launch Phase". In this period that you and your team go to race according to the strategy you mapped out during your project planning session.

Use this time to upload the course material, work on your site layout, review other examples of other academies using your case to learn good practices, and set up key integrations you might need for example Zapier, automating student participation and enrollment, as well as setting up the various types of Email Marketing you will be making use of.

3. Test your project and prepare for the launch (Launch Prep Phase Days 60-90)

The last 30 days of the online course launch journey At this point, you'll probably have your initial version of your site and course nearly ready and will concentrate on user testing.

An integral part of ensuring that your launch goes smoothly is ensuring that your student's experience on your site is effortless and that there are no issues when users are interacting on your website and your content.

It is for this reason that a Launch Preparedness Review is an integral part of your Launch journey.

If you are using a Plus plan before the official launch of your website and your course the assigned Launch Specialist will block off the time needed to conduct a Preparedness Review The team will find out more about your plans for launching as well as conduct an audit of your site, carefully scrutinizing your website in order to ensure the launch runs without a hitch.

Make use of this opportunity to make sure that the entire team as well as any necessary stakeholders understand your launch day plans and future plans (New Site, Integrations, Courses, etc).

In order to make your assessment as easy as it can be to make the review as easy as possible, Launch Specialists Launch Specialist will break down the site into sections and perform an evaluation of the site's content with a focus on areas relevant to you and your business. It could include the review of and testing of:

  • Site Design
  • Course Setup
  • Bundle Setup
  • Extra Learning Content
  • Integrations and Sales Tools
  • Student Groups
  • Review Notifications and Reviews
  • All Site Settings
  • Student User
  • Account Test Runs

      And more...    

If you're not currently on a Plus plan, you'll need to conduct this launch preparedness review either by yourself or within the team. Once you have completed your review on your launch's preparedness and preparation, you will be able to go into the launch day excited and confident in your course web-based learning and on-line learning opportunities.

Your journey as a creator of courses is just beginning!

Download 's LMS checklist for preparing your launch to make sure you've got everything set up prior to launching the new system.

4. Check in with your team during the entire launch process.

Don't forget to host regular check-ins with yourself or your team throughout the course of your launch to make sure that you are on track to achieve your goals. If you're with a Plus plan you'll have the opportunity to participate in these meetings with your launch consultant and get expert assistance. Aim to have at least one of these:

  • 30-day check-in
  • 60-day check-in

During each meeting, take the time to ask your group or yourself: Are you on the right track to reach your goals? If not, what is the reason and how do you fix this issue?

5. Start your online course

If you've completed the steps in the 90-day launch journey properly, your launch day is likely to be easy sailing! When you celebrate Launch Day, make sure that you are celebrating your success and your hard-earned work with your team.

6. Have a Post Launch Debrief

Your growth journey as a course creator doesn't stop at launch. When you launch your site for courses it will require a Post-Launch Debrief with yourself as well as your entire team (and your Launch Specialist If you're on a Plus plan) to review your launch, gather insights and suggestions on the things that went well, and also the areas that could be improved for your next launch, celebrate wins, and discuss your next steps in order to be in a position to sustain long-term growth in your business.

In the wake of your discussion Following your debrief, you'll have the possibility to improve your content, site, and products by working with an Account Manager for Customer Success. Then, you will meet the team and will work together in creating a Success Plan.

You will receive dedicated support for your launch with an industry-leading Customer Support Team

If you're new on the Platform it is possible to get paired with one of my Launch Specialists right from the start of your journey as a Plus customer. In my role as a Launch Specialist I will be there to assist your needs with all of the information you'll need as you get comfortable with the platform. Begin building your course and site, and prepare for your launch to be successful.