Your ready-made annual plan for 1 million with an online course

Creating an online course is one of the most profitable and scalable business ideas today. Whether you are an expert in a subject area, a passionate hobbyist, or an experienced professional, you can create a course that both satisfies a market need and generates a steady stream of income.

So EVERYONE can do this, including you! But how do you go from idea to actually earning 1 million kronor in a year with your online course? Here is your complete annual plan that will guide you all the way. 👇

Month 1: Define your target audience and topic

Before you start creating your course, you need to define what you want to teach and who you want to reach. To make a really good launch, you need to have a warm target audience. Ask yourself:

• What problems do people in my field have?
• What knowledge do I have that can solve these problems?
• Who is my ideal customer (age, profession, interests)?

Take the time to do market research, check out your competitors, and see what courses are already out there. Identify gaps in the market and find a topic where demand is high but the competition isn't impossible to overcome. Start creating free content that you can share on your social media to start building a relationship with your audience!

Month 2-3: Plan the course content

Now that you have your idea, it's time to start creating the course content. Here are some tips:

• Structure the course : Break the course into modules and lessons. Each lesson should have a clear purpose and be easy to follow.
• Vary the format : Use a mix of video, text, quizzes, and exercises to keep participants engaged.
• Quality over quantity : Your course should be well-organized and professionally produced. Invest in good audio and visuals to create a positive experience for your students.

Plan to create at least 4-6 weeks of content for your target audience to work through. This creates a sense of progression and reward for your students. You don’t need to have your course finished at this point, just have a clear plan. Also, prioritize creating a free resource to offer your customers right from the start, whether it’s a webinar, an audiobook, or perhaps a mini-course! Collect email addresses using this so you can reach out to these customers in the months ahead.

Month 4-5: Build your course platform

To sell your online course, you need a platform. You have several options:

• Use a course platform : Platforms like Teachable, Udemy, or Thinkific make it easy to build and sell courses without technical knowledge.
• Build your own website : If you want full control over your course, you can build your own website using WordPress and plugins like LearnDash.

Prepare everything before launch:

• Create a selling landing page.
• Build in payment solutions (e.g. Stripe, PayPal).
• Test the platform to ensure the user experience is smooth.

Don't forget that throughout this time you are collecting email addresses that you process every week, and that you are posting interesting information on your social media.

Month 6-7: Launch!

Now comes your first launch, so exciting!! Reach out to the customers you have worked with with a really good offer, for example that you send something that is not otherwise included.

• Price range : A regular, slightly smaller online course can start at around 10,000 SEK. Keep in mind that you are charging for your expertise, and the person who buys the course is happy to pay for everything you have learned over the years.
• Goal : Aim to sell at least 12 courses on your first launch. This is entirely realistic if you have followed the previous steps, and it now paves the way for your future sales.

Don't forget to always include an option for those who want to add a little extra to the checkout. It could be an option that offers the customer something no one else gets, such as personal coaching. This upsell can be between 20,000 - 30,000 SEK.

Month 8-9: Scale your marketing

Build the course once the launch is complete so that your students can take the entire course when they get access as promised. Once you have a working course and a good marketing flow in place, it's time to start scaling.

• Advertising : Invest in Facebook and Google ads to reach a larger audience. With the right targeting, you can quickly increase your sales volume.
• Marketing : Of course, you continue to collect email addresses and cultivate your audience both on email, but also your other channels. This work never ends!
  
• Affiliate marketing : Collaborate with influencers or bloggers in your field. Through affiliate programs, they can promote your course and receive a commission per course sold. So others do the work for you, win win!

During this period, you should also focus on optimizing your course platform, collecting feedback, and making adjustments to increase the effectiveness of the course. Quality is important for your sustainability!

Month 10-11: Improve and optimize

After a few months of sales, you will have enough data to start optimizing your strategies:

• Evaluate customer feedback : Listen to feedback from your course participants and improve the content. Add new modules, update old ones, and make the course even more valuable.
• Increase your course offering : Create follow-up courses or additional materials that can be sold to previous customers. Another course can be a direct follow-up to your first.
• Campaign : Create a campaign around Black Friday. At this time, many people are extra purchasing power and it becomes easier to approach customers. Throw out a really good offer and set a goal of selling at least 15 more courses!

Continue to optimize your ads and marketing strategies. Keep track of your results and adjust your marketing to see what works best.

Month 12: Last launch of the year

Bigger, better and more fun! At the end of the year, many people are in the shopping frenzy, and many also want to make a change for the coming year - when online courses are very popular. Aim for 17 courses sold this campaign!

• Campaign : Do the same as the previous campaign and give customers a new great offer that is hard to resist. Send them free coaching for a number of months, or something else that feels really attractive when it comes to your niche.
• Upsell : Again, you should offer upsells of some kind for those who want that little extra.
• Last chance : Be clear in your communication that you will be raising prices at the end of the year, 25% is just right after your first year with your online course. This gives the waiting customer a real incentive to buy now!

Continue to optimize your ads and marketing strategies. Keep track of your results and adjust your marketing to see what works best. It's a work in progress.

Goal: 1 Million SEK

With a strong course, an effective marketing plan, and a continuous improvement process, you can easily reach 1 million kronor. To do this, keep in mind that:

• Diversify your revenue streams : Create packages, add-ons, memberships, or coaching services to increase revenue from your existing customers.
• Focus on long-term growth : Build trust and loyalty among your customers. This not only creates engagement but also more referrals and sales in the long term.

An online course is a long-term investment, but with the right plan and determination, you can create a sustainable business flow and reach your financial goals.

Conclusion

Creating and selling an online course is a great opportunity to build a successful business. By following this one-year plan, you can create a course that both delivers value to your customers and helps you reach your financial goals.

If you follow the steps above, you will have sold 579,000 SEK just on your launch and your campaigns. In addition to that, you will sell courses between launches, you will have even more upsells and you will create another course that your happy customers buy. Very quickly you will reach 1 million and have reached your goals.

It's about building a strong foundation, marketing effectively and continuously optimizing to reach the top. Drive hard - YOU CAN DO IT!