Marketing Online Classes

Article
Marketing
Online Classes

Catalog placement

Best practices have evolved in the marketing of online classes to lifelong learning markets. The difference between highly productive partners and all the others appears to be a simple philosophy . . . less is more. Those who feature just one or two online classes in each catalog seem to do better in enrollment counts than those that run a long list of titles. An urban myth seems to have evolved that customers will buy online classes from the title alone. Course descriptions are just as important for online classes as they are for your face-to-face offerings. If catalog space is an issue, run fewer classes rather than cut course descriptions.

Each semester, choose one or two topics that you feel might be hot sellers in your marketplace. The next semester, choose different topics to offer. Rotating the topics keeps the titles new and different. Placement in the catalog also seems to make a difference. Separating online classes from face-to-face classes in a topical specialty is sure to reduce enrollments. Your customers are not looking for classes they can take online. They're interested in new knowledge in their area of interest. Most students are indifferent to the venue. The bottom line appears to be to treat online classes no differently than any other class that you offer.

The course description

It is important that the actual course exceed the expectations created by a course description. When a course description differs from a student's experience, a weak evaluation is usually the result. The Growth Strategies suggested course descriptions have been carefully written to make sure the student's experience exceeds their expectations. We do not recommend editing the course descriptions. Even a minor word substitution often changes the dynamics of the student expectations. The course descriptions are designed to stand alone in your catalog and do not require further postscript on your part.

Getting ad slicks and graphics

Copy for the course descriptions can be obtained by going to www.gsinet.org/cedemo/passouts.htm

Ad slicks and graphics for use in your course catalog can be obtained by going to www.gsinet.org/cedemo/adprep.htm

Listing dates and setting registration deadlines

Always list as many start dates as space permits. A student who sees your promotion after the start date may not realize that online classes recycle every six weeks. It also gives students more options to plan around vacations and other scheduling conflicts.

We do not recommend setting registration deadlines. The independent, self-paced characteristics of online classes enable students to catch up easily, if they start late. We can take late registrants to online classes up to 10 days into the six-week cycle. So keep registrations open as long as possible.

Class Schedule Each course runs six weeks and is in an independent learning format, students work at their own pace. The classroom is open 24 hours per day. We accept late enrollments, as much as two weeks into the semester. Classes get under way on:

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 to April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 to June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 to July 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010 to September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 to November 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 to January 6, 2011