The Ultimate Guide to Creating and Launching a Paid Online Workshop
Here’s exactly how to set up a paid workshop in under 60 minutes and start selling it to your audience in under 5!
For content creators and bloggers, online workshops offer an incredible opportunity to monetize your knowledge, reach a global audience, and build a community of like-minded individuals who will buy from you again and again.
The potential for growth and income is substantial, making online workshops a popular choice for entrepreneurs, educators, coaches, and experts selling digital products.
One of the greatest advantages of online workshops is the scalability. Unlike traditional workshops or seminars, the amount of work you put into creating and delivering an online workshop remains the same, regardless of whether you have ten attendees or a thousand.
So, if you’re looking for an incredibly efficient way to generate income I recommend you host an online workshop.
And with checkout software like MiloTreeCart to collect payments, manage attendants, and create sales pages with AI in 5 minutes, you’ve got everything you need to launch your first paid workshop.
Remember, with an online workshop is you can reach and teach a large number of people all at once, maximizing your earnings while sharing your expertise on a global scale.
To illustrate the power of online workshops, let me share a personal story.
A few years ago, I decided to take the plunge and create my first online workshop on how to create and sell digital downloads.
The process was easier than I thought, and the results were beyond my expectations. Not only did I manage to get 45 people to attend my first workshop and make $1,080 for showing up for one hour, but I also received requests for more. Since then, I’ve launched multiple online workshops, each one more successful than the last.
Plus, because I have the recordings, I’ve been able to sell them as “mini courses” afterwards and use the transcriptions to turn them into ebooks and lead magnets to grow my email list.
My success story isn’t unique. As founder of MiloTreeCart, the digital product payment tool built for non-techies, I have seen many others leveraged the power of online workshops to share their expertise, build their brand, and without a ton of work (say goodbye to creating courses), generate serious income.
And the best part? You can do it, too. This guide will walk you through the process of launching and selling your first online workshop, providing you with the tools, strategies, and insights you need to succeed. So, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What is a Paid Workshop Exactly?
A paid workshop is a unique opportunity to share your expertise, teach new skills, engage with an audience, and generate income simultaneously. But what does it entail?
Think of a paid workshop as a live event, an interactive training, typically lasting around an hour. It’s like a paid course but much simpler to set up. This session can be hosted on various platforms, such as Zoom or in a private Facebook group.
You don’t need an expensive course platform or membership site to run it. You only need a tool like MiloTreeCart to help you collect payments, plus MiloTreeCart gives you free sales landing pages you can create in under 2 minutes with our AI, plus over 100+ marketing materials to make selling a breeze!
The key element of a paid workshop is that you, as the expert, teach something you know well. This could be anything from digital marketing strategies, professional development, to watercolor painting.
Check out how Natasha used a simple live paid workshop format to teach an online cooking class.
The goal of a paid workshop is to provide your audience with a “quick win.” This means that by the end of the workshop, attendees have gained a new skill, understood a concept better, or achieved a small goal. This quick win not only provides value to your audience but a great way to build trust and credibility with your online community, turning attendees into true fans who will buy from you again and again.
One of the most appealing aspects of a paid workshop is that you can reach and teach a large number of people all at once, maximizing your earnings while sharing your knowledge.
Paid workshops are not just about making money, though. They’re also about building a community who are interested in your field. And as you conduct more workshops, you’ll find that you’re not just teaching – you’re also learning from the questions, insights, and experiences shared by your attendees and know what other products and services to provide next.
The Benefits of a Paid Workshop
Paid workshops offer a multitude of benefits, both for the organizer and the attendees.
You Don’t Have to Create Anything Until You Start Getting Sales
This means you can test the market and gauge interest before investing time and resources into creating your workshop. It’s a low-risk way to validate your idea and ensure there’s demand for your content.
You Can Test Your Idea Fast to See If This Is Something Your Audience Wants
Paid workshops allow you to test your ideas quickly. By promoting your workshop and seeing who signs up, you can get immediate feedback on whether your topic resonates with your audience. This can help you refine your workshop content and marketing strategies to better meet your audience’s needs.
Identify and Nurture Your True Fans
Hosting a paid workshop can help you identify and nurture your true fans. These are the people who are willing to pay for your content and are likely to be your most loyal followers. By providing them with valuable content through your workshop, you can strengthen your relationship with them and turn them into repeat customers.
Simple to Set Up
Paid workshops are simple to set up. With platforms like Zoom for hosting the workshop and MiloTreeCart for collecting payments, you can have your workshop up and running in under 60 minutes, and be selling in under 10. This makes paid workshops an accessible option for anyone, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
Easy Way to Start Making Money!
Finally, paid workshops are an easy way to start making money from your knowledge and skills. By charging for your workshop, you can generate income while sharing your expertise with others. It’s a win-win situation!
Perfect for Past Course Creators
If you’ve created courses, you know how time-consuming it is to create course content and course materials (videos, pdf, scripts, etc.). But if you’ve got your workshop recording, you can sell it again as a recorded mini-course. That’s two ways to monetize the same piece of content.
Examples of Paid Workshops from MiloTreeCart Customers
To give you a better idea of what online workshops can look like, here are some examples from MiloTreeCart customers:
- “How to Get Off Sugar” – A workshop focused on providing practical strategies and support for reducing sugar intake.
- “How to Use Instagram Reels” – A workshop teaching the ins and outs of using Instagram Reels for marketing and engagement.
- “How to Bake Baguettes for Beginners” – A workshop where participants learn the basics of baking their own baguettes at home.
- “How to DIY Your Branding” – A workshop guiding participants through the process of creating their own brand identity.
The best topics for paid workshops are those that provide one easy solution to a problem that your attendees’ have, offer shortcuts to their goal, and give them a tangible “win.”
When coming up with your topic, make it easy and teach less than you think. That hour goes by fast! And please don’t overwhelm your attendees. Plus you want to have time at the end for Q&A.
Choosing a Topic Based on Your Expertise and Market Demand
The first step in planning your online workshop is choosing a topic. This should be something you are knowledgeable about and passionate about teaching.
However, your expertise alone is not enough. The topic you choose should also be something people want. Talk to your ideal customers to understand them and their needs. Look for gaps in the market where your knowledge can provide a solution.
See if your topic can fit into one of these “six purchasing triggers” to turn your workshop from a “nice to have” into a “must have.” These are things people will pay for.
Can you workshop…
- Saves people money
- Makes people money
- Saves time
- Moves people away from pain
- Moves people toward happiness and wellness
- Raises someone’s social standing
Once you have chosen a topic, the next step is to set clear objectives for your workshop. What do you want your attendees to learn by the end of the session?
Think about the “transformation” you’re selling. The more concrete the transformation is the better. But it doesn’t need to be big. Just get them from Point A to Point B.
We recommend you teach 3 bite-size nuggets of info (15 minutes each), then field questions for 15 minutes!
Make sure to give your audience a tangible “win” so they get a taste of their success and understand that you got them there.
Remember, the goal of the workshop is to also sell yourself, so people want to buy from you again and again.
Set Up Your Workshop in Under 60 Minutes
Creating an online workshop involves more than just choosing a topic and setting a date. It requires planning, the right tools, and a commitment to creating engaging and informative content. Here’s how you can go about it:
Tools Needed to Create an Online Workshop
Creating and selling a paid workshop doesn’t require an expensive or complicated platform like Kajabi or Teachable. In fact, you can set up a successful online workshop with just a few simple tools. Here’s what you’ll need:
An Easy Solution to Collect Payments: MiloTreeCart
The first thing you’ll need is a way to collect payments from your attendees. MiloTreeCart is the simplest solution for this. It’s built for non-techies. It allows you to easily set up payment options for your workshop and connect it to your email service provider. Also, MiloTreeCart offers unlimited AI created sales pages to promote and sell your offer with ease. You can set up an entire sales page in under 5 minutes.
Zoom (or Any Platform You Prefer) to Show Up Live and Teach!
You’ll need a platform to host your live workshop. Zoom is a popular choice due to its ease of use and reliability. With Zoom, you can share your screen, interact with your attendees, and even record your workshop. However, you can use any platform you prefer, as long as it allows you to connect with your attendees, record the session, and deliver your workshop effectively. Our advice is to pick a platform people are familiar with.
An Email Service Provider
Once someone has paid for your workshop, you’ll need to send them a link to the live training. This is where an email service provider comes in. Providers like Mailchimp, MailerLite, FloDesk, and ConvertKit allow you to manage your email list, send out automated emails, and track your email marketing performance. You can use these tools to send your attendees reminder emails, emails with the information they need to access your workshop, and a thank you email at the end.
Tips for Creating Engaging Content
Once you have your tools in place, it’s time to start creating your workshop content.
Understand Your Target Audience: Take the time to understand who your audience is and what they want to learn.
Set Clear Learning Objectives: What should attendees be able to do or know by the end of your workshop?
Make It Interactive: The best online workshops are interactive. Include activities, discussions, and Q&A sessions to keep your attendees engaged and make the learning process more effective.
Use Visuals: Visuals can make your content more engaging and easier to understand. Use slides, infographics, and live demonstrations, to enhance your workshop.
Practice: Before you go live, take the time to practice your workshop. This can help you iron out any kinks.
Remember, creating an online workshop is a process. It might take some time to get it right. Don’t be thrown by technical glitches or things not going according to plan. It’s live, that’s the name of the game. But the more you roll with it and embrace the uncertainty, the more your audience will get behind you, so go have fun!
Pricing Your Online Workshop
Pricing your workshop can be a delicate balance. You want to charge enough to reflect the value of your content and your expertise, but not so much that it deters potential attendees.
- Value-Based Pricing: Consider the value your workshop provides to attendees. If your workshop can help attendees gain a new skill or solve a significant problem, you may be able to charge a premium price.
- Competitive Pricing: Look at what similar workshops are charging and price your workshop accordingly. If your workshop offers more value or unique features, you might be able to charge a higher price.
- Tiered Pricing: Offer different pricing tiers with varying levels of access or additional features. This can cater to different budget levels and increase your overall revenue.
Remember, selling your online workshop is not just about making a one-time sale. It’s about building relationships with your attendees, providing value, and creating an experience that they’ll want to repeat and recommend to others.
We see many MiloTreeCart customers selling their workshops from $14-$49 per attendee but go with your gut. In MiloTreeCart you can set up an upsell (with a VIP package, for example) to increase your average order value price.
Promoting Your Online Workshop
We recommend you DO NOT build out your workshop until you see if people are interested in buying it. So your job now is to SELL!
Give yourself 7 days of pure promotion to see if at least two people buy before creating anything!
Jillian Leslie, Founder of MiloTreeCart
Here are 4 ways to promote your paid workshop:
Promoting your workshop is crucial to attracting attendees and ensuring its success.
- Email Marketing: Use your email list to inform your audience about your upcoming workshop. Provide details about the topic, date, and how they can register.
- Reach Out Directly to Your Biggest Fans: Share your offer directly to them via email, text, or DM. Make it casual and personal.
- Social Media Marketing: Promote your workshop on your social media platforms. Share posts about the workshop, including teasers of the content you’ll be covering.
- Partnerships: Partner with other experts or influencers in your field. They can help promote your workshop to their audience.
- Content Marketing: Write blog posts or create videos related to your workshop topic.
- Paid Advertising: If you have the budget use paid ads on platforms like Google, Facebook, or Instagram to reach a wider audience.
Remember, launching an online workshop is not a one-time event. Talk about your workshop where your people hang out (FB groups, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, etc.).
If you think you’re being too salesy… you’re in the right direction!
Our personal opinion is if we’re not sharing your message far and wide, it’s virtually impossible to rise above the noise.
Tips for Running Your Paid Workshop
Here are some tips to ensure your workshop runs smoothly:
Try Out All Your Tech Beforehand
Technical glitches can disrupt your workshop and frustrate your attendees. To avoid this, test all your tech before the workshop. This includes your video conferencing platform, presentation software, and any other tech you plan to use.
Keep It to Exactly One Hour
Keeping your workshop to exactly one hour can help maintain focus and engagement. It’s long enough to provide valuable content, but not so long that attendees lose interest or become overwhelmed.
Teach Less Than You Think and Focus on the ‘Quick Win’ for Your Attendees
It’s tempting to pack as much information as possible into your workshop, but this can overwhelm your attendees. Instead, focus on teaching less and providing a ‘quick win’ – a valuable piece of knowledge or skill that attendees can immediately apply.
Start with an Icebreaker Question to Get People Engaged
Starting your workshop with an icebreaker question can help warm up the group and encourage participation. It can be related to the workshop topic or something fun and light-hearted.
Leave Time at the End for Q&A
Leaving time at the end for a Q&A session gives attendees the opportunity to clarify any points and deepen their understanding of the topic. It also allows for more interaction and engagement.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Not everything will go perfectly in your workshop, and that’s okay. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on delivering valuable content and creating a positive learning experience for your attendees.
Have Fun!
Lastly, have fun! Your enthusiasm and enjoyment will be contagious and create a more engaging and enjoyable experience for your attendees.
After the Workshop
The work doesn’t stop once your online workshop is over. In fact, some of the most important tasks happen after the workshop has ended.
Gathering Feedback and Testimonials
Feedback is crucial for improving your future workshops. Send out a survey or questionnaire to your attendees asking for their thoughts on the workshop. What did they like? What could be improved? This information can help you refine your content and delivery for future workshops.
Testimonials from the people giving you positive feedback can be a powerful marketing tool. Ask satisfied attendees if they would be willing to provide a testimonial about their experience. You can use these testimonials on your website, in your marketing materials, and on social media to attract more attendees to your future workshops.
Strategies for Follow-Up and Creating Repeat Customers
Follow-up is key to creating repeat customers. Send out an email after the workshop thanking attendees for their participation, sending a recording of the session and any follow up materials, providing any additional resources, and letting them know about your upcoming offer (maybe with a special discount).
You can also create a sense of community by inviting attendees to join a private Facebook group where they can continue the conversation, ask questions, and connect with other attendees. This can help build a loyal audience who are more likely to attend your future workshops. These are your VIPs, so threat them like that!
Why MiloTreeCart is the Easiest Way to Sell Your Membership
If you’re not tech savvy, the thought of setting up an online platform to sell memberships can be daunting. But MiloTreeCart has got you covered. It’s designed specifically for people who hate tech (and who doesn’t have their hand up?).
Here’s why it’s the simplest, most cost-effective way to sell your membership:
AI Sales Pages You Can Set Up in Under 5 Minutes
With MiloTreeCart, you can create unlimited sales pages in under 5 minutes. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy even for those who aren’t tech-savvy. You can quickly set up new pages for different memberships or products, saving you time and effort. Just add your workshop name, price, and a short description. Then watch our AI write your entire page. You can tweak your text, add some images if you’d like, and you’re done!
Easiest, Fastest Way to Collect Credit Card Payments
MiloTreeCart offers a streamlined solution for collecting credit card payments. It’s designed to be easy to use, so you can start accepting payments immediately. MiloTreeCart integrates with credit card processor, Stripe, so payments are directly deposited into your account.
A Dashboard to Manage Your Attendees
MiloTreeCart provides a comprehensive dashboard to manage your attendees. This allows you to keep track of who’s attending your workshops, making it easier to manage your business.
Seamless Integration with Your Email Service Provider
MiloTreeCart seamlessly integrates with your email service provider. This means you can easily send out emails to your attendees, whether it’s to confirm their registration, provide workshop details, or follow up after the workshop.
Marketing Materials to Make Selling a Breeze
In addition to the unlimited sales pages, MiloTreeCart also offers over 100+ sales email templates, product launch guides, social media templates, digital product templates, and more. MiloTreeCart make selling simple and straight-forward.
Amazing Support and 1:1 Onboarding by Real People
With MiloTreeCart, you’re not just getting a platform, you’re getting a team. They offer amazing support and 1:1 onboarding by real people, so you can get the help you need when you need it.
Sell More Than Just Memberships
In addition to memberships, MiloTreeCart also allows you to sell unlimited digital downloads, memberships, coaching, and mini courses. This means you can diversify your offerings and increase your revenue, all without needing to be a tech expert.
Get the Limited-Time MiloTreeCart Lifetime Deal for $349
For a limited time, we are selling MiloTreeCart for the lifetime deal price of $349. Purchase it once, and own it forever. And right now, we’re offering a 3-month installment plan. And the best part is there is no risk. We offer a 30-day no questions asked money back guarantee. We’re not happy unless you are.
So what are you waiting for? Start building your digital product empire now!
FREE Resources for Setting Up Your Workshop
- Use this Workshop Checklist to help keep you on track
- Use this Canva Presentation Template to create your presentation
- Using this Email Swipe File to set up your reminder emails so your attendees have the date, time, and Zoom link
