Black Friday is just around the corner! This time of year offers a great chance for course creators to boost sales and increase revenue, as well as to launch new online courses and attract new students. The high level of interest during this promotional period, combined with the potential to draw in large numbers of consumers, makes Black Friday an event that’s hard to overlook.
However, despite its clear advantages, Black Friday can pose some challenges for course creators who may be skeptical about the effectiveness of seasonal promotions. There are concerns about potentially devaluing your course with discounts and teaching your audience that they can simply wait for sales.
These are valid concerns, but what if we told you that you CAN take part in Black Friday and other seasonal sales without undermining your content or training your customers to expect discounts?
In this article, we’ll address the various worries that course creators have about offering Black Friday specials and share valuable insights from those who have successfully navigated these promotions in the past. (Hint: You don’t have to give away everything!)
The encouraging statistics
At Thinkific, we’ve noticed that every year, like clockwork, people flock to Google searching for Black Friday Online Course Deals! Don’t believe us? Just look at Google Trends!
Each year, searches for online course deals during Black Friday surge in November (as shown above). Moreover, in recent years, the global adoption of Black Friday has increased significantly. Currently, 50-60% of countries around the world celebrate Black Friday in some capacity.
Furthermore, the consumer psychology associated with Black Friday can be leveraged by course creators through various marketing tactics and strategies.
Aaron Morin, a Customer Education Lead at Thinkific, explains:
Black Friday serves as a strong motivator for those who are price-sensitive, helping customers make decisions that could positively impact their lives. While discounting shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all strategy for selling a course, when applied thoughtfully, it can certainly accelerate business growth and assist more individuals in achieving their desired changes.
Aaron Morin, Customer Education Lead @ Thinkific
Let’s take a look at some strategies that course creators are using for Black Friday and other seasonal promotions.
Alternatives to discounting
- Provide complimentary bonuses
Rather than slashing prices on your online courses for Black Friday, consider enhancing your main offering with added value—what we refer to as bonuses. These bonuses might range from downloadable materials and exclusive modules to access to a private learning community or ongoing support forums.
This method not only draws in more customers by increasing the perceived value of your offerings but also promotes faster decision-making. When prospective students realize they’re receiving more than just the course itself—especially when these extra resources are available only during Black Friday—they’re more inclined to seize the opportunity before it runs out.
This sense of urgency, paired with added value, can greatly boost your course enrollment during the Black Friday sales period.
When Michael Gilmore, co-founder of Vivipins, recognized that cutting prices could lower the perceived value of his courses, he decided to create a compelling offer that included extra value. “I bundled my course with exclusive resources, like a free e-book on home security upgrades and downloadable checklists for homeowners. These bonuses weren’t just extras; they were thoughtfully crafted tools to enhance the main course’s value and ensure participants could effectively apply what they learned.”
Michael launched his promotion a week before Black Friday to generate excitement, using email marketing to provide sneak peeks of the additional resources and urging his audience to act fast. On Black Friday, the promotional emails and social media posts he shared resulted in a noticeable increase in enrollments.
“Many students who bought the course mentioned that the extra resources were exactly what they needed to implement new security measures in their homes. I received feedback that my strategy not only maintained a high perceived value but also made customers feel they were getting a special deal that went beyond just a discount.”
Pro tip: You can offer a discount on your course(s) without actually lowering the price. Leigh McKenzie, a community advocate for Traffic Think Tank, does this with a price lock-in feature.
“Users who sign up are guaranteed to always pay the same membership rate, even when our prices go up,” Leigh explains. “This creates a stronger incentive to buy now rather than wait.”
The charm of the price lock-in is that it helps potential students see they’re getting a ‘delayed discount.’ This way, you can sell your courses (or memberships) at their regular price on Black Friday while they benefit from future savings when prices rise.
- Add value through bundles
Another effective way to create value for potential customers is by bundling multiple courses together. This approach gives customers the impression of getting more for their money without diminishing the perceived value of the individual courses.
For instance, you can combine complementary courses that enhance each other’s learning outcomes. Pairing a foundational course with an advanced one allows learners to deepen their understanding in a specific area, resulting in a more enriching experience.
Riccardo Ocleppo, the founder and CEO of OPIT, has successfully used this strategy. “Last year, we bundled our AI and Data Science courses, which attracted a wave of students interested in both fields but hesitant to purchase them separately. This led to a notable increase in course subscriptions compared to the previous year without needing to discount each course.”
Typically, you might think a discount is necessary for the bundle to encourage purchases over standalone courses. However, if you prefer not to take that route, you can simply add bonuses like access to exclusive content, eBooks, or even a live Q&A session to enhance value and draw in customers looking for more than just the course materials.
Here’s how Linda Reed-Enever, founder of the Enever Group Business Academy, approaches bundling.
It’s essential to focus on adding value through bundles instead of simply offering discounts. You can achieve this by creating a package of courses, including a live session, providing additional resources like ebooks, or collaborating with other businesses to form a group bundle.
Linda Reed-Enever, Enever Group Business Academy
“We need to prioritize what’s best for our business. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s best to avoid it. However, if you want to experiment with a promotion, you can do so without resorting to discounts or diminishing the value of your course,” says Reed-Enever.
For this Black Friday, Reed-Enever plans to test a bundle launch featuring three of their popular courses for $197, which is the same price as one course.
“Our strategy is to send an email blast to students who aren’t currently enrolled in our courses, including the offer in our popular Black Friday round-up live session, as well as promoting it through Facebook posts in relevant groups.”
“We understand that people are eager to make purchases during Black Friday and are on the lookout for deals, which is why we’re trying out a bundle launch. Based on our experience, our audience is enthusiastic about taking advantage of offers at this time of year, and they often save to invest in the technology they need during Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales.”
Pro tip: When marketing course bundles, focus on the added value rather than the price (unless a discount is being offered). Emphasize how the course bundle (along with bonuses) will enhance their learning experience or provide benefits that would otherwise require additional time and money to obtain separately. This approach helps customers view the offer as an investment rather than just a discount-driven opportunity.
- Organize limited-time events
This is a type of bonus that differs from downloadable eBooks and checklists. Instead, you’re hosting events such as live webinars, workshops, Q&A sessions, one-on-one coaching, or behind-the-scenes previews. These events offer a unique chance for engagement and learning. By providing limited-time access, you can create a sense of exclusivity around your Black Friday deals.
For instance, a live Q&A session with an industry expert can add value beyond the course material. Attendees receive real-time answers to their questions and insights that may not be found elsewhere. Additionally, offering a free mini-course or a specialized webinar during this limited-time event can highlight your expertise and give participants a glimpse of what they can expect from your full course.
Riccardo Ocleppo of OPIT has experienced great success with limited-time offerings. “We provided exclusive access to mentorship and networking sessions with renowned professionals in the tech industry for those who signed up during the Black Friday period. This not only encouraged sign-ups but also significantly enhanced the students’ learning experience.”
Pro tip: To maximize the impact, promote these events with clear messaging about their exclusivity and time sensitivity. Highlight that this is a unique opportunity to engage directly with you or gain access to valuable insights that will only be available for a limited time (in this case, Black Friday).
- Offer memberships or subscriptions
Rather than a one-time course purchase, consider a subscription model where students pay a recurring fee for access to a wide range of content. This could include everything from a series of courses to ongoing new content, such as monthly webinars, exclusive articles, or interactive Q&A sessions with experts.
If you don’t currently have a membership, consider setting one up and promoting it ahead of Black Friday, allowing you to launch it right at the beginning of that shopping period. On the other hand, if you already have a membership, you can provide special subscription rates that are only available during Black Friday.
For instance, you could offer the first month at a lower price, a discounted annual subscription, or benefits like free access to exclusive events or additional resources. This approach makes the offer more appealing and helps secure revenue for a longer duration, ultimately boosting customer lifetime value.
Memberships and subscriptions help ensure that learners remain engaged with your platform over time, which can lead to improved learning outcomes and greater satisfaction. Additionally, it fosters a community around your content, building loyalty and encouraging word-of-mouth promotion, both of which are crucial for ongoing business growth.
- Collaborate with influencers or brands
Similar to how Riccardo teamed up with tech experts to provide exclusive mentorship and networking opportunities to OPIT’s audience during Black Friday, you can also partner with influencers, brands, or other entities in your niche to promote your online courses.
Influencers and industry partners bring their own audiences, often filled with engaged followers who trust their recommendations. By collaborating with these influencers, you can access their networks and present your course to a wider audience that may not have found you otherwise.
You can also partner with physical businesses, as Tien Chu, founder of Warp and Weave, did. Tien successfully launched her Thinkific course on Black Friday last year. She emphasizes that it’s possible to run holiday promotions without devaluing your course.
“What I typically do is run a Black Friday special where I don’t offer discounts; instead, I add value by providing bonuses,” explains Chu. Last year, she made a deal with a yarn shop that offered a 10% store discount to students in her class as a Black Friday special. She then emailed all the previous students who had purchased and said, ‘We offered this as a Black Friday bonus, and we’re extending it to all of you as well.’
So, I don’t discount my classes; I provide bonuses. This approach prevents my students from expecting discounts — it serves more as a motivational tactic rather than actually lowering the price of the product I’m already offering.
Tien Chu, Warp and Weave.
- Share sneak peeks or free trials of your course
A clever way to spark interest and boost sales without resorting to discounts is by offering free previews or trials of your online course specifically for Black Friday. This approach is effective because it lessens the perceived risk for potential buyers.
By allowing people to see a portion of your course content, you enable them to experience the value and quality of your course before they make a purchase. They can determine if the course aligns with their learning preferences and if it’s a good investment for them.
Additionally, it creates a sense of urgency since the preview or free trial is only available during Black Friday. This encourages immediate action from interested buyers who don’t want to miss out.
June Escalada, founder, designer, and content creator at IllustratorHow, is a strong advocate for providing limited-time sneak peeks of her courses during Black Friday. “Last Black Friday, I shared a sneak peek of an in-depth Adobe Illustrator course that was still in development. This tactic not only added an element of excitement but also allowed us to gather valuable early feedback. The outcome was a 30% increase in course sign-ups compared to the previous week—all without using discounts.”
Like June, you might find it beneficial to gather feedback about your course when you offer free trials or previews to potential students. This is particularly useful if you’re just starting your course creation journey and trying to understand what your target audience needs and expects from you.
