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Field of Dreams was wrong. If you build it, they won't necessarily come. You have to figure out how to attract students to your course if you're going to make any sales.

Listen, if you don't get that movie reference, all is well. I'm still going to tell you how to attract students to your course.

What qualifies me to do so? Well, I'm a course creator. I've had thousands of folks take my courses over the last few years.

But, it didn't start out that way. In the beginning, I was fumbling my way through it trying to figure out how to get more people to sign up.

Along the way I've learned things that work and things that don't really help to move the needle. But, before we dive in to deep, let's have a bit of a reality check.

The Real Truth Behind How to Attract Students to Your Course

You've got to know what you're in for if you're going to try and be successful at selling courses online. No matter what you've heard, it's not easy.

Passive income sounds awesome, right? And, there are certain parts of it that are great. But, you've got to know that it takes a lot of effort over a long period of time. It takes consistently showing up and being helpful for free in hopes that some day the people that you've helped will reciprocate that goodwill.

I'm not here to try and convince you to not build an online course or learn how to attract students to your course. I just want you to know what you're in for.

In my experience, you've got more of a chance to actually stick with it if you have a good idea of what it is you're signing up for.

There are folks out there that make their first online course and within a few months are making 6 figures off of it. But, that's few and far between. Don't go in with that expectation.

Instead, plan to grow and learn over a long period of time. Learn to love the process of educating people. Learn to enjoy different ways to market and sell your online course.

Do that long enough and you yourself might have a successful 6 figure course that serves you well for years to come.

An Overview of How to Attract Students to Your Course

There are two parts to selling your online course. There's the course itself and then the marketing of that course. Both components need to be thought through and well executed.

First, we'll talk about how to market your course and then we'll get into how to make a course that people love and can't help but tell other people about.

There's going to be a lot of information in here about how to attract students to your course. Don't let it overwhelm you.

Just take it step by step. Bookmark this article and come back to it over time. As you master one element move on to the next.

My encouragement would be to pick ONE THING that you're going to focus on in this next little bit of time and grow in that area. Don't try to be awesome at everything all at once.

Stack those skills and over time you'll be an online course marketing guru. Alright? Here we go.

How to Attract Students to Your Course Tip 1: Define Your Target Audience

The first step to learn how to attract students to your course is to know who exactly those students are. This is sometimes called your target audience, your user persona, or your ideal customer avatar.

Whatever you call it, you've got to have a really good idea about who would be interested in what you're making or trying to sell.

How do you figure that out? A little bit of user research.

User Research for Your Online Course

You probably have a general idea of who would be interested in your course. Some courses are going to tend to be a little more obvious than others.

It's much easier to know the target audience for a course on curriculum building for pre-school classes than say a course on how to properly budget.

But, even if you've got a strong inkling on who your ideal customer avatar is, you should probably still dig a little deeper. We need to know as much as we can about them. Everything from

• Where they shop for clothes
• What music they listen to
• What kind of Netflix shows they binge

All of that will help us to know how to market to them super effectively AND how to make a course they love.

If you're just getting started and you don't really have an audience yet, start by reaching out to a few folks that you feel like fit the bill. Or if you've already established a following, send out a survey and do some one on one phone calls.

My First User Interviews

I started building my first paid course when I had an email list of a few hundred. Not a huge audience at all. But, I didn't let that hold me back.

I reached out to everyone and offered a $20 gift card for 10 minutes of their time. I got like 10 people to have a conversation with me. It was great.

So, don't feel like you've got to have some huge audience in order to really get an idea of who your user personas might be.

What Questions to Ask

Okay, so what questions do you ask people to learn how to attract students to your course?

The main thing you want to avoid are leading questions. Leading questions are those that kind of let the person know what you hope they'll say.

For instance, don't ask, “Would you buy a course like…” OR “What would make you buy this course?”

We want to get idea of what the answers to those questions without being so forthright. Why? Because as social creatures we tend to want to please folks that we're interacting with especially if the conversation was coerced by some type of gift card

So, try asking some questions like:

• What are the biggest problems you're facing in…
• What do you feel like are your biggest motivations to accomplishing…
• If I could wave a magic wand and solve any problem with (name general problem your solving) what would it be?
• Who else do they follow in the space you're in?

Pretty soon you'll start to notice some patterns in what people are saying. From there you'll start to form a really good idea for how to attract students to your course.

How to Attract Students to Your Course Tip 2: Build an Audience

The best and most effective ways to sell an online course is to build an audience. How do you do that? It's all about content.

You've got to make helpful resources that answers all of the questions they have around the topic of your course.

The good news is there are so many ways to create content these days. Everything from 280 character snippets on X to long form videos on YouTube. So, you get to pick which form of content works best for you.

The main thing you've got to do is show up consistently over a long period of time. And, that's no easy task.

Audience building is no joke. Prepare to to be in the throws of creating and editing, day in and day out. BUT, it's worth it.

Think of audience building as a long game. It takes a lot of effort up front. But, as time goes on, it gets easier and easier. And, you'll start to gain more and more followers.

Let's chat a little bit about the different forms of content and some best practices about each.

Blogging to Build an Audience

The first one a lot of folks go to is blogging. It's the easiest to start from scratch. You don't need any special equipment and you don't have make sure your hair looks good for the camera. But, there's a lot of competition out there.

You need to get good at writing AND SEO otherwise known as search engine optimization. Now, you don't need to be the next literary phenom OR an expert in SEO. But, you need to know your way around both topics.

I encourage people who are just getting started to make a goal to write a little bit every day. Pick a topic and just go for it.

As you develop the habit of writing consistently start to try and improve a little bit. Learn a bit about keyword research. Instead of writing 500 word articles, write 1,000 word articles.

Do that consistently overtime and you'll start to get more and more traffic to your website.

Running a Podcast to Build an Audience

Next on the list of audience building tools is running a podcast. Now, podcasting isn't as easy as writing a blog BUT it's not as difficult as creating videos.

There are some pretty great mics out there that aren't super expensive. And, you don't have to worry about washing your face before you start recording.

The cool thing about podcasting is that you can take the transcript from your audio and turn it into a blog! So, you get two forms of content for the price of one.

You can go pretty deep down the rabbit hole between what kind of audio editing software you use to getting that perfect NPR sound with the right kinds of plugins. But, the main thing I'd encourage you to focus on is making sure you've got a new episode every week.

I've been running a podcast since 2020. Some of the episodes were great and many of them were bad. But, the main thing I learned is it's all about consistency.

Keep publishing even if it's not perfect and you'll learn how to attract students to your course.

Creating Videos to Build an Audience

Another option for building an audience is growing a YouTube account. And, we just keep scaling up the complexity on our forms of content. Don't we?

Unlike a podcast, you've got to be on camera for this one. Now, you could just do voice overs BUT people like seeing other people on videos. It helps folks stay interested AND after all you are trying to get people to follow you.

You could buy a nice DSLR camera and have a sick lighting set up. But, you don't necessarily need that. I've seen some great videos shot on an iPhone alone.

The point is much more about showing up than it is about showing up super fancy. Make sure to publish every week AND over time think about things like lighting, title and thumbnail.

As you get the hang of it and dial in a system, it won't be as overwhelming and it'll be a super effective tool to build an audience for your course.

OH…you also get the benefit of being able to turn the video into a podcast and ALSO a blog. So, this is a 3 for 1 kind of deal. So, yeah, it takes more effort. BUT, you get much more out of it.

Building Your Social Media Presence to Grow an Audience

The last thing I'd encourage you to do to build an audience is to think about social media. I know plenty of folks who blew up on social and turned their followers on to a course they created.

There's a lot of competition here AND what you do and how you do it is really all about your ideal customer avatar. But, the main thing to know is you have to show up every single day.

You need to be posting 365 days a year without fail. That may sound intimidating BUT remember the content is short form. It can be a 60 second video or a few images.

I know a lot of people that will just knock out a weeks worth of content every Friday and have it ready to go for the following week.

Some Advice on Audience Building

Here's a bit of advice on how to do all of this because as you're reading you're likely picturing yourself spinning multiple plates at the same time trying to keep them all from crashing down.

Pick ONE FORM OF CONTENT and focus on that at first. Don't worry about creating a video and then writing a blog and then making a few reels. That's impossible to stay consistent and a quick way to get burnt out.

Instead, do just one. Get really good at it. Eventually, think about adding a second. But, only after you get really good at knocking that first one out quickly OR you can hire someone to help you.

The folks that are uploading multiple YouTube videos a day with dozens of reels a week probably have a team of folks helping them. You don't have to be them. You just have to be you. So, pick one and get good at it.

How to Attract Students to Your Course Tip 3: Market the Heck Out of It

Okay, we've defined our target audience and we've started to try and build an audience. NOW, we market the heck out of it.

There's a lot of different things you COULD be doing. So, again, this is one of those start small and add on over time.

Here are a few strategies that I've seen work really well.

Email Marketing for Your Online Course

There's nothing quite like email marketing when it comes to trying to sell something online. You don't own the other channels quite as much you own your own email list.

Social media and organic traffic is subject to constant algorithm changes. You'll have to keep feeding the paid ads monster to get any kind of traction. BUT, once someone gives you there email, you've got a much better chance of being seen.

So, step one is getting those emails. A lot of that will come from your audience building. But, you want to make sure you've got something to offer in return for someone's precious inbox.

The thing you give away for free in exchange for an email address is called a lead magnet. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. Just make sure it's something that another person would find valuable enough to part with their email address for.

Think of something that relates to what you're selling and give them a small taste of what you offer. You don't have to give it all away. But, think about it from your own perspective.

What kinds of things would you be willing to trade for email? Start going down that path and you'll come up with some good ideas.

What to Do With Your Email List

Once you've got those emails, you need to try and reach out consistently. Every week is good. But, if that's too much, try every other week.

But, here's the thing. You can't just email about the stuff you're trying to sell. Give away value much more than you ask for a value exchange.

Now, when the times right, yes email them about your course. In fact, email them a lot. I typically send out 12 emails over a 2 week period whenever I'm opening up enrollment for a course.

Sure a lot of people will unsubscribe. But, the whole point of the email list is to try to figure out how to attract students to your course! So, when it's time, don't apologize.

Go back to your regular “free advice” emails after the marketing period is done. But, by all means let market the heck out of your course.

Using Webinars to Sell Your Course

Another option to market your online course is through webinars. This is a bit more technically demanding. BUT, it's still doable even if you use your laptops camera and microphone.

You can obviously do whatever kind of webinar you want. But, it's probably a good idea to try and stick close to the topic of your course.

You don't have to give away the content of your course in the webinar. In fact, you more want to show people what's possible for them if THEY DO SIGN UP for the course.

But, it does need to have some intrinsic value as well. The idea is that hopefully people walk away feeling like they got something good out of the webinar even if they didn't sign up for your course. But, at some point in the webinar you've got to start talking about what they can do to sign up.

I like to save it toward the end or until about half way into my presentation. That way, I've given a lot of value but I haven't exhausted people with too much information.

Creating a Landing Page for Your Course

Another essential aspect of figuring out how to attract students to your course is to create a landing page. Now a landing page isn't just another page on your website with a link to buy.

It needs to be a pretty big page that goes in-depth on WHY people should buy, WHAT they're buying and all of the fine print with things like money-back guarantees.

Your landing page doesn't have to be a completely different website. But, it doesn't need to have the external links that a normal page on your website would have.

It's called a landing page. Not a landing and take off page. The only thing we want people to do when they hit the landing page is sign up for the course. So, don't make it easy for folks to do something else.

Using Paid Ads to Market Your Course

Another option for marketing your online course is through paid ads. Thankfully, there is no shortage of companies that will take your money in exchange for a little visibility on their platform.

You could do paid ads on social media like Instagram or Reddit. You could do PPC ads on Google. The main thing to think about it is finding a platform that your target audience is already engaged with.

Don't advertise on Instagram if your audience is more of a Reddit vibe. It's tough enough to stand out on the paid ads gamut. So, once you do, you want to make sure you're reaching the right people.

Pricing Your Online Course to Sell

Another form of marketing your online course is through your pricing. It's a bit weird to think about pricing as a form of marketing BUT getting your pricing right can be a game changer for your course.

Typically there are a few ranges of prices:

• $50 to $200
• $200 to $500
• $500 to $1,000
• $1,000+

The range you pick should be dependent upon your target audience and your marketing strategy. So, think about what your ideal customer avatar is at. Now, don't sell yourself short. But, be practical about your pricing.

The best way to figure out the right price for your course is to test out some prices. But, if I can offer some advice, if you're going to test start lower and then move up.

It's tougher to price high and then come down if you get people to sign up at that higher price point. It sucks to lower a price after a student paid more just a short time ago.

So, be cautious BUT test out the waters.

You also need to think about whether or not you should allow people to make multiple payments over a given amount of time. This can open up the pool of folks who are actually able to sign up especially if it's a more expensive course.

Using Deals, Promos and Special Offers to Sell Your Online Course

And, of course, an article about how to attract students to your course wouldn't be complete without a section devoted to deals, promos, special offers and bonuses.

You're trying to really lay on the FOMO here. Some people might struggle with this because if you're not careful it can start to get really manipulative.

But, I like to think about it this way. It's just human nature to need multiple forms of motivation to do a thing. Helping someone make a decision with some of those different forms can actually serve them.

Otherwise, some folks might sit on their hands for forever never making a decision.

AND, when it comes to getting people to sign up for your online course, you want either a yes or a no. You don't want to forever be caught in the limbo realm of “maybe.”

Okay, so what kind of things can you do?

Deals and Discounts

Use deals to offer discounts within a certain time frame. I know some course creators that make 75% of their sales for the entire year on Black Friday.

Bonuses

Add some different bonuses that are exclusive for a specific type of action. Say for instance if someone pays in full verses pays in installments.

Throw in another min-course every once in a while. Just figure out a way to sweeten the deal.

Countdown Timers

There's not much else that has the impact of seeing a large countdown timer in an email or on a landing page. It sparks anxiety in the hearts of every type A personality and everyone else.

There are great free resources to add your own countdown timer. Or you could just ask Chat GPT to spin one up for you.

Choosing a Cart Model to Sell Your Course

Lastly, if you want to learn how to attract students to your course you've got to think about HOW the course will be sold. Will it be available all the time? Or will it only be available at certain times a year? There are benefits and draw backs to both.

With an open and close cart model you can create what's known as scarcity to your course. People will begin to understand that you won't always have it available to purchase.

So, when you do open up the cart you'll have students waiting in line.

BUT, at the same time, you'll need to constantly be thinking about when you're going to open up the cart and how you're going to promote it. That's not a super passive way to make money.

Evergreen, on the other hand, is always available for purchase. You don't have to put nearly as much work around getting sales BUT your sales, on average might be lower than if you were to open and close enrollment.

I've seen both options work well in different environments. I would say, the higher the price of the course the more you'll want to have an open and closed cart model. But, it really all depends on the course, how big your audience is and a number of different factors.

How to Attract Students to Your Course Tip 4: Keep Improving Your Course Over Time

The biggest way you're going to learn how to attract students to your course is by making more and more improvements over time.

Guess who what your biggest marketing asset is. Previous students.

If they love your course, they're going to talk about it to their friends. So, you need to take a hard look at the quality of the content your putting out there.

How do you know if it's any good? You ask your current students.

Using Student Feedback to Improve Your Course

Having feedback forms on your course is the best way to get quick insight on what works and what doesn't. Now, be careful here. You don't just want to ask things like, “Did you like this course.”

That won't get you a lot of information you can use. Instead, ask things like:

• What were the biggest takeaways from this course?
• Was there anything that was confusing?
• Are you walking away with everything you hoped to learn?

That will help you uncover things you missed or maybe didn't communicate clearly.

But, your course in general needs to be a living and breathing thing. Making updates consistently will let students know that you're committed to improving it.

Wrapping Up on How to Attract Students to Your Course

So many people start to create online courses because they want to develop different channels of passive income. And, I get the allure. BUT, as you truly learn how to attract students to your course, you'll quickly realize that courses aren't SUPER passive.

Yes, they can make you money without you having to hand over AS MUCH TIME as say an in-depth project for a single client. BUT, you can't just make it once and then forget about it while you continue to make money from it.

It's going to take time to develop and sometimes re-develop it. And, then you've got to think about how you're going to promote it.

I built a course based on a third-party platform. But, right after I finished the course, the platform changed. So, much of my content had to be redone.

Should you create a course? Yes

Should you learn how to attract students to your course? Absolutely.

But, don't get discouraged if it takes you time to see the kind of results you're hoping to see. Think of it like one big experiment. Try some things out. Make adjustments and keep improving.

Eventually, you'll be the expert on how to attract students to your course.

One of the main things I've seen small business owners try to figure out when they're hoping to grow organic traffic is how to blog consistently.

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's not just important to know how to blog consistently. You need to know WHY YOU SHOULD blog consistently as well.

Why You Should Blog Consistently

It turns out that developing good SEO for your website is a lot more about the content you're creating than anything else.

Sure, making sure your on page SEO is important. And, getting good backlinks is a worthy cause. But, if I had to pick just one thing that would help to show up on top of search engine results it would be writing good blogs…a lot.

And, not like just a one off every few months kind of rhythm. We're talking about AT LEAST once a week.

How do you keep up that pace? Turns out I've got a little bit of experience with this very topic.

My Blogging Crednetials

Back in 2019, I started a blog/podcast/youtube channel (all the things) called Self-Made Web Designer.

The goal was to help people learn how to build web design businesses without having any background in the field. So, I started blogging…a lot. At first it was about 3 small articles every week.

Then I learned that longer blog posts tend to rank higher than shorter ones. So, I started writing at least one 2,000 word plus blog every single week.

I did that non-stop up until 2022 when I decided to take a break.

Fast forward to 2024 and I decided it was time to start writing again. Inspired by Anne Lamot's book “Bird by Bird,” I set a goal of writing 1,000 words a day.

Depending on who you are that might sound like a lot or a little. BUT, I learned quite a few things along the way that has helped me to write so much. It got to the point that I've since increased it to about 1,500 words a day.

But, because of the tips and tricks I learned, it doesn't feel like a big deal at all.

So, I decided it was time to take all of the things I've learned on how to blog consistently and share it with you here.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 1: Don't Edit While You Write

One of the biggest hurdles to get over with blogging every single day is learning how to write without editing yourself as you're writing.

Everyone does it. You type a little bit, and then you go back and read what you typed. Decide it doesn't make sense and then delete everything you just wrote and try again.

Here's the biggest tip on how to blog consistently I can give you. Creating and editing take two different types of brain power.

So, you should keep them separate. Give yourself permission to write a rough draft that's ACTUALLY rough.

Give it some time and come back later to start editing. But, don't do it WHILE you're writing.

Just write.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 2: Aim for Mediocre

If you really want to learn how to blog consistently, you've got to understand that not everything you write is going to be great.

In fact, most of it will be bad. And, that's okay.

Most people don't even get started because they're worried that their content won't live up to other super hero bloggers out there that know how to say all the right words that keep people hooked from the first sentence.

First, none of those people started out that way. They did a lot of bad blogging that lead to a lot of mediocre blogging. Eventually, they started occasionally producing some top notch blogs here and there.

But, there still not hitting a home run every time they get up to bat even now that they have years of experience.

So, don't aim to write the VERY BEST ARTICLE THAT HAS EVER BEEN WRITTEN about said topic. Instead, shoot for medioce.

Just something that's slightly above horrible. Publish before it's perfect! Do that enough and eventually you'll start to write better and better blogs.

But, don't let the fear of imperfection keep you from blogging at all.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 3: Find a Rhythm That Works for You

I hear so many people trying to push their preferred method of getting things done:

• Batching tasks
• Doing a little bit every day
• Putting it on your calendar

The list of ways to complete tasks is endless AND I have tried them all ad nauseam. Here's what I've found. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa.

I've personally found that trying to do a little bit every day is better than trying to do a lot all in just a few days. So, of all the things on my todo list, writing is one that shows up every single day.

And, when I get it done I feel like I've accomplished something.

I mean c'mon! We're taking a blank screen and turning it into something. A tangible thing that someone can consume and learn from.

The point is you don't have to do things the way I do things. Maybe you like to reserve a specific block of time on a specific day every week and just get a blog done. That's great.

Try a lot of different ways out and don't get discouraged if one doesn't work for you the way you thought it would. There's all sorts of different things you can do to try to keep a steady rhythm.

Just find a rhythm that works.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 4: Have a Running List of Topics

One of the biggest lessons I've learned on how to blog consistently is that the main enemy of keeping your blog going is that gap between your last blog and your next.

You were in it. Things were flowing AND you got the blog done. High fives all around. But the next week rolls around and it's time to write something new! Now what?

It takes me much more effort just to pick out a topic I'm going to write about than it does to just start writing.

To help with that I keep a running list of blog topics I'm planning to cover.

That also helps me to be thinking about what I'm going to be writing for on those topics. It's kind of like going to bed with a math problem in your head and waking up having solved it.

Your subconscious just kind of works on the topics even when you're not thinking about it.

How to Come Up With Blog Ideas

Okay, but you might be thinking, “How do I even come up with ideas in the first place?”

Great question. I like to do a little bit of research in Google Keyword Planner. It's a free resource that will tell you how often a phrase is searched for on their search engine.

I talk a lot about keyword research on this big blog all about SEO. But, the basic run down is you start with a general phrase connected to your website's topic.

So, if I was a photographer it would be something like “photography.” Then you get back a list of ideas.

The phrases that you're looking for are ones that have a lot of volume but not a lot of competition.

From there you'll get a barrage of different ideas to start culling through.

Another great source is Chat GPT! I love asking it to brainstorm some topics and then building a list from there. Bottom line you've got a ton of options when it comes to coming up with ideas.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 5: Don't Worry About Repeating Yourself

Something I hear consistently from people wanting to learn how to blog consistently is that they're afraid they're going to start repeating themselves.

Like, there's only so much to say about a single topic, right?

Well, there's probably a lot. You just don't realize how much you know in relation to everyone else out there.

So, let's say on a scale of 1 to 10 of everything there is to know about a specific topic and you'd put yourself at like a 6 or 7.

You'd think that you need to bring down how your talking about that topic to like a 3 or 4 so everyone can understand. But, you'd be wrong.

You need to bring it down to like a 1 or 2.

It's okay to go basic, basic. In fact, that's going to reach most people, anyways.

Say It Again, Just Slightly Different

But, let's say you're right and you will run out of things to say. Just say it again. You'd be surprised how much people don't mind hearing something over and over.

Have you ever listened to the Dave Ramsey podcast? He's been doing it for forever. Even before it was a podcast it was a radio show.

But, here's the thing, he's basically saying the same thing over and over. People call in and tell him their financial troubles and he gives them the same advice he's been giving everyone for the last few decades.

Over and over. But, it's one of the most popular podcasts out there.

People don't get bored with it. And, people won't get bored with what you have to say. Plus, it's highly unlikely that everyone will read every single article you write from top to bottom.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 6: Let AI Help

I personally don't use AI to write out my blogs fully. I like writing and see it as a craft I'm trying to develop. BUT, I do use it to help.

If I'm having trouble getting started, I'll ask it how they'd intro a topic. If I need help with a general outline, I'll poke it for some ideas.

Almost always it will give me ideas that then lead to the ideas I actually use. But, that time between when I couldn't think of anything and when I started running with a topic gets cut down SIGNIFFICIANTLY with AI.

And, listen, I'm not opposed to having AI write your blog for you. I know people that do it and there are some great tools out there.

I'm just unfamiliar with the best approach. And, as much as people say that Google has a way of telling what was created by AI and what wasn't, I'm just not buying it.

At the very least, a secret weapon on how to blog consistently is to use AI to get ideas going and help you when you get stuck.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 7: Write How You Talk

The best thing to do when you're writing a blog is just write like you would talk. So, think of it like sitting down with a friend at a coffee shop and they're asking you questions about the topic you're blogging about.

What would you say to them? How would you say it? That's what you need to do in your articles and how to blog consistently.

Often the objection I get from this tip is something like, “But, I don't talk so good.” But, hear me out.

First, I think it's kind of important to differentiate yourself from AI. Even if you're having AI write your articles. You need to go back through and put some of yourself IN THAT ARTICLE.

What better way to differentiate your writing from a robot's with your unique tone and even your mistakes.

AI can do a lot of things. But, it can't steal you or your story. So, don't be afraid to put some of yourself in what you're writing.

The Best Reading Level to Write To

People Like to Read anywhere from a 3rd to 6th grade level. So, if you're worried you won't sound smart enough, then you're actually in a really good place!

There's actually a really great resource called The Hemingway App that helps you write concisely and will tell you when your verbiage is getting too complicated.

By the way, the phrase “your verbiage is getting too complicated” was graded at a 7th grade level.

The point is you don't have to have a masters degree to start blogging about something. People just want to hear your perspective.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 8: Overcoming Writers Block

Ahh, the biggest hurdle for how to blog consistently, the dreaded writers block. There's good news though. There are so many ways to overcome it. Here's a few that have helped me.

FIRST: Just staying consistent. I know that seems like circular logic. How do you blog consistently when you're faced with writers block? Well, you blog consistently.

But, here's the funny thing that happens when you start turning your blogging into a routine, it just becomes a part of you.

It'll start to feel the same as waking up and instantly brushing your teeth. It's just something you do.

It takes a bit of time to get some momentum but that's okay. It'll get easier as time goes on.

SECOND: If you start writing about anything it will prime the pump to help you write about something specific.

Sometimes I'll even just start copying other people's text verbatim when I'm trying to get the juices flowing. It's the “objects in motion tend to stay in motion” idea JUST for writing.

THIRD: Take a nap. When I really can't think of anything it's typically a sign that I'm just really tired. So, pause from it and come back later.

You'll have some other things that work for you as well. Someone I follow said she hates starting with a blank screen so she always starts her blogs by writing “something something something” over and over again until she's ready to start.

Final Thoughts on How to Blog Consistently

There is no perfect advice on how to blog consistently. The truth is it's messy. It takes time. You'll do good for a while and then start to fade.

And, that's all okay. The point is you wake up and you try again. Don't let fear or shame hold you back from just sitting down and writing something.

They don't have to be 3,000 word articles. They don't even have to be 1,000 word articles.

Sure, there is all sorts of advice about how “your blog should be minimum of 2,000 words” and there's some truth to that. BUT, think of it like going to the gym.

You don't do your very first session after being away for years and push yourself to the max. That's a surefire way of getting injured or at the very least being too soar to come back again for a few weeks.

Take it slow. Then gradually ramp up how much you're doing.

Over time you'll get into a rhythm and you'll be telling people how to blog consistently

The world of web design is an ever evolving one. And, with a new year upon us so are the web design trends of 2025.

So, we here at Showit thought it fitting to take a second and share the things that we're seeing that are helping sites really stand out. And, to be honest, a lot of it is pretty surprising.

Some stuff I'm noticing would never have been on my web design trends bingo card. Yet, there here for the world to see and probably also question, “how did this become a thing?”

So, let's get into it. But, first a word about how to use the web design trends of 2025 for your business.

Want to watch the video instead? We got you

Should You or Should You NOT Implement Any Web Design Trends of 2025?

Web design trends are fun to see. They're kind of like a new shiny toy we'd get as a kid.

But, just because they're neat doesn't necessarily mean you need to immediately go out and try to implement them on your website.

Your goal should always be first and foremost based on your specific user type AND what you're hoping they'll do on your website.

If the web design trends of 2025 are relevant to your users and your goals then by all means have fun. But, make sure that you're at least asking the question.

Start With the End

All good website strategy starts at the end. What do I mean by that?

You need to ask yourself, “If I had to pick just one thing for a website visitor to do on my site what would that be?”

That could be sign up for a phone call or purchase a product. The answer all depends on you and your business.

But, whatever it is, start there and then go backwards. Along the way, if the web design trends of 2025 help to get a user to that endpoint, you know you're good.

Okay, that's my soapbox. Now let's get into the trends.

1. Imperfections

As AI becomes a mainstay in our everyday workflows, creatives are trying more and more to make sure that the stuff they're making looks human.

The best way to do that is by adding imperfections. You can almost instantly tell that something was made by AI because it's too perfect.

The skin of the person looks flawless. There's a radiant glow to the objects in an image.

The web design trends of 2025 are rebelling against that somewhat. Now, there is a whole other trend of using AI almost exclusively in web design BUT that's just how trends go There are juxtapositions and responses.

So, you'll see some websites that seem to be okay with a messy layout or hand drawn images that look like a 6 year old did them.

That's not to say that the design decisions weren't intentional or an afterthought. Some times the best artists are those who know exactly how to make things messy.

That's what this trend highlights and I'm here for it.

2. Micro Interactions

For a while we've been seeing web designers make big moves with animations. The bigger the better it seems.

But, one of the web design trends of 2025 seems to be a response to the grand gestures of motions we've seen on websites for a while.

I'm talking about what's called micro interactions.

Micro interactions are subtle little changes or effects that you see when you do something on a website. They might be somewhat imperceptible at first.

A small change to a border on hover. A image that tilts slightly as you scroll. But, they have a way of keeping a user engaged with the website.

Getting and keeping people's attention is proving to be tougher and tougher. This web design trend of 2025 is a solution to that problem.

3. Bright and Bold

It's probably not a shocker that this next one made it on the web design trends of 2025 list. But, a fair amount of folks are sticking to super bright and super big elements.

It seems like this might be a response to the “mobile first” mentality that's been such a big mantra over the last decade. It's not that this trend ignores the need to make responsive websites that work well on any device.

It's just that they don't want the mobile version to dictate ALL the design decisions they're making.

So, you'll see super bright colors…lime definitely being a fan fav. And you'll see super big fonts. Web designers will often opt for black letter weights. It's not uncommon to see a header take up the entire viewport of a browser.

It's almost like this was a brand designers snarky response to a client asking them to make the logo bigger. Only when they did it that paused and said, “Hey, that's kind of cool.”

4. Text Heavy

For the longest time, nearly every project I ever did for a client I would hear some version of, “I just don't want there to be a wall of text.”

“Does this feel like too much text?”

“Should we break up the text here?”

They were so concerned with their users aversion to reading that it dominated a lot of my conversations with them

One of the web design trends of 2025 bucks the convention and says, “Actually, we really like big walls of text.”

One way to keep users interested in your website is to have a steady ebb and flow of pattern interrupt. So, if you've got one section where the text on the left and image on the right, the next section will have the text on the right and image on the left.

Since the majority of websites ascribe to the “I don't want a big wall of text,” mentality, having a big wall of text will actually cause you to stop and engage a bit more.

I'm finding that any time I see this web design trend I'll slow down my scroll a little bit and spend more time reading what the words say.

So, it actually does the opposite of what my clients feared it would do.

But, be careful. You want the font size to be on the bigger side. If the text is tiny then yeah it's kind of intimidating.

5. Cursor Alternatives

Do you remember with MySpace how we used to add some code to make a cursor be something other than the little pointer icon? Like a Hello Kitty face or space alien?

Well, people are doing that again just on a whole new level.

This is a trend I honestly didn't see coming. I thought we put this one to bed for good and yet here we have it showing up in the web design trends of 2025.

To be fair, it's done WAY more tastefully this time around often as a shape or little color orb that floats near by.

Or in some cases it's done in a real obnoxious way on purpose But, that's done more in like a “we know this is silly but that's why we did it,” way rather than a “hey, mom! Check out what I just did!” kind of way.

Take or leave it. This is a web design trend we're seeing more and more of.

6. Sound

No, you did read that, correctly. Websites are once again starting to include sound as the page loads. This is another one of the web design trends of 2025 that I didn't see coming.

It reminds me of that quote I hear, “My brain is like an internet browser. I have 17 tabs open, 3 of them are frozen and I have no idea where the music is coming from.”

Now, in some cases it's not just background music. Sometimes it's little elements that make noise when you click on them. And, I will also say that it's not as invasive as the last iteration of annoying music with a side of website was.

Often times the controls are very clear OR you opt in to the music rather than it just play automatically.

I'm not really here for this one. But, you never know. I've been known to change my mind.

7. Scrollytelling

For a while now, the center of every conversation in marketing has been the idea of storytelling. There have been many a marketing department meeting devoted to making sure the strategy is based around “a story.”

This is something Seth Godin has been saying for a long while. But, it seems that everyone else has finally decided to catch up. Now, web designers want in on the action.

You'll see a lot of pages that feel more like you're opening a pop-up children book that have little levers on the side to make a little mouse jump up and down.

This is one of the web design trends of 2025 known as scrollytelling. You'll see it a lot with really well done articles from the WSJ where they're explaining something that's going on BUT they're doing it with interactive elements that change as you scroll down.

A section might start scrolling horizontally for a while and then go back to scrolling vertically. It's a fun way to keep users engaged AND it can be an effective marketing tool if done right.

8. Back & Forth, Left & Right, Not Just Up & Down

Another one of the web design trends of 2025 I'm seeing is how websites aren't just letting you scroll up and down like you would go from the penthouse floor to the lobby in a hotel.

For the longest time and still very much so today, websites were only thought of as a very portable version of what we already had in print. Even some of the phrases web designers use to describe things like “above the fold,” comes from newspaper verbiage.

But, that's slowly starting to change. As web designers are realizing the capabilities they have with modern code and browsers it's starting to become all about getting COMPLETELY immersed into the website.

So, it's like opening the door to a house and going inside each room and having a look instead of going down an elevator.

It's a cool trend and as the internet, browsers and coding practices get better it will be more feasible to implement on more and more websites.

9. Anti-Usability

A lot of the web design trends of 2025 I'm seeing have a similar thread running through them all. It's almost like web designers are tired of the rigid rules and structure that the increased popularity of UX design has brought.

For background, UX design stands for user experience. And, user experience is all about the experience a website visitor or app user has. The goal is to keep them from getting frustrated with using the website. Or at least, try as hard as you can to avoid it.

And, listen, I'm for good UX. I've talked at length about how you should always keep your user at the forefront of every decision you make with your website.

Users Aren't Just Dumb & Lazy

But, if you take that too far, you start to think that all users are lazy and kind of dumb. One of the most well known books on User Experience is titled, “Don't Make Me Think,” by Steve Krugg.

It's a great book. You should read it.

But, I think that many of the web design trends of 2025 are a backlash against HYPER UX design. The kind of UX that paints designers into a corner and forces them to create at the lowest common denominator.

That can be pretty uninspiring and boring. So, designers are pushing back against that. It's like the punk rock scene in London during the 80's. It's an anti-establishment, do whatever we want kind of feel.

If you're asking me, I don't think this one will last very long. But, I do like how it's forcing marketers, designers, developers to evolve they're thinking for the user.

Maybe some of the assumptions we've had about how people want to engage with websites are wrong. Asking those questions will only lead to progress in the field. And, I'm here for it.

Wrapping Up On Web Design Trends of 2025

So, that's the world of the web design trends of 2025 as I see it. Tell me the truth. Are you a bit surprised at some of them?

I know I am. But, I think it's really cool that every year web designers keep pushing the boundaries of what we're seeing on the internet.

It's fun to think about how websites will like 10 years from now because sheesh it doesn't seem like 2015 was that long ago.

But, no matter what the trend, no matter the direction that web design decides to take I'll leave you with this one thought.

Following the trends doesn't matter nearly as much as building and solidifying a clear and meaningful brand for yourself. So, yes, be aware of the trends. Try to creatively implement them in your website.

But, at the end of the day, stick as close as you can to being authentically yourself. Then let that show through your business and website as much as possible.

With the rise in popularity of easy to use website builders more and more people are wanting to know how to create website templates. And for good reason!

There is a HUGE market of folks that are opting out of custom coded websites and instead turning to more turnkey solutions. Solutions that help you get a website up and running in days not weeks or months.

But, none of that would have been possible just a few years ago.

I started my web design journey back in 2014. That was right on the edge of things like WordPress shortcodes being phased out in exchange for theme based plugins that called themselves “drag and drop.”

But, having used those plugins exclusively for quite a few years, they were actually ANYTHING BUT “drag and drop.” More like “grab and wrestle.”

Some of the bigger names were around like SquareSpace but they were anything but easy to use.

The Drag and Drop Website Builder and the Rise of Website Templates

As tech progressed, browsers got better and modern development evolved website builders became much, much easier to use. So, it became more feasible for folks that didn't have any kind of knowledge or skill in web development to build websites.

But, as many of you designers reading this would know, new tools are great BUT it still takes a decent amount of knowledge, patience and grit to make a website that really stands out and serves it's purpose.

It's like thinking anyone can build a house because we now have really great cordless power tools. Maybe that's MORE true because of those tools, BUT it still might be better to hire someone to make sure the house doesn't fall over from a gust of wind.

Still, with their being 33,185,550 small businesses in the U.S. alone not every business is going to have the budget to hire a designer to build a site for them from scratch. Thus, the rise of the website template.

Pre-Fab Homes and Website Templates

So, instead of building a house from the ground up using power tools you now get a pre-built home that gets delivered to you. All, you've got to do is paint a few walls, connect the power and bada-bing bada-boom, you're in business.

Having been in the webspace for quite some time I do have to say that not all website templates are the same. There are some that are great. People love them. They're diverse enough to be used by a lot of different folks but unique enough to really address the needs of a specific type of user.

Then there are some that aren't well thought through. They're tough to use and don't have the things the user really needs easily available.

So, we're going to talk about it. Here's how to create website templates that stand out and people love to buy.

How to Create Website Templates for a Specific Audience

The problem I see over and over with people wondering how to create website templates is they think they have to make their templates everything to everyone. A “Swiss Army Knife” of templates if you will.

I get the reason behind that.

You want to sell as many templates as you can. So, you try to be as all encompassing as possible.

The problem is people don't want a website template that will do EVERYTHING. They want a website template that will solve their very specific set of problems.

We think that way for just about everything we buy especially as the price point goes up. We want products and services that had us in mind from the beginning.

Let's say you were remodeling your bathroom. Let's say you had two options. One person works exclusively on bathrooms. The other has done a lot of different kinds of construction BUT they've had a string of chicken coup jobs the last few years.

Sure, the guy who builds the chicken coups would probably do a fine job on the beehive tile pattern in your shower, but why not go with the one who has more experience on bathrooms?

Websites have to be even more specific. The types of things that a photography business wants out of their website is going to be pretty different from a clothing store.

Sure, there's some overlap, but, if I'm picking a template it's going to be one that has the solutions I'm looking for not those that could be generally used by everyone.

So, if you want to know how to create website templates that really sell, you've got to get really specific on who your building for. AKA, we need to pick a niche.

Picking an Ideal Customer Avatar

Okay, so, you need to pick a specific type of person that you're building a website template for. I know this can feel really scary. BUT, if you want to know how to create website templates that people actually want to buy YOU CAN'T SKIP THIS.

So, how do you pick a niche? I like to consider 4 basic questions:

1. Where is there good opportunity in the market?
2. What experience do I have in that niche?
3. Do I have specific skills for that type of user?
4. Do I like serving them?

All of those questions are important and will point you in the right direction. But, how do you figure them out?

How to Determine a Niche for Your Website Templates

To figure out where there's good opportunity, I'd turn to organic traffic tools like Google's keyword planner. At first pass, you want to keep your search REALLY general. I'd just search “website templates” and see what kind of results you get.

You can even download the results and save it as a spreadsheet.

The main thing you're looking for here is a phrase like “website templates for real estate” that have higher volume but low competition.

It might take some time BUT don't skip out on this step. If you can find an underserved group of folks that are actively searching for website templates, you'll have a HUGE lead on the right niche to pick.

From there you ask yourself if YOUR best suited to help that kind of market. How do you know? Have you worked on a website in that industry before? OR do you have personal experience in that industry?

A lot of Showit designers started as photographers and then began creating website templates for photographers. Photography is a perfect niche for former photographers.

Picking a niche that you have some experience with gives you insight into what people in that industry need from their website.

But, if you really want to know how to create website templates that people love make sure you choose an industry that you like. Your passion for the thing you're working on will come through one way or another.

And, people will have a hard time loving your website templates if instead of passion all you feel is disdain for that niche. So, at the very least, make sure you like the industry you're creating a template for.

Key Elements When You Create Website Templates

Okay, now that you've got a niche in mind the next step of how to create website templates that people actually want to buy is making a general idea of how the site will look and what it'll have

Specifically, we need to nail down:

• Branding
• Pages
• Features (like eCommerce or a membership portal)

Each of those things are HUGELY important to potential website template purchasers. Try to get into the mind of the person buying the template.

What are their “must haves?” What are the things they absolutely DON'T WANT on their website?

How do we know? Well, we've got an ideal customer avatar, right? So, let's find someone that fits their description and ASK THEM!

Don't just guess. This is like a secret weapon for how to create website templates that get sold.

This person will be your sounding board throughout the entire process. You'll ask them what they think. What do they like? Dislike? Have to have?

All the juicy deets.

Let's go through each decision one by one and chat about them briefly.

Branding Your Website Template

You might think that branding isn't important for a website template since a lot of people are likely to come with a brand already. But, you'd be wrong.

We want to create a website that your target audience can see themselves in. So, the brand needs to speak to them. They need to think things like, “oh my gosh, this is perfect!”

Will we exclude some people who have different taste? Yes. But you've got to remember if we create website templates that are too generic then we become appealing to nobody.

AKA trying create website templates that are everything to everybody makes them nothing to no one.

So, think through a color palette that matches your ideal customer avatar. Think through font pairings that will work with their own business's brand and use those on the website template.

This isn't about what YOU would want. It's about what THEY would want.

Adding Pages to Your Website Template

Now, we've got to think through all the pages your target audience would need on their website. To do that you kind of need to think about what the goal of their website would be.

Are they hoping someone will end up on a contact page and set up a time to chat? Are they hoping someone signs up for a lead magnet?

The answer to those questions will determine what pages you include. But, in general every website template should have at least 4 pages:

1. Home
2. About
3. Contact
4. 404

From there you get to pick. Do you add a services page? Do you add a sales page?

All of that depends on the type of person you creating the website template for.

Oh, and, bonus points for creating multiple versions of the same page. If you're wondering how to create website templates that are no brainers for folks, this is a big one.

Choosing Features for Your Website Template

Finally, we come to the features we choose for our template. This is where things get a little hairy.

Often times, you don't need to create a feature from scratch but rather you need to find a solution that already exists and create a place on your website for that feature to work.

So, instead of custom coding an eCommerce feature you make templates for a WooCommerce product.

But, all of this still goes back to the needs of your ideal customer avatar. Get inside their heads and figure out what types of things they'd love to have on their website.

Using Showit to Create Website Templates

Once you've got your ideal customer avatar down and you know what they'd be looking for in a website template, it's time to build the dang thing.

There are a lot of platforms to choose from and all of them do a lot of great things. But, Showit prides itself on giving you the ability to have the most creative freedom.

And, it integrates with WordPress. So, no matter what functionality your ideal customer avatar needs, it's available through a third-party plugin.

It's also one of the easiest web building platforms to use. So, when someone actually buys your template you won't have to answer endless emails from frustrated customers who can't figure out how to get it to work.

Plus, the Showit support team is some of the best their is. Your customers won't be on their own to search through help docs. They'll have folks that actually care sending them real feedback and very possibly a loom video on how to do what they're trying to do.

Plus, it's easy to import and export templates on the Showit platform.

The goal is to have the entire process from purchase to install done without you having to step in.

Showit allows you to give share keys to people who buy your templates so you don't have to install it for them.

Listen, we're obviously a little bias about the best website builder to create website templates for. But, we're pretty sure Showit is a great option to choose from.

Marketing Your Website Templates

Alright, it's time to start marketing your website template once you've got the thing built.

This more than anything is where I see people stumble. They create these beautiful templates that are perfect for a their user persona. They put it out into the world and just hope people will somehow find and buy it.

Often times, they're disillusioned when they get little to no sales.

Just as important as it is to create great website templates, you've got to do great marketing for those website templates.

Really, you need to ask yourself two questions:

1. How much to charge
2. How people will find out about it

Let's tackle each of those questions:

How Much Should You Charge for a Website Template

How much you charge depends on a few factors:

• The general budget of your ideal customer avatar
• The competition
• The positioning of the template

It all starts with the ideal customer avatar, as always. You need to figure out what kind of budget they might have for a website template.

And, this can vary drastically from one type of target audience to another.

It's probably better to think in terms of earning potential of the person buying the template. You're probably okay to charge more if the business has the potential to make a ton of money.

But, on the other hand, if you're planning to create website templates for an in-home math tutor, they're likely not going to have a ton of extra money to spend on building a website.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't create website templates for in-home math tutors. It just means you need to have a different marketing strategy for them.

You're more going for a low cost, quantity based product than a high-end, luxury product. And you get to create your website template accordingly.

Using Competition to Determine Your Template Price

After you consider the user's budget it's time to think about your competition.

How much are other people charging for similar templates? Do they have more features and more pages than you or less?

All of that will help to determine how much you charge.

You're probably okay to charge more if you have 10 more pages and 15 more feature options on your website template than everyone else.

You'll have a really good idea of how much to charge for a website template once you've got those two things, user budget and competitor pricing, figured out.

How to Market a Website Template

Now that you've got pricing down you've got to figure out how to market your website template. And, this is where things get pretty hairy.

There are so many things you COULD be doing:

• Paid ads
• Email marketing
• Organic traffic
• Social Media

But, here's my encouragement to you. Pick one thing, and get really good at it. Don't try to do everything all at once.

So, if you pick social media, go all in on a single platform. Post every day. Try to build your audience. When engagement is low, try to figure it out. And keep at it.

If you pick organic traffic, blog every week. Get really good at keyword research and making great content.

Whatever it is, commit to becoming the best at it.

If you're starting from scratch, it's going to take some time until you start seeing sales. But, that's okay!

Think of it more like an investment into your future. You might have to work really hard now, but, eventually, it'll get easier and easier.

Don't Just Learn How to Create Website Templates…Learn How to Create a Customer Experience

Finally, it's not just enough to know how to create website templates. You've got to know how to create a really good experience for the people purchasing your templates.

You won't make a lot of sales if you create a really sick looking template but you don't provide any support OR it's tough to actually use your template.

So, you've got to think about the user experience from start to finish.

A lot of people that sell website templates will have a corresponding course they give template purchasers for free that walks them through how to use the template.

You could create loom videos on common things people have trouble with.

Whatever you do just be intentional and think through the whole journey someone makes when they're buying a template.

Sure, you might make a few sales if you don't. BUT, that'll be short lived once word gets around that your website templates are tough to use.

Final Thoughts on How to Create Website Templates that People Love

Listen, this is going to be tough to hear, but, your first few templates aren't going to be great. They just won't be. And, that's okay. Nobody's are!

You still have to make them.

Because if you don't make your first few bad ones, you won't eventually make really good ones. It takes some time to think through all the stuff that's important on how to create website templates that sell.

But, don't let that intimidate you. Don't let that stop you from just getting started.

Sure, you might not make a lot of sales at first. But, eventually, you'll learn how to improve your templates and your marketing if you keep at it.

It's easy to look at other businesses out there who are killing it with website template sales and think they just have a magic touch.

But, in reality, they've just been doing it a really long time. They've made a lot of mistakes and they've learned from it.

You will too. You just have to get started. So, what are you waiting for?

Go build a website template.

At Showit, we know a few things about conference planning.

We've hosted conferences and events for over a decade as a company. They're kind of a big part of what we do, and we make sure to reserve resources every year just to make sure they happen.

It started with United which was a conference built for photographers. But, recently we've pivoted and focused the content of our conferences on brand and web designers. Thus, Spark was born.

Why Conferences and Conference Planning are Important

Why do we love conferences so much?

There's just nothing like being in a room of like minded people who are all trying to grow and develop themselves to bring about a better future.

As the world gets more and more online, it's so important to make sure that you're building and fostering relationships IRL…aka, AFK (away from keyboard for those of you who don't have tweens).

So, we prioritize our conferences every year…even though we are a tech company, AND, even though it's a big push for us every year we put it on.

So, we thought we'd take a minute and let you peek behind the scenes at our own conference planning to see how the sausage is made.

We know first hand that it doesn't matter how awesome the speaker lineup is or how cool the location might be if you don't spend time strategically thinking through all the details of the conference.

So, here are 10 things we do every year to make sure we run a killer conference.

Grab a Free Conference Planning Spreadsheet

P.S. if you want the exact spreadsheet we use to plan our conferences you can grab it here for free!

Step 1: Start at the End

A lot of times people will start their conference planning with the speakers they'd love to have or the location they'd like to be in. And, those things are important.

BUT, before you go making decisions like that, you need to start at the end. In other words, who is this conference for, AND what are the things you want them to walk away with when they leave?

The answers to those questions should be the guiding principles for every other decision you make.

Some of the things we asked ourselves as a team as we were conference planning were:

1. Who's the ideal person for this conference?
2. What do we want them to say when they leave?
3. What are the main takeaways we want them to get?
4. What do we want them to tell their friends and family when they explain where they were the last few days?

When you start with those questions, it will set the pace for every other decision you make in your conference planning.

For Spark, we knew we want to focus on our attention on brand and web designers who were trying to build their business.

A lot of design conferences are super design heavy. So, you'll have people sharing their portfolio and inspiring you with the work they've done.

But, very seldom will you find practical tips on how to develop your skills and business acumen at those conferences.

We wanted Spark to be a mix of all those things PLUS a fair amount of relational connection.

So, we decided that we wanted people to feel like they walked away inspired, equipped and with a room of new best friends.

Ending…done.

Step 2: Determine a Rough Budget

You've got the end in mind. Now it's time to get a rough idea of what you're budget is going to be.

Hear me out on this. Conference planning is a lot like a bathroom remodel. The price you come to when you first sit down to plan IS NEVER what it actually ends up being.

Prepare for A LOT of overage because you just never know how things are going to turn out. Over time you'll start to get a better idea of what it takes to run a conference and you'll get closer and closer to the final amount in your planning phases.

But, for now, do your best and also realize it's likely going to cost more than what you're thinking.

The biggest costs for any conference are

1. Venue
2. Speakers
3. Collateral (signage, swag, etc)

You probably have a general idea of where you'd like the conference to be and who you'd like to come speak. So, reach out and figure out some dollar amounts.

That'll give you a pretty good baseline. Then you can play with all the other costs to fit the budget you were thinking.

Step 3: Choose Your Format

Once you have the end and budget worked out, it's time to pick the basic format for your conference. You might think you're only two options are either online or in person BUT there's more to it than that.

Will there just be main stage talks?
Will there be breakouts?
How many breakouts?
Will there be a few breakouts happening at the same time?
Will there be different “tracks” for people with different interests or skill levels?
Will you be feeding people or will they be feeding themselves?

The further you dive into this step of conference planning the more complicated it gets.

These questions can really only be answered when you nail down Step 1: Start at the End.

For instance, you'll definitely want to have breakouts if the conference is for an audience that really needs practical know-how. But, skipping the breakouts in-lieu of more main stage time totally makes sense if it's a crowd that's looking for a more inspirational, Tony Robbins type feel.

Either way, you've got options AND it's important to think through what the format will look like.

For Spark, we knew that we wanted people to walk away feeling inspired AND with practical knowledge on how to build their brand or web design business. So, we knew breakouts had to be a thing for us.

We chose a pretty simple rhythm to our day.

Our format was

• Morning: Main stage to breakouts
• Lunch
• Afternoon: Main stage to breakouts
• Close: Main stage

That rhythm worked well for us and kept conference attendees engaged and inspired all at the same time.

Step 4: Find Your Speakers

Now it's time to figure out who we're asking to come speak. This is where things get fun. A speaker lineup can be a HUGE draw to any conference.

That being said, you might not have a huge budget that allows you to contract really high-demand speakers. And, that's okay! It's not a deathblow to your attendence.

This is where it's really important to know your audience. In the design world, we create fake identities called User Personas to help us make design decisions. Especially when it comes to branding.

We ask ourselves things like:

• Who does this person follow on social media?
• What kind of books do they read?
• What movies do they watch?
• What inspires them?
• What's their main pain point in life?

The answers to those questions will help to narrow down the seemingly endless amounts of speaker options that exists out there.

I like to use a criterion to help determine the people that might be a good speaker for a conference based on a these factors:

• Expertise (what are they known to be really knowledgable about?)
• Popularity (how well known are they and will they bring people to the conference?)
• Fit (do they align with our values and the values of our audience?)
• Engagement (how much are they or will they be engaged in the community we're trying to build?)

The speaker is likely to be perfect for your conference if they answers to those questions align with what you're looking for.

For Spark, we actually started with the topics we knew we wanted to have covered in our keynotes and breakouts. Then we brainstormed who we knew that might be a good fit for that topic.

We let the takeaways drive the decision to who we invited to come speak.

Once you've got all that dialed in, it's time to send out the invites. This is where it gets a little intimidating ESPECIALLY if the speaker is really well known or super popular.

But, just realize these types of folks get asked to do things all the time. They're used to it. AND, it's more than likely that if you put together a thoughtful email they'll get back to you.

From there it's a matter of availability and cost. Don't wait to long to start asking people to come speak at your event. I've known certain people to book up a year in advance.

Step 5: Pick a Location

One of the biggest expenses you'll have for your conference is the venue. But, like all other decisions in our conference planning we need to start at the end.

Let what you're trying to do and who you're doing it for guide the right venue for you.

Are people going to be traveling in from out of town? You might want to pick a location close to an airport.

Are aesthetics and feel really important? You might want to pick a spot that's easy to dress up or make changes to.

Really, there aren't a ton of options to throw an event like a conference. And, those options thin out the more people you're expecting.

You basically get to choose between an event center or a hotel.

An event center is going to be easier to dial in the aesthetic and probably cheaper. But, this option might be tough if you're looking for a place that people can hang out late and then just walk to their rooms.

A hotel is great if you plan on attendees doing a lot of networking. But, it can be much more expensive and tougher to get the look and feel you might want.

Many times hotels will want you sign a contract for the amount of rooms you plan on filling AND a food and beverage minimum. That might get pricey depending on the hotel.

But, depending on your conference and your people, it might be worth it.

Step 6: Build the Schedule

It's time to build out the conference schedule now that you've got your location and speakers all dialed in.

Again, we go back to our audience. Ask yourself what the perfect schedule would look like for them.

Are they early risers?
Are they night owls?
Will they want a lot of time to hang out and chat OR do they just want to get down to business?

The answers to those questions will determine the pace and details of your schedule.

No matter the type of audience you've got, you have to consider basic human rhythms and limitations.

People can only take in so much information at a time. People need bathroom breaks. People want to flesh out ideas they got from something that inspired them.

All of that comes into play when you're building out your schedule with conference planning.

You want to toe the line somewhere right between getting the max amount of information they can handle with the max amount of down time and the max amount of hangout time.

It sounds like an impossible task, I know. But, here are a few things we've learned about scheduling out your conference.

Information is not the only thing people walk away with from a conference. Sometimes, it's not even the most important thing.

Something we hear over and over again about the conferences we put on at Showit is that the new and strengthened relationships are THE MOST IMPORTANT THING people walk away with.

So, make sure you put some time in your conference to allow people the chance to get to know the folks around them.

People might find their new best friend. Heck, we've even had conference attendees get married. So, don't skip out on hang time and down time.

BUT, it's not a vacation either. So, make sure there's a decent amount of education and inspiration.

Again, I know it's impossible

Step 7: Create Your Swag

Now it's the time in our conference planning when we start thinking about the swag attendees are going to walk away with.

If done right, the swag you give away to people at your conference could be something people cherish for years to come AND free marketing for you!

It's all the freebies that someone is going to get just for signing up and coming to your event. So, think t-shirts, pens, pencils, field notes, stickers, backpacks, water bottles, chapstick literally anything can be swag.

My biggest encouragement to you in this phase of your conference planning is try to think of things that would actually be helpful to your attendees.

It's fairly easy to find inexpensive knick knacks that you can slap a logo on and give away. But, cheap stuff feels cheap.

If your swag is an afterthought in all of your conference planning then most of the stuff you hand out will wind up in the trash.

If you don't have much budget for this aspect of your conference then just think strategically. Maybe give away one nice thing amidst the cheaper stuff you don't mind get thrown away.

Ask yourself “what's something the attendees have the potential to use every day and remember their experience at the conference?”

The answer to that question will put you on the right path for swag.

Step 8: Dial in the Logistics

As plans and schedules start to form you've got to start thinking about the logistics for your conference. Logistics are the inner workings of all the details of the event.

So things like

• How speakers are getting to and from the venue?
• Whether or not vendors have gotten paid and delivered the things you ordered from them?
• Who's doing what from your team on the days of the conference?
• How will the chairs be set up?
• What's a more detailed internal schedule look like?
• How will people check-in?

When you're coordinating an amount of people above like 7 or 8 getting together you've got to start thinking about the smaller details of what's happening and how everything is getting done.

This, admittedly, is not an area of strength for me

Thankfully, at Showit, we've got a lot of amazing and tenacious task driven folks that eat this kind of stuff up for breakfast. Our go to logistics super hero is Shamesha.

She's built a pretty rad google sheet that she keeps all those details organized with. AND, you can grab a template of the very template she created and used for Spark by signing up below.

Step 9: Craft Your Marketing

Any good conference planning would be incomplete without some solid thought on how to get the word out there and sell tickets.

Here's what we've found to be true about how people buy tickets for conferences: it's hardly ever a steady rhythm of sign-ups.

You'd think that when you open up your cart for ticket sales a few people will sign up right when it opens and then purchases will just slowly trickle in over time.

That's just not the case.

Going to a conference is a big decision. You've got to set aside time from your daily grind, potentially figure out what's happening with all your responsibilities with your family, fly to a new place maybe, get a hotel. There's lots involved in that single decision.

That being the case, people need time to think about whether or not they are going to come. So, if you just have tickets available for sale all the time you run the risk of people not having to force themselves to make a decision. Then they end up forgetting about the conference.

It comes and goes and they think, “Shoot, I was actually considering going but now the conference is over!”

How do you avoid that? By having specific times when people can and can't purchase tickets.

That's made the biggest difference in registrations for us at Showit. We open and close our cart at certain times during the year. And, it's typically around a big announcement like who's speaking.

Selling Next Year's Tickets At This Year's Conference

Another thing we've found is that the best time to sell tickets is right at the end of this years conference.

Hopefully, the people who came had a great time and would love to come the following year. So, why wait to sell tickets when everyone goes home and that fun euphoric feeling has left?

End the conference with the opportunity to buy tickets for the following year.

Other Ways to Sell Conference Tickets

Obviously, there are plenty of other things you can do to sell conference tickets.

• Social media posts
• Paid ads
• SEO
• Email marketing

The run of the mill digital marketing stuff.

But, we've found that one of the best ways to sell tickets to a conference is through relationships. And, no, I don't mean going to every one you know that might be interested and personally asking them to register.

That feels like a pyramid scheme nightmare.

I'm talking about going to communities that would fit the description of the type of person that would benefit from your conference and figuring out a way to ADD VALUE first then let them know about the opportunity to attend the conference.

For Spark, we did one big masterclass with our own designer community called the 6 Figure Designer Playbook. Then at the end of the masterclass we sold tickets.

We also reached out to some of the speakers that had communities and asked if we could present to their people and let them know about the conference.

We also asked conference speakers to promote the conference and gave them special promo code for people that signed up with them.

That's what I mean by marketing with relationships.

The Reality of Conference Planning

Well that's it. It's all I've got. But, these nearly 3,000 words of tips and advice on conference planning will set you up for success.

BUT, here's the thing.

No matter how much you plan and how thorough you are things will happen that you couldn't have planned for. The screens will glitch and go out during your biggest speaker's main stage talk. Your registration will fail.

Stuff will hit the fan and you'll have to adapt and pivot. It's all a part of it. So, the best thing to do is plan for the unexpected.

Over time, you'll get better and better at solving the problems that come up. And you yourself will be the conference planning guru that everyone asks, “Hey, what's your conference planning like for the events you put on?”