Teaching Mastery Academy for Digital Course Creators

The Secret to Premium Pricing: Elevate Your Course with Authority and Value

• Francesca Hudson: Teaching Mastery Academy • Season 1 • Episode 16

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Is your course pricing strategy holding you back from achieving true teaching mastery? Join me, Francesca, at Teaching Mastery Academy, as we unravel the outdated notion of the value ladder and boldly advocate for premium pricing from the start. By likening your course to a luxury brand, we explore how to establish authority and offer a transformative experience that attracts dedicated learners ready to invest in more than just knowledge—they're investing in a journey. We delve into why low-cost offers might be undermining your authority and how a confident, premium pricing approach can set the stage for unparalleled success.

Prepare to reshape your course offerings as we discuss the psychological principles of contrast and scarcity. Discover how to design courses that stand out as unique, high-value experiences by implementing exclusive features like capped enrollments and personalized touches. We'll guide you in creating mastery-focused courses with effective feedback loops and celebrating student successes to drive lasting results. It's time to critically assess your course, refine your approach, and elevate the learning experience to justify that premium price tag. Subscribe, leave a review, or share this episode to inspire others to teach boldly and transform lives, one premium course at a time.

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Teaching Mastery Academy :sign up to the waitlist here

Think of your course (or your course idea,) like a luxury car. People won’t pay top dollar unless it’s high quality, delivers an incredible experience, and meets their needs perfectly. Teaching Mastery Academy teaches course creators like you how to ‘build’ that luxury-level course—one that students trust, complete, and rave about, justifying premium pricing every time. Ready to take your expertise and ensure your digital course stands out from the crowd? Premium courses (and premium returns) start with the core teaching fundamentals that all the best course creators instinctively do, but now I'm showing you how! Join the VIP waitlist for Teaching Mastery Academy now! Click here to learn more.

Speaker 1:

Hello, my incredible course creators, welcome back to another episode of Teaching Mastery Academy, where we redefine what it means to build, teach and scale impactful digital courses. I'm your host, francesca, and today we're going to be looking at a topic that will completely reshape the way that you think about pricing your digital course. Now you've heard the common advice add bonuses, stack the value, offer lifetime access. But let's be honest these strategies are overused and often fail to justify premium pricing in the eyes of your students. If you've ever wondered why your $997 course isn't flying off the shelves, then this episode is for you, my friend. We're uncovering the number one thing you need to do to justify premium pricing for your digital course, because here at Teaching Mastery Academy, we are all about doing things premium. And a spoiler alert it's not about stuffing your program with more modules, videos or shiny PDFs. It's about something deeper, something your competitors likely aren't doing. So grab your notebook, get comfortable and let's get started.

Speaker 1:

Let's start with a sacred cow in the course creation world the value ladder. You know the concept you create a low-cost offer to hook people in and then upsell them into progressively more expensive programs until they reach your high-ticket offer. Sounds logical, right, but here's the problem with that the value ladder often dilutes your authority. Why? Because when you focus too much on starting small and seizing every sale, you're essentially training your audience to expect low prices. You're teaching them that your content doesn't deserve premium pricing unless they've been spoon-fed at the entry level first. So we can look at this a different way. I'd like you to consider flipping the script for a moment. Premium pricing doesn't require a gradual climb. It requires a bold, confident declaration of value. When you design a course that delivers transformational results and we'll talk about what that means later you can skip the value ladder entirely. Position your course as the solution your audience has been searching for and you'll bypass the discount trap, because premium doesn't have discounts. A premium service is something that your audience are willing to pay for. They'll be tripping over themselves to pay for premium. They'll be wanting to pay for the privilege of jumping the queue, to pay for the privilege of being able to sit in the front of the plane. They'll be able to pay for the privilege of purchasing a course that's going to get them straight to where they want to get fast and quickly.

Speaker 1:

Now I know you might be thinking, francesca, doesn't the value ladder build trust? And the answer is yes, but only if it's executed strategically. The value ladder in itself isn't inherently bad okay, it's just often misused. For example, instead of creating a low-cost, high-effort product to prove yourself and I say prove in inverted commas why not offer a premium course and pair it with a free, high-value resource that builds authority and trust? And here's where the magic happens. When you create an entry point that showcases your expertise but doesn't dilute your brand, you establish yourself as a premium provider right out of the gate. Think of it like a luxury car dealership. They're not giving away cheap cars to get you in the door. Instead, they're offering free test drives and showcasing the best features of their high-ticket models. This approach eliminates the disconnect between the entry-level offers and premium pricing, allowing you to lead with confidence and value.

Speaker 1:

The key is to focus on the transformation and I say that in capital letters transformation your audience wants, not the transactional milestones that are often overemphasized in the value ladder model. Now, for example, with Teaching Mastery Academy, we don't have discounted mini courses first. What we do instead is offer high value, free content so that people can understand and have a taste of what it's like to be in Teaching Mastery Academy. And then we go straight to the transformation. And when people sign up for Teaching Mastery Academy, we teach them how to teach their course, because how to teach is a key element in course creation that is overlooked by so many people out there who are selling and coaching digital courses how to create digital courses, how to market them. They leave out the teaching component. Why? Well, maybe because they're not teachers, but I think a lot of it is. Let's get you through the door, let's get you building a sales funnel and let's forget about the most important part, which is actually teaching the course, keeping your students happy and satisfied, keeping those refund rates to non-existent, increasing your lifetime customer value number. In other words, students who sign up to your first course will then want to sign up to your second and your third and, being seen as the expert in your niche, become the go-to, become the person that everybody wants to purchase the course from when they think of your niche. And you do that through leadership, and leadership comes from great teaching. Coaches come from great teaching. Teaching is the key that is going to unlock everything in the course creation world for you Now at Teaching Mastery Academy. That is the transformation that we deliver on, you will become excellent teachers. You will know how to teach your content. You will know how to create engagement strategies and techniques to keep your audience interested. And we're not just talking about the paid content, we're talking about your lead magnets, your content that you put on social. All of these things link back to great teaching, and great teaching is how you will be able to justify charging premium prices, high ticket prices or your high ticket courses. So that is the transformation example that I'm giving you from my own course Teaching Mastery Academy.

Speaker 1:

But let's look at that word transformation a little bit deeper. So let's unpack it, because it is one of the most overused buzzwords in the course creation world. That word transformation. Everybody promises it. Buy my course and you'll transform your business, your health, your mindset. But here's the thing most courses define transformation as an end result. What's missing? The experience of transformation itself. Let me explain. When most people invest in a premium course, they're not just paying for what they'll achieve at the end. They're paying for how they'll feel during the process. They want to feel confident. They want to feel supported and inspired at every stage. They're not just buying the destination, they're buying the journey from you. Here's a fresh perspective for you Focus on micro-transformations.

Speaker 1:

These are the small wins, the aha moments, the immediate results your students experience along the way. When you design your course to deliver micro-transformations at every step, when you design your course to deliver micro-transformations at every step, you're keeping your students engaged, keeping them motivated and confident that they made the right investment in you. For instance, let's say you're teaching a course on mastering personal finances. Instead of making the first model a theoretical lecture on budgeting, guide your students through setting up a realistic savings goal that they can achieve within the first week. That's a micro transformation. It's actionable, it's rewarding and it sets the tone for the entire course.

Speaker 1:

But let's take it even further. Micro transformations shouldn't just be about small wins. They also create a sense of momentum, get the party started. Let's get excited about the course. When your students feel like they're building towards something meaningful, they're more likely to stay engaged and complete your program. This is where gamification and storytelling come in. Imagine if each micro transformation in your course felt like leveling up in a game or uncovering the next chapter in an epic story. Suddenly, learning becomes an adventure rather than a chore, and the ripple effect of these micro transformations is trust. Every small success reinforces your students belief that your course delivers exceptional value, amazing value. And trust, as I said earlier, is the currency of premium pricing.

Speaker 1:

When you redefine transformation to include the experience of learning itself, you're not just teaching, you're creating a lifelong impression. And let's look at that from a psychological point of view for a moment. Premium pricing isn't just about the tangible elements of your course. It's about perceived value. And guess what? Perception is 100% in your control. You don't have to rely on anybody else. You don't have to rely on paying for it. It is 100% in your control to be able to sway your audience and perception value starts with how you position your course. Are you presenting it as just another online program or are you framing it as an exclusive results-driven experience? High ticket buyers aren't looking for just information. They're looking for a sense of certainty. They want to believe, without a doubt, that your course will solve their problem. Creating certainty involves more than just promises. It's about delivering an experience that feels premium at every touchpoint.

Speaker 1:

I want you to think about your course website, your sales page and even your onboarding emails. Are they visually cohesive? Do they reflect the level of professionalism that you're charging for? Every detail matters the colours that you use, the fonts that you use, the types of photos. That creates a mood. But perceived value doesn't just stop at aesthetics. It also lives in the intangible elements of your course. For example, do you offer personalised feedback? Do you create opportunities for live interaction? Do you celebrate your students' wins in a way that makes them feel seen and valued? These moments of personalization elevate your course from a transaction to a relationship.

Speaker 1:

Now let's delve a little bit deeper into why this works. Psychologically, humans are wired to seek experiences that make them feel important, competent and connected. When you add moments of recognition or acknowledgement or tailored interaction into your course, you're fulfilling these deep-seated needs. This isn't just about being nice, and I say that in inverted commas. It's about creating emotional hooks that make your students associate your course with positivity and success.

Speaker 1:

And another psychological driver is the principle of contrast. When you position your course as a premium offer, you're implicitly setting it apart from lower cost, lower touch alternatives. The exclusivity and the personalized nature of your course stand in stark contrast to the DIY experiences that your students might be used to, and this contrast heightens can see perception of value because they see your offer as something unique and something unattainable elsewhere. They can't get it anywhere else. So you want to make sure that you've got that unique selling point down pat. You want to make sure that your unique selling point for what makes you premium is shattered from the rooftop on all of your platforms your website, your social media pages, your emails.

Speaker 1:

And lastly, I want you to think about the scarcity effect. Psychologically, people value things that feel limited or rare, and this doesn't mean creating false urgency. It's about being authentic. It means being authentic about the exclusivity of your offer. If you're capping enrollment to ensure a high touch experience or offering limited coaching slots, communicate that transparently. Your audience will perceive this as added value, not pressure. When you understand the psychology behind a perceived value, you're not just selling a course. You're crafting an irresistible experience that resonates on a deeper level, and this is how you justify premium pricing in a way that feels authentic and effective.

Speaker 1:

And I think this brings us to the heart of this episode designing your course for mastery. If you take away one thing from today, let it be this people will pay your course for mastery. If you take away one thing from today, let it be this People will pay premium prices for mastery. And what do I mean by that word mastery? Well, it's not just about teaching your students new skills or concepts. It's about equipping them with the confidence and ability to implement what they've learned effectively and sustainably. And here's where most courses fall short. So lean in and I'll tell you. They're information heavy but implementation light. So what do I mean by that? Students finish the program with notebooks full of insights, but no clear path to apply them. Mastery bridges that gap. In order to design for mastery, you need to start by creating a robust feedback loop. Your course should provide multiple opportunities for your students to practice what they've learned and receive constructive feedback. This could be through assignments or peer reviews or live coaching sessions. The key is creating a space where students feel safe to make mistakes and grow.

Speaker 1:

Another critical element is scaffolding, and this is an educational concept that involves building on prior knowledge, but you're doing it in a very gentle and simple way, and so you introduce the key concept, and you introduce it very, very generally, and then you circle back to it a little bit later on and you add more detail to it. So, and then you circle back to it a little bit later on and you add more detail to it, so you're adding layers to that knowledge. So, rather than just trying to teach your students if it's a complicated concept the whole thing right in one lesson, you want to scaffold it. You want to show them examples, show them how to apply it, layer it, keep coming back to it again and again and again throughout the module or throughout your lesson. And so you're really building a scaffold around that concept for them, so that if they fall off, if they get confused, if they get stuck, if they get lost, then you're there to catch them and give them a little bit more reassurance, a little bit more examples. You keep coming back to it and so, slowly and gradually, your students will learn the concept. And then, finally, I think you want to really celebrate mastery.

Speaker 1:

So your course should conclude with a significant moment that honours your students journey and their accomplishments, and this could be in the form of a certificate that they can proudly display or a graduation style webinar to showcase their progress, or even a spotlight in your community for standout achievements. Recognition really matters. It validates the hard work and it reinforces the premium nature of your course. But mastery isn't just about the end, it's also about continuity. So provide your students with tools or frameworks that allow them to keep applying what they've learned long after the course ends. Consider offering follow-up materials like a downloadable workbook that they can revisit, or lifetime access to certain lessons or optional advanced level modules.

Speaker 1:

We cover all of this in Teaching Mastery Academy. We go through every single piece of the course creation puzzle that you need to create premium courses, because, when you design for mastery, your students leave not just with knowledge, but with confidence, clarity and the tools to continue their transformation independently of you. And that's how you justify premium pricing by creating an experience that delivers lasting results and empowers your audience to feel unstoppable. So, my friends, we've covered a lot today. We've reimagined the value ladder, we've redefined transformation and we've explored the psychology of perceived value and discovered the ultimate power of designing for mastery.

Speaker 1:

What ties all of this together is one simple truth your course isn't just a collection of lessons. It's a transformational experience, and transformation true, sustainable and deeply impactful is priceless. What would you pay for a deeply impactful, transformational experience about a pain point that you're experiencing right now that will change your life for the better, for good? What value can you put on that? You can't. It's priceless.

Speaker 1:

So I want you to think about that when it comes to creating your premium course and as you refine your course, I want you to ask yourself am I giving my students a journey that justifies the investment I'm asking for? Am I creating a learning experience that feels as premium as the price tag? If the answer is yes, then trust me, your audience will see the value too, and if not, now is the perfect time to adjust, refine and elevate your offer. Thank you for tuning in to Teaching Mastery Academy podcast. If you found this episode insightful, I would love it for you to subscribe, leave a review or share it with a fellow course creator who's ready to level up, so that we can help and inspire more course creators like you to create premium courses. Until next time, keep teaching boldly, pricing confidently and transforming lives one student at a time. Bye for now.

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Francesca Hudson

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