Sharing your expertise through an online course is an excellent way for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to showcase their knowledge, build authority in their niche, and generate additional revenue. Online learning is booming, with more businesses and individuals seeking valuable, actionable insights in accessible formats. For SMEs, this presents a prime opportunity to turn in-house expertise into educational content that can drive brand engagement and provide new revenue streams.

In this blog, we will explore how to build an online course that helps SMEs share their expertise. We’ll also examine a real-life case study from SME Scale and delve into the psychological principles that make this marketing method highly effective.

Why Building an Online Course is Valuable for SMEs
Brand Authority: By offering courses, SMEs can position themselves as experts in their field, increasing trust and credibility.
New Revenue Streams: Online courses can create a steady income, especially if they are sold as premium content.
Lead Generation: Free or low-cost introductory courses can be a great way to attract potential customers who might later convert to paying clients.
Customer Engagement: Courses help SMEs engage more deeply with their audience, delivering value that builds long-term relationships.
Key Steps to Building an Online Course for SMEs
1. Identify Your Expertise and Audience Needs
The first step in building an online course is identifying your SME’s core expertise and how that aligns with your target audience’s needs. A course should solve a specific problem or teach a valuable skill that your audience is eager to learn.

Example: If your SME specializes in digital marketing, your course might focus on teaching small businesses how to build and execute their first marketing campaign using simple, cost-effective tools.
2. Course Structuring and Content Development
Once you know what your course will cover, outline the structure. Break the content into manageable modules or lessons, and ensure each section builds logically on the previous one. Make the learning process engaging by including interactive elements like quizzes, assignments, and real-life case studies.

Pro Tip: Keep your content clear and focused, but allow room for deep dives where necessary. Learners appreciate courses that offer both practical insights and in-depth knowledge.
3. Select the Right Platform
Choosing the right platform to host your course is crucial. Platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi offer easy-to-use interfaces that allow you to upload video lessons, documents, and quizzes, while also managing payments and user access.

Example: An SME focusing on graphic design might host their online course on Udemy to take advantage of its large user base and marketing support.
4. Marketing Your Course
To successfully market your online course, you need to reach the right audience. This is where email marketing, social media, and targeted ads come into play. Using email segmentation, you can send tailored messages to different segments of your customer base, ensuring that the right people know about your course offering.

SME Scale’s Strategy: SME Scale leveraged segmented email campaigns to promote an online course teaching business automation to SMEs. They created three customer segments: potential clients who showed interest in automation, existing customers, and those who previously attended their free webinars. By tailoring the messaging and offering exclusive discounts to these groups, they saw a 35% increase in course enrollments over two months.
Real-Life Case Study: How an SME Leveraged Online Courses to Boost Revenue
A small business specializing in eco-friendly home products, working with SME Scale, created an online course focused on sustainable living. The SME had built a loyal customer base over time but struggled with finding new revenue streams outside of product sales. SME Scale suggested they package their expertise on sustainable living into an online course that teaches consumers how to incorporate eco-friendly habits into their daily routines.

Course Strategy Breakdown:

Content Creation: The SME divided the course into five modules, covering topics like zero-waste living, eco-friendly cleaning, and sustainable shopping habits. Each module included video tutorials, downloadable PDFs, and interactive quizzes to keep participants engaged.

Leveraging Seasonal Trends: To further boost engagement, SME Scale recommended launching the course in April to coincide with Earth Day, a time when interest in sustainability spikes. This created a sense of relevance and urgency, leveraging a seasonal marketing strategy.

Psychological Tactics: By using social proof—showcasing testimonials from satisfied customers of their products and early course participants—the SME was able to build trust. They also used reciprocity by offering a free eco-friendly starter guide to all who signed up for the course. This resulted in an emotional connection with their audience, driving higher engagement.

Results: The SME saw a 50% increase in overall revenue during the course’s launch month, with the course itself generating a 20% uplift in new customer acquisition. The combination of expert-led content, strategic timing, and psychological principles led to a highly successful campaign.

The Psychology Behind Successful Online Courses
The success of an online course often hinges on understanding how to motivate learners. Here are a few key psychological principles at play:

1. Reciprocity
People tend to feel obligated to return a favor. Offering free content—such as an introductory lesson or valuable downloadable resource—creates a sense of obligation, making participants more likely to purchase your full course.

2. Scarcity and Urgency
Creating a sense of urgency by limiting the availability of a course or offering time-sensitive discounts can trigger FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). This increases the likelihood of quick conversions, as customers don’t want to miss out on the opportunity.

3. Social Proof
People are more likely to engage in an activity if they see others doing it successfully. By displaying testimonials, showcasing the number of enrolled students, or featuring case studies of successful course graduates, SMEs can use social proof to increase enrollment rates.

Conclusion
Building an online course allows SMEs to leverage their expertise, build stronger relationships with customers, and create new revenue streams. By following structured steps—such as identifying audience needs, creating engaging content, and using effective marketing strategies—SMEs can maximize the impact of their course.

SME Scale’s experience in helping businesses launch successful courses shows that by incorporating psychological principles like reciprocity, scarcity, and social proof, SMEs can significantly boost engagement and revenue. If you’re ready to build and market your own online course, SME Scale can provide the guidance and tools to ensure your success.