Hey there. We just talked about firming up your beta offer. Now we’re looking at how to get people from “interested” to “enrolled”.
And just to “geo-locate” us in the wider process, we’re part way through Phase 2 of our four-part beta launch lifecycle: Enrolment.
Having clarified your offer, you’ll lead the “hand raisers” on your interest list on a journey that ends with them enrolling in your beta or deciding to pass.
The Four Stages in Your Enrolment “Pipeline”
And this part of the enrolment phase is like a mini-pipeline with four stages:
- Confirmation
- Qualification
- Invitation
- Decision
Let’s jump right in and explore them one at a time.
Stage 1: Confirmation
The first stage, Confirmation, checks that the people who said they were interested in your beta are still interested.
After all, a few days or even a couple of weeks may have passed since they first raised a hand, and their situations might have changed.
You could just send the details via your key facts document and say: “So, want in?” but I recommend adding a small extra step.
Message each person to say you’ve finalised the details and would it be okay to send them over?
It comes across as less pushy and gets people to take a positive action that’ll help you filter the serious people from the not so serious.
Also, you’ll avoid overwhelming people with too much information too soon.
So that’s Confirmation.
Stage 2: Qualification
The second stage, Qualification, is where you and your potential students get to know each other a little better before making any big commitments.
It’s almost like an old-fashioned courtship. You can imagine yourselves strolling around a Victorian garden, making polite conversation and working out how you feel about each other.
Along the way, they’ll learn more about you and your course, which will help them decide if your beta is a good fit for them.
And you’ll learn more about them and their situation, which will help you decide if they’re a good fit for your course.
Of course, this is more likely to happen over a Zoom call than an afternoon stroll, but the principle is the same. And I’ll give you a suggested agenda in the resources section.
Remember though, this is a two-way street. They’re assessing you but you’re assessing them too.
Because when you’re trying to fill your beta, you’ll be tempted to accept anyone who seems keen. But that’s a mistake.
If you don’t have the right people, it won’t be a success for you or them.
In fact, it’s worth defining some acceptance criteria upfront.
So that’s Qualification.
Stage 3: Invitation
The third stage, Invitation, happens when you’re satisfied that the other person is a good fit and they’re still showing signs of interest in your course.
And you essentially say: “Having spoken with you, I think you’d be a great fit, and I’d love you to join the course if that feels right for you.”
Making it an official invitation like this achieves a couple of things.
First of all, it reinforces the idea that you aren’t accepting just anyone, only people who are a good fit, which makes your program feel more exclusive.
Also, you’re putting the ball firmly back in their court.
That doesn’t mean you expect them to make a decision right away. But it’s clear who’s expected to make the next move.
So that’s Invitation.
Stage 4: Decision
The final stage is Decision. It’s where your potential students decide to either enrol in your beta course or not.
Getting to this point means following up after the call and gently steering each person towards a final decision.
And you can do that by asking questions like:
- “Based on our chat, how are you feeling about this opportunity?”
- “Do you need anything else from me to help you make a decision?”
- “What else do you need to do (e.g., talk to a spouse) before deciding?”
- “When should I check in with you again for a decision?”
Don’t be too pushy, but have a timetable in mind. As a rough guide, aim to get a decision within one week of the call.
The True Litmus Test of Interest
And by the way, when someone tells you they’d like to join that’s great, but the true litmus test is whether they follow through and actually pay you. Don’t assume everyone who says “yes” will do that.
And talking of payment, here’s a quick tip: make it as easy as possible for people to pay, even if it causes you a little extra cost or inconvenience.
When I ran my first beta, it was on my mind that the price was already low and I didn’t want to reduce what I’d earn any further with unnecessary fees.
So I asked people to make a direct bank transfer, which was cheaper for me. But on reflection it wasn’t the most convenient method for them (particularly people based outside the UK), or the best first impression for me to make.
The moral: make it as easy as possible for people to pay you! I’ll give you some information about payment options in the resources section.
So that’s Decision, the final stage in our enrolment pipeline!
One Last Tip: Lock in Your Superfans
I’ve got one last tip for you before we wrap up this lesson.
When you start the enrolment process, focus on “locking in” the people who are most likely to buy – the ones who know you the best and seem the keenest.
Getting two or three people enrolled (including taking payment) will boost your confidence and create a sense of urgency for others to join.
You can legitimately say things like: “You don’t need to decide right away, but just be aware that half of the places have been filled already.”
Hopefully you can see the advantage of that.
Right, that’s how you get people from “interested” to “enrolled”. Now it’s time to turn our attention to setting up the technical infrastructure, or platform, for running your beta course.
See you shortly!