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How do you create a Masterclass

Oct 19, 2023

If you've got knowledge that you want to impart, a masterclass can be a perfect method to connect with your audience and get people talking.

What's the best thing? Masterclasses are as brief or long as you'd like which means you have the opportunity to give your best advice and provide maximum impact in a half the time as an ordinary training.

We at a.m. know a thing or two regarding masterclasses. In fact, we've assisted many creators to create, teach and even sell their own masterclasses on the internet.

Here's our guide on how to make a great masterclass, with insider advice and examples from the true masters of the masterclass.

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What's the format of a masterclass

Masterclasses aren't governed by an exact format. A masterclass may range from one event to an entire video course.

But typically masterclasses include three key parts:

  • An explicit understanding of the goal(s): Every masterclass needs to have an end or learning objective that attendees can complete or learn from at the conclusion of the session.
  • An expert instructor: The masterclasses usually are taught by an expert - someone with experience in education or experience related to the masterclass topic or the industry.
  • A test or activity: Many masterclasses may also contain exercises or a type of test to help learners test and apply their skills. Successful learners might also receive a certification when they've completed the masterclass.

  Are masterclasses just videos?

Yes and No. Masterclasses are training content that teaches specific skills. are taught by experts within the area. They're usually videos - but they may also be live webinars, blogs, podcasts and much more. Some of the most effective masterclasses include extra resources and activities for learning, such as quizzes questions and assignments in addition to certificates and accreditations.

How to make your own masterclass using 7 easy steps

If you're considering hosting your own masterclass, here are seven essential steps to follow to make sure your product is structured as well as marketable. It should also be beneficial to the audience you want to reach.

Here's how to create an online masterclass (click to skip to more detail):

  1. Choose a topic: Find your niche and pick an area for your masterclass that will be appropriate and appealing for your intended audience.
  2. Plan your masterclass: Carefully plan your masterclass format as well as the content and design as well as writing an outline and a rough script.
  3. Create your masterclass: Record and edit your masterclass so that you make a high-quality product customers will want to buy.
  4. Find a hosting platform Pick a platform hosting your masterclass, where you are able to publish, advertise, manage, and sell your merchandise all from one place.
  5. Market and promote the masterclass: Get the public aware of your masterclass through a combination of marketing channels, including emails, social media, and specifically designed landing pages.
  6. Edit and review your masterclass: Collect students' feedback, and then revisit the masterclass material to continually make changes and improvements to your course.
  7. Increase your revenue: Keep making digital items to grow your masterclass, build your brand, and open several sources of revenue.

Are you ready to get started? Here's what you need to learn about creating a masterclass - including tips, examples, and links to additional resources to help you through the process step-by-step.

How do you create an online masterclass

Pick a topic

If you're looking to design an educational program, first you must decide the topic you're planning to cover or what your niche is going to be. This method will differ depending on whether or not you already have a established name or you're beginning your own business.

If you're beginning your company at the beginning, begin by creating a list of everything you're good in, passionate about and competent to do - and make sure that the subject is one you would feel confident teaching to other people. It helps you focus of your own unique service as well as the kinds of knowledge you're able to offer people around the globe.

If you're running an established firm, you'll have a clear understanding of your area of expertise or focus is. this can be useful to provide you with the possibility of generating new ideas and opportunities if you'd like.

In the next step, you must confirm your concept. Here's how:

Auditor research

It's not enough just to come up with a topic and then start creating a masterclass right away. The first step is to conduct research on the audience to be certain that there is a demand for your masterclass as well as a specific group of people who are willing to watch and even pay for it.

  • Research on the audience could include: Customer surveys
  • Interviews
  • Groups of focus
Competitor research

Alongside talking to the right people In addition, you could find your market by doing market studies. Research on competitors involves looking into what your top competitors are providing their customers in order to determine what you can do different - and more effectively - in order to win over potential customers.

Here are a few easy steps that can help with the research of competitors:

  • Do an Google search: The easiest method of starting your competition research is to look for your masterclass idea through a search engine, such as Google. Check out which companies pop up first, and then see what they're offering what's similar to what you're proposing? What is their strategy different? What do they haven't done?
  • Visit their site: When you've got your top contenders list, dive deeper into the research you've done and examine their websites and masterclass landing pages. What subjects are they speaking about? Who do they want to reach? What are their primary messages?
  • Check social media: As well as looking at their online presence, check for their social media accounts and the types of content they're connecting with. Look through the profiles of your competitors' comment and followers. Also, examine other brands they're working with.
  • Review customer feedback customer reviews and testimonials are also an excellent source of information about your competitors and their products. Examine the most frequent feedback, their complaints, as well as what kind of items that they purchase from them.

Evaluate your competitors using these aspects:

  1. Product: What does their masterclasses include? What are the resources they offer? Which features are beneficial or not?
  2. Pricing: How much do the cost of their masterclasses? Do their prices vary depending on the customer? Do they provide bundles and discounts?
  3. Promotion: What strategies are they currently using to reach out to their customers? What channels on social media are they using? What kinds of posts are they sharing?
  4. The location: Where are they situated? Where are their customers based?
  5. Positioning The question is: What is their distinct value proposition? How are they positioning themselves? What are their main message? Who is their target audience?
  6. Reputation: What do people commenting on their goods and services? What are the issues that customers face?

Throughout your competitor research In the end, you're hoping to be able to answer these questions:

  • My top opponents?
  • What are their advantages and disadvantages?
  • What is the possibilities and dangers in this market?
  • What would be the traits of my ideal customer versus my competition's ideal customers?

You can keep track of the research you have done using a spreadsheet that will help you analyse the information from your research and then use it to come up with a unique plan to teach your class.

Consider: "What do I excel at when compared with my competitors and what am I looking to be focusing upon?"

Plan your masterclass

If you've done your research, you should know the details of the subject of your masterclass and its niche - including the audience you intend to target and the way you'll distinguish your product from other offerings on the market.

The next step is time to design your masterclass.

Choosing your style

Depending on the subject of your masterclass and your target audience, you'll have to select an appropriate structure to present your masterclass. In this case, for example, the format of your masterclass might be:

  • Video tutorials
  • Audio
  • Recorded or live webinars
  • Ebooks or blog posts
  • Slideshows

Select the presentation (or combination) that you believe is the most effective way of presenting your content to your audience while keeping your masterclass entertaining and informative to customers. Who is the audience you want to reach most likely to appreciate?

The process of creating an outline

Make sure you write a detailed outline that's built around your learning objectives and goals. The outline must include:

  • What topics you'll cover
  • How long the masterclass you will give
  • What kinds of activities will you add
  • What additional sources and resources will you provide?
  • What types of assessments or certifications learners must pass?

In breaking the masterclass into specific themes, exercises and exams, you will be able to make your presentation according to a predetermined format. This will help you make sure you include all you would like to include and keep the promises you made to your students.

Making a script, or creating a strategy

After you've drafted an outline of your course, begin drafting a detailed program or script for the masterclass. In order to ensure that your presentation feels natural and flows well make sure you avoid using a script word-for-word rather, you should write down the things you want to say and the key elements you'll be covering so that you won't forget anything.

Create your masterclass

It's now time to develop the content for your masterclass based on your outline and plan.

The specific steps on the creation of masterclasses will be determined by the type of masterclass you'd like to create - including your chosen format and style.

Masterclasses tend to be recorded tutorials. These usually take the form of talk-head videos that feature an instructor or expert in front of the camera, supported by diagrams, visual prompts, and animations to help explain key concepts.

For creating this kind of masterclass, you'll need some basic equipment, including:

  • A camera or other video recording equipment
  • Lighting equipment
  • Equipment for audio recording
  • Software for editing

This kind of masterclass is based on the passion of the teacher or instructor and how engaged they are, how clearly they can explain the topic, and the way they present their personalities when they're on camera. Don't forget to smile!

It's recommended to have multiple takes of your masterclass to help you cut and edit the text to make it the most effective possible resource for your audience.

For more help with creating a masterclass in various formats, check out these guidelines:

Additionally, you'll need to design any additional materials and assessments during this time. Here are some resources to assist you in creating masterclass material to add value for your audience:

When editing your masterclasses, check out these guides to the best software and top techniques to make your editing flawless:

Find a web hosting service

After you've created an outstanding masterclass you're happy with and are ready to promote, you'll need to choose a platform for hosting to help you deliver the information directly to the people you want to reach.

Three tips to assist you in choosing the appropriate hosting platform you:

Know your payment system

Knowing the type of payment system you're likely to be using ahead of time helps you make sure that your system is compatible with and supports your preferred payment format.

This might comprise:

  • Subscriptions or memberships
  • One-time payments that provide limited access to content
  • One-time payments that provide access for life to all content
  • Access for free as a lead magnet

If you plan to create masterclasses that cover a particular topic, following a subscription or membership business model will allow you to make recurring profits from your products. The users pay either a monthly or annual fee for access to your material.

If you just want to make just one or two masterclasses the moment, it's usually best to charge the customers one time to gain access to your educational material. You can either grant customers limited time access to your masterclass, or charge more and provide an unlimited access to your content so that they are able to revisit your material as well as your expertise at any time they'd like to.

Not all platforms permit subscription-based payments, for example, so be sure your chosen platform allows you to charge users using the payment method that you would like to use.

Consider your marketing strategy

In addition to considering your business's model, it's also important to consider your marketing strategy when selecting a platform for hosting. Why? Because different hosting platforms include features designed to help you market and promote your masterclass as well as other digital goods.

If you have a specific marketing strategy you are thinking of implementing - like live webinars, email marketing and other events, or specific landing pages - make sure the hosting platform you use can accommodate your plan and has additional features that can help you.

Read customer reviews

If you are looking to select a hosting platform product for your business, current customers usually know best.

Marketing and promoting your masterclass

Once you've signed-up for a hosting platform and have uploaded your masterclass materials, it's time to start the process of marketing and advertising your content in order to start getting the first sale rolling into.

Here are a few effective ways to market your masterclass

Social media

If you're looking to sell masterclasses in 2023, you must be on social media.

Pick the top platforms for marketing your masterclass according to your desired public. In the case of selling a B2B masterclass think about promoting your course via LinkedIn. If your masterclass is on something that is a lifestyle subject, Instagram and Pinterest are likely to be better for targeting your ideal customer.

If you're just getting started, opt for 2-3 social media channels to begin promoting your masterclass.

Make content specifically tailored to your target audience for example:

  • How-to posts
  • Tips and tricks
  • Behind-the-scenes
  • Interviews with other experts
Email marketing

As well as building a social media following to promote your masterclass, you can also use email marketing for further marketing.

If you haven't already begin creating your list of email addresses to enable you to directly reach your intended audience, and to build stronger connections with your potential customers.

Email marketing can include:

  • Weekly newsletter
  • New product launches and updates
  • Round-ups, and other recommendations
  • Industry news
  • Tips and mini guides

The most important rule for email marketing is to ensure that all email information you produce is beneficial for your readers - no one likes spam email, so ensure that your content is providing value each time it is delivered to your subscribers' inbox.

Pages that land

You will also need a way to guide your clients to an area where you can let them know more about your masterclass. This is where the dedicated landing pages can help.

landing pages or sales pages, tell your target audience exactly what they must know to convert them from interested users to paying customers.

The most effective landing pages are:

  • An attention-grabbing headline
  • A captivating overview of the masterclass you are taking
  • An overview of the instructor you are working with
  • Key topics or highlights
  • Customer reviews
  • Call-To-Action (CTA) e.g. A sign-up button

Revise and modify your masterclass

You've launched, created, and started selling your masterclass. Congrats! What's after?

Your work isn't done after you've completed your initial launch. Businesses that are most successful remain in the process of refining and evolving their content to better suit their target audience and create the most impressive products.

In order to help you achieve that, start collecting customer feedback after your masterclass, including:

  • Post-attendance surveys
  • 1:1 customer interviews
  • Emails to follow-up

If you are able to gather as much feedback as you gather from past learners The more information you have, the easier it is to enhance your masterclass and adapt it to your target group to improve customer satisfaction and more repeat sales.

The feedback from your customers could help you decide what future digital offerings to develop in addition to revealing opportunities to reconvert your existing customers in the future.

Grow your business

Many Creator Educators find that the creation of a masterclass can be just the start. Masterclasses are a fantastic digital solution to make your name known as a professional in your industry and grow your reputation, all while creating revenue for your company.

It is important to build upon your successes through the creation of multiple revenue streams - for example, you might choose to launch a long-running online course that is a part of the masterclass, or create a membership community to your current customers.

When you're ready to make the next step to expand your business look through these resources to get ideas:

Masterclasses with top examples of masterclasses from Creator Educators

Check out these examples of top masterclasses from the most successful creator educators to provide inspiration and generate ideas for your own masterclass.

George Pitts: the Money Management Masterclass

George Pitts was motivated to begin his own financial company after he was able to get himself out of debt. Back in 2017, he was living paycheck to paycheck, and did not know what he could do to improve his situation financially. So he took a week off of work to learn exactly what he had to do to improve his credit score and his finances.

As a self-taught financial strategist, George became determined to aid others in the same way to achieve financial freedom. Since starting his business in 2011, he's taught more than 10,000 students in a number of masterclasses, online courses and programmes, generating seven-figure income annually in the process.

The XayLi Barclay the Camera Confidence Masterclass

Content creation coach and expert XayLi Barclay specializes in aiding entrepreneurs to become the most successful version of themselves online. This class teaches creators how to distinguish themselves from others and create compelling visual content and videos.

Since starting her business, XayLi has created multiple masterclasses that help to impart her experience to students. One of them is her Camera Confidence Masterclass to allow creators to feel more confident when in front of the camera.

Find out more information about how she got started by clicking here.

Design your own masterclass

Taking the first step to develop your own class can seem daunting - however when you take it by one step at a moment, you'll be able to plan, create, and deliver a masterclass which you are proud of. Your responsibility is to your viewers to develop your own masterclass, which is buried within your mind. Don't let imposter syndrome keep you down!

Are you ready to plunge into the water? Take a free trial and build your own masterclass now.