How to sell "soft" skills in a hard market

The one reason so many courses are unmarketable

Photo by Ojus Jaiswal on Unsplash Marketing a soft skills course doesn’t have to be as puzzling as a Rubik’s cube

Hello,

Welcome to the newest edition of Course Builder's Corner.

Ever struggle to figure out how to sell an idea that seems too abstract or soft?

Today’s edition shows you how to address the issue with an angle that gets attention.

After reading, let me know what questions you have on how to apply it.

---

How to sell "soft" skills in a hard market

Assertiveness for accountants
Self control for coders
Empathy for engineers
Sensitivity for doctors

These are all examples of "soft" skills being taught to people in "hard" jobs.

And they are examples of courses that struggled to get an audience.

Why?

The topics are important. But the person who needs them won't take notice.  They don't see a problem that the course will solve and so they take very little interest.

So, how can we get them enrolled?

We find a problem they complain about which the course addresses. 

For example, many software coders develop unhealthy eating habits.  They may intend to eat healthier, but when they pass by that vending machine for the 10th time, they just have to grab that bag of Fritos.

Your course on self-control can then address their desire to eat more apples and bananas and fewer empty calories.

To get accountants interested in assertiveness ...

... we may tap into the issue of being passed over for promotion due to not showing "leadership potential."

Higher-ups won't promote someone who doesn't take initiative and ask for what they want directly.  So offer to help them become the leader they know they can be and they'll enroll in your assertiveness course.

As you can see, you can sell even "soft" skills once you tap into a real problem those skills will solve.

Now that you know how to market “soft” skills, you can feel more confident about building a course that teaches them.

The easiest way I know to build a course is The Atomic Course Blueprint. You learn how to structure a small text-based course that delivers skills, not just more information. Find out more here.

---