How to Create a Virtual Design Program and Sell Online

The online world is booming, and e-design services are on the rise! E-design, also known as electronic, remote, or virtual interior design is a service that is performed completely online. With traditional design services, a designer would visit the client's home, evaluate and measure the space and discuss design needs in person. All of which can now be done online. Not only that, but virtual design programs are also becoming more and more popular.

So what are virtual design programs? How can you create one? And, most importantly, how can you sell one? In this blog, we’ll dive into this popular topic and give you some easily actionable tips to create your own virtual offering.

What is a virtual design program?

A virtual design program can include many things. 

Maybe you want to teach others how to become an interior designer, or you want to teach and guide clients on how to create a particular look. 

Virtual programs also allow you to create an e-design offering to broaden your reach and work with people outside your local area. 

The virtual world is full of DIY courses in many industries, and design is a popular topic among homeowners worldwide. Especially with more and more people opting to work from home full time.

Let's talk more about virtual interior designing.

Virtual interior design is the modern way of working with design professionals. All communication, floorplans, mood boards, shopping links, and project documents are digitally delivered to your inbox. Often designers will have their own user-friendly platform for clients to log in to and access their project portal. This way of working can help streamline the entire design journey as everything is in one place, you don’t need to worry about documents getting lost as all your information is safely stored in one place.

With this, comes online courses and programs.

Many designers are creating their own DIY courses to help teach people how to become designers themselves. Covering a wide array of topics from painting, to furniture upholstery, color education, and styling. Online programs are hot to buy right now. If you’ve been designing for a while, have a larger client base and/or following and you’re looking for some passive income, or just to do something new, why not consider creating your own virtual design program offering?

What are the benefits of having an online offering?

• Connect with clients all over the world

There are a few great benefits to having an online offering. One is that you have access to a much wider client base. Traditional design means you tend to work with clients within physical reach - once you go virtual you can work with people all over the world! 

• Free up your time

When it comes to having an online program, depending on what it entails and the level of real-time contact people have with you it can free up your time immensely. Whether you want a fully pre-recorded course that people can purchase and do in their own time, or you want to run a live program where they get to connect with you virtually. Both options allow you to begin to generate passive income, which is great for brand and revenue expansion! 

• Share your expertise at a more affordable cost to a larger audience 

Offering online programs also allows you to share your knowledge and expertise and to offer a space to work with you at a more affordable cost than your 1:1 in-person services. If your audience has been wanting to work with you but they aren’t at a place where they can invest as much, this is a great way to start!

• Build trust with a large audience

Offering online programs can also give you the opportunity to grow your audience, build trust and it can become a great way to get more 1:1 clients! After they experience all the value and expertise you’re sharing, they’ll want to work even more with you!

How to create your online offer

The first step in creating your online course is to figure out what it is you’re going to teach. Before you begin to create your program, start by writing down everything that you love to do within your design business. Check out the following questions for guidance:

• Who are your ideal clients?

• What have been the most successful projects you’ve worked on?

• What area of design do you excel at? What is your area of genius?

• What comes naturally to you with design?

• What feels easy for you when it comes to design?

• What would excite you to share with the world?

Write all of your ideas down, and don’t limit yourself. The world is your oyster when it comes to online courses.

From here we recommend doing a little market research. What types of programs are other designers offering? What appears to be working well? What are people needing? You could even connect with your current audience and client base and poll them on what they would love to learn more about. Do you dream of creating a program teaching people to create a certain style? Or teaching people how to use a certain design program? Maybe you love graphic design and you want to expand your brand into a new space of creativity. You really can share whatever you love with ease when it comes to the virtual world. Even searching on the popular course hosting platform Udemy brings forth lots of potential ideas and inspiration.

Learn more about how to conduct a good market research. Click here.

Our top tip? Ensure your program solves a problem that people need. Once you’ve got your ideas together, and you’ve done some research begin to look at everything from a strategic sense. 

It’s very important to understand that your course topic does not necessarily come from you. Rather, it comes from your target audience. What do they need? It’s great to combine this with the questions we asked earlier. If you can identify a specific problem, and it’s something you’d love to teach, then you’re onto something!

People tend to pursue further education and courses because they are either trying to achieve a certain goal. It’s key to share your online course in a way that will resonate with your learners!

Other elements to be aware of when creating your virtual design program include the following:

Knowing your format

There are a lot of different options when it comes to structuring your online program. As you do your market research, you’ll want to find out what your audience is actually looking for and what you are willing to offer. Do they want something that they can quickly apply themselves in more of a DIY format? Or do they need the accountability of a group coaching program where they get to connect with both you and other people? Do you want to teach live or do you rather have a pre-recorded format?

The more value people get, the higher the price point can be. Equally, the more access people have to you, the higher the price point can be.

Defining your course aims

Take time to put together some goals for your program. What are people actually going to get from it? What is the end result?

You can use your market research to help with this too! 

An important aspect to ask yourself is: Who is this program for? You need to know who you are selling to. Some other questions to consider include:

• Why is this client interested in your topic?

• How much experience do they need before beginning? Are there any prerequisites?

• What are their personal goals?

• What could be their biggest challenges?

You’ll want to be able to clearly define the client's journey and, most importantly, their transformation. This is what you’ll be selling when it comes to marketing your offering.

From here you can begin your course creation! Believe it or not, this is the easiest part of the whole process. If this is your first program, keep it as simple as you can.

Whether you pre-record videos and upload them onto a hosting platform, or if everything is taught live over Zoom, keep the process clear and simple for people to navigate. 

Do you see the benefits of having an online program? Do you already have some ideas on what it could look like? Write them down and explore this new business direction!

If you have business and/or marketing questions, including how to market your virtual offerings, come chat with us! We’re here to help. Click here to schedule a Complimentary Brand Consultation.

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