Creative tips and tricks

What is the best way to create the Perfect Masterclass

Oct 19, 2023

If you have knowledge you want that you want to impart, a masterclass can be a perfect way to reach your target public and make them talk about it.

What's the best thing? Masterclasses can be as short or long as you'd like, so you can share your expertise and deliver maximal impact in only a small half the time as an ordinary training.

At , we know a thing or two about masterclasses and we've helped many creators to create, teach, and sell their own masterclasses online.

We've got a guide for how to make a great masterclass. It also includes insider tips and examples from the true masters of the masterclass.

Skip ahead:

What is the format for masterclasses?

Masterclasses do not have any specific format. A masterclass could be anything from one event up to a complete video class.

But typically masterclasses include three essential components:

  • A clear learning goal(s): Every masterclass should have an aim or learning goal that your attendees will learn or complete at the conclusion of the course.
  • A skilled instructor The masterclasses usually are conducted by an expert instructor - someone with experience or education related to the masterclass topic or the industry.
  • A test or activity: Many masterclasses may also contain exercises or a method of evaluation to assist learners apply and test their understanding. Those who are successful may also be awarded a certificate upon completion of the masterclass.

  Are masterclasses just videos?

Yes but not. Masterclasses can be described as learning content where specific skills are taught by a professional in the subject. They are usually video-based, however they can also be live webinars, blogs, podcasts, and so on. The best masterclasses also include extra resources and learning opportunities like quizzes, questions and assignments in addition to certificates and accreditations.

How do you create your own masterclass in seven steps

If you're considering hosting your own masterclass, here are seven steps to take to ensure your product is structured, marketable, and ultimately valuable to your target audience.

Here's how to make an online masterclass (click to skip ahead to further details):

  1. Select a subject: Find your niche and pick the topic of your masterclass that will be appropriate and appealing for your intended audience.
  2. Plan your masterclass: Carefully design your masterclass's format as well as the content and design - including writing the outline and rough draft of the script.
  3. Create your Masterclass: Record and edit your masterclass to make a high-quality product people will be eager to buy.
  4. Choose a platform for hosting: Choose a platform for hosting your masterclass on which you can promote, publish, manage, and sell your merchandise all from one place.
  5. Marketing and promoting the masterclass: Get the word out about your masterclass using a mix of marketing channels, including social media, email marketing as well as specific websites for landing.
  6. Revise and revise your masterclass: Collect the feedback of your students and review your masterclass materials to constantly make changes and improvements to your course.
  7. Grow your business: Keep making digital items to grow your masterclass business, grow your reputation, and expand multiple sources of revenue.

Are you prepared to take on the challenge? What do you need to be aware of when creating the perfect masterclass. This includes suggestions along with examples and hyperlinks to extra resources to guide you through the process step-by-step.

How to create an online masterclass

Select a subject

If you're looking to design masterclasses, you'll first have to decide the subject or area of interest is going to be. The process may differ dependent on whether you already have a established brand or if you're starting your business from scratch.

If you're beginning your company from ground zero, start with a checklist of everything you're good at, passionate about, and able to do - and make sure that it's something you feel comfortable in teaching others. It helps you focus on your unique offering and the types of expertise you're able to offer all of the world.

If you have already established a business, it's likely that you'll already have a good understanding of your area of expertise or niche lies - but this is also beneficial to allow you possibility of generating new ideas and opportunities if you wish.

Next, you need to verify your ideas. Here's how:

Audience research

It's not enough just to think of an idea and begin developing a masterclass from the beginning. In the beginning, you must conduct research on the audience to be sure that there's a demand for your masterclass and certain people who would be willing to attend and pay for it.

  • Research on the audience could include: Customer surveys
  • Interviews
  • The focus groups
Research on competitors

In addition to addressing your target audience In addition, you could find your market by doing competitor study. Competitor research involves looking at the top competitions and offering their clients to determine what you could do differently - and even better - to gain over customers.

Here are some easy steps to help you with your competitor's research:

  • Do a Google search: The easiest way to start with competitor research is to search for your idea of a masterclass on a search engine like Google. Check out which companies pop up first and what they're offering How similar are they to your idea? What is their strategy different? What are they not doing?
  • Check out their website: When you've got your top contenders list, dive deeper into your study and check out their landing pages. What topics are they talking about? Who are they targeting? What are their core messages?
  • Examine social media channels: Along with looking over their presence on the internet, you should check for their social media accounts and the types of content they're posting and engaging with. Browse through your competitors' comment and followers. Also, take a look at other brands they're working with.
  • Read customer reviews customer reviews and testimonials are also an excellent source of knowledge about your rivals and their offerings. Look at customers' main feedback, their complaints, as well as what kind of items that they purchase from them.

Assess your competition using these elements:

  1. Product: What do their masterclasses contain? What resources do they include? Which features are beneficial or not?
  2. Pricing: How much does the cost of their masterclasses? Does their pricing vary depending on the customer? Do they offer bundles and discounts?
  3. Promotion: What strategies do they use to reach out to their customers? What social media channels do they use? What kind of content are they posting?
  4. Place: Where are they situated? What is their location for customers?
  5. Positioning The question is: What is their distinct selling proposition? How are they positioning themselves? What are their primary messages? What is their intended audience?
  6. Reputation: What is the public saying about their products and services? What are the issues that customers face?

In your research on competitors In the end, you're hoping to be able to answer the following concerns:

  • Who are my best rivals?
  • What are their advantages and disadvantages?
  • What are the opportunities and risks in this marketplace?
  • What are the features of my ideal customer versus my competition's ideal customers?

Keep track of all the research you have done in a spreadsheet to help you analyse the information from your research and then use the information to create an original strategy for your masterclass.

Consider: "What am I good at compared to my competition and what do I want to concentrate in?"

Plan your masterclass

After you've completed your research, you should know the details of your topic for masterclasses and the specialization - which includes whom you want to reach and how you will differentiate your product from existing items available.

Following that, it's time to organize your class.

Selecting your preferred formatting

Depending on the subject of your masterclass and the target audience you'll need to choose an appropriate style for your masterclass. For example, your masterclass could be:

  • Video tutorials
  • Audio
  • Webinars recorded or live
  • Ebooks or blog posts
  • Slideshows

Opt for the format (or combination) that you feel will be most effective for giving your message for your target audience. Ensure that you keep your masterclass engaging and interesting for viewers. Who is the audience you want to reach likely to be most interested in?

Creating an outline

Focus your masterclass by writing an elaborate outline based around your primary learning objectives and goals. The outline must include:

  • What are the topics you'll be covering
  • How long your masterclass will be
  • What kinds of activities will you add
  • Other sources and resources will you provide?
  • What types of assessments or certifications learners must pass?

When you break your masterclass session down into specific themes, exercises and assessments, you can make your presentation according to a predetermined format. This will help you make sure you include everything you want and deliver what you promised to your learners.

Writing a script or a plan

After you've drafted an outline of your course, start drafting a detailed plan or script for your masterclass. For ensuring that the content is easy to follow and natural, you'll want to avoid writing a script word for word rather, you should write down the things you're planning to talk about along with the major elements you'll be covering to make sure you don't get anything wrong.

Design your masterclass

The time has come to develop the content to your masterclass, based on your outline and planning.

The precise steps to follow for the creation of an online masterclass are contingent upon the type of masterclass you'd like to create as well as the type of format and the style.

Masterclasses tend to be recorded tutorials. They typically consist of talking-head style videos with an instructor or expert in front of the camera, assisted by diagrams, images, instructions, and animated videos to help explain key concepts.

To create this type of masterclass, you'll require some basic equipment, including:

  • A camera or video recording equipment
  • Lighting equipment
  • Audio recording equipment
  • Software for editing

This type of masterclass relies on the energy of the instructor or professional and their engagement, including how entertaining they can be, how clear they're able to explain the subject matter, as well as how they convey their personality on camera. Make sure to smile!

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

If you need more assistance with how to create a masterclass in various formats, read these guidelines:

You'll also want to create additional resources and assessment at this stage. These are some sources to aid you in making masterclass material to add value to the audience you are teaching:

When you are editing your masterclass, make sure to check out these guides to the top software and tricks to master your editing:

Locate a platform for hosting

If you've developed a masterclass that you're proud of and ready to sell, you'll need to locate a web hosting service to allow you to share the information directly to your target audience.

Here are three tips to help you choose the right hosting platform for you:

Know your payment system

Understanding the kind of payment method you're planning to utilize before time can help make sure that your system is compatible with and supports the payment method you choose.

This could comprise:

  • Subscriptions or memberships
  • One-time payment that provide limited access to web-based content
  • One-time payment with access for life to all content
  • Access for free to use as a lead magnet

If you intend to make a series of masterclasses around a particular topic, following an escalating subscription or membership arrangement will enable you to make recurring profits from your products. Users pay an annual or monthly subscription fee to access your content.

If you are only looking to create one or two masterclasses for now, it's generally more suitable to charge the customers one time to gain access to your educational materials. It is possible to grant your customers restricted access to the masterclass or charge more and provide lifetime access so they can access your materials and expertise whenever they want to.

Certain platforms don't allow for subscription-style payments like PayPal. So, make sure that your platform includes the option to charge customers using the kind of payment system you want.

Consider your marketing strategy

In addition to thinking about your business model, it's also important to think about your marketing plan when choosing a hosting platform. Why? because different hosting platforms have tools designed to assist you to promote and market your masterclass or other digital goods.

If you have a specific marketing strategy you are thinking of implementing - like live webinars, marketing via email and events, or dedicated landing pages - check if the hosting platform you use supports your plans and offers extra features to help you.

Read customer reviews

If you are looking to select a platform to host your company, existing customers usually know best.

Marketing and promoting your masterclass

When you've signed up with a host platform and uploaded your masterclass content, it's time to start advertising and marketing your content to get those first sales rolling in.

Here are a few effective ways to market your masterclass:

Social media

If you're looking to promote masterclasses for 2023, you need to have a social media presence.

Choose the best social media platforms to promote the masterclass based on your desired audience. For example, if you're selling a B2B masterclass, consider promoting your product on LinkedIn. If the masterclass you're offering is something that is a lifestyle subject, Instagram and Pinterest are more likely to work for targeting your ideal customer.

If you're starting out, opt for 2-3 social media platforms to start marketing your masterclass.

Create content that's targeted to your intended audience This includes:

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

In addition to establishing an online following on social media for your class or master class. You may also use email marketing for further advertising.

If you don't have one begin building your email list to help you speak directly to the people you want to reach and create more connections with prospective customers.

Email marketing can include:

  • Monthly newsletters
  • Updates and product launches
  • Round-ups, and other recommendations
  • News from the industry
  • Tips and mini guides

The number one principle for marketing via email is to make sure that all email information you produce is beneficial to the people who read it Nobody likes junk messages, so be sure your email content has value each time it is delivered to your subscribers' inbox.

Pages that land

Naturally, you'll need a way to guide your visitors to where to learn more about your masterclass. That's where landing pages come in.

Pages for landing - also known as sales pages are designed to inform your target audience exactly the information they require so that they can convert from readers into paying customers.

The best landing pages include:

  • An attention-grabbing headline
  • Enticing overview of your masterclass
  • An overview of your teacher
  • Key topics or highlights
  • Customer reviews
  • Call-To-Action (CTA) e.g. an option to sign up

Revise and modify your masterclass

Now that you've designed, launched and begun selling your masterclass. Congrats! What's following?

It's not over once you've launched your first launch. Businesses that are most successful are the ones who keep improving and enhancing their offerings to meet the needs of their target audience and create something that is even better.

For help with that, start collecting customer feedback on your masterclass for example:

  • Post-attendance surveys
  • 1:1 customer interviews
  • Follow-up emails

If you are able to gather as much feedback as you collect from former students, the more you can enhance your masterclass and adapt the content to your intended customers to ensure better satisfaction of customers and increased sales.

Customer feedback can also give you hints on what future digital offerings to develop and also open possibilities to convert your current customers into HTML0.

Expand your business

For a lot of Creator Educators, creating a masterclass is just the beginning. Masterclasses are an ideal digital product to help you make your name known as a professional in your industry and grow your reputation, all while generating revenue for your business.

It is important to build upon your successes by introducing several revenue streams. As an instance, you could decide to develop a complete online course related to your masterclass or set up the possibility of a community-based membership for your existing clients.

Once you're ready to make the next step to grow your business look through these resources for inspiration:

Top masterclass examples from Creator Educators

Check out these examples of top masterclasses from highly successful Creator educators that can help you get inspired and generate ideas for your own masterclass.

George Pitts: The Masterclass in Money Management Masterclass

George Pitts was motivated to begin his own financial business after successfully getting himself free of financial debt. Back in 2017, he was living paycheck to paycheck, and was unsure of how he could improve his situation financially. So the week he was off from work to study what he had to do in order to repair his credit and his finances.

A self-taught financial advisor, George became determined to aid others in the same way to attain financial independence. Since starting his business and teaching over 10,000 students through a series of masterclasses and online learning courses, generating a seven-figure income annually in the process.

The XayLi Barclay Camera Confidence Masterclass

Expert and coach in content creation XayLi Barclay is a specialist in aiding entrepreneurs to become the most successful version of themselves online. This class teaches creators how to stand out from the crowd and stand out through captivating videos and compelling content.

Since launching her company, XayLi has created multiple masterclasses in order to share her expertise to more students. This includes her Camera Confidence Masterclass to give creators the chance to feel more confident before the camera.

Learn more about the way she started her journey on this page.

Design your own masterclass

Making the initial step to create your own masterclass can be a bit daunting, but If you just take in a single step you'll be able plan, prepare an event that you're happy with. You owe it to your audience to create your own masterclass, which is buried within your head. Don't let imposter syndrome keep you down!

Are you ready to plunge into the water? Try for free and create your own masterclass now.