My 1Password account is (metaphorically) bulging at the seams with logins for online courses and memberships I haven’t finished, haven’t started, or completely forgot I bought.
And I know I’m not alone.
Most of us, at some point, have signed up for a course to learn a new skill, improve an existing one, or finally master something that no matter how much you work shows no sign of improving.
(Looking at you, imposter syndrome)
I’ll admit, I’m mostly to blame for not finishing them.
Mostly—but not entirely.
Because the responsibility of a course creator doesn’t end with the credit card payment and a login email.
Yet, the industry average for course completion rates sits at a woeful 𝟱-𝟭𝟱%.
Here’s the thing: getting customers to actually consume what they’ve bought doesn’t just benefit them—it has huge upsides for you, too.
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.
Here’s why:
1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Happy, successful students who finish your course become walking, talking testimonials.
Word of mouth is the ultimate persuasion superpower.
2️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀
People are far more likely to buy again when they’ve had a great experience and trust you.
Whether it’s a low-ticket tripwire or a high-ticket coaching program, if you deliver on your promise, they’ll be back for your next offer—and the next.
3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲
Satisfied students don’t ask for refunds or file complaints. Or at least they shouldn't.
High completion rates reduce churn, protect your earnings, and create fewer customer service headaches.
So, how do you keep your completion rates high?
You need to see your customer journey with fresh eyes:
Are you overwhelming your customers with too much, too soon?
Do you have an engaging and effective onboarding process?
Are you making it easy for them to track progress and celebrate wins?
The good news? It’s all fixable.
If your course completion rates are tanking and you don’t know what to do, send me a message.
I’d love to help you create a course your students can’t wait to finish.