The 3 Most Lucrative Offerings to Grow Your Course Business & Create a Rich Learning Ecosystem

Creating online courses is just the beginning of your journey as an educator, coach, or small business owner. To truly stand out, it’s time to think beyond the traditional course format.

Expanding your business offerings not only diversifies the learning experience for your audience but also creates multiple revenue streams, making your educational business more resilient and sustainable.

Offering a range of engaging learning experiences is key to staying relevant, connecting with more learners, and achieving your business goals.

But why should you expand your business offerings? Because building a diversified ecosystem allows you to grow income sources beyond courses, and helps you adapt to learners’ diverse preferences, leading to a stronger, more consistent revenue flow.

In this post, we’ll explore how three lucrative offerings—workshops, ebooks, and merchandise—can support your core educational products. We’ll also discuss practical monetization tactics you can put into action right from the start to achieve your business objectives.

The Power of a Diversified Product & Learning Ecosystem

Think of your educational ecosystem as a connected collection of products and services that work together to enhance your learners’ experience.

While an online course is often the core of this network, adding varied products like workshops, ebooks, and branded merchandise can help you cater to different learner preferences and build a more complete experience.

People learn in different ways

One of the popular theories, to this day, is the VARK model. This model identifies four types of learners: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing.

Most people are a combination of these four styles, but more times than not, they have a predominant style of learning. Each of these styles has a complementary way of teaching.

A diversified product & learning ecosystem helps you create more opportunities for engagement in alignment with the VARK model. For instance, visual learners may benefit more from ebooks that include charts and illustrations, whereas auditory learners may gain more value from live workshops.

According to the Learning Policy Institute, deeper learning approaches that focus on active participation (like workshops and other performance assessments) enhance students’ critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and overall engagement.

This type of learning, which can be more interactive than traditional passive methods, is aligned with the VARK model, benefiting both auditory and kinesthetic learners through real-time participation​.

Learners can attend your live workshops to ask questions in real time, read your ebooks for deep dives, or even buy branded merchandise that helps them feel more connected to your brand.

This kind of ecosystem turns your educational business into a vibrant learning hub, where students keep coming back for more.

How to Enrich & Expand Your Product & Learning Ecosystem

As we explained above, expanding your educational offerings is not just about adding more products—it’s about creating a learning environment where learners can find everything they need to grow.

Workshops, ebooks, and branded merchandise are the three most popular and profitable approaches to expand your learning ecosystem. In this article, we’ll explore each one in depth, offering practical tips to help you implement them effectively.

Workshops

Workshops are an excellent way to create a deeper level of engagement with your audience. They provide a chance for live interaction, allowing learners to ask questions, get immediate feedback, and build stronger connections with you and other participants.

Let’s say that you are an online health coach with a series of live workshops on wellness and stress management. You can use an LMS like LearnWorlds to host these workshops in an interactive format, allowing your clients to ask questions in real time and engage with the material actively.

Workshops can also be recorded and offered later as on-demand content, allowing learners who couldn’t attend live to benefit from the material. This extends the life of your content and creates additional revenue opportunities.

By recording these sessions and making them available on demand, you can increase your reach to those who couldn’t attend live and add an extra revenue stream by selling the recorded content at the same time.

Using a flexible learning management system like LearnWorlds, you can easily set up and host live workshops that add real-time value to your learners’ journey, fostering a community experience.

You can take it a step further and repurpose the content from these workshops—’squeezing the lemon,’ so to speak. You can turn key moments into short clips, teasers, or other engaging snippets, maximizing the value of your original content.

💁 How you can leverage workshops

As an online course creator, consider hosting a live Q&A workshop at the end of each course module. This allows learners to clarify doubts, receive direct support, and engage with you and their peers, creating a more interactive and rewarding learning environment.

Another great approach is to host a focused, hands-on workshop where learners can complete a project or exercise with you. This practical application encourages deeper learning and provides immediate value, boosting engagement and satisfaction.

Ebooks

Ebooks are especially effective for learners who prefer reading and writing as their primary style, which is part of the VARK model we mentioned earlier.

By including ebooks in your diversified learning ecosystem, you’re covering the learning preferences of those who benefit most from detailed written content. This ties into creating an inclusive educational environment where all learner types—visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing—can thrive.

Ebooks can serve as standalone products or as valuable learning materials for your courses.

Imagine releasing an ebook that accompanies your online course, offering further examples, exercises, or case studies to reinforce the content.

With LearnWorlds, you can create, integrate, and sell ebooks directly on your platform, adding another stream of income and learning resources.

For instance, if you’re an online course creator who teaches photography, you can utilize an LMS like LearnWorlds to create an ebook that supplements your main online course. Your ebook can include exclusive tips on photography settings, techniques, and case studies of your successful projects.

Ebooks can also serve as powerful lead magnets. By offering a free ebook in exchange for an email address, you can build your email list and nurture prospective learners through a sales funnel. This is a great way to introduce your teaching style and provide value before upselling them to a paid course.

You can offer your ebook as a companion to your photography course and use it as a lead magnet to capture potential students’ emails.

💁 How you can leverage ebooks

If you teach an online course on instructional design, you could create an ebook that dives into specific methods for developing effective learning experiences and new learning technologies, complete with additional exercises and real-life examples.

This ebook can be sold separately or bundled with your course, providing added value to l&d professionals who want to deepen their understanding of instructional strategies.

Keep in mind that when you create your ebook, it’s important to focus on a clear structure that logically organizes the content with a well-defined flow of chapters or sections. The ebook should provide practical value by including actionable insights, examples, and exercises that directly help the reader.

Engaging visuals, such as images, charts, and illustrations, can enhance the content, especially for visual learners. A readable design is key, so use clear headings, bullet points, and ample whitespace to make the information easy to digest.

Lastly, the content should be tailored to the target audience, addressing their specific needs and pain points, ensuring that it remains relevant and valuable to their goals.

Merchandise and Swag

Never underestimate the power of branded merchandise. It’s not just a logo on a shirt; it’s an extension of the learning journey that keeps your learners connected to your brand long after they’ve finished a course.

Merchandise serves as a physical reminder of the learning experience, creating an emotional bond between you and your learners.

Imagine your learners rocking exclusive “graduation gear” from your courses or pulling out a sleek branded notebook to jot down new insights.

So, here are a few tips to have fun with branded merchandise and swag!

Go for limited edition, maximum impact

Make it memorable! Offering limited-edition or themed swag can stir up excitement and give your learners something to show off.

Whether it’s a personalized notebook with their name or a “class of 2024” hoodie, exclusive merch makes learners feel like part of an elite club.

Offer selfie-worthy gear

People love sharing moments. Picture learners snapping photos with their “Course Champion” mugs or tech-savvy “Genius USBs.”

It’s a simple way to turn your learners into brand ambassadors without any extra effort.

Get creative with practicality

From notebooks featuring quotes that spark inspiration to fun items like VR headsets for high-tech courses, these aren’t just items—they’re experiences that learners will associate with your brand.

A quirky pen, a snazzy flash drive, or even a branded tote could become daily essentials, reminding them of their learning journey with you.

Bundle it up

Why stop at single items? Try pairing merch with courses. For example, offer a “Workshop Warrior” pack, complete with a branded journal, custom pen, and a digital certificate.

Or give “Power Learner” packs that include access to special sessions with exclusive swag.

💁 How you can leverage merchandise & swag

As a technology educator or online tech tutor specializing in new technologies, consider offering branded USB drives loaded with exclusive software tools, notebooks featuring tech-related inspirational quotes, or even VR headsets for advanced learning initiatives.

These items enhance the learning experience, serving as practical resources for your courses while acting as tangible reminders of your brand.

By forming partnerships with tech accessory companies, you can co-brand these products, which can further boost course completion rates, deepen learner engagement, and foster a sense of community among your students, making your brand a part of their everyday learning journey.

Extra Insights: More Practical Monetization Tactics

Monetization is at the core of building a successful and sustainable learning ecosystem, and it’s been a key theme throughout this article.

As we’ve discussed, a diversified learning ecosystem isn’t just about enriching the learning experience—it’s also a powerful way to drive significant revenue growth.

Now, let’s dive into some practical monetization tactics you can implement to maximize the value of your offerings and create lasting income streams.

Cross-Sell

Bundle your courses with additional products. Offer a course with a companion ebook with relevant content at a discounted rate. Cross-sell these products right on your LearnWorlds platform to add value to the learner and increase sales.

Sell more. Promote easier. Group smartly with LearnWorlds Course Bundles

Here’s how you can maximize your revenue while providing extra value to your learners. LearnWorlds makes bundling courses for cross-selling a breeze. With just a few simple steps, you can bundle multiple courses to increase sales and offer compelling value—all on one easy platform:

• Navigate to bundles: Go to Marketing → Bundles and click “Create Bundle.”
• Bundle details: Add a name, description, and thumbnail for your bundle to make it stand out.
• Add courses: Select the courses you want to include—these can be paid, private, or even coming soon.
• Set pricing: Offer a discounted price and create a payment plan if needed, making the bundle accessible for all learners.
• Publish & customize: Choose to publish immediately or save as a draft. Customize the bundle page layout and set where learners are directed after purchase.

Upsell

Encourage learners to upgrade to premium experiences. After purchasing a course, prompt learners to enroll in additional premium content, such as live workshops that dive deeper into specific hands-on aspects or offer personalized one-on-one coaching.

Create premium opportunities with LearnWorlds Upsell Features

Here’s how you can maximize your revenue while enhancing your learners’ experience. LearnWorlds makes upselling easy with its premium offerings:

• Identify opportunities for upselling: Choose key points in the learner’s journey, such as course completion or quiz success, to offer relevant premium content—like advanced workshops or one-on-one coaching.
• Create upsell offers: Navigate to the Marketing → Upsell section in LearnWorlds and click “Create Upsell Offer.” Define the premium offer, which can be a workshop, personalized coaching session, or exclusive access to expert content.
• Add to the checkout process: Integrate the upsell offer into your checkout or post-enrollment process, ensuring that learners are aware of additional opportunities to deepen their learning.
• Set pricing and discounts: Offer a special upsell price or discount to encourage learners to take advantage of advanced learning opportunities right away.
• Publish & promote: Announce the premium opportunities through email campaigns or notifications within the course to make sure learners know about them as soon as they complete specific milestones.

Increase Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

Provide ongoing learning opportunities that evolve with your learners’ needs. After a learner completes a course, suggest additional resources, such as advanced workshops, ebooks, or new skill-based courses, to maintain engagement and continuously provide value.

How to increase CLV with LearnWorlds’ features

Maximize the value of each learner by providing continuous educational experiences with the following steps:

• Identify learner progress points: Use LearnWorlds’ analytics to identify critical points in the learner’s journey—such as course completion or skill assessments—when learners are most ready for advanced offerings.
• Set up tiered learning paths: Create learning paths that guide learners from beginner to advanced levels. For example, offer a “Beginner to Expert” bundle that includes progressively challenging courses, ebooks, and live workshops.
• Launch personalized recommendations: Automate recommendations for relevant products like ebooks or workshops after learners reach milestones. Use the LearnWorlds Marketing → Automations feature to send personalized recommendations and promotions based on learners’ interests.
• Incentivize engagement: Offer loyalty discounts or special access to premium content for repeat learners. This can include early access to new courses or exclusive live Q&A sessions with industry experts.
• Monitor engagement & optimize offers: Use LearnWorlds’ robust analytics tools to track which offers resonate most with your audience. Continuously refine your strategies based on learner engagement and preferences to boost CLV.

Strengthen your brand

Expanding your product offerings also means expanding your brand’s touchpoints. The more your learners interact with your brand, the stronger their connection becomes.

The more learners engage with your offerings—such as courses, workshops, ebooks—the stronger their connection becomes with your brand.

Think about successful brands that provide diverse content—they create a holistic experience, one that keeps people excited and involved. These consistent touchpoints not only improve brand recognition but also cultivate loyalty.

A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report shows that brands offering consistent and diverse experiences have a higher likelihood of retaining customers. Learners who feel that they have a variety of options will naturally keep coming back to see what’s next.

A diversified approach also helps you build a sense of community among your learners.

How to strengthen your brand with LearnWorlds’ features

Increase brand visibility and build loyalty with the following steps:

• Create multiple touchpoints: Diversify your offerings by incorporating various educational formats. For example, create live workshops, interactive ebooks, on-demand courses, and branded merchandise—all accessible through your LearnWorlds platform, built-in or via easy-to-implement integrations.
• Foster a sense of community: Build engagement by creating private groups for your learners. Use LearnWorlds’ built-in Community feature to set up discussion groups or forums for workshop attendees or course graduates to interact, share experiences, and connect with your brand even after course completion.
• Personalize communication: Use email campaigns to nurture your learners beyond the course material. Utilize LearnWorlds’ email automations to send personalized thank-you messages, course completion rewards, and exclusive offers for premium courses or merchandise.
• Leverage social media engagement: Encourage learners to share their learning experiences on social media by using branded hashtags or offering exclusive content for sharing posts. Promote success stories and learner-generated content on your social media channels to strengthen the connection between learners and your brand.
• Consistent visual identity: Ensure that all learning materials—from course slides to ebook covers—maintain a consistent brand identity. Use LearnWorlds’ website customization features to match the look and feel of your brand across all your educational content.

Creating A Diversified Product & Learning Ecosystem Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming

You can leverage LearnWorlds to set up and manage your educational ecosystem. With LearnWorlds, you have all the tools you need to bring these ideas to life.

You can host live workshops, build and integrate interactive ebooks seamlessly, and offer an eCommerce-like experience for merchandise by connecting your Shopify account.

LearnWorlds also offers robust tools like interactive video capabilities and assessments, which help to make workshops more engaging and ebooks more informative.

These features have been instrumental for many course creators in providing a rich, interactive experience that keeps learners returning for more.

Ready to Make Your Learning Ecosystem Shine?

The power of a diversified educational ecosystem is unmatched when it comes to maximizing your impact and revenue.

By offering varied learning formats—like workshops, ebooks, and merchandise—you’re not only expanding your revenue streams but also enhancing your learners’ journey and strengthening your brand.

Start today by using LearnWorlds to build a dynamic, cohesive educational experience that goes beyond courses. Ready to take the next step?

Explore how LearnWorlds can help you diversify your educational offerings and create a complete learning ecosystem. Start your 30-day free trial today or watch our demo to see how it all works!

FAQs

What is the learning ecosystem in education?

A learning ecosystem is a cohesive, interconnected environment of educational resources that supports holistic learning.

What is an eLearning ecosystem?

An eLearning ecosystem consists of digital tools and platforms that enable online learning experiences, such as courses, ebooks, webinars, live sessions, workshops, and more.

What are the elements of a learning ecosystem?

Elements include courses, ebooks, workshops, assessments, personalized feedback, and branded merchandise.

What is the main purpose of the learning and performance ecosystem?

The main purpose is to provide learners with continuous access to knowledge, support professional growth, and improve skills over time.

How do you build a learning ecosystem?

A learning ecosystem is built by integrating multiple formats like courses, live sessions, ebooks, and community activities, which collectively enrich the learner’s experience.

How does a well-designed learning ecosystem impact student engagement and success?

A well-designed ecosystem offers varied learning methods, meeting different preferences, increasing satisfaction, and promoting successful outcomes.

How can a course business create a more interactive and engaging learning experience?

Businesses can leverage workshops, interactive content, and community activities to keep learners engaged and active.

What are the benefits of a learning ecosystem?

Learning ecosystems offer flexible, varied formats that meet different learning needs, increasing engagement and retention.

When is a learning ecosystem helpful?

It is helpful when learners need flexible, personalized, or diverse content that supports various learning preferences and professional development.

How does a learning ecosystem support continuous professional development?

By offering varied resources that help learners stay updated and develop skills at their own pace.

How does a learning ecosystem support personalized education?

By having access to diverse formats like live sessions, ebooks, and interactive activities, learners can choose their preferred method to grasp concepts effectively.

How does a course business model impact the educational ecosystem?

It influences the variety of offerings—combining courses, workshops, and other products creates a more dynamic and valuable learner experience.

How does a learning ecosystem support professional development and continuous learning?

It provides a diverse range of learning opportunities like workshops, ebooks, and on-demand courses that foster ongoing growth.

How do you create an effective course for a business learning experience?

An effective course should align with the target audience’s needs, include interactive elements, and integrate real-life case studies to ensure relevance.

Rosemary Georgarakou

Rosemary is LearnWorlds’ Content Marketing Manager. She has over 2 decades of experience in omnichannel marketing and content writing for the IT and SaaS industry. Her expertise lies in crafting effective content marketing strategies that attract, engage, and nurture customers, enabling LearnWorlds to reach its target audiences with precision.