Build a Free Course & Community in GoHighLevel (Local Business Guide)
Happy holiday weekend, y'all! I got stuck on payroll duty yesterday, so I couldn't get an article out in time.
Anyway, I wanted to share some 4th of July Alpha. I've noticed that many of our clients are creating educational courses and online communities for their businesses, and it's working. Like, really working.
For local businesses, creating a free course and community is one of the most effective ways to build your brand, generate leads, and actually own your audience (instead of renting it from Facebook). Plus, it keeps existing customers engaged while positioning you as the trusted expert in your market. There is no reason not to do this.
So today I'm going to show you:
Why free courses and communities are absolute gold for local businesses
How to set this up in GoHighLevel
Tips for creating courses & educational content
This strategy is effective because it builds trust and delivers value upfront. Additionally, if you're naturally curious and love delving into topics, this provides the perfect opportunity to geek out while building your business.
Let's jump in.
Why Build a Local Business Community?
Here's why this strategy works so well:
Lead Generation and Pre-qualification
A free community serves as a powerful lead magnet to collect contact information from potential local customers. Even better is that they essentially "self-pre-qualify" by engaging with your content. This means less time spent on manual sales efforts, such as cold calls.
Building the Know, Like, and Trust (KLT) Factor
By consistently providing free value and education, you position yourself and your business as the go-to expert in your field. While everyone else is racing to the bottom on price, you're building trust. And when you teach people stuff for free, they stop seeing you as just another contractor or service provider. You become their go-to person that they actually trust. And trust beats cheap every single time.
Fostering Customer Advocacy
Engaged community members become your most powerful advocates. They share positive word-of-mouth, leave glowing reviews, and recommend your business to others in the area. Organic word-of-mouth promotion is priceless for any local company.
Creating a Value Ladder
While the community is free, it serves as the foundational step in what marketers refer to as the "value ladder." You're gently guiding members from free content toward your paid services, products, or advanced offerings, all while providing genuine value at every step. It never feels like selling.
How to Set Up Your Local Business Community in GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel makes creating and automating communities straightforward, helping you streamline the process and save valuable time. Here's how to get started step by step:
Step 1: Accessing Communities
Navigate to the "Memberships" menu on the left-hand side. Select "Communities" and then "Groups" to begin creating your community.
Step 2: Creating Your Group
Choose a name and description: Pick a name that resonates with your local audience (e.g., “<Name of City> Community Gardeners," “<Name of City> Short Term Rental Tribe")
Write a clear description: Keep it concise, around 150 characters that clearly states your group's purpose. Pro tip: ChatGPT can help craft this.
Add a personal touch: For local businesses where personal connection is key, use a picture of the owner's face as the group logo.
Set it to "Public": For a free community, make sure anyone can join.
Example courses that work:
Airbnb management company: "Beginner's Guide to Setting Up Your Airbnb"
Home cleaning service: "The Ultimate Deep Clean Guide for Busy Homeowners"
Garden center: "Growing Beautiful Roses in [Your City]'s Climate"
Step 3: Creating Initial Channels
Channels organize conversations around specific topics, making your community easy to navigate. Here are a few channels I recommend:
Announcements: Share important updates, news, or upcoming local events related to your business
Conversations and Questions: Create a space for general discussions and problem-solving (e.g., "Local Biz Q&A," "Ask the Expert")
Group Wins: Let members celebrate their achievements. This creates a positive environment and provides valuable social proof.
Step 4: Integrating a Free Course as Your Lead Magnet
Now head to the "Learning" tab. This is where you can add your online courses to the community you just created. Ensure the free course's visibility is set to "All Members" so that everyone in your community can access it.
Four Tips for Creating a Great Course
Tip #1: Define Your "North Star"
Every practical course needs a clear promise. A "North Star" that guides all content. Try this exercise: finish the sentence "By the end of this course, you will have [blank]."
For a local garden center: "By the end of this course, you will have cultivated three new habits to ensure your roses thrive in our local climate this season."
If content doesn't help deliver on this promise, cut it.
Tip #2: Keep It Simple
Start with a "Sprint course template" as your foundation. Within each module, you can:
Upload videos
Write descriptions
Add supplementary materials (PDFs, helpful links)
Don't overcomplicate. Simple and valuable beats complex and confusing every time.
Tip #3: Prescribe Clear Next Steps
In your final module, wrap up by recapping your promise. Then, and this is critical, tell your audience exactly what to do next. This could be:
Posting their results in your "wins" channel
Booking a consultation
Taking advantage of a special offer for course graduates
When people finish a course or module, they're at their peak excitement and engagement with you and your brand. But without clear direction, that momentum dies. You need to give them a next step. Capture that energy and turn passive learners into active participants or new business. You have to keep people progressing.
Tip #4: Embrace Iteration & Stop Overthinking
Almost every aspiring entrepreneur gets stuck when it comes to getting started. Overplanning, not feeling that it's "good enough," and striving for perfection. Good online courses are iterative. You won't nail it on the first try, so take the pressure off and get a first draft done. Then:
Gather feedback from early members
Have a "beta user" (friend, family member, or early adopter) test it
Refine based on real-world results
The Bottom Line
Education is one of the best ways to attract clients. When you consistently provide value, you position yourself as the expert, and it never feels like selling.
When you deliver incredible value through a free course or guide, your customers become cheerleaders. They naturally become powerful advocates for your business, driving those invaluable word-of-mouth referrals and five-star reviews.
I recommend GoHighLevel because it allows you to build all this without getting bogged down in technical details. Communities, social media posting, forms, courses, and automations... everything is in one platform. It streamlines the entire process, saving you a significant amount of time and hassle.
Hope you enjoyed this one!
Contact Us
If you're looking to set up GoHighLevel or create an online course for your local business, I'm happy to introduce you to our GoHighLevel and digital marketing virtual assistants.
The team has a ton of templates that can help you set this up quickly and affordably.
Check us out! https://www.csoutsource.com/why-cs-outsource/