Make money online with your brick-and-mortar business

Build stability and diversify your revenue streams.

With the e-learning market expected to reach over $374 billion USD by 2026, there’s never been a better time to become a knowledge entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs with brick-and-mortar businesses can take advantage of the digital boom to expand their audience and diversify their income. With the right tools, a brick-and-mortar business and an online business can complement each other, building stability into your overall operations.

Whether you run a bakery, hair salon, yoga studio, or another physical business, here are five ways you can make money online with your brick-and-mortar business.

1. Teach Others How to Start or Operate a Similar Business

Think back to when you started your business—how much would you have paid to avoid the challenges you faced? Aspiring business owners are eager to pay for that knowledge today. You can create online courses, e-books, or other digital products that teach people how to run a business like yours.

Focus on specific aspects of your business, such as:

• For restaurants: How to secure a liquor license, find and evaluate suppliers, or analyze the cost per dish.
• For a salon: How to hire staff, create a seasonal menu, or maintain customer retention.

Aspiring business owners want to learn from those who have real-world experience, and your tried-and-true advice can be invaluable.

2. Hold Virtual Classes in Addition to Your In-Person Classes

If your business offers in-person classes, virtual classes can be a convenient way to expand your reach. For example, a yoga studio could offer live-streamed or pre-recorded classes. You can also offer additional digital content like checklists, quizzes, or other resources to enhance the virtual experience.

Three signs a virtual class might be a great fit for your business:

1. You can teach your skills virtually. If you can recreate the in-person experience online with decent production quality, virtual classes are an option.
2. Your topic is something people can learn independently. Virtual classes work well for hobbies, fitness, and lifestyle changes that people can follow on their own.
3. You have an existing audience. If you already have a digital customer base, converting them to virtual class participants could be worth the effort.

3. Provide Online Content that Supplements Your Services

If your business provides in-person services, you can offer online content that supplements those services. For instance, a hair salon might offer courses or digital content on:

• Hair care maintenance
• At-home styling tips
• Seasonal hair trends

This model extends your business by offering something extra to your in-person customers, and it can reach a broader online audience without cannibalizing your core business.

4. Create an Online Community Around Your Business

Your customers want more than just a transaction—they want a sense of community. Creating an online community around your business builds relationships with your customers and fosters loyalty. This could be a free community on social media or a paid membership for more focused interactions.

A community allows customers to interact with each other, share experiences, and build a deeper connection with your business. Communities can boost sales at your physical store and give you a platform to market your digital products.

5. Form an Online Coaching Program

Online coaching is another great way to monetize your expertise, especially if you're passionate about helping others achieve success. Coaching programs typically offer one-on-one or group sessions that allow you to work closely with clients, providing tailored advice and feedback.

Five signs coaching could be a great fit:

1. You want to build closer relationships with your clients.
2. You’re looking to charge a higher price for personalized services.
3. You have a smaller network that you’re looking to grow.
4. Your value to clients comes from applying your expertise to their specific situation.
5. You enjoy helping clients overcome personal or business challenges.

For example, Kajabi customer Lauren Bongiorno, a health coach, helps people manage Type 1 diabetes through personalized coaching programs. She offers both one-on-one and group coaching sessions, providing tailored support for her clients.

Take Your Brick-and-Mortar Business Online with Kajabi

Kajabi offers everything you need to build a successful online presence alongside your physical business. You can create digital products, design a beautiful website, run email marketing campaigns, track analytics, and more—all from one easy-to-use platform.

Whether you choose to create online courses, membership sites, virtual classes, or coaching programs, Kajabi gives you the tools to build, market, and sell your digital products.