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Plan and Price Your 1-on-1 Session

Before you hit publish, take a little time to shape your 1-on-1 Session into something that’s clear, focused, and uniquely you. The more intentional you are now, the easier it’ll be for the right students to say, “Yes, this is for me!”

In this article:

New to 1-on-1 Sessions? Read How 1-on-1 Sessions Work for an overview.

Start With a Focus

What are you excited to offer? Maybe students keep asking you the same questions, or there’s something you wish you had guidance on when you were getting started. Your 1-on-1 Session is a chance to share your experience, support others, and go deeper into what you love. Ask yourself:

  • What questions do you often get from students or clients?
  • Is there a level of instruction or guidance that feels harder to provide through your current classes or in bigger group settings? 
  • Are there areas that you’ve personally struggled with and learned to navigate in your own professional or creative career?
  • Can you recall any personal experiences that make you excited and qualified to help others?

In our research — including feedback from booked participants and follow-up interviews — four common motivations came up again and again:

  • Personalized and direct instruction: Students wanted to go beyond what’s offered in class — whether to explore a more advanced topic or get hands-on help with a specific goal.
  • A gut check: Many sought a second pair of eyes on their work or portfolio — someone to confirm they’re headed in the right direction, or help them fine-tune it.
  • Clarity and momentum: Some felt stuck or unsure what to do next. They had the skills, but needed expert guidance to move forward, or to solve a specific problem.
  • Follow your footsteps: Several participants said they booked because you had achieved something they aspired to. Your lived experience was a major draw.

These themes can help guide how you frame your session — and speak directly to the needs and motivations of the people most likely to book.

If you're not sure where to begin, try offering just one or two session types to start. You can always expand later.
All 1-on-1 Sessions must follow our Content Guidelines for 1-on-1 Sessions.

 

Choose a Session Type

The more specific your session, the easier it is for students to book with confidence. In fact, nearly 70% of bookings were for sessions with a clearly defined topic!

Here are the 6 core types — you’ll need to choose one of these when you set up your session.

  • Personalized Instruction: Offer tailored guidance to meet the student's specific learning objectives and preferences.
  • Creative Feedback: Give expert feedback on an individual’s creative work. 
  • Business Coaching: Help students grow, scale, or monetize their creative businesses by sharing guidance and strategies tailored to their entrepreneurial goals.
  • Professional Development: Help students advance their careers! You might give guidance to a student on how to transition between roles, or how to enhance their professional skills and capabilities.
  • Art Lessons: Offer personalized 1-on-1 instruction focused on developing art-related skills and techniques. 
  • Class Support: Provide additional support and guidance for specific classes you’re teaching on Skillshare. Participants can book these sessions to discuss concepts covered in the class, seek clarification on course materials, or ask follow-up questions.
If you're excited about multiple topics, consider creating a separate offering for each.

 

Clarify the Value

A strong session description helps students quickly understand:

  • Who it’s for: Beginners? Content creators? Small business owners?

  • What they’ll get: New skills, confidence, direction?

  • Why it matters: What problem are you helping solve

Write your session description as a mini pitch, and keep it friendly, focused, and inviting. You’re not selling perfection; you’re offering support and creative momentum! 

Getting clear on the value of what you're offering in a session is key to promoting it. Review all our marketing strategies in Promote Your 1-on-1 Session.

DKNG-1-on-1-sessions-hero.jpg

DKNG Studios offers three distinct 1-on-1 Sessions from their booking page: personalized instruction, creative business consultation, and portfolio review. The descriptions for each of their sessions clearly summarizes its value proposition — what they are offering, their intended audience, and how that audience will benefit. Further down the listing, they also include specific notes on what each participant can expect as a bulleted list. A dedicated page on their website helps to promote their 1-on-1 Sessions to a wider audience.

 

Give Your Session a Clear Title

A strong title for your session helps the right students find you — fast. Keep it short, clear, and focused on what you’re offering and who it’s for.

Tips for writing a great title:

  • Name the topic clearly. Instead of just “Portfolio Review,” try “Portfolio Review for Illustrators.”
  • Skip your name or “1-on-1 Session.” That’s already baked in — use your title for keywords that matter.
  • Stick to 50 characters or fewer. Shorter titles are easier to scan and look better in search.

Think of your session title like a headline — it should speak directly to the student who’s looking for exactly what you offer.

Optimize for Discoverability

To help students find your session, make sure it’s easy to discover through Skillshare’s search and browse features. Our algorithm looks at everything from your session’s title and description to its categories, subcategories, and topics — even your name!

Here’s how to give your session a visibility boost:

  • Use clear keywords in both your session title and description. The more places a keyword appears, the stronger the match in search.
  • Tag thoughtfully. You don’t need to overdo it — as long as a term appears as either a subcategory or a topic, it will show up in the right browse pages.
  • Follow our SEO and merchandising best practices. The tips in Class Merchandising and SEO also apply to 1-on-1 Sessions (and digital products too!)

A little extra attention here can go a long way in helping your session show up in search results, and in front of the students who need it most.

Price It Right

Pricing can feel tricky — but it doesn’t have to be. A good starting point is thinking about:

  • Your ideal hourly rate
  • The length of the session
  • The value you're providing
  • Your level of experience or demand for your time

Here are some broad price ranges that we are currently seeing across current offerings on Skillshare:

  • 30-minute sessions: $50 to $150
  • 45-minute sessions: $75 to $225
  • 60-minute sessions: $100 to $300
In an analysis of all booked sessions in 2023, the average hourly rate was $169 USD. Students paid more for business-focused sessions (average of $170) than creative ones (average of $120).

You don’t need to be the cheapest or the most expensive — just choose a price that feels fair to you and your students. You can always adjust as you go.

 

Additional Pricing Tips for 1-on-1 Sessions

  • Use discount codes strategically. They’re especially useful when launching a new session and can help you build early momentum.
  • Offer a more accessible option. A shorter or lower-priced session can invite students who aren’t ready to commit to a full-price service.
  • Try a free 15-minute intro call. It’s a great way to connect with potential clients and generate leads for longer, paid sessions.

 



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