Questions can be a powerful ally as you prepare your next course…and these 5 are essential to ask before you tackle your next course.
Question #1. Is my community asking for this course?
Before you jump into course creation, let’s make sure someone is actually interested in the topic.
Start with your email list and social media communities. Find out if they are interested in what you are willing to share.
If you don’t have an email list yet, find a Facebook group for your area, and search your topic.
Example: I used this process when for my “Where to Host Your Course” training. I am part of lots of Facebook groups about course creation, and nearly every day someone would ask, “Where should I host my course?”
Question #2. Is there competition?
I want you to find out if there is competition around this topic – and surprisingly, you need this answer to be “Yes, other people are selling courses on this topic.”
Don’t worry, your course will be unique, but if someone else is already selling information your topic (with courses, books, or even live events), that means there is an audience willing to pay to learn about your topic.
Example: Lots and lots of experts sell courses on helping create courses. So I know there is a market there, and folks are willing to pay for it.
Question #3. What is my unique angle?
Once you know there is interest in your topic, then you need to make your approach unique.
Create a framework or an approach that is unique to you and only you.
Example: My approach to creating your first course is focused on spending just 24 hours for your first course.
Question #4: What is my customer journey?
What path is my customer taking? What is their journey and where do I fit into that map?
Spend some time on this exercise and analyze exactly what your customers are doing BEFORE they need you.
You’ll use this information to make your marketing better and to find joint venture partners.
Example: Customers who want to create courses usually have two paths: they are brand-new to online marketing and want to start with creating a course, or they are an online blogger, coach, consultant, author, speaker or other expert and realize they want to monetize their expertise.
I’ve been using this the last few months to find my perfect partners (for example, Elizabeth Johnston works with authors, and they might be interested in a course so we are talking about how we can work together).
Question #5. Who do I want to help?
This final question might be the most important one of all.
Who do you want to help?
If you are passionate about the challenges facing a particular group of people, you will have the stamina it takes to build your online course business.
When you have a why that’s driving you, you will be so much more effective and helpful.
You will be an advocate for them… like a lighthouse in a storm, you’ll provide answers when they are struggling.
Example: I firmly believe we desperately need experts to share what they know to make the world a better place. And in the process, they need to support their families so they can continue sharing their messages. I also believe that technology should help us do this – and not be such a hurdle.
I have been passionate about “school” for as long as I can remember. And ever since I turned on my first computer, it has been pulling me. Both of these passions feed the work I’m doing now.
How about you? How can your online work intersect with what you are passionate about? Use that to fuel your next online course, along with the other four questions and watch your course take off by helping your audience.
Now Take Action…
Last Call for the 24 Hour Course Creator Daily!
I firmly believe creating a course can be easy, and it doesn’t have to take forever. A lot of gurus make it way too complex.
Join me TODAY (Monday, June 22nd), and we will get your first (or next!) course done in just 1 hour a day.
I’ve laid it out step-by-step, hour-by-hour… just sit down at your computer and get to work. No wasted time trying to figure out what to do next or getting lost in your own mind.
We will have Q&A times where I will help you get out of overwhelm or if you are stuck.
We will also have Co-Working Times where we use the gallery view on Zoom and all work for the same hour. There’s something powerful about working alongside others (the first one is today at 11 am Eastern).
Please come join me:
https://www.24HourCourseCreator.com/daily
And be sure to check out the amazing bonuses!
Top Tool: Teachable for Online Coaching
Teachable has a new feature built into their platform: one-on-one coaching!
And to help you learn how to use it, they are hosting the “Online Coaching Challenge” starting on July 1st.
It’s designed to help you build and accelerate a profitable online coaching business, from set up to sale in under a month.
Even if you don’t use Teachable, jump into this challenge if coaching is on your radar to discover some of the secrets.