Course Creators Weekly #13 🗓 September 21st, 2020 - How to Create an Online Course

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  To create a course, you must come from a place of service and helping others
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  People don't buy courses—they buy the outcome
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  You must know for whom you're creating transformation
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  You don't need to teach a unique topic, but you need a unique advantage
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  Find your niche—even a small one can be profitable with a premium course
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  Do you need your own audience? Not necessarily, but even a small one can help
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  Don't have an audience? Go where they hang out, watch and join discussions
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  Learn to speak your target audience's language
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  Keep your videos short, and stick with one action item per video
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  Keep your course as long as it needs to be to create transformation—no more
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  Start with a few people—build confidence, improve your process, get testimonials
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  If you can't find a few people to Beta test with, how will you find more later?
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  Remember: "Your earnings are a byproduct of how well you serve your audience"

How to outline a course

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  Take a post-it note and write down where people are right now in their journey
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  On another post-it note, write down where they want to go (the transformation)
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  Brainstorm everything you can teach to help them get there, one idea per note
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  Group your post-it notes into logical clusters, then re-order them
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  Fill the gaps, remove the duplicates, and there you have your modules

Amy Portfield shares some great tips on how to improve course completion rates. You don't have to do everything on this list. Implement the ones that work for you and your students. I recommend listening to the podcast episode for lots more context.

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  Use an onboarding email sequence to set the pace and guide students
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  Set clear expectations before someone starts your course
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  Encourage students to find accountability partners + offer a cheat sheet as a guide
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  Gamify and award students for progressing and completing challenges
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  Create opportunities for giving/receiving feedback
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  Structure your course to avoid overwhelm—use short videos + frameworks
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  Offer the opportunity for real-time check-ins
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  Offer weekly Q&A sessions
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  Manage your student's mindset—address roadblocks, fears and negative patterns

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  Don't fall in love with the specifics of your course idea—that'd be your #1 mistake
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  Listen to your audience's feelings, wants, and obstacles
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  Create a supportive learning environment (e.g. communities)
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  Help your learners recognise the habits that are holding them back