What you need to know before creating that course

Courses have inundated the online space, and with good reason. They’re a good way to scale your business so you can grow–without necessarily working more hours. And they’re also helpful if you’re looking to move away from 1-to-1 work and into a 1-to-many model.

(Point to note: Creating a course doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll work fewer hours, and creating a course is by no means an easy task. Just want to make sure that’s crystal clear!)

The thing to remember is that all courses are not created equal. And some of them are not created well.

There’s a lot to consider when putting together a course; simply taking your 1-to-1 service and putting it a course format doesn’t work. Not only that, but teaching something online is wildly different from teaching it in person.

This Q&A is meant to help you get started with creating a course for your audience, but the downloadable worksheet will take you even further.

Why are you creating the course?

Sure, there’s a reason for creating your course. To make “passive” income, to reach a wider audience, to give prospects the first bit of information/knowledge they need in order to work with you. Know why you’re creating your course before you get started on it. This will help drive decisions down the road.

What are your learning objectives?

Think of your learning objectives as the outcomes of the course. Ask yourself, What will my students know and be able to do when they are done with the course? Then keep this top-of-mind as you outline and build out the program. If it doesn’t get them closer to the outcomes, it doesn’t belong in the course. Instead, park it on a different outline to use later.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Course creation: Know your learning outcomes BEFORE creating the course.” quote=”Course creation: Know your learning outcomes BEFORE creating the course.”]

What does your audience need to know to get there?

You’ll want to watch my YouTube video on how to outline your course idea, but basically, this is where you’re building out all the things your students need to know and be able to do in order to achieve the end outcomes you’ve promised.

What activities do they need to get there?

There are many different learning styles out there. Some people learn best by reading, others need something more tactile, while still others can just hear something and remember it. As you’re deciding how to deliver your course, consider the different learning styles and give your students what they need. You won’t be able to deliver in every modality, but you can provide videos with audio and slides, plus a fillable workbook–or a written, step-by-step transcription to go with your videos.

What platform best serves your purpose?

Thinkific, Teachable, Kajabi and more! It’s overwhelming how many online teaching platforms there are, all with their own benefits and drawbacks. I had a tech wizard write a guest blog about different platforms before I dove in to find one of my own. My personal favorite is MemberVault, which is where I house my courses and my free resource hub.

How will you deliver it?

Some content requires immediate action while other requires some time to digest. Likewise, some students will want to plow through a course at their own pace while others need to be guided along and reminded of the benefit of finishing your course. As the teacher and guide, you get to decide if you’ll drip out content a little at a time or if you’ll give students full access right from the start. Talk to your ideal students to see what their preference is, based on the type of content you’re delivering, then make your own decision about what you’ll do.

How will you support your students’ learning?

Not everyone has it in them to be able to grasp your learning objectives on their own. Especially if it’s not delivered in a way that suits their learning style. If you’re delivering a course en masse, consider giving students the option of upgrading to 1:1 time to help them through the course. Other support options include a workbook or a collaborative group of some sort.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Just because you build it, doesn’t mean they will come. Have a plan to market that course!” quote=”Just because you build it, doesn’t mean they will come. Have a plan to market that course!”]

How will you market it?

Just because you build it, doesn’t mean they will come. You need to have a plan in place ahead of time to market your course or program to your audience. That said, simply sending an email when the course is ready to go isn’t going to cut it, especially if you don’t have a clear marketing plan in place already. Start marketing the course about 12 weeks ahead of time by teasing out content through social media, email or your membership platform. You need to build that know, like and trust factor first so your audience knows you and your personality, especially if you’re selling a high-ticket program.

What team members do you need?

You likely can’t do this all alone, especially if you don’t have experience putting together a course or a launch. Find out who you need on your side in the video below.