5 Steps to package your expertise into a digital online course
By Tina Tower
Youโre sitting in the grind 9 – 5 and you have a dream. You know that you were meant for more. If youโre ambitious and feel unfulfilled at work and find your mind wandering off to dreams of what could be, it may be time to give those dreams a go.ย
Online courses are having a BIG moment thanks to the pandemic and our increased ability and desire to learn online. The industryโs revenue is expected to hit $240 billion this year. If thereโs one thing that the pandemic has shown us, itโs that a lot can be done online. The online education market has exploded as people are looking to learn new things.
You can create an online course by packaging what you know, to help other people. Thriving online courses can be anything as traditional as business marketing, or the obscure like how to be a clown that specialises in juggling. Professionals and hobbyists alike are using the internet to help teach their skills to learners across the globe.ย
You have so much expertise locked away in your own head. The knowledge that youโve gained through your life can help to shortcut someoneโs success and learn from your experience. Packaging what you know into a digital online course product allows you to create an income stream from what you know, while helping other people. Whether youโre looking to ditch your job for good or to make some money on the side, an online course is a simple way to make a saleable product from what you know.ย
These five steps have been used with thousands of people to package what you know into a saleable product.ย
1. Define your idea
The simplest way to begin is to start with something simple like a 30 day or six week course that there may be people asking you for already. So, youโre a florist who can make those gorgeous flower arches that everyone wants to know how to create – start there.
It doesnโt have to be complicated; start with something simple and clear.
2. Define your audience
Before you actually start creating your course, you want to be crystal clear on who itโs for and who itโs not for. Being a generalist doesnโt generally work (see what I did there ;)) Being a specialist and an expert will win every time. Instead of being ok for everyone, be perfect for your perfect customer. Always focus on your customer and make service a priority. The way youโre successful is by making others successful.
3. Create the course
Iโm a big fan of starting simply. You can begin with a full blown professional website and recorded course, but unless you have bucket loads of start up cash then there are easier ways. That phone you have in your pocket has everything you need to film your first course. Then, when you get more cash coming in, you can continually improve the quality. Online education is very different to what weโre used to from our classroom experience. Thereโs zero room for waffle. Teach what youโve promised and get your customer the result in the quickest and easiest way.
4. Start your marketingย
Thereโs no use being the worldโs best kept secret. Once youโve created your first course, you then have to talk about it, to everyone! Spread the word and do some valuable content marketing to show people that you know what youโre talking about.
5. Launch it into the world
If you really want to take online courses seriously, invest in yourself and get expert support. Youโll need a basic website to get started (I recommend something user friendly like Kajabi), a sales page, a way to take payments and somewhere for people to view your courses.ย
The thing that often holds people back the most is that they feel like they need more confidence or to be more qualified. If youโve read this far, I know you have that desire within you and I know that you have enough knowledge to share with the world. We only have one life; go do it.ย
Tina Tower, author of Million Dollar Micro Business (Wiley RRP$29.95), is an award-winning serial entrepreneur who has founded, grown, and sold several businesses and franchises. Tina has helped hundreds of people package their expertise into an online course and launch it to the world. Through her program, Her Empire Builder, she is on a mission to help 100 women build a $1 million a year business by 2025 and her new book shows show you how to package your expertise into an online course.
Find out more at milliondollarmicrobusiness.comย