Do you want to create your own online course? The path to this goal may initially seem very tedious. It is not clear whether the desired success will follow. However, simply follow the steps described here to significantly increase your chances of success.
Start small and expand later
What should not happen? You have thought of a topic and decided to create an online course on this topic. You start planning, come up with a good concept, and diligently produce your content. After a lot of work, the whole project is finally finished. You put your course online and advertise it.
In doing so, you realize that another trainer has already created an online course. This course covers the same topic and overlaps in many ways with your content. – You invite friends and acquaintances to your course and receive feedback that various topics of the course are already known. – At the same time, some interested parties tell you that they would book the course, but a few important aspects are missing...
Wouldn't it be good to have this information before creating the course content? With the following three steps, you can avoid the mistakes described above and gather important information for your first online course.
Step 1: Find topics and develop offers
Before you plan for a long time and create the entire course program, a few short tests are often enough to find out if you are on the right track.
Do a Google search on your desired topics. For example, you type the search terms "communication online course" into the search engine. This way, you quickly learn which topics already exist. Such a keyword analysis also reveals which topics are in demand at the moment. If a topic already exists, your new offer must provide added value. The problem of your target group must be solved better/faster/user-friendly/cheaper. Otherwise, you will not be able to compete with the existing offer.
Find your niche. With the search term "couples conflict communication online course", you could find out how the supply (and demand) for this specific topic in the field of communication stands. If you are well-versed in communication, you can better position your online course on couple communication and conflicts.
Search engines are not the only source of information. Pay attention to whether certain topics frequently come up in conversation with customers and acquaintances. What exactly is the problem of your target group? How do you want to solve this problem in an online course? Is a course even the right way?
Step 2: Tests and experiments lead to success
So far so good. You have found your topic and your niche. Additionally, you have the knowledge and skills to solve a problem for your target group. Then planning can begin. Or not? Why create an entire course at once when a small experiment might be enough? For example, you can start with three to five short videos on a topic. You can produce these videos in an afternoon. You don’t need expensive equipment for that. You can adjust the quality of your videos later as you wish. It's about figuring out how your offer is perceived by the target group and whether your idea is viable. For example, you can send the video to your friends and acquaintances and ask for quick feedback. Or you can show the video to your participants in a course and ask what you can improve.
The more people give you feedback, the better you can assess where changes can be made. If family and friends are convinced of your idea and your videos, then turn to a 'foreign' group. The more anonymous the feedback, the more honest the reactions will be. Post a video on your social media profile. This feedback is crucial for you to refine your product (your course). Doesn’t someone take my idea if I post videos publicly? The answer: No. That is very unlikely. The idea alone is worth nothing. What counts is the implementation. Furthermore, it is only a small excerpt.
Step 3: From a video to your own online course
If your initial tests come back positively, then expand the content into a complete course program. This way, you can create your own online course step by step. In the first phase, prepare your content and plan exactly what you want to show in each course section. Use the feedback you received in Steps 1 and 2. The result of this planning process is a kind of script. Now the production begins. The better your planning is, the quicker you can finish producing. In the final step, you publish your online course. From now on, your customers can book the course.
Online courses as an extension of existing offers
The online magazine t3n recently published an article on the topic of creating online courses. Anyone can create an online course with simple means. There are many guides available. You as a trainer or coach have the great advantage that you are personally in contact with your target group. Every in-person session is an opportunity for you to discover new topics and gather feedback. Your online courses provide a supplementary offering to your in-person events. If you have already convinced your participants of the usefulness of your content in an in-person event, then these participants are certainly also interested in further offerings. Whether that is the case, you can find out with a small test!
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