Comments on: How to Create the Perfect Online Course for Your Audience http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/ Smart Ways to Live a Passive Income Lifestyle On the Internet with SmartPassiveIncome.com Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:57:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: clases ingles malaga http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-333381 clases ingles malaga Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:49:26 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-333381 If you are planning to start your very own site that offers online courses, it would be ideal for you to read this first. If you are planning to start your very own site that offers online courses, it would be ideal for you to read this first.

]]> By: Music Business Help http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-30295 Music Business Help Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:32:33 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-30295 I agree you could easily look up any questions your customers ask you if you're not sure of an answer, but the problem comes when people that aren't successful in what they're teaching fully use the internet to recycle information to their paying customers. If you're reading something but haven't lived it yourself you can't confidently varify the method works. And that's not fair on your customers (Fair enough if it's the odd bit you don't know and gain the information from a relyable source though). My main point though was not everyone will be able to keep up with the work load though, some people just haven't got the mentality. They may start out and complete the first week, but after that not put as much work in or just stop all together. It's just human nature (Not for everyone of course). I do think this is a good way of doing things (Can save time and money as well as get your product more tailored to your customers need) but it's not for everyone. I agree you could easily look up any questions your customers ask you if you’re not sure of an answer, but the problem comes when people that aren’t successful in what they’re teaching fully use the internet to recycle information to their paying customers. If you’re reading something but haven’t lived it yourself you can’t confidently varify the method works. And that’s not fair on your customers (Fair enough if it’s the odd bit you don’t know and gain the information from a relyable source though).

My main point though was not everyone will be able to keep up with the work load though, some people just haven’t got the mentality. They may start out and complete the first week, but after that not put as much work in or just stop all together. It’s just human nature (Not for everyone of course).

I do think this is a good way of doing things (Can save time and money as well as get your product more tailored to your customers need) but it’s not for everyone.

]]> By: Howie http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-30274 Howie Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:35:34 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-30274 "This will only benefit everyone when the person providing the course is a serious person with true experience within their choosen field, but it isn’t always clear who’s genuine online…" Music Business Help, This is EXACTLY why, as I found out with my 6-Book Course, that it's pretty much imperative that you give away a decent amount of free "review" copies....to trustworthy, established and semi-established, people/blogger who can essentially speak for your name and for your product..... Depending on the product, I look at a product as having a bit of a "life"....when it starts out young, no matter how good the product, ESPECIALLY if the person isn't established, it does take a bit of time to get the product "traction".... Like Seth Godin said though, if you create something truly "remarkable", people will begin to flock to it, and they WILL tell their friends....before you know it, you'll have a bit of a "tribe".... "But too many people many not be able to supply what the customer wants when they ask, whether it’s because they can’t keep up with the demands or because they haven’t got the knowledge to answer the questions being asked." It takes time, but the easiest solution to NOT having knowledge, IMHO, is to go out and get the knowledge. Before I began writing my course, I knew little about SEO and Social Media, but, I went to Barnes and Nobles....bought hundreds in books....read each one...and really taught myself. I admit, it takes time...but, if people want it bad enough, you can effectively guage the needs of your chosen audience AND do the research needed to provide them with a superior product. One thing I had learned from a book I had read was that there is GREAT value in simply aggregating things and concepts, into a form that is valuable for readers. People will pay a premium for a product if it saves them having to look in a 100 different locations for the information. Remember the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" hit sensation books?....Anyway could have found such inspirational stories if they just went outside their house and began speaking to people, however, people liked the idea of having those inspirational stories aggregated, and within reach. It was ingenious...and, that franchise made millions. “This will only benefit everyone when the person providing the course is a serious person with true experience within their choosen field, but it isn’t always clear who’s genuine online…”

Music Business Help,

This is EXACTLY why, as I found out with my 6-Book Course, that it’s pretty much imperative that you give away a decent amount of free “review” copies….to trustworthy, established and semi-established, people/blogger who can essentially speak for your name and for your product…..

Depending on the product, I look at a product as having a bit of a “life”….when it starts out young, no matter how good the product, ESPECIALLY if the person isn’t established, it does take a bit of time to get the product “traction”….

Like Seth Godin said though, if you create something truly “remarkable”, people will begin to flock to it, and they WILL tell their friends….before you know it, you’ll have a bit of a “tribe”….

“But too many people many not be able to supply what the customer wants when they ask, whether it’s because they can’t keep up with the demands or because they haven’t got the knowledge to answer the questions being asked.”

It takes time, but the easiest solution to NOT having knowledge, IMHO, is to go out and get the knowledge. Before I began writing my course, I knew little about SEO and Social Media, but, I went to Barnes and Nobles….bought hundreds in books….read each one…and really taught myself. I admit, it takes time…but, if people want it bad enough, you can effectively guage the needs of your chosen audience AND do the research needed to provide them with a superior product.

One thing I had learned from a book I had read was that there is GREAT value in simply aggregating things and concepts, into a form that is valuable for readers. People will pay a premium for a product if it saves them having to look in a 100 different locations for the information. Remember the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” hit sensation books?….Anyway could have found such inspirational stories if they just went outside their house and began speaking to people, however, people liked the idea of having those inspirational stories aggregated, and within reach. It was ingenious…and, that franchise made millions.

]]> By: Music Business Help http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-30269 Music Business Help Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:03:26 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-30269 Not sure if this has been mentioned already but doing a course wouldn't be good for everyone. If you've the dedication and time to keep up working like this it's a good idea. But too many people many not be able to supply what the customer wants when they ask, whether it's because they can't keep up with the demands or because they haven't got the knowledge to answer the questions being asked. This will only benefit everyone when the person providing the course is a serious person with true experience within their choosen field, but it isn't always clear who's genuine online... Not sure if this has been mentioned already but doing a course wouldn’t be good for everyone. If you’ve the dedication and time to keep up working like this it’s a good idea. But too many people many not be able to supply what the customer wants when they ask, whether it’s because they can’t keep up with the demands or because they haven’t got the knowledge to answer the questions being asked. This will only benefit everyone when the person providing the course is a serious person with true experience within their choosen field, but it isn’t always clear who’s genuine online…

]]> By: Ian and Amy Anderson http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-26089 Ian and Amy Anderson Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:52:22 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-26089 Hey Pat, Thank you so much for the great idea! We've implemented this into our website flipping coaching program and it is going great! Thank you so much! Ian Hey Pat,

Thank you so much for the great idea! We’ve implemented this into our website flipping coaching program and it is going great!

Thank you so much!
Ian

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-24453 Jeremy Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:36:25 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-24453 I do contract training for HP. Basically I teach IT professionals how to make better software and how to use some really cool tools. Of course HP has a standard course, already laid out and everything, but the students are constantly asking, to tweak or modify the course, they want it personalized. Unfortunately for the most part HP completely ignores the students on this. However as I'm delivering the courses, and I'm an expert in the material, I often times just throw out the slides and wing it. You know give the students exactly what they want by customizing the course on the fly. And since I get rated by the students after each course, I can tell you with-out a doubt that when I wing it and change up the course on the fly to give the students exactly what they are asking for; that's when I get my best reviews. So to be honest I don’t think you should let your students help create the course the first time, you should let them help create the course every-time. From my experience that is how you deliver maximum value when you are teaching / training / delivering courses. Thinking about it, if I were to try to create an online course I would probably approach it like this: 1. Start with a strong outline of what is going to be covered for the whole course and in each lesson. 2. Flesh out the outline with some talking points, some good stories to tell examples to give, I’m not saying that you create the course, but you gotta have a good idea of what you plan on covering and enough details so you don’t pull the: “ummm. Ummm. And next were going to cover… ummm. Welll… let me see” routine. Obviously the more well versed you are in the material the less effort this step will take. 3. Deliver the first course just exactly like you explained in your blog post, with the assistance of what you created in step 1 and 2. 4. Use the feedback to build the course framework. I would probably try to build the course in a bunch of super small modules that can each stand independently on their own. 5. Provide a mechanism for students to pick, which modules they want to go through, and in which order they want to go through them when they take the course. 6. Ideally, if you want to make it a super unbelievable course, you gotta get some face time with the students so you can address their specific questions and issues. The student needs to get their questions answered and feel like the course delivers the content in exactly they way they want to see / hear / smell /input it. 7. Constantly work on improving and updating the course. Well that’s what I would do to make the perfect course, at least based upon what I see from the IT Professionals that I teach and what they usually ask for. I don’t know that it would fit so nicely into the “passive income” model though. So I guess the work to be done then is to test how to make it less repetitive work / more passive while still allowing individual students to get a tailor fit “customized” feel from course. I really think that is what differentiates a amazing course from well just a course. Anyways this was going to just be a two-line response… so I think I’ve said enough for now. ? Hope it is at least thought provoking. I do contract training for HP. Basically I teach IT professionals how to make better software and how to use some really cool tools. Of course HP has a standard course, already laid out and everything, but the students are constantly asking, to tweak or modify the course, they want it personalized.
Unfortunately for the most part HP completely ignores the students on this. However as I’m delivering the courses, and I’m an expert in the material, I often times just throw out the slides and wing it. You know give the students exactly what they want by customizing the course on the fly. And since I get rated by the students after each course, I can tell you with-out a doubt that when I wing it and change up the course on the fly to give the students exactly what they are asking for; that’s when I get my best reviews.
So to be honest I don’t think you should let your students help create the course the first time, you should let them help create the course every-time. From my experience that is how you deliver maximum value when you are teaching / training / delivering courses.
Thinking about it, if I were to try to create an online course I would probably approach it like this:
1. Start with a strong outline of what is going to be covered for the whole course and in each lesson.
2. Flesh out the outline with some talking points, some good stories to tell examples to give, I’m not saying that you create the course, but you gotta have a good idea of what you plan on covering and enough details so you don’t pull the: “ummm. Ummm. And next were going to cover… ummm. Welll… let me see” routine. Obviously the more well versed you are in the material the less effort this step will take.
3. Deliver the first course just exactly like you explained in your blog post, with the assistance of what you created in step 1 and 2.
4. Use the feedback to build the course framework. I would probably try to build the course in a bunch of super small modules that can each stand independently on their own.
5. Provide a mechanism for students to pick, which modules they want to go through, and in which order they want to go through them when they take the course.
6. Ideally, if you want to make it a super unbelievable course, you gotta get some face time with the students so you can address their specific questions and issues. The student needs to get their questions answered and feel like the course delivers the content in exactly they way they want to see / hear / smell /input it.
7. Constantly work on improving and updating the course.

Well that’s what I would do to make the perfect course, at least based upon what I see from the IT Professionals that I teach and what they usually ask for. I don’t know that it would fit so nicely into the “passive income” model though. So I guess the work to be done then is to test how to make it less repetitive work / more passive while still allowing individual students to get a tailor fit “customized” feel from course. I really think that is what differentiates a amazing course from well just a course.
Anyways this was going to just be a two-line response… so I think I’ve said enough for now. ? Hope it is at least thought provoking.

]]> By: kareem http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-22956 kareem Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:15:47 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-22956 hey pat, great article. i followed pretty much this exact formula when i did a course on finding your life purpose (http://blog.reemer.com/post/187767736/). the only difference was that i didn't charge. this was a mistake, for two reasons: 1- the incentive to create content was lower than if i had charged. i took my deadlines super seriously. at the same, i was doing this for feedback alone. making some $ would have made it tolerable when students didn't provide timely feedback (see next reason) 2- the people who took the course would assign more value to it and thus take it more seriously. they would also be true customers, not just friends or people interested in seeing what i was up to. but, we're just wrapping it up now and i've got great feedback and a good start on the material, along with some good testimonials. cheers, kareem hey pat,

great article. i followed pretty much this exact formula when i did a course on finding your life purpose (http://blog.reemer.com/post/187767736/).

the only difference was that i didn’t charge. this was a mistake, for two reasons:

1- the incentive to create content was lower than if i had charged. i took my deadlines super seriously. at the same, i was doing this for feedback alone. making some $ would have made it tolerable when students didn’t provide timely feedback (see next reason)

2- the people who took the course would assign more value to it and thus take it more seriously. they would also be true customers, not just friends or people interested in seeing what i was up to.

but, we’re just wrapping it up now and i’ve got great feedback and a good start on the material, along with some good testimonials.

cheers,

kareem

]]> By: Ingrid http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-22143 Ingrid Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:07:38 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-22143 Thanks Pat for an awesome article. This one seemed to land on my laptop at just the right time. I'm currently putting together my online course and was struggling about the delivery method... You (and the commenters) have given me lots to think about! I plan to launch it in April - will let you know how it goes! Thanks Pat for an awesome article. This one seemed to land on my laptop at just the right time. I’m currently putting together my online course and was struggling about the delivery method… You (and the commenters) have given me lots to think about! I plan to launch it in April – will let you know how it goes!

]]> By: Tony Teegarden http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-21859 Tony Teegarden Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:27:03 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-21859 I can tell you this is an excellent way to do it. My buddy David Risley just did this with his blogging course for 6 months last year. He got paid to create the content and got great feedback from a bunch of his customers on the fly. He just did a launch of the product and I can tell you he did extremely well for a weeks worth of work in launching it. (Not to mention the 6 months he put into creating it. He made a believer out of me with the exact system you just described. I'll be doing the same. Oh and I just became familiar with you and your blog from Darren's interview with you. Great stuff! I can tell you this is an excellent way to do it. My buddy David Risley just did this with his blogging course for 6 months last year. He got paid to create the content and got great feedback from a bunch of his customers on the fly. He just did a launch of the product and I can tell you he did extremely well for a weeks worth of work in launching it. (Not to mention the 6 months he put into creating it.

He made a believer out of me with the exact system you just described. I’ll be doing the same.

Oh and I just became familiar with you and your blog from Darren’s interview with you. Great stuff!

]]> By: Pat http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-online-course-for-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-21807 Pat Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:12:32 +0000 http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/?p=2381#comment-21807 Yep! You're on the right track it seems, Chetz! Enjoy making those videos, have fun with it and so will your audience. Good luck with everything! Yep! You’re on the right track it seems, Chetz! Enjoy making those videos, have fun with it and so will your audience. Good luck with everything!

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