Should you create an online course ? Quiz & 10 Essentials Questions

Transfers tried methods, processes and systems and the relevant knowledge for students to get specific and predefined results
Provides its content in a digital form

I am not talking about University online courses (MOOC) that are currently different (even though I think they should be more focused and process/result oriented like the ones we want to create).

So what processes, methods or systems can you teach people to help them get specific results?

It does not have to be very specific yet. We will dig deeper into defining the course objective in the article about How to start creating an online course.

increase Readiness to create an online course

If you do not have ideas about what to teach yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

Think about the skills you use in your professional life
Think about the skills you use in your personal lives (are you able to repeatedly make your kid clean his room? LOL)
Do people often ask you for help about a specific subject?
What can you talk about for hours? Can you help on any of those subjects?
Ask ideas from friends who know you well

And you can also consider the 4 questions suggested by The Muse about compliments, feeling strong and standing out as a child.

2. Do people need this?

If you have already validated that there is a need for your course and that you know people are paying for it, Fantastic! You can go to the next questions.

But

If you have not yet validated if there is a need for your course, stay with me.

Don't worry. It's very normal.

Let's go through it together. You have 3 options here:

If you have a precise course idea

Go see your potential customers and validate directly your idea - are they ready to purchase it?

If you have a general subject idea where there is general demand

Wait for now. Finish this article to get ready.

Then, once on the article How to start creating an online course, you will go through market research to narrow down your course, validate the need and collect inputs, all at the same time!

If you don't know if there is demand

Go validate at the demand level (courses or eBooks already existing, interest from potential customers...)
If the answer is yes, wait for the Online Course Starter exercises to validate the precise course (as above)
If the answer is no, decide if you absolutely need to get this course out of your head or not.

Sometimes we just need to do something whatever the success behind. You will learn a ton anyway. That's totally fine if you still want to go ahead.

If you have not validated your ideas yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

Research competition and Talk to potential customers:

Validate either the demand for the subject or the need for your specific course.
Discover if they are willing to pay not just if they are interested
or as Darren from Problogger says, discover if "there is evidence of people paying for that type of information".

Side note: And don't forget to make sure that Online Course is a good medium for your audience. Are you addressing your course to people who frequently use a computer?

3. Why do I want to create an online course?

If your primary goal is to create an online course to make "easy money" or because this is a trend. Stop reading right here. Go to one of those 'Create your course in 6 hours and make millions' article or course 🙂 This is not what I help accomplish here.

For those who are still here , it is important to get clear on why you want to create an online course.

You should clarify your Why for 2 reasons:

Without a strong Why, you won't have the stamina to get to the end. It is critical to be able to go back to your Why whenever you hit a roadblock or feel less confident - visualizing your result and feelings does help focus and reboost
Because as Simon Sinek says - People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it - your why will be felt in your course and your sales pages

Example of reasons:

Do you want to help a certain type of people because you have a connection to them?
Do you want to help people achieve certain results because you have been there and see the impact?
Do you want to help people achieve something because at the end it will have a big cumulated impact on the world, because it is changing the world one person at a time?
Do you want to make passive income to have more time to spend with your family?
Do you want to be able to touch more people at once than with your coaching practice?
Do you want to help people live a more passionate life?
Do you want to feel like you are doing something positive with your skills?
Do you want to leave a positive legacy?
Do you want to challenge yourself? Learn new skills?
...

If you have not clarified your why yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

Write down why you want to create an online course
Write down how you want to feel when it is up and running

4. How much experience do I have?

2 cases here:

1. You are worried you are not expert enough

2. You feel you know your subject well and can write a course

In both cases, it comes down to experience (not expertise, this is a too loaded word we should avoid).

In order to create an online course that will make an impact, YOU NEED:

A subject where you know more than other people (and there are always people who know less than you)
Real experience to make sure what you know actually works
Real experience to be able to provide examples in your course
Real experience to make sure you understand your customer and can address his pains and fears
Real experience that helps you get perspective on your knowledge and extract actionable processes... which is what makes good online courses!

Understood? You need to have real experience

Knowing about a subject is not the same as having experienced it!

You need proof that you can repeat success

I am sure you all know the saying: "Those who can't do teach."

Hummmm.... not true! I think it should say:

"Those you can't do teach" - Not true! >> Those who have observed, tried, succeeded and also failed... make the best teachers

Click to Tweet

Example:

If you have read a lot about Instagram marketing and have been successful at growing your Instagram account does not mean you can teach a course.

But if you have used the same process to take several Instagram accounts form one state to another, then you can teach your process.

If you do not have enough experience yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

List all the experience you have around the subject. Do you feel you truly understand the process behind success?

If not, go out, help people and get more 1 on 1 experience. Help people directly.

5. How do I feel about the subject?

I know a lot of people who want to create online courses in an area because there is demand.

This is a great start.

But if you have no interest in that area. What is the point?

You probably want passive income to get out of the 'rat race' or the cubicle. To live life on your own terms. But, if you work on a subject you don't even like, then you will not get what you are looking for.

I am not saying it has to be your number one passion, that you must breathe your subject every minute of everyday.

But you have to have a certain level of interest and commitment to it in order to:

Finish the creation of your course
Motivate people to get on board
Inspire people through your course to get them to complete it
Inspire trust and be relatable

If you do not know which course to pursue yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

Consider all your online course ideas. What is your level of engagement with each one?

Cross the level of need with your level of engagement to decide which course to create first.

6. Am I ready to learn new skills?

There is quite a gap between creating an online course and, say, coaching or blogging.

Don't worry it is fun and inspiring to see your ideas develop into a full course.

But that does mean learning new skills for both the creation and the marketing/selling of your course:

Are you excited by the idea of learning new skills?

If you are not excited to learn new skills yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

It might feel like a lot of work for one course.

So consider all the skills you will learn and think about how you could apply them elsewhere in your business or your life.

e.g. Structuring and teaching can help you be better at conferences
e.g. If you decide to a make video for your course, You can teach your kids how to make a video or best you can learn together
e.g. If you learn how to create beautiful fillable worksheets with InDesign, you can sell this service

7. Am I OK with the format of online course?

First, understand that creating an online course is not a 'must do'. Other options include:

Coaching 1 on 1 or consulting
Group Coaching
Mastermind Groups (learn more on the Side Hustle Nation podcast)
Membership sites (check out examples on AmbitionAlly)
Virtual summits (Bailey explains on the Lady Boss League why she thinks it is easier than launching a course)
Webinars (with small bites of content)
Conferences
...

All are very good. Don't get stuck because you have read that creating online courses is the way to go!

Here are a few things to consider before you commit to creating an online course - all can be pros or cons depending on your situation and your personality:

pros and cons of creating an online course

There are high expectations of results for online courses (compared to blog post or webinars) - I think this is why it is interesting, but it can feel daunting for some
You have a limited relationship (compared to coaching or mastermind groups) - do you feel comfortable not interacting much?
But you still have to have a relationship to help your student (compared to a one-off webinar, with the questions only during the webinar)
It implies a one-time payment only (compared to membership sites)
...

If you do not know if the online course format will suit you yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

List the pros and cons of all the options in front of you.

Decide which options suit you best.

8. Am I ready to commit time and effort?

Some people try selling you that you can create your online course in a weekend.

Well, not if you want to create a powerful course that gets big results for the students.

You need to commit regular time and effort for several weeks or months (depending on how much you can spare every day).

Don't feel overwhelmed. It is so rewarding to see your course being assembled brick by brick.

Are you ready to commit to a bigger creation project?

If you are not sure if your can commit yet...

Increase your course creation readiness:

List all the things you would like to do for your business
List the impact they could have on your life for all of them (positive and negative)
Identify the most beneficial
Is online course at the top?
Are you now ready to let go of other projects in the meantime?

For ideas, you can also check this episode of MarieTV about Following through.

9. Am I ready to have fun?

As we said before, when nothing is started, it can feel overwhelming.

But with a good step-by-step approach it flows better and gets exciting.

And if you don't have fun creating it, people won't have fun doing it and won't get results.

How to increase your course creation readiness:

Create a secret handshake or a special happy dance to do every time you make progress on your course

10. Can you start now?

So do you feel that you should create an online course ?

There is no better time than the present!

Let's do something now so that you can feel excited it has started.

Let's take the first steps to creating your online course !

Head to the article: How to FINALLY start creating an online course. It is filled with actionable information and examples.

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The 10 Essential Questions to ask yourself before you create an online course

1. Do I have something to teach?

2. Do people need this?

3. Why do I want to create an online course?

4. How much experience do I have?

5. How do I feel about the subject?

6. Am I ready to learn new skills?

7. Am I OK with the format of online course?

8. Am I ready to commit time and effort?

9. Am I ready to have fun?

10. Can you start now?

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