How to create a Winning Course idea for your tiny course
Hi,
This week my wife was away so she could attend the graduation of her cousin from Black Hawk Training School. Blackhawks’s are helicopters used by the US military on training missions.
So that means I had the kids to myself this week. :)
It was tougher getting them ready for school each morning but by Friday morning (today), we had a nice system going where I made their lunches, they made their breakfasts and chose their own snacks to bring to school.
I still don’t know how to do the girls hair but their aunt Mara who lives nextdoor came over to help with that. (Thanks, Mara.)
Now onto today’s newsletter.
Here’s what’s in store for you.
I. Article: How to create a Winning Course idea for your tiny course
II. Two ways I can help you
Let’s get started.
I. How to create a Winning Course idea for your tiny course
Did you know that YouTube was originally a video dating website?
The idea was to have people submit video introductions to make a love connection. Yet when the creators launched, no one would submit a dating video. Desperate, they even went to Craigslist and offered to pay women $20 to upload videos of themselves.
They got zero replies.
That’s when they opened the site up to just any video. The progress was slow, but soon, there were hundreds, thousands, and now tens of millions of videos. YouTube has become one of the world’s most popular websites. YouTube's creators had to find a winning idea before it could finally take off.
When we set out to build a course, even a tiny one, we have a similar problem.
We know we have a great course on our hands. Yet, what if we get zero sign-ups? Is there a way to find out in advance what will ensure an idea will work? There is a way: It's called the Winning Course Ideas Process.
On our journey to understand Winning Course Ideas, we’ll cover the three Ds.
A: Define a tiny topic with thin-slicing
B: Define a concrete result using the numerical approach
C: Define a relevant problem (and verify it)
A: Define a tiny topic with thin-slicing
To create a tiny course, you must first define a tiny topic.
Every topic can be sliced into subtopics. Then, those subtopics can be sliced further into sub-subtopics and on and on. Defining your topic this way lets you create something unique which is easier to market.
For example, there are a million copywriting courses but fewer email copywriting courses and even fewer courses on email copywriting for health coaches. Suppose you’re a health coach; which of these courses would you buy? It’s a no-brainer.
The narrower the topic, the greater the appeal to future students and also to you as a course builder.
It is easier for you to be an expert in a narrow field. So define a topic, then a subtopic, then a sub-subtopic if needed. Keep going until you hit upon something that feels like an interesting angle. Next, we’ll look at the promise your course needs to make.
B: Define a concrete result using the numerical approach
“What will I get for my money?”
That’s what a potential client asked me after I explained what my service could do for her. The picture I’d painted of what she’d get from my coaching was still too abstract to be motivating. Most courses suffer from a similar issue. Customers wonder what they’ll have by the time they finish.
How can we make the value of our courses more concrete?
One way is to add a number. For example, when I taught students to write for the SAT Essay (part of a college entrance exam in the US), I didn’t just tell them I could teach them to get a high score. I found research from MIT showing that 95% of essays with 400 or more words got the highest score. So I promised they’d be able to write 400 words in 25 minutes with me - a promise I already knew I could deliver on.
Kevon Cheung, a successful online entrepreneur with a massive following on Twitter, has a course called Make Twitter Friends. His result: You’ll make 5 Twitter friends who will comment on your tweets regularly. His course would be much less compelling if he just promised to help you get attention to your posts.
At this point, you have your topic and the results, you’ll promise. Next, we’ll discover the third element.
C: Define a relevant problem (and verify it)
But what message will you use to sell your course?
And how will you know that message motivates customers to buy?
That’s where a relevant problem comes in. People are more motivated to solve problems than to pursue benefits. We’d do anything to get rid of a persistent pain. But how do we discover this motivating element?
First, we brainstorm problems we think our course solves.
Second, we choose the one we find most compelling.
Third, we express it to a customer and listen to feedback.
The customer will have one of three reactions:
1) Yellow light - “Yes, but …” This is good. They agree with your premise. Now, record their objection so you can figure a way around it for your customers.
2) Red light - “That’s not it. Here’s my real issue.” Great news! They’ve stopped you from traveling down a path with no cheese and given you a more fruitful path to explore.
3) Green light - “Yes, that’s it. When can I get it?” We know what to do here. Celebrate. And ask them to join a waiting list so you can contact them when the course is ready.
Using these ideas, you can ensure your idea will work before early just like the founders of YouTube.
II. Two ways I can help you
The Atomic Course Blueprint - Want to create a course without the usual overwhelm? Try creating a tiny course. Find out more here.
iPARA: How to organize your digital life for action- Is digital disorganization keeping you from reaching your goals? What if just four folders could let you not just stay organized but actually get things done. See for yourself here.
That’s it for this week. I’ll see you next week with another issue.
Still here?
You’re my favorite.
If you want to do me a favor, please let me know what you thought of today’s newsletter. You can email me or leave a comment.