The promise of passive income through online courses has led to the proliferation of crap products and dissatisfied purchasers. The alternative is educational products that create impact, loyal learners who join your community and jump on every opportunity to work with you – oh and pay a price that matches the amazing value you provide. Which do you want?
The market is full of well-intentioned entrepreneurs creating online courses. Their intention, I believe, is to help and share what they know, while growing their business and wealth. Sounds awesome.
The reality is many are burning goodwill for themselves and the industry while sabotaging their own future success.
The potential of ‘teaching from the streets’ is WORLD CHANGING AMAZING. So let’s get this right.
The Rise and Rise of Online Courses as a Passive Income Strategy
Online courses are a great business strategy. They promise increased reach, scalability, and passive income. The idea of creating amazing products that change people’s lives and allows you to earn money while you play is pretty darn compelling.
Here’s what I’ve observed. See if it matches your experience.
Entrepreneurs know their ‘stuff’. They love it. They believe in it. They really want to make a living sharing their passion. But many are not educators, or even good story tellers (which can get you a long way toward education if you do it really well).
The result is a collection of information (written, video, blog) and some activities, bundled with some classy graphics and a planned launch. But then what?
People buy the first time, or not, depending largely on the marketing rather than the quality of the product which they simply can’t see at the time of purchase.
There appears to be precious little concern about the impact the course has on the learner.
At some point the intention to change lives slips. The focus changes to the marketing machine of ‘sell courses’.
People buy, the need/desire is not addressed, the client is disappointed or worse ambivalent and paralysed, and the entrepreneur is disappointed because it ‘just never took off’. No. The product didn’t provide the solutions the marketing promised.
Impact requires effort – from the learner and the educator. There’s nothing passive about it. At least in the early stages (as you get better at education design you can be less hands on).
The Way Forward – Educate and Empower
1 Focus on the impact your client wants to achieve
You don’t enrol in a course to learn what the teacher knows.
You enrol to fix something.
You have a need or a desire and the course promises solutions to help you get to a desired future state. For example, I need to know how to create better systems to get more done in a day. I need to lose 10 kgs. I want to get fit. My finances are a mess. I don’t have the confidence to go for a promotion. My toddler doesn’t sleep through the night. My relationship is in trouble. I want a happy marriage. I’m terrified to speak in public. I need more energy.
There are millions of examples and millions of courses. Each one promising to solve a need or deliver a desire.
Marketing teaches the importance of identifying benefits/triggers/barriers/solutions to the purchaser. Marketers stress the need to get into the buyers shoes and head. These same issues are CRITICAL to learning development.
Do you see the two sides of the problem?
Learner’s need versus teachers knowledge
What is the point of selling solutions when what is provided is just information?
Focus on their needs/language not your knowledge.
Solution – Get really clear about the change/impact your learner wants to achieve. That’s your target. It’s about your client not you.
2 Learning is active
Learning requires thoughtful creation of materials and engaged learners.
Educators – create strategies that explain, describe, demonstrate, empower, engage, challenge, clarify, and support. Notice the word is strategy not product.
Learners – commit to participate, do, reflect and seek clarification. This works best when the strategies support interaction with the educator/other learners/additional resources.
The process of educating is active – learning requires opportunities to test understanding, adjust, and realign.
Solution – Learn how to teach in a way that supports action and sustainable impact. Learn how people learn. Learn the craft of education.
3 Lead and empower through education
Education involves a partnership between the teacher and the learner. Educators lead the learner through the process of making changes. Educators motivate, empower, lift up and add real value.
This is not a totally hands off process. But it can be refined into the course structure, in a thoughtful and efficient way.
When you design courses to lead and empower learners, they are more likely to want to work with you again, assuming their experiences met their expectations. By leading your clients through their learning, you set a standard for future experiences. They will feel safe in your hands and tell others about you.
People want to feel like they belong and that they are valued. When you lead through education, you are saying
‘I see your drive, I’m here to help. I’ll be here for the next steps too.’
You are building a relationship and really making a difference for each person you impact. You are building a community where you can encourage your students to teach and support each other too.
You may continue to provide ongoing mentoring (one to many) for some of your students, if this is part of your education model. And why wouldn’t it be. It’s fun and very profitable.
Solution – Factor in check points/sign posts for success, feedback, questions and answers, collaboration, community etc. Be a part of the learning journey.
Yes this means more of a commitment. Yes it means you can invite fewer people into the process (at least in the early stages). But it also means you are providing amazing value that people are willing to pay for. You are providing quality service and value.
I guess it depends on your motivation. Is it to make a difference, build relationships and grow a sustainable business or is the notion of truly hands off passive income really appealing? If it’s the later, then stay in the information/publishing arena but expect the purchasers to become more and more price sensitive as they realize they are really buying a book with activities.
Final word – Get educated about how to educate. It’s fun and rewarding (personally and financially).
Create a community who love your work and buy every time because you know the short cuts to their solutions.
Provide amazing education and support and your freedom and wealth will follow.
Until next time.
Yvette
PS – I’m running a pilot program early next year ‘Who and what to teach – identifying all of the opportunities before you narrow it down’. If you’re interesting in being part of the co-creation process, seeing how I create materials and providing direct input, I’d love to hear from you. I’ve been an educator for 20 years and know how important your input is to creating a fabulous solution.
