Tag Archives: Courses

Online Courses to Build Your Business

Create Online Courses

Information products can come in all shapes, sizes, and formats. One of my favorite ways to create an info product is to create online courses. I have done this over a hundred times since coming online a decade ago, and each time I perfect the process so that my students may learn it from me and implement the strategy for their own business.

I define an online course as one that can be accessed and consumed virtually, meaning that there will not be a face to face component as a part of the training course. I began by teaching on teleseminars, but for years now I have used webinars to teach a variety of topics online. Also, I record the audio separately so that people in my online courses may choose whether to watch the replay or to simply listen to the audio. Over the years I have found that the majority of people will only watch the webinar once, but want to have access to the audio to listen to additional times.

Online Courses: Choosing Your Topic

Deciding what to teach does not have to be a lengthy process. I get my ideas primarily from conversations I have with my students. I run an active mentor program where people come to me at various points in their online entrepreneurial careers and the discussions that arise lead me to teach a variety of topics. If one person asks about or struggles with something related to their business, then I know that many, many more people are also stuck on that topic. I make some notes and then create a new online course to answer the questions that need to be answered and to share some strategies that are working for me.

You may also come up with ideas based on news articles, discussions in a forum or on social media or even from face to face contact with people you know, and by thinking of things that you struggled with in the past. Ideas are everywhere and when you think about the problems and solutions people have and are seeking you will quickly come up with viable topics for online courses you could teach.

Online Courses: Delivery

Like I stated earlier, I deliver my online courses using webinars. I may also include handouts, checklists, study guides, and other materials. In this live interaction with my students I am able to guide them through my course over a period of several sessions. In between each session I assign them activities and tasks that will enrich their experience and bring them closer to achieving their goals.

Online Courses: Accessibility

Membership sites work well for accessing materials and replays for your online course. This can all be set up quickly and easily by you or someone who helps you with the technology portion of your online business. This way your students may log in to the member’s area whenever it is convenient for them and consume your training at their own pace.

I teach a popular training course on how to do everything I have discussed here, and more in my Really Simple Online Courses training program. I would love to teach you everything I know on this topic so that you could get started right away with this lucrative business model.

I’m Connie Ragen Green and I’ve been an online entrepreneur since 2006. If you are ready to get started on your journey to multiple streams of online income, visit my site at Online Entrepreneur Blueprint and download your complimentary training to get started today.

How to Create Online Courses from Your Writing

Learning How to Create Online Courses

Everything you write can be repurposed into another format, allowing you to create many types of content for your audience. Today let’s discuss how to create online courses based on your writing. I’ve actually done this successfully several times myself and want to share how this will be effective to build your business. It all comes down to choosing the topic you will teach to others, creating an outline to work from, and then preparing the material you will use during your online course.

Most likely you write about many topics under the umbrella of your overall topic. For instance, my overall topic is internet or online marketing, but within that I write about blogging, publishing, affiliate marketing, list building, information products, social media, traffic generation, video marketing, traffic generation, and so much more. When I set out to create an online course I am focusing on just one aspect of my business. This is based on what my clients have been asking me about most during the previous month or so, what is needed by my community, and how I wish to position myself in my business.

The next step is to create a tight outline of exactly what I want to include in my online course, as well as what information I will exclude. I have learned over the years that having a thorough and complete outline is crucial to this process turning out well. Dividing your online course into logical sections is a part of this, and making sure that you start at the beginning of your topic instead of somewhere in the middle is also very important.

Finally, it’s time to create your online course. I name my course, purchase a domain name, set up a site with a sales page and a membership site, and create a slide presentation. This may seem like a lot of work the first couple of times you go through it, but finally it will all fall into place like clockwork, I promise. Learn the rhythm of creating presentations that appeal to your audience and everything else will come together seamlessly.

As you can see, learning how to create an online course can be easier and more simple than you might have previously thought possible. Take the time to choose a topic that you know enough about to teach to others and that will position you as an authority on that topic. And make sure your audience is interested in learning all about the topic before you choose it. Start creating your outline right away, making sure to write down every single thought and idea that could be included. You will find that the outlining of your course allows you to think back to ideas, concepts, and strategies you may be taking for granted right now. Then, create your online course by adding content to your membership site, as well as by teaching webinars live. Don’t forget to add additional content and materials, such as study guides, templates, workbooks, checklists, and short videos.

Now you know how to create an online course to build your business. What other questions do you have for me on this topic?

I’m Connie Ragen Green, online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker on the topics of entrepreneurship and inner game mind shifts. Let’s connect to see how I may best serve you in the near future. And be sure to check out my Really Simple Online Courses training course.

Teaching Online Courses to Share Your Knowledge

Are You Teaching Online Courses?

I honestly believe that if you have knowledge, experience, and insight into a particular area, you are morally obligated to share it with others who would benefit from learning about it from you. Back when I was a classroom teacher I worked with adults who were not willing to share what they knew. I struggled with the new technology in those days and found it difficult to believe that other teachers would not be helpful at all. I promised myself that whenever I figured something out I would be the person who would share my knowledge with anyone who needed it. Little did I know back then that teaching online courses would be a part of my life.

Once I came online I found a world filled with natural teachers. People were more than willing to share their knowledge, their experiences, and their insights on a variety of topics. It’s interesting to me that I had to leave the classroom and public education in order to surround myself with people who love and value education in the way that I do.

Teaching online can take many shapes and formats, and I have explored them all at one time or another over the past decade. Teaching online courses, both live and in home study have become my favorite way of sharing information with people all over the world. You can do the same thing, no matter what your area of expertise. There are always people somewhere who want and need to learn about your topics.

Start by hosting free teleseminars where you answer questions and share your knowledge. Create a short study guide listeners can print out for further reference. From these, choose the topics that the most people were interested in and then begin creating and teaching online courses on these.

I begin by writing an outline and making notes about what I will teach. Then I do some research to flesh out any parts of my outline that might be incomplete. Then I write a blog post on the topic to share with visitors to my site. I ask for comments so that I can open the conversation and find out more about what people wish to learn. That conversation continues on the social media sites, as well as with replies to my daily email messages. Within a few days I have enough feedback to begin writing my course. I divide my content into three or four sections or parts before moving forward with this part of the process.

I then create a slide deck that contains all of the information I will be teaching in my online course. I tend to work on this intensely for several days, then I go back to make sure I have included everything I want to teach, have omitted anything that is not relevant to my topic, and to put the slides in a logical order.

What topics could you teach and share with others? While I was a classroom teacher I knew that a student had mastered a topic when they were able to successfully convey it to someone else. I believe we are all natural teachers and that teaching is a valuable part of our life experience. Take a look at my training program on teaching online courses to get started right away.

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