Do you dream of having a business where you can earn money while you sleep?
No, it’s not a fantasy promise. You can create a passive stream of income where you don’t physically need to be in front of the computer, engaging with clients or be on the tools to earn.
You can do it by creating an online course.
An online course is an excellent way to boost your brand authority, provide value for your audience, and create a long-term passive income stream for your business.
You might scoff and think that you can’t do this in your business … but the good news is that you can!
While the initial set-up can be time-consuming, platforms like Thinkific streamline and simplify the process, allowing you to focus on the content and audience connection rather than the technical details.
If you are considering creating a course for your business, here are some of the key areas you will need to focus on.
Picking The Perfect Topic For Your Course
Regardless of what industry you’re in, there are likely to be dozens of different course topics you could choose to focus on. When it comes to narrowing down your selection, you need to make sure you do some research first.
Your topic of choice isn't automatically going to be what you love talking about, or even the subject you know the most about. It should be something that solves a specific problem for your target audience.
After brainstorming your top ideas, it’s a great idea to reach out to your audience – either through email or social media – and ask for their feedback on what they would most like to see.
A simple survey identifying their pain points can help point you in the right direction to select a topic that will be in high demand amongst your followers. This ensures you create a powerful passive income stream for your business.
Choosing The Right Course Content
Once you have chosen a topic that you are confident will sell to your targeted customers, it’s time for the fun (and frustrating!) part – selecting the course content! This is where information overload can set in. It can be overwhelming trying to download all that valuable knowledge from your brain and arrange it in a way that can be easily consumed.
The key thing is to remember that nothing has to be perfect before you launch. In fact, your course will most likely improve and evolve week by week as you receive feedback from students, have new ideas, and add bits and pieces.
While you can opt for purely written content, remember you should be mindful of the different ways people learn, so ensure you include images and videos to mix it up and keep things interesting. A platform like Thinkific makes it easy to upload, organise and customise your content to suit your brand.
If you do get overwhelmed about where to start and what to include, come back to your “why”. What is the pain point your course solves for students? Keep it simple, streamlined, and relatable while staying on brand.
Making Sure The Content Is Set Up Right
Setting up your content so that it’s logical, engaging, and useful to students is your next task. You want to make sure it is easy for them to navigate and to access the right information at the right time. For ease, many people choose to use a platform like Thinkific.
By using a course specific platform, the set-up process is intuitive and efficient. There are even pre-made templates to help you get started. While you don’t have to stick to these templates, they can be useful guidelines for organising and structuring your content at the beginning. Once you have got your head around how it all works, you can then customise every aspect of your course.
Adding video, audio, or PDF content that you have already created is simple using the Bulk Importer within the Course Builder.
When it comes to the structure of your course, it is helpful to divide it into chapters. This allows you to section the information in a logical order. Then, once you have decided on each chapter heading, you can start adding the individual lessons that make up the course.
Creating a passive income for your business doesn’t have to be complicated. On top of the core content, Thinkific walks you through various options under the Settings tab, from updating your course name and URL to completion certificates and personalised messages for your students.
Promoting To Your Audience To Build Your Passive Income
Finally, you have painstakingly mapped out your course, pulled together amazing content, and organised it online. Time to pat yourself on the back and wait for the customers to come pouring in … right?
Not quite. It's not really a case of "build it, and they will come". As with any facet of your business, marketing is essential if you want to maximise your passive income.
If you have researched before setting up your course, you should have a segment of people ready and waiting to dive in, which is fantastic. You can even offer a pilot version to select customers for free, or for a discounted price. This is a great way to iron out any wrinkles and get valuable feedback before doing a full launch.
There’s no one magical marketing strategy for your course. It’s all about the long game, creating an authentic connection with your audience, and building your brand. But there are some simple ways to leverage the content you have already created for your course to entice people to give it a try.
Consider taking key messages, tips, or lessons from your course and repurposing them into YouTube videos, blog posts, infographics, or social media posts. If your audience finds the information relevant and valuable, they are more likely to invest their time and money in your course.
Don’t Forget ...
Remember, your course's primary focus is to provide value for your students and cement your place as an authority in your field. The passive income is the bonus for all your hard work. And while there is a fair amount of groundwork required to get everything ready, the benefits to your business and return on investment can be outstanding.
Task Diva Support
If you’re interested in setting up a course or want to know more about how it all works, sign up for your FREE four-page online course planning checklist.
Perhaps you just want to get started on your online course, then my Online Course Planning Session might be just what you need.
Checkout my Online Course Packages:
Would you like to check out my preferred online course platform, here's a one month free trial of Thinkific (note this is an affiliate link).
Author
Debbie Mills Robertson
Online Course & Thinkific Specialist
debbie@taskdiva.co.nz
027 345 7000
By Debbie Mills Robertson
