I added $4800+ to my passive income.

From creating content to marketing it properly, there are many aspects you need to consider when launching your course.

If you want to create something that will truly help people guiding them to make positive changes in their lives. Then buckle up, my friend; it’s going to take a lot of work (not to make it sound daunting, but it’s the truth).

When I first started planning to create my course, many unanswered questions had me feeling overwhelmed — from how much should be covered in each lesson to what type of content would appeal most to potential students.

The truth is, no matter how prepared you think you are for something like launching your own business (in this case, an e-course), nothing can quite prepare you for all the hours put into research and development that go into creating a successful product from scratch.

But there’s one thing I’ve come away with after going through the process myself. It’s that starting your course isn’t nearly as difficult or time-consuming as we might expect it to be when approached strategically and methodically.

If you do it right, it can prove to be a cash cow for you.

But have you ever wondered why some courses have thousands of students enrolled and the highest ratings while others struggle even to get triple-digit enrollments? The main reasons are they are often well-known for their high-quality content, engaging instructors, and easy-to-follow lessons. And to achieve that level of excellence, you need to be a proficient writer, an excellent marketer, and someone who actually cares about solving their student’s problems.

I spent nearly two months creating and came out of the experience with some invaluable lessons that I would like to share with you. They’re focused on the practical and creative aspects of creating an online course which many creators overlook.

1. Start with a clear goal and target audience in mind

Before you start creating your course, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and who you want to help.

I spent several weeks researching different materials used by leading experts within my field, formulating detailed outlines which included topics I felt needed coverage alongside data-driven insights garnered via surveys conducted among potential target audiences.

This will help you create relevant and valuable content for your target audience.

It’s important to set aside ample time to be spent on market research prior to venturing forth — That way, one knows exactly what their customers desire whilst having necessary information handy in case adjustments need to be made down the line.

It will also help you to determine the best format, pricing, and promotion strategy for your course.

2. Start Backwards.

Using a real-life project to explain a complex concept can be an effective teaching technique. This approach, known as “backward design,” involves completing the project beforehand and then working your way backwards while explaining it to your students.

One of the key benefits of this approach is that it allows you to fully understand and reflect on the project before teaching it. This can be especially useful in the creative field, where many decisions are intuitive and hard to put into words. By completing the project in advance, you can take the time to contemplate, repurpose, and polish your work before presenting it to your students.

In my own experience, this technique has made my online course on logo design more engaging and effective. By having my design ready beforehand, I could focus on the fundamental principles and techniques of logo design and explain them clearly and concisely.

3. Write, Write and Write.

While outlining the curriculum and deciding on the script, it is crucial to cover all the bases. You’ve to learn to understand the perspective of your prospective audiences.

Ask yourself, what does my ideal learner want me to teach them? Is my curriculum able to deliver on the promise?

Writing all this down is very constructive.

Writing allows you to review your thoughts, reject bad ideas and support the select, real gems. Well-organized thinking translates into effectively conveying your thoughts or messages to others.

4. Have a one-to-one conversation with your audience

Usually, people don’t know what tone of voice to use while recording the course, and I was of them.

When creating your online course, it is important to have an appropriate tone with your audience. You want to be professional but also ensure that you create a positive environment for learning and engagement.

First up, address your audience using first-person pronouns like ‘I’ and ‘You.’ Pretend you’re having a one-to-one conversation with a single person, not your entire prospective audience.

When addressing the camera, pretend to be talking with someone you know, like trying to teach a friend in the eleventh hour during college exams.

Use precise language while avoiding slang or colloquialisms as much as possible.

Also, use a lighter approach where humour and storytelling techniques could make up part of the presentation style so long they stay within the primary topics.

5. Use a personal story to connect with the audience.

When creating individual lessons, try not just to focus exclusively on problem-solving techniques but also include personal stories in your content.

We all love hearing about someone else’s success story or transformation journey because deep down inside, we hope some part of us may achieve something similar one day ourselves — even if our circumstances differ somewhat drastically.

These narratives often provide excellent examples of helping others take actionable steps toward changing themselves (i.e., “if XYZ can, then why couldn’t I?”).

For example, I shared a story about how I struggled to create a logo for a client with particular requirements. I explained how I went through several design iterations before finally landing on a design that both the client and I were happy with.

This personal story helped my students understand the creative process and the challenges that designers face. It also showed them that even experienced designers can struggle with creative blocks and that it’s important to keep iterating and experimenting until you find the right solution.

6. Have a solid teaching strategy.

Having a solid teaching strategy is essential for any online course. It’s not enough to simply develop subject materials — you need to do it thoughtfully and strategically, considering how your students learn and what tools and techniques will enable them to succeed academically.

When creating lesson plans for your online course, it’s essential to consider how to engage your students and make the learning experience as interactive and engaging as possible. This could involve using various teaching techniques, such as demonstrations, case studies, and hands-on activities.

In addition to engaging students, it’s also important to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your teaching methods.

One effective technique that I incorporated into my course was promoting metacognition. Metacognition is the process of thinking about one’s thinking. It involves becoming aware of and reflecting on one’s mental processes, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving.

Metacognition can be an important skill for students to develop, as it can help them to become more self-aware and self-regulated learners.