Is the world in need of your online course? Do you have a burning desire to inform people about a subject you\u2019re really passionate about?<\/p>

WHAT'S INSIDE<\/p>\nToggle<\/span>

#1 Neglecting Market Research<\/a><\/li>
#2 Overlooking Specific Simplicity<\/a><\/li>
#3 Not Using Enough Repetition<\/a><\/li>
#4 Rushing Your Course<\/a><\/li>
#5 Missing the Email List Boat<\/a><\/li>
#6 Not Pre-Selling Your Course<\/a><\/li>
#7 Not Testing Everything<\/a><\/li>
#8 Not Planning Ahead<\/a><\/li>
Bonus Tip<\/a><\/li>
To Sum It Up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
If the answer is yes<\/em>, I\u2019m here to save your head and heart from making the most common mistakes of course creators. You may have loads of subject knowledge at your fingertips, but a lot that can go wrong between getting the idea for your first online course and making that course a reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To help you achieve success the first time around, I\u2019m going to explore the eight most common mistakes creators make when developing their first online course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Disclaimer<\/strong>: Not all possible mistakes are detailed in this article, but getting these eight things right will give your course a great foundation for success!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s begin with a (very) fun fact: The global e-learning market is projected to be worth over $543 billion<\/a> in 2022<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obviously you entered the online course market for a reason, and that statistic alone could be it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online courses are a brilliant method of earning recurring income<\/a>. After all, imagine launching your courses then sitting back and watching the money roll in month after month, with minimal effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sounds like a dream, doesn\u2019t it?

Fortunately, this dream can be reality if you take the right approach and avoid the most monstrous mistakes in the development phase. And the first of these mistakes is\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#1 Neglecting Market Research <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recklessly developing an online course without any input from the outside world is a recipe for disaster. It may sound obvious, but you need to take the time to make sure people actually want to buy what you\u2019re planning to sell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never skip this step. It\u2019s where you\u2019ll get your most valuable information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
First up, get access to your target audience<\/a><\/strong>. Here are a few ways to get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Join industry-relevant groups on social media <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Write guest blogs for your intended market <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Build relationships in online forums and offer yourself as a resource <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve got access to your target consumer profile<\/a>, you\u2019ll want to hit them up for valuable market insights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Target$ <\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Common needs expressed in the online space can provide excellent course topic ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So get comfortable with social media groups. To get an idea of what people are struggling with, search LinkedIn and Facebook groups for questions starting with \u201cI need\u201d<\/em>, \u201cwhat is the..\u201d<\/em> and \u201cwhy is it.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>Create a course that your target audience sees value in, and will buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next mistake you want to avoid is\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#2 Overlooking Specific Simplicity<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your online course needs to achieve one thing \u2013 to teach people something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reason people enroll in a course is to learn about a subject or to learn how to do something, and that\u2019s what you should deliver. Nothing less and nothing more. Overwhelm is real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally, people are looking for knowledge on very specific topics. For example, someone might want to learn how to use bar codes<\/a>. A course on this topic shouldn\u2019t wander into the realms of multi-channel retailing. Stay true to the course content and as specific as possible. Remember, you can always create more courses on more topics!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>Keep this question top of mind while developing your course: \u201cWhat will my course attendees be able to do after completing my course?\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moving on to our next monstrous mistake\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#3 Not Using Enough Repetition <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
And I repeat: not using enough repetition<\/em>. To ensure your course attendees absorb the information, repeat yourself. Yes, I said repeat yourself. Then once more for posterity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Repetition is key to memorization, and it supports reflection, discovery, and consistency. One study designed to capture student opinions on remote learning<\/a> found that repetition increases self-motivation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Failing to include enough repetition in your course content could mean your students don\u2019t pick up the knowledge they need. And that can lead to poor feedback and reviews for your course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>Focus your course content on the learning<\/em>, rather than the teaching<\/em>. Consider sketching the learning outline in each course module, followed by the main topic points. Within each section of your outline, indicate areas where you\u2019ll recap info delivered earlier in the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fourth thing you want to avoid is\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#4 Rushing Your Course <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe thought of becoming a thought leader with the launch of your first e-learning course<\/a> is exciting! But always keep in mind that great results take time. As an online course creator, you have many tasks ahead of you \u2013 crafting relevant course content, recording video, editing, building an email list, and finding affiliate partners<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All this will take time and effort (that is, if it\u2019s to be any good).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who enroll in your course will expect to receive lots of useful information. And useful information can\u2019t be thrown together on a whim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Don't$ <\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Image source<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you an app developer anxious to share your knowledge abroad? The world will hear about your revolutionary How to Build a Mobile App<\/a> course in due time; be patient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expect to spend several weeks on your first project. Once you get the hang of course creating<\/a> (and build up a collection of evergreen content) things will move much more quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>Set a realistic deadline for course content completion. Include time to edit your content, have it tested, and ensure it\u2019s high quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, the first four of our eight mistakes have to do with development. Next on the agenda are avoidable marketing <\/em>mistakes. After all, developing your course is just the beginning. It will be a spectacular flop if no one knows it exists. And one of the fastest ways to do that is\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#5 Missing the Email List Boat <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou need a healthy, growing email list. Period. And you need to start building it now<\/a>. Your list should comprise people with an interest in enrolling on your course. A couple of bland boosted Facebook posts won\u2019t cut it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once your email list is healthy, consider your email marketing<\/a> strategy. The key is to balance the emails \u2013 send enough that prospects know how to enroll on your course, but not so many you get accused of stalking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout your online course development, keep communications and engagement with your prospects high. As your course launch nears, email your list to remind them to sign up. A countdown<\/a> is a nice way to create a buzz around your course launch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>To get people to pay attention to your course, it must land in their inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And four our next monstrous mistake, we have\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#6 Not Pre-Selling Your Course<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pre-selling your course to a small and select audience is a prerequisite. To do this, you can engage with your intended audience by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Arranging in-person meetings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Sending social media private messages <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Running highly targeted email campaigns <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Using VoIP phone systems encompassing video calls, instant messaging, and voice services <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

VoIP<\/a> (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology allows users to place calls over an internet connection. SIP trunking enhances VoIP capabilities further, integrating flexible collaboration tools like multimedia communications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This market-leading technology allows you to easily reach out to potential course participants in a number of ways and via multiple channels at once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A successful pre-selling scenario would be delivered over multiple channels, and go something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy course is in development, and I plan to give access to fifteen people who are willing to participate in the course creation process. I\u2019m doing this to make sure the course meets your needs precisely. If 15 people signup, I\u2019ll move forward with the course creation. If not, there\u2019s no commitment; you\u2019ll get your money back.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway:<\/strong> Pre-selling ensures your course content is validated by people who are most likely to buy it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Man$ <\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Image Source<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#7 Not Testing Everything<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re super familiar with your course, but your users won\u2019t be. That\u2019s why not testing every element of your course is a rookie mistake. But one you\u2019re not going to make, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To comprehensively test your course, enlist:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Friends and family. <\/strong>Your first port of call for course test runs.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Beta testers. <\/strong>Choose a selection of testers from your email list. Offer them the course for free in exchange for feedback.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Testing service. <\/strong>A professional service that will provide screen recordings of all interactions. Fiverr<\/a> is a great resource for this. \u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Checking that every aspect of your course works as intended will make a huge difference to its success. The last thing you want is students demanding refunds and leaving bad reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>A large number of user interaction issues can be avoided by thorough course testing. Add testing to your to-do list!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For our final avoidable mistake, we\u2019ve got the ever-popular\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>#8 Not Planning Ahead <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBack to the topic of phones, say you\u2019re offering a telecommunications course covering the specific topic of multi line phone systems<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This course has been your sole focus, and you haven\u2019t considered what happens post-launch. It\u2019s a common mistake, but one that you can avoid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to know where your e-learning business is heading. Once your course is live, you\u2019ll be busy handling student queries and course admin. Consider reaching out to a potential business partner so you can continue creating courses to keep up with demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some points to think about when planning for future business growth:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
How can I continually market my course to maintain a steady stream of students?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
How often do I need to update course content?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Do I need a partner to promote future courses?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Is this course topic going to be relevant in years to come? <\/li>\n\n\n\n
How many courses will I create in a year? <\/li>\n\n\n\n
How will I generate course participants\u2019 feedback?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway: <\/strong>Think ahead to the next stage post-launch, and take steps to future-proof your course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Bonus Tip <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is a scary one. Brace yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you unleash your course into the digital ether, you should ask people to buy it. <\/strong>Yikes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s all well and good having beta testers lined up who are getting the course for free, but you need to know that people will actually pay for it when asked to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The brutal truth:<\/strong> If no one is willing to pay for your course, it\u2019s not worth creating. And it\u2019s best to find this out before you pour a lot of money and time into your venture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>To Sum It Up <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before you go forth and become the next infopreneur, review this key takeaway success plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Ensure your intended course is in demand for your target audience<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Plan simple and repetitive course content for maximum student satisfaction<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Start building your email list early (preferably before your course is finished)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Pre-sell the hell out of your course<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Test everything, and plan ahead for expansion <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Ask people to buy your course<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve now got the tools to succeed with your online course. Good luck with your first foray into the online course world!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you liked this article, be sure to follow us on<\/strong> Facebook<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Twitter<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Instagram<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong>Pinterest<\/strong><\/a>, and<\/strong> LinkedIn<\/strong><\/a>! And don\u2019t forget to subscribe in the box<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Is the world in need of your online course? Do you have a burning desire to inform people about a subject you\u2019re really passionate about? If the answer is yes, I\u2019m here to save your head and heart from making the most common mistakes of course creators. You may have loads of subject knowledge at [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50325,"featured_media":31630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_strive_editorial_status":"not-started","_strive_copy_of":0,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_strive_checklists":"\"\"","_strive_active_checklist":"62291e2bb2422","_strive_post_notes":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69,144,134],"tags":[228],"class_list":{"0":"post-31408","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-advice","8":"category-business","9":"category-how-to-2","10":"tag-common-mistakes","11":"entry"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t