Latest / Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs / 19: Deciding the right tech to deliver your course

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19: Deciding the right tech to deliver your course · Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Digital She Does It Show.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 19, and in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about how to choose the right tech to deliver your online course.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in and get started.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host Karen and I'm here to lift the lid on what it actually takes to create a successful business.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: If you are an ambitious creative ready to build a business on your own terms and without compromise, then this podcast is perfect for you.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: With my award-winning approach to marketing and expert knowledge in creating online courses, this show will leave you feeling inspired, energized, and ready to bring those big dreams to life.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Join me each week for a dose of motivation and marketing know-how, along with actionable step-by-step strategies to help you accelerate your business's growth.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes, which drop every Wednesday.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to episode 19.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: In today's episode, I'm going to be talking about how to choose the right tech to deliver your online course because there is so much tech out there, there's so many tools, there's so many apps, and it can be really confusing to work out what option to choose and what's going to be best for your course.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, knowing what tech to use and how to get your content in front of the right students at the right time so that they can work through your content.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: So in today's episode, I'm going to break this down for you.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: So hopefully, by the end of this episode, you're going to have a much clearer understanding about the options that you have available to you.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: And so you can choose which way you're going to move forward.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, whether you love tech like me or not, there is no denying that technology is playing such a vital role in our everyday lives.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: We cannot get away from it.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: We use tech in pretty much everything we do, whether we make a cup of coffee or we watch TV or we develop and grow a business.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Technology is there to support us to help enhance our lives.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: And we do, of course, benefit from the power of it.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: So there's no getting away.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Technology is there helping us to do the things that we want to be doing.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: However, when you're branching out into a brand new area of your business that requires you to learn new tech, it can be really overwhelming, especially if you're not very tech-minded and you are just at that stage where you're just trying to figure it all out.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as entrepreneurs, we spend a huge amount of our time learning as we go.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's just part and parcel of this journey that we're on.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: But it also means that we stumble across new things that we then have to learn on the fly.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: And this can be, of course, both time-consuming and exhausting and stressful if it doesn't come natural to you.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: If it's something that you're having to learn, but maybe you don't enjoy learning because that's not where your interest lies.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know how many hours I've spent sitting at my computer trying to work out a new tool or a new app that has promised the absolute world to help enhance my business.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm guessing it's a lot.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I know firsthand how difficult it can be to not just find the time to learn new tools, but also to work your way through it and figure out exactly what you need to be doing to make it work for your business.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, learning new technology can start to feel really uncomfortable when you're starting out, especially if you aren't very tech-minded, or if you don't perhaps use technology in your business.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: I work with a lot of therapists and coaches who simply don't enjoy using tech because that's not where they want to spend their time.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: What they want to be doing is spending time with their clients, supporting them in a way that they know how, not in front of their computer having to learn the latest project management tool and all its wizardry functions.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's not what lights them up.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: However, the simple truth is that we are now living in a world where technology is playing a vital role, whether that's in your personal life or in your business.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just look at our phones.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: 20 years ago, a phone was a phone, and now our phone, we are carrying around these mini sort of computers in our bags that open up a whole new world to us, and we've become reliant on it.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: So technology really has kind of maneuvered itself into our daily lives.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: So whether we like it or not, we do need to embrace technology.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: And whilst it can be time consuming, it does in fact make our lives so much easier in the long run, which is why we need to be embracing it and not hiding away from it.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the one thing I know to be true of the pandemic is that it did force business owners to adapt to the online world, whether that was working with clients remotely via Zoom or whether it was taking their business online and creating online shops to make their products more available to the online world.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think this was always going to happen.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think this was always going to be part of our future.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's just that the pandemic, I believe, brought it early so that it forced people to sit up and take notice.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because since the birth of the internet, we have become so much more reliant on the web and being able to do things digitally.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's just COVID brought on the inevitable earlier than maybe what we would have anticipated.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think in some respects this has been a really good thing.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: I know one of my clients who runs a Pilate studio had no option but to take her business online.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Prior to the pandemic, all her classes took place in the studio.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: But during the pandemic, she had to adapt and make different decisions because otherwise she just wouldn't have had a business.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now I remember our conversations in the early stages of this period, and she was extremely worried and nervous about using tech, and she was completely not tech-minded at all.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, using technology scared the living daylights out of her because that's not where her passion lie.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: Her passion was teaching her students to learn Pilates and to support them with their health and the things that she was actually trained to do.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I remember our conversations, and it was something that she was just in this state of despair because she didn't know what that was going to look like for her business.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things that she was also concerned about is that she was not going to be able to show up for the students that needed her.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: So she wasn't going to be able to continue her in-person classes and support those that came to her class because of health issues.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: So during the early stages of that period, she had huge amounts of worry and concern.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: And not only that, naturally her business was impacted financially, which also brought on another layer of worry.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: However, despite all of her worrying and all of her concerns, the complete opposite actually happened.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: And during that period, she actually flourished and her business grew because she decided to embrace technology.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: She was no longer restricted to serving a small area around where she lived.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: She was able to kind of work with people that were online.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: She started to attract new customers from further away and who wanted to learn what she had to teach them.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: And as a result, her business thrived during a really difficult period.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now, had she given up and not bothered to take her studio online, her business would have been dead in the water.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_00: There was no doubt about that because during that lockdown period, she was not able to work with her students in person.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: So therefore, she wouldn't have been able to make any money, which really scared her at the beginning because she'd invested in this really beautiful studio in the countryside.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: And it would have been absolutely heartbreaking for her to have had to shut that down.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: So just by simply shifting her mindset and giving technology a go, she was able to develop and grow her business as a direct result of her embracing the technology, showing that she had resilience and that she was able to be agile.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: These days, she's in such a far better position because she offers a more hybrid approach to her business.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: But her business wouldn't be where it is today had she given up and accepted her fate.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think two things made a huge difference to her.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, she shifted her mindset.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: She didn't like what was going on, and it terrified her.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: And the fear of not knowing what was going to happen, it really did affect her, like it did everyone.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: However, what she did do was accept the situation for what it was, and then she began to shift her mindset.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: She opened up to new possibilities and new ways of doing things.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think this is the most important piece of the puzzle, and it's actually where the magic started to happen because mindset is so important, and ultimately it can make or break our successes.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, just by changing her perspective and seeing things differently and seeing how she could help people in a different way, what that did was help her to move forward and grow, not just in her business, but personally as well.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're someone where your glass is always empty, you're never going to get where you want to get to because you're always going to be facing obstacles and you're always going to find ways to sabotage yourself.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: However, if you look upon life as an optimist and see challenges as opportunities, then you begin to flourish.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: You attract what's yours.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's the law of attraction.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: Our thoughts become reality.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're thinking positive thoughts, then you're going to have positive outcomes.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: And that is exactly what happened to my client.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now I think the fact that my client embraced the challenges that she was facing made such a difference.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: Because when she did go down a different route and she started to introduce technology into the way she delivered her classes, it opened up to so much more possibility.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: And as a result, her business grew.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the second thing that I believe worked well for my client was that whilst she isn't tech-minded at all, by her own admission, she did decide to embrace the tech involved and give it a try.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: So probably in the early days, it wouldn't have been perfect because there would have been a lot of figuring it out.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: But as she persevered with it, she would have grew to get more familiar with it and she would have improved its use.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: And actually, it didn't need to be perfect, it just needed to do its job, which was to enable her to carry on delivering her classes directly to her students via Zoom so that they can continue their lessons live in a group environment, helping them to remain feeling supported, help them to feel connected at a time when the whole world was all going so crazy, and also to keep their motivations level up.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: So this was incredibly important at a time when everything was on its head and just nothing made sense.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now, by embracing technology, she went from the feeling overwhelmed, worried, and stressed to feeling empowered and supportive to her people that mattered to her the most, her students.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: Now, how awesome is that?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: How awesome is it that you can literally shift tactics, make changes, and actually come out the other end in a far stronger position.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: So the point of me telling you this is that if you are feeling nervous or overwhelmed at the prospect of using new technology to deliver your online course, then I just want to assure you that number one, it's perfectly normal.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: And number two, you can do this.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: If my client can move her business online and grow her business despite feeling fearful of the technology and overwhelmed at the prospect of even doing so, then you can learn what is needed to be learned to deliver your course because, like my client, it will transform and grow your business.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so when it comes to the tech, what does this look like?
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: And how much of this will you need to learn so that you can get your online course out into the world?
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in this episode, I'm going to walk you through various options so that you know what that looks like.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: But I've got some future episodes coming up that will dive more into the tools and the apps that will help you to create the content and to organize yourself and to just basically make your life a little bit easier.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: So, today, as I said, I'm going to talk about the options available.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I've got three main options for you to choose from.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: These include the self-hosting option.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this isn't necessarily commonly known, but you can host your online course directly through your website.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: So if you've got a WordPress website, you can do it through that.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: The second option is through the online course marketplaces.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where you will go to a marketplace and you'll buy a course on a variety of different topics.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then the third option is through a learning management system.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm going to dive into each of these options and explore them a little bit further and share with you some pros and cons about each option.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's start with self-hosting.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where you are building your online course through your WordPress website and you're hosting it yourself.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now, just for those who may not know what WordPress is, WordPress is an open source platform that you would use to build your website.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: So this is one of the most popular content management systems that there is, which is also known as a CMS.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're not very website techie and you don't really know the jargon, but you've heard the word WordPress, it basically helps you to publish your content by the web through your website.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Now it's a really effective tool for building websites, and it's the tool that I use when I build websites for my clients because it is an open source platform, it's very easy to use, and essentially what open source means is that you can integrate additional functionality through your website.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: So you can power up your website.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's a bit like your iPhone.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: With your iPhone, you have a basic phone with some apps, but you power up the functionality of your iPhone because you go to the App Store, you download some apps, and then you use your apps through your phone.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: WordPress is exactly the same.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: You build in additional functionality through plugins, which makes your website so much more powerful.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you do have a WordPress website for your business, then you can integrate something which is called an LMS online course plugin.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what LMS stands for is learning management system, and this will enable you to host your course content.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, WordPress Learning Management System plugins are premium, which means that they do need to be paid for.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: They're not free.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: You do get some free plugins, however, the LMS learning plugins are not part of the free options.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: You have to pay for it purely because of the functionality involved and what you're asking it to do.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: The upside is that they are considered very robust and they do offer a lot of features that enable you to create and deliver and host your online course.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: There are plugins such as MemberPress and Kinstar, and these are really popular options.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: People like using these because they're really easy to use and they offer a drag and drop approach to building your course, which does make building your course so much easier.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: Now, one of the things that I would encourage you to be aware of is that WordPress is self-hosted, which means you do need to host your website on your own server.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is fine if you're okay at installing software and you have a server and you know all about this area.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: However, if this is not your bag, if this is not something you're aware of or you have experience of, then it may not be the right option for you.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the advantages of this option is that with a WordPress LMS plugin, you own the platform, so you have complete control over it.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: You're not going to be relying on a third party, and you will also have direct access to how you set it up and the database that sits behind your site as well.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: And you will also have the ability to back everything up.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: So with this option, it's all about the control.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: You own everything, and you can set the perimeters on what you do with your course material.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I personally wouldn't necessarily choose this option only because I don't like putting all my eggs in one basket, and there is always that possibility that if your site was to get hacked and it was to go down, what you don't want to do is lose your course material or have your online course being taken offline.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I would really think about this option before you go ahead with it.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you like this option, what I would recommend you do is to have your online course built on a subdomain so that it's ultimately kept separate from your main website.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, again, if you have no experience in this area, you will need to discuss this with a web developer because they will need to set up your subdomain, they will need to set it all up so that you can obviously do what you need to do.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there is tech involved in this.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: This is probably, I would say, the most techie route to take because you're doing this yourself, you're setting up the plugin, you're setting up the location, and there's a lot of moving parts in this option.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_00: And it can get really messy if you don't know what you're doing.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: You really don't want to be playing around with your website if you have no idea what you're doing, or you've got no experience with web design or web build.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I would encourage you if you like this option, you like the idea of having full control, bring a web developer on board.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: Bring somebody that has experience in creating maybe online course platforms through websites and get the support that you need so that you can get this done.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think this is probably the one option that could lead to a lot more stress if you don't have the right support in place.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I would think carefully about this option and really weigh up if it's the right option for you.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: And if it is great, as I say, go and get the support.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: But if it isn't, then I've got a couple more options that might be right up your street.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: So moving on to option two, I'm gonna talk about online course marketplaces.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, these marketplaces are where students go to find courses on an array of subjects that they want to learn about, so it's not just limited to one area, it's not just right, okay, I want to learn about marketing, I'm gonna go to this marketplace.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's a real mixed mash of topics, but these marketplaces have been created to make courses accessible to students.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there are some benefits of selling your online course via an online course marketplace, and there are marketplaces like Udemy, Audacity, and Upskill, which are great if you're a student going on and finding the courses that you want to learn about.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: However, with this, I would encourage you to really weigh up the pros and cons before you decide to take this option because one of the key benefits of using this platform is that they do take care of the marketing for you.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: So if you don't like the idea of marketing your course, you have no idea what goes into marketing your course, and you find marketing just a little bit scary, then of course they take that hard work from you.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: So they take care of the marketing and they spend on what they need to do to get it in front of the right students.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now, one of the reasons why they take care of this is because their revenue as a marketplace depends on how many students that they bring to the platform.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_00: So they work on a volume model.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: So the more students they have coming into their platform, the most likely they are going to be selling courses.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: So they're not championing one specific course, they don't care what courses get sold, they just want courses.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: To be sold.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_00: These platforms spend hundreds of thousands of pounds in optimizing their websites.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: So they spend so much money on SEO and paid for advertising every month to bring students, new students, through their doors.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now they also have an established student base, so there is a high chance that your online course will be marketed to thousands of highly targeted buyers that are searching for your topic.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: So there's some real pros there in terms of getting your online course in front of students.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, something to be really aware of is that if you choose this option, you won't have access to your students' emails, which I would really encourage you not to overlook.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: This is something that when you're selling your online course, you want to be gathering data, you want to be accessing your students' emails because that's how you're going to nurture them in the future.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, your email database is a business asset and it needs to grow.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_00: And without having your students' emails, you're kind of cut off at a point where you can't do anything else with it.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: So you won't be growing your email list, which I personally don't think is right.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: I think if you are creating an online product, what you want to be doing is communicating with your students so you can build a relationship on a much deeper level.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the other thing to be aware of is that you have no control if you go down this route.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's a marketplace, they have full control on how often you can communicate with your students, if you can communicate with your students, because you might not be allowed to.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: What you can promote, so if you are wanting to run promotions at certain times of the year, they're controlling whether or not you can do that.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: So it might be a no-no to be able to sort of generate additional revenue through running promotions in your business.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: They also control how much you can charge for your course.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So when it comes to pricing and developing your pricing model, and I've got an episode coming up in the future all about this, you don't have any control on exactly what you're charging your students.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're looking to create a course that is, say it's£197, for example, and then you put it on a marketplace site, they might sell it at£9.99, which means you have no control over that, and you have to go with exactly the pricing that they've determined for your product.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then most importantly, they also control the length of time that you have to wait in order to get paid.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: So when somebody buys your course, if you're selling your course direct to a student, you can control all of these elements that I've spoken about.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_00: But instantly, as soon as they make a payment, you receive that money.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: With an online course marketplace, they set the boundaries on that, they will tell you what that looks like.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_00: And so it may be that you have to wait long periods of time in order to get access to your revenue.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: So whilst the pro is that they do market your course and they take care of all of that stuff, what you do need to be aware of is that the marketplace acts as an affiliate for your product, which means they keep a percentage of every sale that is generated.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: So you're going to be giving up a proportion of what you're going to make and you're going to be handing it over to an online course marketplace.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: So really consider whether you're happy to do this and whether this is something that you will accept in order to get your course in front of a huge database of students.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when I sort about this, I think, why would you put your blood, sweat, and tears into creating an online course only to kind of give away the majority of the sale?
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: Because some of the percentages that these online course marketplaces take is really high.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you could be giving away 50% or more for every sale, which means that you're going to be highly reliant on volume sales.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: So, in order for you to make the money that you are most likely wanting to make, you're going to have to sell to a huge volume of students in order to meet your financial goals.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_00: So, this is why I personally don't advocate for them.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: It wouldn't be my preferred option.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: However, as I sort of previously said, if you like this option, what I would encourage you to do is before you commit, before you go down this route, have a look at the terms and conditions that each marketplace offers and just be really aware of what you're signing up to.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: If you're okay with their terms and the way they do business, and you just want to create a course and put it on a marketplace and not have to worry about the marketing or the selling of it, then this may be an option for you.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_00: But check out their terms beforehand so you know exactly what you're signing up to.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's look at the third and final option, which is the learning management system.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: So this is probably the most popular option available on the market, and it's one of the options that many course creators choose to opt for.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, what is a learning management system and why would you want to use it?
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: Well, this is also known as an LMS.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I spoke earlier about obviously building on your website and using a plugin that is an LMS as well.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_00: Well, this is similar, but it's a web-based technology platform, and you use this to deliver your online content to your students.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_00: So that content you're creating for your course, you put it on a platform and you deliver it direct to your students.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there are so many platforms out there to choose from, like the market's becoming so saturated with various options, so you can choose a very different platform to say somebody else, just based on the functionality and the tools that they include.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you choose to go down this road, then the platform you choose will ultimately be down to your personal preference.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's what it really comes down to.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now I opt for this option because what I enjoy about using a learning management system is that they make creating online courses super, super easy.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_00: They have built platforms that are specifically for the needs of their customers.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: So everything that you are going to need to build your online course will be there for you, despite what platform you choose.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now, all you have to do is sign up for an account, upload your course content, and then you're good to go.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's as simple as that.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, some of the platforms are a little bit more complex, and you have to really do your research in terms of what platform is right for you.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_00: However, with a learning management system, you have full control over setting it all up, so getting it to where you want it to be, making it look how you want it to look, and then building your content on there so it's delivered in the way that you want it to be delivered because you're building your own private digital school, so you can connect your website to this and you can have full control over everything, but it just makes it super, super easy to do that, and also it becomes part of your brand, it becomes an extension of your website, so you don't have to worry about your student experience being different from the experience that they would encounter when they're on your website.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the main difference between a learning management system and all the platforms out there is the different levels of functionality, that's all it really comes down to because this then determines the price points in which they're sold.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, there is a platform called Podia, and Podia has a monthly fee of$39 a month.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's really easy to use, and it's been designed for sort of newbies coming into the online course world.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's very easy to build your course using Podia, however, it's very limited with the design capabilities and the marketing functionality.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a very basic platform, but it does what it says on the tin.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now there is another platform called Kunjabi, which is considered more of a premium product, and this starts at$149 a month.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_00: So you can see that there's a vast difference between the price points.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: But again, this is a really simple-to-use platform, but it offers a huge amount of functionality that supports digital entrepreneurs at delivering their online courses.
• 30:59
  SPEAKER_00: So it isn't just about creating the online course, it's about delivering it as well and providing the different marketing options and tools that you're going to need in order to market the course as well.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a lot more complex in terms of what it can do, but again, it's very easy to use.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're looking for something that offers everything, so you don't need to go and buy other things, you can just learn one platform, then Kunjabi works really well.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, they all have their own benefits and features, and as I said, this is really down to a personal preference when it comes down to choosing which option is most suitable for you.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_00: But what I would encourage you to do if you like the idea of using a learning management system, then have a look in the market.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_00: Have a look, do some research, take your time to have a look at what they offer, what the prices are, and make your decision based on what you think you're going to be needing.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: Before you decide on what option or platform is right for you, I really would encourage you to spend that time at research level.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_00: Because once you've made your decision and you start creating your online course, then you're committed.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_00: It isn't really ideal to choose a platform and then move to another platform because of the amount of work involved.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I would encourage you, if you do decide to go down this road, really look at what you're investing in because you're going to be with them for a long time.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: Also, you want your platform to be able to grow with you as well.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: And many do offer different pricing options.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_00: So even if you do start on the most basic, at least you know when you need more, there's going to be more options available to you down the road.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so one of the negative factors about choosing a learning management system is that you're going to be committing to a monthly payment.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_00: This is to keep the platform going and to keep you having access to your content.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_00: So if you don't like having to pay for something on a monthly basis, then this might not be the option for you.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_00: And as I said, the price points vary.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_00: The only thing I will say is look upon this charge as an investment.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_00: You're investing in your digital business.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: And whilst the other two options may seem appealing, this way you have full control and you're building a platform that's going to work for you.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_00: So if you like this option, then absolutely carry out your research.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you feel like the other options are probably most suitable, then again, I will just make sure you research and then decide on the one that's going to suit you, your time, your knowledge level, your experience, and your budget.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now, something else I just want to touch upon before I move on is that when we look to create an online course and we're trying to figure out where or what to use in order to deliver our online course, we need to be developing an investment mindset.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_00: Your online course is a new arm to your business, it's a new revenue stream whereby you're going to make money.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_00: So, in order for that to happen, there will be an investment required from you, whether that's in time, effort, or money.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_00: So, what I would say to you is that don't always go for the cheapest options.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_00: Don't always settle for what might suit your budget right now.
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_00: Think about what you're looking to achieve in the future and what your aspirations are and your goals are for your business and then work from there.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are looking to create an online business and you're looking to build a digital arm that brings you in revenue from selling online products such as online courses, then you don't want to be going for the most basic platforms and you don't want to be choosing the option that is going to give you the biggest headache.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: So really think about what your aspirations are and where you want to get to, and then invest in the tool that's going to support you with your efforts because you are investing in your digital business and like your main business, there are costs, and with this side of the business, there are going to be costs as well.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_00: And use it as a motivator, you're building something to sell and think about it in a way of how many units of your course do you need to sell in order to make that money bag that pays for the platform you've chosen to host on.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_00: So if you decided to go down the Punjabi road and it's$149, then how many of your courses do you need to sell to be able to cover those costs?
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you can think about it in that way, you'll be approaching it in a way that's going to help you grow.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas if you're only seeing the cost factor, it's going to stop you because you're always going to be putting the cost before anything else.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_00: So really look at this as an investment and invest in the option that's going to support you.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I use Kinjabi as my chosen platform for delivering my courses and my digital products.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to say that I absolutely love it because not only does it make the entire course creation process easy, I just love using the platform.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: I love being in the platform, and I love that I can create these beautifully designed products in a super, super easy way.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: Now, it also provides me with everything that I need to create my digital business, which is why I decided to go down the route of using Pajabi in the first place.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now, it's not the cheapest option, however, this does motivate me when it comes to making sales because I need to cover the cost of what I'm paying out.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, what I feel is that overall I'm saving money because I'm not paying for other tools that I may need to support my efforts.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm not having to pay for landing pages or email marketing or anything else.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_00: And before I started working with Kunjabi, I was actually paying quite a lot of money on other tools because I was building my email list, and the tools that I were using and the extent that I was using them at required me to pay.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: So actually, for me, Punjabi did seem like a no-brainer.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I would be completely lying if I said this was an easy decision to make.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_00: I did go around the houses and I toyed a lot with different platforms at the start because I didn't want to pay the fees every month for Punjabi.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_00: It felt like it was too much.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_00: However, once I shifted my mindset and I started to see the platform as an investment, both in saving me time and of course the quality of the output, which was really important to me.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_00: I needed my things to look the way I wanted them to look.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_00: It became a bit of a no-brainer.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to say, it's now one of my favourite tools that I use.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: I retain full control over all of my content, and I can keep building products and marketing my new products at no additional cost.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm not saying that you have to think about investing in Punjabi, but I do think you need to think about the goals of your business, what you want to achieve, and what option will suit you best in smashing your goals.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so if you are thinking about creating an online course, and of course you're here today listening to me, so I really hope you are.
• 38:23
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you just need a little bit of help to get you started, then why not come along to my workshop that I'm going to be running on Thursday, the 13th of October at 11am, which is UK time.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this workshop is an interactive workshop where I will help you to get started so you can start planning your online course because sometimes we do just need a little help to get started.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, by the end of the workshop, you will have nailed your course topic, eliminated any fears on what tech to use, and I will also show you a quick and easy way to create your content structure without having to use any tech whatsoever.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are interested in coming on board, then why not go to www.carinhyphendavies.com forward slash planning your course and find out more details.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_00: And you can also sign up there as well.
• 39:17
  SPEAKER_00: I am limiting spaces and the doors are going to close shortly, so hurry if you're interested and book your place.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you found this episode of value and of course please feel free to share it with others who you may think will also benefit from listening to today's episode.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you are feeling inspired and would like to know more about getting started with creating an online digital course, then why not download my free ebook, 10 Steps to Digital Course Success, by visiting my website www.carenhyphendavies.com.
• 39:53
  SPEAKER_00: I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_00: New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday.
• 40:14
  SPEAKER_00: So why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today, and I will see you next time.