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13: Common mistakes to avoid when creating your online course · Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 13, and in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about the common mistakes to avoid when creating an online course.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in and get started.
• 0:32
  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.
• 0:40
  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.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes, which drop every Wednesday.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to today's episode.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining me.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Today I'm going to be talking about the common mistakes that people make when they're creating an online course and how you can avoid them so that you can get to the finish line with success.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think when you first decide to create an online course, it can be really exciting because you've made this decision to not only create an additional revenue stream for your business, but you've also made the decision to create a digital side to your business that means that you're entering into a brand new space, and that new space has limitless possibilities.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: So it can be really exciting to think of what might be possible.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: However, once the honeymoon period wears off and you find yourself in the midst of creating your course, you may find that there are some rabbit holes that you can end up going down.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: So my goal for this episode is to help you avoid these pitfalls so that you can create and sell your course with both confidence and ease.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now there's no doubt about it, mistakes are going to be made, especially if you are creating your course for the very first time, because we're only human and when we start anything, there does need to be a period of learning and figuring it out.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: We don't come at something as an expert, we have to learn and evolve and get to that level by making mistakes.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: So mistakes are perfectly normal and to be expected.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: However, what you ideally want to avoid is making fundamental mistakes that will derail your progress or stop you from completing your course.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you are doing this on your own, it can of course be tricky to just keep that momentum going, especially if you don't have an accountability buddy or somebody that you can work with to be accountable to.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Finding the motivation or the willpower to keep going when you're really busy spinning so many other plates in your business can, of course, lead to mistakes being made.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: And these mistakes can ultimately cost you in the long run.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's really important to understand what the common pitfalls are so that you can make a plan to avoid them.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: So in today's episode, I'm going to share with you five key mistakes that course creators make and what you can do to set yourself up for success and avoid making these mistakes.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: So the first mistake I'd like to share with you is not being specific enough.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is a common mistake that course creators make simply because they haven't taken the time to drill down into the details.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I think when it comes to creating your online course, the more specific you are, the better.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: And it's those details that's going to help you create an effective course.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: So what I mean is that by focusing in on your topic and getting really specific as to what your course is about, knowing who it's for, and of course the results that it's going to deliver will help you set your course up for success.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, getting clear on these three core areas will help you create an effective and meaningful course because you'll be able to create the right content for the right people who need the result you're offering at exactly the right time.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are not sure if you have or you're being specific enough with what you've created so far, then ask yourself these three questions.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: What transformation am I offering?
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Who needs this?
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: And how am I going to get them to where they need to be by the end of my course?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: Now, your online course should be a solution to a problem that your ideal student is currently facing.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: So take the time and get really clear on what this is.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: Do not try to appeal to everyone because you won't be able to help everyone through your course, even though you'll probably sit in there thinking, but my course will help everyone.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: The danger with this is that your course will be far too vague and it won't land with the ones that really need what you have to offer.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: So decide on a specific audience that your course is going to be able to help.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as I said, if you are thinking that your course will benefit everyone, then you are being too broad.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I spoke about this at length in last week's episode.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you haven't listened to last week's episode, episode 12, then definitely check it out.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's three easy ways to pinpoint your idle student.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Because I talked about this at length and why it isn't a good idea to go too broad with your audience.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: When you go too broad, you'll miss what your students need because you're too busy trying to help everyone.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: So you need to get specific, you need to really drill down into those details and identify what your course is, who it's going to help, and the result that it's going to be delivering.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: So once you have decided on your course topic and you have decided on your audience, and you have made a decision about the result that you're providing, then really you should be able to then sum it up in one sentence.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And if you can't, then you are being too broad.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I encourage you to get really clear on these areas first before you dive in and start creating any content.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now to find out how to clarify your course topic further, if this is something that you are looking to do, then check out episode eight, deciding the perfect course topic to teach.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: I drill down into exactly what you need to be thinking about and how to go about defining the ideal topic for you.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: So it's definitely an episode that I would encourage you to listen to.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Now, mistake number two is not validating the course idea first.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: And this is another mistake that can often be overlooked at the beginning of the process.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: So this is something that is very much needed but can be overlooked, especially if you think that you've got your topic, you know your audience, you know the solution, then the next logical step may be to just jump in and start creating that content.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: If that's what you've done, then what I would recommend is that you stop and you take some time to validate your idea first.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Having an idea for your course is only the first step, and having an idea does not guarantee that your course will sell, it's just the first step in the course creation process.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: So once you have decided on your idea and you know what topic you want to teach, and you know what audience you're going to support, then the next stage that I would recommend you do is validate that actually what you're looking to create is needed.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Making assumptions with your course can lead to mistakes being made, and it could lead to your course not selling, and that's the truth.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: When we make assumptions, we are risking the integrity of the course because we don't know for sure if what we're putting in our course is needed.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you work with clients and you are creating a course based on your clients' needs, then you need to look at that audience.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Are you selling to your client base or are you expanding your client base and selling to a new audience?
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Because here's the thing: if you are selling to your existing client base and they're coming to you for one-to-one services, then you need to get really clear if they're going to be buying online courses from you, or are they going to choose to work with you on a one-to-one?
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if they're not going to be ideal for your courses, but maybe what you're teaching them or what you're doing for them at the moment is going to work for another type of audience.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe an audience that wants to have a more do-it-themselves option available to them, then you need to take the time, profile that audience, and then validate your ideal with them, and just make sure that you're not making assumptions that will cost you sales in the long run.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, we want to bring money into our business and we want to do this by making sales.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: So we want to make sure that we're avoiding disastrous outcomes by mitigating the risk beforehand and taking the time to validate our course idea.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: So it's important for course creators to include this step in their process so that they can continue on creating their course with confidence.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Because once you get the evidence that you need to support your idea, then you can start creating the content that your audience are going to want and need.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really important to take your time and to validate your idea first so that you're in a position where once you are ready to launch your course, you know that without a shadow of a doubt, it's exactly what your audience wants, and that you will be able to sell it.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Carrying out valuable research in a systematic way will help you to build a really clear picture as to whether or not there is a need or a demand for what you have to offer.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's the most important bit.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: You're not looking for people to rewrite your course or to give you a different idea.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: All you're simply doing is taking the time to validate the idea that you have.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: Because then you'll be able to provide your students with meaningful and effective content that will help them to achieve the results that they are looking for.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: And by validating your course, you'll be able to know the results that they're looking for.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So you'll be able to create content centered around this.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: It is your responsibility as the course creator to ensure that your students have exactly what they need in the course because they are coming to you to learn.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's vital that you build a solid foundation where you're offering value to your audience, and validating your idea first will enable you to do that.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: And it will also bulletproof your online course because you will know exactly what your students' current struggles are, what they need help with, and how you can help them in the most quickest and efficient way possible to achieve the results that they are looking for.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, with your course, it's a vehicle to getting results.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_00: So people are not buying your course because they're looking for a recourse, they're buying your course because they're looking for a result.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you want to find out more about how you can start validating your online course, then check out episode 10 what you must do before creating your online course.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: Because in that episode, I dive into this in more detail to help you do this most important stage of the course creation process.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: So definitely check it out.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, mistake three: not considering the overall student experience.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is another common mistake that course creators tend to make because they're not considering the students' overall experience of the course and, of course, the learning outcomes that they're going to receive.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't matter how great your content is because if the overall experience of the course is poor, then it's going to result in your course failing because your students will either not stick around to complete the course, or worse still, you'll receive negative feedback and reviews and even demands for money back, which is really not ideal.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want to be having to give refunds because your students are not enjoying your course and getting what they need from it.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it's important to not only think about the content that will be included in your course, but also how your students will interact with that content and the types of content that you're going to be providing.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when it comes to your course content, everyone learns differently.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_00: Some people love to read long-form text, others enjoy learning through visual content.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Some people prefer to listen to audio recordings, it's how they absorb information and how they can retain that content.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: So part of understanding your idle student is also understanding how they like to consume content and how they like to learn, and then you can create content around their needs and what they like so that it lands with them.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the more you know of your students, the better you can support them through your content, which is why it's worth taking the time to really profile your ideal student ahead of time so you can find this stuff out.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I have bought some terrible courses.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: I have bought courses that I have just not completed because they haven't provided a good enough experience to make me want to stick around.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now I wouldn't say that about all the courses I've bought, but I've definitely been on the receiving end of some terrible ones.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: The reason being is that they haven't considered the student's perspective and what it's going to be like for a student consuming that content.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: So really think about that.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: I bought one course where the lady was delivering the course by repurposing her Facebook Live videos without editing them first.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: So for the first 10 minutes of her video, she literally sat there having a conversation with her friend.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_00: And what was worse was that there was really loud music blaring in the background.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: It was awful, it was awkward, and it felt really uncomfortable watching.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so, unfortunate for her, I didn't stick around to see what the rest was that was on offer because my initial experience of her and the course was just not great at all.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: And because of that, my impression of the course was not great.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: She had taken no time to introduce herself, she didn't even set expectations of what was to come.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: And please do not get me started on the styling and visual appearance of the course.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: It was dreadful, it was a mix mash.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: She had literally taken content and just stuck it on a course platform without really considering the student's experience of that course.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: It felt like it had just been pieced together from the old content that she had in order to make a course.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you are thinking of doing that, I really encourage you not to.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: There are far better ways and more effective ways of creating a course because it made me feel like I didn't want to stick around and waste my time, which was not a great feeling to invoke in your students.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I wouldn't want people coming onto my courses feeling like that.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you wouldn't with your courses.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's worth taking the time and really trying to see it from the perspective of your students.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the students' experience of your course is so important because it can make or break the success of your course.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's far better to take the time and create a course that has substance and that's been well thought out rather than creating something quickly just to make money because your students are not going to thank you for it.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: No one wants to pay for something that doesn't deliver and is a waste of money.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: And in my opinion, that particular course it really didn't offer me what I was expecting.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, it was a waste of money.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: So even if you are selling something at a low price, it's a far smarter strategy to wow them with value and quality because it will create raving fans and it will keep your customers coming back for more in the future.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: Cheap and cheerful doesn't work in the long run, and it can be really detrimental to your business.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: So if this is a strategy that you are looking to do, I would really encourage you to think against it.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: Your course is a product that sits under the brand of your business, it's what's going to represent your business.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: So if you create something shoddy and cheap, then that will be the impression that you will be making about your business.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you're using online courses as a way to funnel new customers into your business, then you must consider the students' overall experience of your course.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: So take the time to brand your course, create a logo, design some visuals in Canva that you can use at the start of your videos.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: Design some beautiful workbooks that your students will appreciate.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: Create an environment that your students want to be in and what's going to support their learning.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: And spend some time thinking about how you can wow your students and create something exceptional that they're going to want to shout about and refer to others.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: Consider how you want your students to feel once they've completed your course, and what do you need them to do, or what do you need to do to get them to that place of feeling?
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: So your online course is an opportunity to represent your business in a way that differentiates you to other businesses out there.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: So what can you do to make your course stand out and serve your students in the best way possible?
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so moving on to mistake number four: not scheduling time to work on your course.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is another common mistake that course creators can make by simply not scheduling time on a consistent basis to work on the course.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the truth life is busy, and as an entrepreneurial business owner, you are, of course, spinning so many plates.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: So finding time to work on your online course can prove to be really tricky.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the thing: if you don't make the time, you simply won't get it done.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: And then what you have done, if anything, is going to be wasted.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are wanting to create an online course or you've made a start, perhaps you are struggling to find the time to get stuff done, then I really encourage you to think about creating a schedule that allows for time to work solely on your online course.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as I said, this can be really tough, and I know this firsthand exactly how demanding it can be.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: Trying to keep everything afloat whilst moving your business forward.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if you've got children and family life, and you're a homeowner, and you've got all of these other things that kind of come into the equation, it can be really tough.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_00: But you're creating a brand new revenue stream to your business, it's a new arm where you're going to dog it out.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, in order for it to be created, you need to put the time aside to make it happen.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: Because, as you know, like I know.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Things don't just happen.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_00: Your business didn't just happen.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: Where you are right now in your journey, that didn't just happen.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: You would have had to make some kind of plan, or you would have had to make intentional decisions to get you where you currently are.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: Even if you didn't think that you were doing it intentionally, I am sure that deep in your subconscious, there is something there that you planted to help you get to where you are today.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: Things don't just happen, they don't just happen by default.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: So, therefore, we've got to put whatever we need to do in place to get things done.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, what I encourage you to do is really look at your calendar and your weekly schedule and see where you can build time in to make time so that you can build this new revenue stream for your business.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_00: Anything that's worth having takes effort, time, and commitment.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: You need effort in order to get stuff done, you need time to be able to do the stuff, and you need commitment to keep it going.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: Now, your online course is a vehicle that can take you wherever you want to go because the possibilities are endless, but you need to build the vehicle first, and that takes effort, time, and commitment.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I've had many conversations with people who have literally asked me about the work involved, and this is a common question about how much work is involved.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I always say to them, yes, there is work involved.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: However, the rewards and the possibilities that you're creating for yourself and your business far outweigh any of the work involved.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: I think sometimes reframing our mindset can really help us.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you are looking at an online course and you're just seeing the workload, then perhaps reframe your thoughts and ask yourself, where do I want to be in six months' time from now?
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: What are my financial goals and how am I going to achieve them?
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: And also consider how much of you needs to be there involved in reaching your financial goals.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: How much work do you need to do to make this happen?
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_00: Because if you're involved currently, I bet it's a lot.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: I bet in order for you to deliver the services that you're currently delivering to your clients, it requires a lot of you to be there.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: So think about you not being there.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: Think about what that means for you going forward in the future.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you can make money, but you don't have to be there every time in person to make it happen.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: So think about how it's going to feel if you can create something once and then make money on repeat.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: So what if that means that you don't have the load of work that you currently have, but you achieve the financial freedom that you desire?
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: Will you find the time then?
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: Mindset is everything, especially when we're growing our businesses and we're scaling.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you see work in everything you do, then it's going to stop you moving forward because you're always going to see this obstacle in front of you.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: There's always going to be this obstacle of there's a lot of work involved.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: But if you see growth, opportunity, and possibility, then you are going to be away.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_00: You are going to be able to achieve the results that you want to achieve for yourself, and you're going to build the business that you really want to have.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the difference.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: What worked for me when I was creating my Crafting Your Brand course, and I'll put the link in the show notes to the course, was that I created a separate calendar in my Google Calendar.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I planned out time ahead of time so that I knew exactly what I was dedicating to my online course per week.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: Initially, I scheduled in, I think it was about one hour a week, and then the more I got involved in my course, then I increased that time.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I think I ended up with a day a week to finish my course.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I was able to do that because I was able to make changes in my business to allow me to have that time.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: What I found from personal experience is that by taking small consistent steps on a consistent basis, it got me exactly where I needed to be.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: I found that I looked forward to that time of just immersing myself in my course, and I really enjoyed that process without worrying that I should be busy doing something else for someone else.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_00: So that time that I scheduled for myself was time for me to focus in on the growth of my business and to work on future generating revenue.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: Once I realized this, once that light bulb moment came on where I realized that I was actually spending time on the future of my business, I made that time that was scheduled in my diary a non-negotiable.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I made sure that come rain or shine, I was working on my online course.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: So take the time to look at your diary and work out what time that you can dedicate to your course on a weekly basis.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_00: Now, even if it's just 15 minutes, 30 minutes, it really does not matter.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: What matters is that you are being consistent and that you keep going.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_00: Small steps really do lead to big changes, and this leads me nicely on to my final mistake.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: So mistake number five is letting the fear stop progress.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, and I had to include this because this is so common where course creators get so caught up with the prospect of not being able to sell that they don't even finish their courses.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think one of the worst things that can happen, and the thing that unfortunately does happen, is that there are many courses out there that get started and not completed due to that fear.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this fear may be born out of the need to be perfect as well.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: It may be the fact that you are a perfectionist and you just want everything to be just so right for your students.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: And so, of course, if you're spending so much time trying to perfect your course to every inch of its life, you're never going to get it finished and you're never going to get it launched.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: And it's a real shame because the truth is that perfection doesn't exist.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's something that sits in our minds and it kills progress.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_00: We all have a different perception as to what perfection is, and it's subjective.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know, my idea of perfection may be very different to your idea of perfection.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: So if I'm letting perfection stop me from getting what I need to get out there because I'm thinking that it needs to be perfect, my students may be thinking that when it is perfect for me, it might not be perfect for them because it's subjective.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: So please don't let perfectionism stop you from making progress with your course because your course is never going to be perfect, and that is perfectly okay.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't need to be, it just needs to provide a solution to a problem in a quick and easy way.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm going to repeat that.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, your course does not need to be perfect, it just needs to provide a solution to a problem in a quick and easy way.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's really important to take that on board and not let this stop you.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: Courses evolve over time, it's the nature of the beast because as you put your course out there, you will hopefully get student feedback, and this could lead to you updating your material or creating new material that you might include in your course.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_00: So you need to allow for this and accept that good is good enough.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you are trying to be perfect to the point that you're spending too much time rewriting or redesigning content, then take a step back.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: Take a step back and ask yourself what is it that is holding you back from finishing your course?
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_00: What is that one thing that's stopping you from getting it out into the world?
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_00: Is it because you are fearing the prospect of failure?
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_00: Or perhaps is it because you're feeling nervous about launching or selling it?
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: Now, both are common fears, but the trick is to recognize them and be really aware of your behavior.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_00: So, what do you need to do in order to change this?
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if this is the case, then perhaps consider beta testing your course or piloting your course.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: And this is when you put it out to a small group of people for them to test before you put it out for launch, and you get them to give you feedback or reviews.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is a really great way to test your course and its content before you put it out into the world.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are feeling nervous about your course, then just know that if you use the piloting strategy in advance of selling it, this will go a long way to validating your course and to giving you the confidence that you need to get it out into the world.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I beta tested my courses and I also beta tested my program as well, and I did that for quite a while before I actually put it out at full price.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_00: So it's perfectly acceptable to do that, and it's a really great way to get feedback on your course and to build that confidence around it.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I encourage you to consider that if you are feeling fearful of getting it out and selling it.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever we do something new for the very first time, it can be really scary, but this is where the growth happens, and the truth is that through this journey, you are growing not just the opportunities for your business, but you're also growing on a personal level as well, and that needs to be embraced.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're feeling fearful and you are feeling as though things are starting to get in your way, you're procrastinating, you're trying to perfect your course, then then be kind to yourself and recognize it and and just know that this is perfectly normal, but also know that you have to take action, you have to push past this fear, and you have to take action to get it out there.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're feeling fearful and you're not sure about whether your course is right, then definitely consider beta testing your course first and getting that feedback back.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, don't let fear rob you of your future success.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's put our big girl pants on and get it done, get it out there, and let's start making money from our courses.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode.
• 33:54
  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.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_00: If you are feeling inspired and would like to know more about getting started with Creating an Online Course, then why not download my free ebook, 10 Steps to Digital Course Success, by visiting my website www.carinhyes.com.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_00: I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_00: So why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
• 34:45
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today, and I will see you next time.