Latest / Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs / 8: Deciding the perfect course topic to teach

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8: Deciding the perfect course topic to teach · Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Digit She Does It Show.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 8, and in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about how to decide the perfect course topic to teach your students.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in and get started.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 0:26
  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.
• 0:33
  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.
• 0:41
  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.
• 0:51
  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.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes, which drop every Wednesday.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode eight, and today I'm going to be talking about how to choose the perfect topic to teach your students.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Now, creating an online course is a fantastic way to leverage the skills and the knowledge and the expertise that you have.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: You have most likely spent a great deal of your adult life accumulating a wealth of knowledge.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: And so, because of that, you are most likely wanting to be able to make some kind of money off the back of that, which is why, as entrepreneurs, we sell what we do as services because we ultimately want to share what we know and we want to support people in the way that's really going to make a difference to them.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: But as I have mentioned throughout previous episodes, there is a limitation towards how many clients that you can work with in your business because if you are your business, then everything sits at your door, which means that you have to be there to be able to make money and provide that service to your clients.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: So we're looking at ways in which you can take what you know and package it up in a way that enables you to make money from it, but ultimately it doesn't require you to have to be there to deliver it time and time again.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where online courses come in and provide a really great option as a way of packaging up what you know.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Because the truth is, people need what you have to offer.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: And so digital courses provide a massive opportunity, and it's growing rapidly in popularity just due to the ease and the accessibility of online learning platforms.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's making it so much easier now, not only to create and sell your online course, but of course for your students to gain access to it.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's now commonplace for other entrepreneurs and other adults to want to upskill and learn new things that's going to ultimately benefit them in their life.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: So it isn't just about business owners wanting to upskill and learn new things that relate to their businesses, but it may be that you have someone wanting to learn a new hobby or something of interest, and online courses are a great way for them to get access to that teaching without having to go in person to a college or a university.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a great way to be able to make what you have accessible to a lot more people.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I think gone are the days now where you actually do need to physically attend adult education classes in order to learn something new.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Because now you can find an online course covering anything and everything just simply by the touch of a button.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: So you can learn from the comfort of your own home.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, the students that you want to support can also do that as well.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's really powerful.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: That really demonstrates how powerful it is because that then opens up a world of opportunity.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as an entrepreneur, now is the perfect time to start thinking about an online course for your business, because all you really need is a subject that you feel passionate about and that you can facilitate a learning in some way, and then you can create an online course because everything else can be figured out, and that's the truth of it.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are somebody that you like the idea of having an online course, but maybe the tech side scares you, then just follow my podcast and stay with me because I'm going to be lifting the lid on what it takes in terms of tech to get your online course up and running.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: But even taking the tech aspect out of this, what you do have is an opportunity to get your message and your teaching out to a wider audience.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the very first step to creating a successful online course is to decide the topic.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: And this is what you're ultimately going to be teaching your students.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, one of the challenges many course creators face when they're creating their course is deciding which topic to deliver first, especially if they have a multitude of expertise in many different areas.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: It could be a real struggle to narrow it down and to choose one course topic to teach.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: But unfortunately, you can't create a course that has multiple topics included because it will just be so confusing.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so by nailing down your topic first and foremost, you can then create an online course that's specific to the needs of your student.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now, with so many topics to choose from, choosing a topic out of the blue is not advised.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are attempting something for the first time and you're wanting to create an online course around that subject matter, I would really encourage you to think again.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's important that when you are teaching others, you must be able to validate your own credibility.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's important to have experience in gaining results in the area that you're teaching so that you can teach others and help them to gain results, and especially before you start automating the process through an online course.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: When I first start working with clients, it's one of the discussions that tends to take place, and I always say to them about the course that their students are buying, needs to be something that they have proven results in.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because your students are not interested in buying a course.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's not what they're looking for.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: They're most likely not sitting on Google typing in, I want to find a course on so-and-so's subject.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: They're probably not doing that.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: What they're actually looking for is a result for something or a solution.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's the thing that they're looking for.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: So they may not be looking for a course on menopause, but actually, what they may be looking for is something that's going to support them through that time of life, that's going to help them to feel better and manage that phase as best as what they can do.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: And it just so happens that the delivery and the way the teaching is given is through an online course.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: So your online course is essentially the mechanism by which you're getting your teaching in front of your student.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I would really encourage you that if you are starting to think about an online course for your business, it is always about the results.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: So focus on the result first and foremost, and do make sure that you have experience delivering that result for others.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I thought in this episode it would be great to sort of share with you some tips.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm going to share with you my six top tips to help you get started with choosing the perfect course to teach.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, my tip number one is about defining your goals.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: How often do you set goals for your business?
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, we all know how important it is to set goals, but we can often overlook how important they are as we progress through our business or when we're creating a course.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Setting goals helps us to develop new habits.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: It also helps to focus our attention and keep the momentum going.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: And it can really help us to feel more in control.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: When we know what we're working towards, it can really focus our minds so that we can then put the steps in place needed to achieve those goals.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the bottom line is that if you can't manage or improve something that you don't measure properly, then you're not going to get there.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: You're going to struggle, and setting goals helps you to accomplish the things that you want to accomplish, especially when you are starting to create your online course.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: Your online course needs to sit in the vision that you have for your business, it needs to align itself.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the challenges of choosing a course topic is that if you want to choose a course topic that everybody knows, so to speak, then it can be really difficult to differentiate the course that you're creating by what's out there already.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: But it can also be really difficult to figure out where your angle is.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, there are probably loads of courses on social media.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's a popular subject matter, and many course creators have no doubt created courses supporting their students with leveraging social media to help them either with their business or in their personal life.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you are somebody that teaches social media, rather than teaching a course that just simply talks about social media, think about where your niche is and how you can create something that sits differently to what's out there already.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you may already have this, it may be the angle in which you take on that subject matter.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: You may see things very differently from your competitors.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: The process that you use may be different from your competitors.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: Even the results that you generate again may be different from your competitors.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I wouldn't advise you not to create a course teaching social media because it really doesn't matter if other courses exist.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: What I would encourage you to do is really think about how you can put your own spin on the subject matter and how you can support your students in the easiest and most efficient way possible.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: So think about what you talk about at the moment with your current clients.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Is there something that you support them with that you have your own unique spin on?
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have a framework or a system or something that you use that is unique to your business?
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: Where is your expertise?
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: So where is the thing that entices your clients to work with you?
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: So what is the gem in the crown?
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Is it the way you approach your subject matter?
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Is it your viewpoint, your perspective?
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: Is it the fact that maybe you cut out all the noise and you just focus on what moves the needle?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: Where does your expertise lie?
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: And what is the thing that really sets you apart?
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: And think about what your clients are currently asking you for as well.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: What are they coming to you for and what do they need help with?
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Is there one thing that you are constantly being asked to support with?
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: And is it something that you're finding that you're delivering over and over and over again?
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because if you are, then ask the question: can this be automated?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: Can you automate this to the point where you create it once and then you deliver it over and over?
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: So could this be the course that you then go ahead and create?
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: So think about where your expertise lies, how you currently help your clients, what they're asking for, and if there's something that you are delivering on repeat.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I was recently speaking to a colleague who helps her clients to get started with blogs because she was constantly being asked for support in this area.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now, she realized that not only did she enjoy talking about it, but she also found that it was an easy subject for her to support others with.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: And also she had results in helping her clients not only create the blogs, develop a strategy around the blogs, but also helping them to drive traffic to the blogs.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: So for her, creating an online course around the subject of blogging was a no-brainer.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: So ask yourself what you can create that's going to support your clients further, and what is it that they're asking you to help with that is ultimately going to make their life easier?
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I think when you uncover this, then you are on your way to defining your course topic.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: Now, tip number three is all about understanding your audience.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: So, in order to define your topic, it's important to know who your audience are and what they need support with.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: So this kind of goes hand in hand with my second tip.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: The more understanding that you have of your audience, the better your digital course will be for you and of course your students, because the transformational aspect of it will be better.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: You'll have more success if you already know your students' pain point.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you really understand your student and why you're creating a course for them, you are going to be able to create a course that lands and that provides them with a solution that they need.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say you have multiple courses that you could teach, but maybe the problem is that you don't know where to start.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: Well, then the goal here is to pick the one that is most beneficial to your audience, but is also the quickest and easiest to create.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because the truth is that, as I mentioned earlier, your audience are not looking for a course.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: It isn't the fact that they want a course that they're looking for you.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's not going to be what they're looking for.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: They're going to be looking for the solution to a problem that they have.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: So then you need to create something that's ultimately going to motivate them to buy.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're choosing a subject around an area that they are really struggling with, so if just going back to my colleagues' example, blogging is a really powerful way to grow your audience.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: It helps your website with the SEO, the search engine optimization, and it gives you content that you can then leverage across social media.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: So there's some real great benefits for having a blog.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in order to develop your business and to build your audience, a blog is a great tool to be able to use to support you with that.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: So she knew that by simply helping her clients create a blog for their website, they were going to be able to grow, grow their business, grow their audience, and get the success and the results that they're looking for.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what I say to you.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're not buying the course.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: She's not selling a course just on blogging, she's selling a result.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: So part of choosing a topic is understanding why you're choosing that topic, but understanding the result that it's going to deliver.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: So before you choose your topic, I would encourage you to get a really good handle on who your ideal student is so that you can pick a topic that's going to serve them in the best possible way.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: Don't try to appeal to everyone as you cannot cater for everybody's needs.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, just focus on a core group of people that you can really help.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm just going to use an example of mindfulness.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, so if you're creating a course on mindfulness, not everybody's going to be your ideal student.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_00: So don't try and create that specific course for everybody.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: Think about who really needs the support that you're going to be providing.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: Narrow your audience down so that you know exactly who you're going to help.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe it might not be everyone in terms of all females, but it could be busy mums who spend their days having to juggle so many things.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: So instantly you're going from women to mums.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: So you're narrowing that audience down further.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: And then you can narrow it down even more.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe the way you profile your audience is looking at what their day-to-day looks like and what they need help with, and how mindfulness, using that as an example, can really support them in their day-to-day struggles.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: So get really clear on who that ideal student is, where they currently are in their journey, i.e., what their challenges are, and how you can create something that really does support them.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: And then you are going to be going a long way to being able to get those sales that you're going to want to get when your course is ready for launch, because you're actually tapping into a need that your audience has.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: So in order to define your topic, think about three things: your audience, what they are currently struggling with, and how you can help resolve these struggles through your teaching.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: And then by getting clear on these questions, you can get really clear on your subject area.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: So my fourth tip is about connecting to your passion.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: When you're deciding your course topic, choose something that you feel really passionate about.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because if you're delivering a course on something that really does not interest you, then that energy is going to come across to your students.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: And as a result, they're going to be less engaged, which will result in them not completing your course.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: So you might get the sale, but you may not get the completion.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if this is a struggle and you don't know what you feel passionate about, so maybe there's not one thing that immediately sticks out in your mind, then think about what you could talk about for an hour without being paid.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: So what is that one thing that you would talk non-stop just because it interests you and because you feel passionate about it?
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: Think about what lights you up.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_00: What subject really does fill you with joy when you're talking about it and get you excited?
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: And then think about what you do currently that supports your current audience.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: And ask yourself is that something you still feel passionate about?
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_00: Choosing a topic that you have passion for will help you to create a far more effective course that your students are going to respond to because they're going to feed off the passion that you're going to display as you teach them.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: So, my fifth tip is about understanding your zone of genius.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it can be really difficult to know what this is.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: So, one of the things I really do believe in is that we all have our own paths that we're destined to be on.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: We know when we're on this path because we feel a sense of joy and ease of flow in our day-to-day lives.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're doing something at the moment and you're thinking to yourself, oh God, I just love this.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_00: I could do this all day, every day, then you're aligned with the things that you're meant to be doing.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_00: And that can be really powerful.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: So really stay with it.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes it can be really easy to get distracted from the things that we love to do.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: Especially as entrepreneurs, we can often get distracted by the shiny light syndrome whereby other things come into view, and it may be that they take your attention.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: So we need to stay focused on the things that really do bring us that joy.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: And understanding where our zone of genius is will really help us to create businesses that are aligned with who we are.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: Now, for me, I always knew my superpower was being creative.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: From a very young age, I was always drawing, painting, and I was creating something of some kind because it was easy and I loved it.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I used to lose hours just simply sit and do watercolour painting, and it just used to bring me so much joy.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now, once I recognized the skills that I had and how I could then evolve my skills, and now essentially what I do when I'm designing is I'm bringing that creativity on screen.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: But when I think of how I can help people in a more meaningful way, it connects me to my zone of genius.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: So what is your superpower that comes natural to you?
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: What specific needs does your ideal students have?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_00: And how can you fulfill these needs through your online course?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: So the overlap with your zone of genius is when your skills and what brings you joy and what you're passionate about aligns with the needs of your students.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I would really encourage you to think about what your zone of genius is and connect to it because if you create an online course that really taps into this, it will be powerful and you'll be able to influence and impact your students in such a powerful way that it will really support the sales of your course moving forward.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, my sixth and final tip is about getting specific.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's the truth: no one's going to buy in a course just for the hell of it.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I've said that a few times previous, but I can't stress this enough.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_00: They're not buying a course, they're buying a solution.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: And in order to be able to solve their problems, you need to get very specific and understand what their problems are and what challenges that your ideal student is facing on a day-to-day basis.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: So think about what this is going to mean for them.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now, it may require you to do a little bit of dig in to kind of get under the hood of who they are so that you can really understand their needs.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: But if you don't do this, it may result in you simply just wasting your time.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: And you don't want to be creating an online course that nobody wants.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_00: The name of the game is to create an online course that makes a difference because you're supporting other people's transformation, however small.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: So think about what they need from you and how you can show up and support them in the best way, and what course you can create that's really gonna tap in to their needs.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: So there you have it.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: They're my six tips for choosing your perfect course topic.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: Now don't rush this.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_00: Take your time and really think about the topic that's gonna land with your students.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_00: Once you've nailed it, then you're away.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: But the course topic time needs to be spent on it because you want to make sure that you're creating the right course with the right topic for the right students.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you found this episode of value, and of course, please do feel free to share it with others who you may think will also benefit from listening to today's episode.
• 26:45
  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.carenhyphandavies.com.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_00: I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday, so why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today, and I will see you next time.