But what do you need to know about how to create an online course, let alone sell it? With insights from Jimmy Naraine<\/strong>, award-winning educator and Udemy partner, this guide will walk you through how you can do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no better time to learn a new skill than now. And that<\/em> includes learning how to create an online course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before doing anything, it\u2019s always advisable to ask yourself your \u201cwhy\u201d \u2014 why do you want to create a course?<\/strong> An obvious question, no doubt, but a valid one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy to get caught up in following the trends, especially if you contemplating a career change<\/a> or looking for passive income. So much so that you may just forget what you\u2019re trying to accomplish in the first place. Plus, let\u2019s not forget that FOMO (the fear of missing out) is a real thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you don’t define your why, it’s going to be very hard to persevere to go out there and to make things happen<\/em>,\u201d says Jimmy at the Mindvalley University 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia. \u201cSo why do you want to build the course?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It could be to get paid for what you know<\/a>, position yourself as an authority in your field, bring together like-minded individuals\u2026 There are no right or wrong answers. But the bottom line is, knowing your \u201cwhy\u201d serves two fundamentally important purposes: 1) it motivates you, and 2) it orients you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBelieve in yourself<\/em>\u201d is not just an internet quote; it holds a lot of weight regarding your confidence, compassion, and happiness. It helps you trust in yourself and your capabilities. Without a doubt, it\u2019s the source of all positivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What does this have to do with creating your courses? Practically everything<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You could be thinking, \u201cI\u2019m not the best in the world,<\/em>\u201d or \u201cWhy would anyone want to learn from me?<\/em>\u201d or \u201cWho would even take this course?<\/em>\u201d For most people, self-doubt is kryptonite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you allow your limiting beliefs<\/a> to take the wheel, you\u2019ll be less likely to build your course content and record your videos. As a result, when you expect to fail, you\u2019re actually more likely to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jimmy can sympathize; he\u2019s been there. He highlights that your mindset plays a huge role in your success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of your fears, most of your worst-case scenarios are just an illusion.<\/p>\n\u2014 Jimmy Naraine, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Course Pro<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n So what does he suggest to do? Turn your fears, excuses, and worst-case scenarios into your power. And then, take the knowledge you learned from it to help others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Course-making is simpler than you might think, even if you\u2019re considering how to create an online course for free. And with today\u2019s technology, you, too, can do what Jimmy does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s the core of Mindvalley\u2019s Course Pro<\/em> Quest, the transformational program taught by him and Vishen, founder of Mindvalley, to help you (and people like you) to get started. So here are some highlights of the four essentials covered in the Quest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People buy courses not only for the information but also for the connection to you<\/em>. It\u2019s the power of relatability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you\u2019re looking for advice on entrepreneurship, which type of business consultant<\/a> resonates more with you: the one who came from a life of privilege and had the means to start their own company? Or the one who started with little to nothing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you have a topic and you do your research and you realize a lot of people teach that topic, it doesn’t matter because no one is like you. You are uniquely you and this is what matters.<\/p>\n\u2014 Jimmy Naraine, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Course Pro<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Your uniqueness is your magic. And this is something that\u2019ll help you create and sell courses online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The reality is, everything is already out there. You can literally Google any how-to\u2019s \u2014 how to feng shui your bedroom, how to excel in business coaching<\/a>, how to be a meditation instructor\u2026the list is endless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are two crucial steps you should take: 1) figure out who\u2019s your audience and 2) try to please your audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So often, what people do is they don’t consider [their audience] and they build courses that are too generic. They try to serve everyone. And as a result of that, they end up serving no one.<\/p>\n\u2014 Jimmy Naraine, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Course Pro<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n For instance, let\u2019s say you work in the fast-paced corporate world, and you want to teach yoga. Instead of putting together a generic yoga course, create a yoga program for busy corporate people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When people buy online courses, they want to be guided in a compelling and entertaining way. However, novice course creators often show up in front of a camera and film their entire course from beginning to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chances are, here\u2019s what\u2019ll happen: they make mistakes, the content is not compelling, and it is just things are not working out very well. And that creates even more pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you feel a lot of pressure, you cannot perform. So it’s very easy to fall into this negative spiral where you want to film videos, but nothing is really happening. Nothing is working out for you.<\/p>\n\u2014 Jimmy Naraine, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Course Pro<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Contrary to your belief, you don\u2019t need expensive camera equipment, a production team, or a studio to bring your courses to life. The secret lies in the specific (and highly affordable) techniques that can help gain your audience\u2019s trust, engagement, and satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve picked your platform and published your videos, now it\u2019s all about how to sell the course online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of people have this weird misconception that if you just build something, people will come. \u2026You have to entice people to come in and buy your product. <\/p>\n\u2014 Jimmy Naraine, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Course Pro<\/em> Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The reality is, we\u2019re living in an overstimulated world, so building a launch strategy is incredibly important to get noticed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some platforms, like Udemy and Skillshare, can help to promote your content. However, you can also take matters into your own hands with the right strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One secret Jimmy\u2019ll let you in on? Work on your course launch even before the actual launch date to create hype.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve been doing online courses for as long as Jimmy has, you\u2019re bound to have run into frequently asked questions. Here are some that the award-winning educator has answered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind that you\u2019re not going to please everyone<\/a>. Those who don\u2019t like your content will move on, and that\u2019s okay.<\/em> Because those who do<\/em> like what you have to say will stay for the value that you give them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As Jimmy says, \u201cI could probably spill something on me, I could trip, and it doesn’t matter as long as I give you value.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people are blessed to know exactly what they want to do in their lives and the long-term goals<\/a> attached to them. However, if you\u2019re not one of those people, then here are some of Jimmy\u2019s tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying your audience allows you to focus your marketing on the people who\u2019re most likely to buy your course. Additionally, it ensures more consistency in your messaging. And therefore, you\u2019ll be able to generate business leads in an efficient, affordable manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jimmy suggests asking yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n List down all that you can \u2014 just brain dump the type of people who you\u2019d like to attract. This will be your customer avatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many ways to do it, but Jimmy suggests a simple structure that has worked for him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a money-back guarantee shows that you have confidence in your product and that your audience can, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI realize that when you do it, it increases the conversion rates ridiculously,<\/em>\u201d says Jimmy. \u201cWhen people like your content, when they resonate, they don’t want their money back.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He adds that, from his own experience, if you include it in your promotional video, people are more likely to sign up for your course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several platforms you can choose from. Here are some that Jimmy recommends:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s really a \u201cdifferent strokes for different folks\u201d type of choice; none is better than the other. You can check out all of them and, like Goldilocks, find out which one is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Udemy<\/a> is an online learning and teaching marketplace, people can learn anything and everything under the sun there. They have students worldwide, which means you can teach in any language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Requirements: <\/strong>Courses must have at least 30 minutes of video content and at least five lectures or learning modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revenue:<\/strong> You\u2019re paid according to a revenue share model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing: <\/strong>Udemy can help market your course through the Udemy Deals Program. Additionally, they provide resources on how to promote it effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fees:<\/strong> There is no fee to be an instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus point: <\/strong>They have a Marketplace Insights<\/a> tool where you can learn more about the demand for any particular topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certification: <\/strong>Your students will receive a certification of completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Skillshare<\/a> is an online learning community mainly geared towards creativity, the arts, design, freelance, entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and productivity. Since they\u2019re based in the United States, their main target audience is those living there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Requirements: <\/strong>Every course has to have a hands-on project. This is part of the company\u2019s values of \u201clearning by doing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Revenue:<\/strong> You earn monthly royalties based on the number of minutes watched in your course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing: <\/strong>Skillshare is based on memberships, so you\u2019ll have access to a built-in audience from the start. They also have tons of tips to help you promote your course to your community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fees:<\/strong> There is no fee for publishing a course as long as you adhere to their class guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus point: <\/strong>You get a referral bonus for every student you refer to Skillshare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certification: <\/strong>Certifications are not available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Learning<\/a> is mostly preferred by industry experts, especially those who teach software, creative, and business skills. Courses fall into four categories: business, creative, technology, and certifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Requirements: <\/strong>LinkedIn is selective in who gets to teach on its platform. You have to fill out an application form<\/a> and they\u2019ll contact you if they see you as a fit for their faculty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revenue:<\/strong> It\u2019s contract based, so once you sign, you\u2019ll get the first half of your royalty advance. After your course is published, you\u2019ll receive the other half. And once you \u201cpay off\u201d the advance, you\u2019ll receive royalties every month for as long as the platform keeps the course up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing: <\/strong>LinkedIn Learning handles all the marketing for you. That said, you can also do your own promoting to encourage people to learn from you on this platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fees:<\/strong> There is no fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus point: <\/strong>A LinkedIn Learning instructor is essentially a contractor to create and publish courses. It\u2019ll be a long-term relationship with your content manager and producer, so you may end up creating more than just one course. (The downside is that you wouldn\u2019t be able to have courses on the same topics elsewhere.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certification: <\/strong>LinkedIn Learning provides certifications to your students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kajabi<\/a> is an all-in-one business platform that\u2019s beneficial for veteran creators and entrepreneurs. Not only are you able to create and sell online courses, but they also make it easy to develop membership sites, coaching programs, and a plethora of digital content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Requirements:<\/strong> As long as you\u2019ve got the bare minimum of tech tools and pay the subscription fee, you can make a course on this platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revenue:<\/strong> You keep all your profits, but because Kajabi uses Stripe as a payment gateway, there is a processing fee of 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing: <\/strong>You\u2019ll have to do your own marketing. However, they provide tons of marketing templates so you don\u2019t have to create one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fees:<\/strong> Kajabi is subscription-based and there are price plans<\/a> you can choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus point: <\/strong>Pipelines, which can help you visualize your marketing \u201cpipeline\u201d you are going to create, like landing pages and emails. Bonus, there\u2019s the option of using editable templates and the pipelines can be automated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certification: <\/strong>There\u2019s no built-in certification feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teachable<\/a> is similar to Kajabi, where you can take ebooks, courses, or videos and sell them as digital products. It\u2019s a freemium learning management system platform that\u2019s recommended for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Requirements: <\/strong>The only expertise you need is your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revenue:<\/strong> You take what you earn, but there is a 5% transaction fee on all course sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing: <\/strong>You can do your own marketing. However, you can opt for help with Discover by Teachable<\/a> (which will collect a 30% revenue share of sales.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fees: <\/strong>It\u2019s subscription-based. Here are the price plans<\/a> you can choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy do you want to create a course?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why self-belief matters in course creations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Jimmy](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/09\/8c81c3c9-create-an-online-course-mindvalley-course-pro-dsc_9962v-karen-harms.jpg\")
How to create an online course in 4 steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Unleash your uniqueness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Design your course<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. Produce your course<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Publish and market your course<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. What if people reject me?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. What should I teach?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. How do I find my audience?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. How should I structure my course?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. Why should I give a 30-day money-back guarantee?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Recommended Platforms to Create and Sell Online Courses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Udemy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Skillshare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn Learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kajabi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Teachable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/09\/568acbd1-create-an-online-course-a-fest-2018-sardinia-kersti-nigla.jpg\")
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