Publishing Secrets

Published and Paid #6: 7 Reasons to Consider Creating a Course

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Episode notes

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

Important questions to ask when considering creating a course
Why creating a course is often more profitable, impactful, and helpful than writing books
What to keep in mind when turning your book into a course
Where to get a FREE guide to walk you through the first (very low-risk) steps, plus the opportunity to consult an industry expert

Be sure to read all the way to the end for the link to the FREE guide and to connect with course creation expert Kate Nash!

The reality is that the publishing industry is constantly changing. More than ever before, it’s important to think outside the box when it comes to making a living as a writer. That’s where the Published and Paid series comes in. Over the past five episodes, we’ve been exploring new opportunities and discussing exactly where and how to get the tools you need to succeed.

Remember, it all starts in the mind. Once you start thinking differently and using the tips, tricks, and strategies we’ve been highlighting in this series, you’ll be able to publish and profit in a way that honors God.

Make Money as a Writer by Creating a Course

So far we’ve covered four paths to make money as a writer: through publishing books, public speaking, coaching programs, and copywriting. Today, we’re going to look at another income stream that you’ve probably benefited from, but that you may not have considered as something you could do to make extra money. That income stream is turning your book – or podcast or blog – into a course.

Courses can be extremely profitable, especially if you have expertise in a highly sought-after topic. And thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to create and sell a course. There are numerous platforms that will host your course and handle all the logistics from registration to payment processing. Best of all, a course can help you make an impact for Christ around the globe.

Most of us have taken a course at some point in our lives, whether it was for work or school, and we know how beneficial they can be. So it makes sense that your audience would benefit from you taking the material you’ve already created and turning it into a course.

Now, if you’re like the members of our Christian Authors Network community, you probably have some questions, like:

What exactly should I put into the course?
How do I figure out how much content to include?
How do I price my course?
Where will I find customers for the course?
How in the world do I find the time?
What if I put in the work and create the course, and no one wants to learn what I have to share?

Those are all fair questions! And some people would say, “Hey, listen, that's just FEAR – False Expectations Appearing Real.” But the reality is that these are questions that need to be addressed.

Let’s be clear: creating a course comes with its share of challenges, just like anything else that makes a difference in the world. Yes, it will cost you something, and not only a small investment of money – it’s also going to take time, effort, and energy. But you may find that the benefits far outweigh the costs.

7 Reasons You Should Create a Course

So why should you consider creating a course? There are many good reasons, but for now, let’s look at seven of them to help you consider this viable and very profitable option.

1. You've already created the content – why not maximize it and share it with more people?

Many of us have created a piece of content that we were really proud of, but we knew in our heart that not enough people got to see it. Maybe you self-published a book and didn’t have the marketing budget to get it in front of enough eyeballs. Or maybe you wrote this amazing blog post, and it got lost in the sea of the internet.

Whatever that content is, if you know it’s quality content that helps other people, why not turn it into a course so it can reach a wider audience? These days, online marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare and course creation tools like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi make it easier than ever to create and launch courses and share your knowledge with more people.

2. You can make more money from selling courses than selling books.

When it comes to earning potential, there’s no question that courses beat out selling books, simply because courses tend to have a higher price point.

Imagine you create a course and sell it on the low end at $100 for each person who signs up. If 10 people sign up, you’ve made $1,000. On the other hand, if you sell a book for $10, you need to generate 100 sales to make that same $1,000 – and that’s not even factoring in the extra fees you’ll have to pay to ship those books.

While you may continue to revise and enhance your course over time, you won’t have to pay a fee every time someone signs up for it. That means you retain more of the income that’s generated from each sale than you do from book sales. In other words, creating a course takes a little extra effort, but it can be a much more lucrative way to earn money in the long run.

3. Courses are a great way to build authority in your field.

When you have authority in your field, people see you as the expert. They believe that you know what you’re talking about and that you can show them the way to solve their problems.

Of course, publishing books is an effective way to build authority and credibility. But when you create a course, you increase the complexity of what you’re able to offer – and also the value. You create the opportunity to put your knowledge and expertise on display for the world to see. Creating a course reinforces that you are an expert in your field, because you’re not just writing – you’re also teaching others and directly helping them reach their full potential.

Now, make no mistake, there is tremendous power in books. But when it comes to credibility and authority, there’s a huge difference between being able to write and being able to teach a concept. When you demonstrate that you can transfer knowledge by teaching others, it instantly raises your market value, helping you build a powerful brand and expand your reach.

4. By creating a course, you help people learn in a structured, organized way.

We are conditioned from a very young age to have information presented to us in a logical, step-by-step format, because that’s the easiest method for us to follow and understand what we’re being taught. When you create an online course, not only are you earning money through helping people learn, but you’re also giving the people who sign up confidence that they can actually put the knowledge to use.

People want to have hope that they can make changes. They want to learn concrete skills that will help them change their lives for the better. By creating a course that effectively presents information and the tools for applying it, you offer people a source of hope.

5. Courses give you the opportunity to add multimedia content.

People learn in different ways. Some learn best by reading, others by watching videos, and others by listening to audio. Unlike books, courses allow you to accommodate all those different learning styles by providing content in multiple formats.

In addition, multimedia content adds another layer of depth and complexity to the information you’re presenting. By incorporating visuals, audio, and other forms of media, you can provide a well-rounded understanding of the course material through strategic repetition.

Finally, multimedia content helps break up the monotony of an online course to keep students engaged. Let's be honest – we can be distracted from reading something pretty easily, can’t we? Incorporating multimedia elements, however, helps draw people back in when they get distracted, increasing engagement and helping ensure they get what they signed up for.

6. Courses allow you to create a community of learners

When you create a course, you're not just creating content. You create a community of learners who share a common goal: to improve their skills and up their knowledge in a certain subject area. So when you think about it, creating a course is an opportunity to build something that’s much more than just a collection of information.

Remember that you’re not creating a course for yourself; you're building something for the benefit of other people. You’re empowering them to learn at their own pace and giving them the tools they need to succeed. And, just like books, courses have the potential to make a difference long after you are gone. If it's important to you to make a difference in the world, a course may just be the right path for you. You may even find that it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do.

7. Course participants are more likely to take action than readers.

If you're like most people, you probably have a list of things that you really want to do, learn, or change. But it can be hard to find the time or motivation to actually take action. That's why online courses can be such a great investment – not only do they provide us with the information we need to make a change, but they also provide a level of accountability and structure that is often lacking in our day-to-day lives.

When your audience signs up for your online course, they're actually making a commitment to themselves and to their fellow participants that they’re going to take action and see results. That’s why people who take online courses are often more likely to take action and see results than people who simply read about the same topic. So by creating a course in your area of expertise, you offer your audience the opportunity to make that commitment and start taking action.

Remember Your “Why”

As you consider converting your work into a course, remember that it’s all for the benefit of your audience. God has given you a message and called you to a certain group of people. What if those people are waiting on the next evolution of that message – your course – to guide them across the finish line and get them from where they are now to where they want to be? As an expert in your field, you can be their guide and teacher, helping them navigate the journey.

When you write a book, you give people the first step in the process, but then it’s up to the reader to do all the rest of the work themselves. But as humans, even when we have great intentions of doing things ourselves, life happens, and we forget or fail to follow through. Your audience might just need you to come alongside them and show them the way, and creating a course is a great way to do that.

Turn Your Book into a Course: FREE Guide Download

Now that you understand the reasons you should at least consider creating a course, it’s time to take action. And don’t worry – this is a very simple step you can take right now to explore how easy it would be to turn your book, blog, or podcast into a course.

Click here to grab a FREE copy of the Turn Your Book into a Course guide by Christian Authors Network approved partner Kate Nash.

If you haven't already interacted with Kate in our community, she's an industry expert in course creation. She's developed hundreds of courses taken by more than 250,000 students. She has worked for major players like RadioShack and Publix, and she's been a certified professional in talent development for almost 20 years. And now she dedicates her time to helping authors, writers, and creators like you put together programs that help transform the lives of their clients.

In other words, Kate is a course creation genius. With her guide, all you have to do is explore the answers to 10 simple questions, and you will be crystal-clear on your next step. Kate is also the perfect person to answer all of your questions about creating and selling courses, so on that same page where you’ll download the Turn Your Book into a Course guide, you can also sign up for a consultation with Kate and get all those questions answered.

Even if you’re still on the fence about creating a course, this is the perfect opportunity for you to take action with very little risk. Remember, this could be the very thing your audience needs to get the results they are after. So go grab that guide and start exploring your options, and then come back next week for the next installment of Published and Paid.

BIO:

My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.

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