It’s called a pilot program. And I never would have considered offering one had it not been for the advice from Danny Iny of Firepole Marketing.
A pilot helps you test your teaching skills with a small group of students, and receive valuable feedback that will help you improve the course when you offer it to the public. It’s one of the pieces of the giant puzzle you can learn to build using Danny’s free Global Course Empire Roadmap.
When you download the infographic, you’ll be directed to a free training video that explains in step-by-step detail how to proceed. You can access it here and watch the video.
When I offered my Author Email Boot Camp in the spring of this year, I offered it as a pilot program. My students loved the course. But they gave me two suggestions that will make email marketing so much easier to understand when I offer it again next month. If you want to know exactly when, subscribe to my free email tips.
The Value of a Pilot Program
A pilot program is often a missing piece of the puzzle when entrepreneurs decide to teach online. They have an idea for a course and plow ahead, without doing the necessary work to market it, fill seats, and feel confident that they can teach it.
The result? They end up going around in circles, creating content people don’t want, and wasting a lot of time. Don’t get caught in that trap.
Even if you aren’t ready yet to teach online, get the roadmap anyway so it’s there when you decide to take the big step and offer an online course.
Authors Can Teach Online
Many authors spend so much time researching their books that they have a huge body of knowledge that ends up on the cutting room floor.
Why not take what you know—and what won’t fit into your book—and teach it online?
This seems like a no-brainer for nonfiction authors, but fiction authors can do the same, depending on their topic. Remember, if readers love your book, it will be so much easier to sell them a more expensive course that ties into the same topic.
Speakers and Experts Can Offer Virtual Courses
Speakers and experts are in an ideal position to do the same.
If you’re doing free or paid speaking, and your audiences love you, don’t walk out the door without giving them a chance to stay in touch with you via email, and learn more.
If you’re a subject matter expert who’s reluctant to teach online because you don’t want to learn the technology, rest assured there’s lots of help out there. Danny’s roadmap is an excellent starting point. And you can use it over and over again as you roll out more courses.
Danny has built a 7-figure business teaching online courses. He has made a lot of mistakes and isn’t afraid to share them publicly. I’ve followed him for several years and recommend him highly. When you access the roadmap and study it, you’ll understand why.