5 Reasons Why online courses fail (and how to avoid being one of them) (PDF)
The following article is a guest post written by Michael Eisenwasser.
The ELearning industry claims that the global eLearning Market is expected to grow to $107 billion by 2015.
That's HUGE.
So if you've ever wanted to start your own online course The best time to launch is now.
However, here's the thing The fact is that every online course fails to create a buzz. Quite a lot of them are unsuccessful.
And when online courses fail it is usually because of the following 5 reasons.
The reason #1 is that you have failed to Validate the Need of the Course
When you plan your online course, one of the following two things happen:
- Or you design something you are sure your future students will have to struggle with
- Or you research and discover what students have trouble with, and then base the course around it
It's all in the research.
A course based on assumptions might result in the course never ever really getting started.
Now: while researching it, you may find that your field isn't well-known. There could be online courses offering what you're planning to offer. It's true that this can be a little tough for you however it's an excellent indicator that you've chosen the right subject.
Since your online course is generating business for you Why not put it through the test of a couple of validated business strategies? Similar to the method of emailing pre-sales messages which AppSumo Chief Noah Kagan discusses here.
Another way to validate the idea of a course could be creating an eBook using your content and watch the response, and then use it to formulate the strategy you want to implement to create your online course.
3 steps to go about this:
- Create valuable posts
- Bundle them up in an eBook
- Start an online class based on the response (or abandon the idea)
Reason #2: Failing to create a differentiator
The process of proving an idea isn't too long since quality indicators are easy to recognize.
However, this often makes individuals rush to plan and designing their plan.
At the moment, you need to focus on your course's differentiator (or USP (Unique selling Point).
Let's take an example. For instance, suppose you had to create an online course in web design on Udemy. What if you were to just make it, and go ahead and launch it? And if you'd do this, what would be your chances of beating giants (like courses that have thousands of students enrolled)?
Bleak.
Instead of doing this it's a good idea to find out if there's some aspect of web design not covered. In the event that there's a gap that your course could fill.
If you consider the same lines, you could discover that certain courses seem a bit old (like from the 2000s) and you can offer more modern methods.
Perhaps you could do a course on how to utilize Photoshop CS7 or focus on Twitter Bootstrap adaptive designs best practices.
Rehashing the curriculum of a course that is already in place won't take you far.
WordStream provides a simple method to develop an USP. Make one for your class now!
Third Reason: Failure to Choose the Right Platform
How you choose a platform to offer your course is subjective. But if you don't think about the future, you'll give up easily because switching platforms or taking your course on a site hosting courses on your own site, and vice versa is a challenge and takes a lot of time.
The fun part is that you can hack an enormous audience.
It's not all fun is the high commission the publishing platform takes and its binding contracts.
The better (and harder) route to take is to start your online course through your own website. More efforts but higher returns.
Additionally, you can revise your course, its rules and conditions, without third party involvement.
A different reason to utilize your site could be to build leads for your business by inviting people to free classes. Sites hosting courses don't support this. Make sure you choose carefully.
4. Failure to promote
You're likely to feel satisfied after you have validated your ideas, developed an innovative approach, or launched your course.
It's also a certain method of failing.
Instructors who aren't promoting their courses never really maximize their potential. Perhaps the exception being of an extraordinary word-of-mouth advertising.
Remember that the slope only starts after the course has been initiated. So reach out. Inform the world of your brilliant course.
A few things to try:
- Guest blogs
- Advertisements
- Giveaways
- Podcasts
- E-mail blasts
- Social-media broadcasts
- Forum posting
- Blog commenting
- Reaching out to your niche bigwigs and seeking reviews
Reason #5: Failing to set the right price
Even the best course could not be successful if the public thinks it is expensive or not enough for their pockets.
Being a creator, there are many different opinions about pricing your product. However, looking at your course from the buyer's viewpoint could offer insight into how they perceive your offer.
Don't forget that prospective customers have choices. Consider it a given that they will compare your product to what other companies offer. Make sure that you justify the price you're offering.
Unemployed founder Brian Clark asks you to think about your target audience while setting your course price.
In his podcast, he also advises experimenting with pricing plans to see what works best particularly when targeting financially distressed prospects.
Although we make every effort to ensure that our courses and products do not fail, slips happen. These experiences can provide the most priceless business lessons. Have you ever made one of these mistakes while launching your online course? If so, I'd love to hear from you by leaving a comment.
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