eCourse Creation: Keeping It Simple

eCourse Creation Using the “Single Problem, Single Solution Strategy”: The Benefits of Keeping It Simple

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You begin to write a blog post, and before you know it, your “quick update” has turned into a rambling, 3,000 word novelette that covers everything from where to find a graphic designer to how to design a business card. This is the exact opposite of the strategy I’m sharing with you here on eCourse creation.

Now, a 3,000-word blog post can be great for traffic, but only if you’ve kept it tightly focused. But what happens all too often (in blog posts and in course development) is that every point covered brings up a new point to be addressed.

Logo design leads to business card formatting.

Business cards lead to taglines.

Taglines lead to ideal client avatars.

Avatars lead to…well, you get the idea. The point is, when you strive to provide the very best information for your audience, it’s easy to want to include one more important detail. Soon, you’ve outlined an encyclopedia’s worth of content that overwhelms not only you, but your clients as well.

One Problem, One Solution

Most people don’t need or want an all-inclusive answer. If your course helps your clients identify their ideal client, then including information about choosing a domain name might seem relevant, when it’s really just a distraction.

Worse, if you try to branch out too much, you run the risk of overwhelming your customer. Too much of that, and she’ll log out and never return, for this or any other course you create. Not because you’re a bad coach, but because she will be convinced that she’s a bad student. This is the last thing you want to feel responsible for.

Here’s another issue with trying to include too much info in a single course: Depth of knowledge. When you try to include too much information, what you end up with is very thin coverage of a lot of different topics. Go deep instead of wide for best results. I have done this with my Internet Marketing Six Pack course and it is very successful.

Instead, when you focus your course on a single problem and a single solution, you can dig deeper and present ideas and information that won’t be found just anywhere, such as:

• Case studies
• Worksheets
• Planning documents
• Checklists
• Multi-media content

These are the types of things that your audience will happily pay a premium for, because they cannot find them elsewhere. When you focus your course on a single problem, you’ll have the leeway to create these and other resources. Take a broader approach, though, and you’ll be forced to scrimp on the “extras.”

But make no mistake—there is still room for that all-inclusive, massive eCourse. One look at powerhouse coaches such as Marie Forleo and her massively popular B-School will tell you that.

Keep in mind, though, that if you decide to go ahead with an eCourse of this magnitude, you will (by necessity) have to:

• Expand the length of the course to accommodate all the extra information. Each week (or module) becomes its own “mini” course, focused on a single issue/solution.
• Increase the cost of the course. If your market will bear a high-ticket, multi-module course, then by all means you should produce one. But do keep in mind that the more information you provide, the higher the price point.
• Your eCourse creation will change the way you are perceived by your prospects, clients, and colleagues

Remember, too, that a large course is a much more difficult sell – and we’re not just talking about the price. There is a bigger commitment on the part of the purchaser as well, and that’s something she’s going to have to carefully consider before she takes the plunge. A smaller, single-problem course is easier to commit to and easier to complete and be successful with. Please let me know if you have any other questions on eCourse creation and feel free to leave a comment in the section below. I am here to serve you.

Check Out a New, Live Training Program I’m Teaching with eCourse Expert Norma Allen Esler on “How to Profit with eCourses”

I’m bestselling author, marketing strategist, and entrepreneur Connie Ragen Green and I would love to connect further with you to help you to achieve your goals. If you are interested in learning how to optimize the syndication of your content, please take a look at my popular Syndication Optimization training course and consider coming aboard to increase your visibility, credibility, and profitability.