Wendy (00:02.33)
Hi there, welcome back to The Coaching Edge. I'm your host, Wendy McCallum, and I want to talk today about online courses for coaches, because this is something that almost every coach will eventually create. It comes up over and over again in the business building bootcamp with the coaches that I support. And I thought that I would just sort of tackle the very first part of creating an online course, which is figuring out what topic to focus on.
in your course, because this is often the place where coaches get mired down. They get stuck here for way too long, which leads to them not actually creating the online course, which means, of course, that they're not creating and generating that revenue that they want to. So let's talk about how to get started with your first online coaching course and how to decide what to focus on. So the first thing that I think it's really important to have a think about is what the purpose of this course is for your business.
And I have seen lots of coaches create courses without even considering that question. So what I mean by that is where does this course fit in your offer suite? So most coaches are working towards at least the coaches that I support, as I'm always encouraging them to do this, they're working towards creating a suite of offers. So they don't just have the one coaching offer, the one on one 12 session program, for example, but they also have.
something that is a lower ticket offer than that, a free offer as well that they use to build their newsletter list and increase their following and build like no trust. And then also oftentimes like a really high ticket offer. So you're looking to have sort of a suite of offers with a free offer, at least one free offer, a lower ticket offer, kind of mid range offer, and then a high ticket offer. Eventually, you don't need to have this right out of the gate. These are,
things that you're going to work towards creating in the first three or four years of your business. So when we're talking about creating an online course, where is your online course going to fit in your suite of offers? So start with what you already have to offer. And for most coaches, when they first start thinking about creating an online course, they are already doing the one -on -one coaching. So they already have a one -on -one coaching program.
Wendy (02:23.386)
and that might be a six session program or 12 session program that they offer at a set price.
You might also already have a freebie or a free offer, some piece of very valuable content that you have created that you offer in exchange for somebody's email address so that you can add them to your newsletter list and then continue to send them more valuable free content, but also make offers to them. And so that may already be in place as well if you're just starting to think about your first online course. It might not be. And if it's not, then I would...
I would really encourage you to think about whether you want to create a small online course as your free offer. I think little online courses are one of the best converting online offers, whether it's a masterclass or it's a little series of three masterclasses or it's a mini course, for example. I've used all of those really successfully in my own coaching business to build my following and to build like no trust. So maybe if you don't have a freebie yet, you want to think about creating a really simple online course.
as your free offer. It's also a really great way to learn the skills and the tech that's involved in creating an online course. And if you start small with a free online course offer, then it's going to be a much more scaled back version of the course that you might eventually create and give you a chance to practice all of the skills, including making videos and like I said, using the tech platforms.
to actually create a course. It's just a great way to get started. Or maybe this course is going to be, and this happens all the time. And in fact, this is one of the things that I really advocate for inside the BBB with my coaches. It's like, think about how you can take this online course and use it in a variety of ways in your offer suite. So when I bring people into my CCC, which is my coaching course,
Wendy (04:24.762)
Creator program, which you can access through my website at wendymichellum .com. There's always a self -guided version of that course available, and I occasionally offer it with a group coached option. If you purchase it self -guided, you also have the option to add on to laser coaching sessions with me. One where we do a brainstorm on the course and or the course outline that you've come up with, and then one that we do towards the end where I actually audit your draft course for you and provide suggestions and feedback.
So there are different ways to go through that program, but that program is always available. Again, it's called the CCC, the coach's course creator, and it is a program that takes you from idea to launch in eight weeks. And in that course, what I really strongly recommend is that you think about creating an online course that you can actually use in a variety of different ways to boost revenue. So for example, the online course you create might be something that your one -on -one clients also get access to.
that allows you to then price your one -on -one coaching program higher. So that when you are selling that program, you can say you also get access to this phenomenal online eight week program that I've created that normally retails for this as a self -guided option or separately that is included in the program price of this one -on -one coaching package that I'm offering. And you could also offer that course.
occasionally live with a group coached option like I just said that I do with my CCC. So when I have some space in my calendar and it feels like the right time, I will offer the CCC course with a group coaching component to it. So the price goes up, but you get access to me once a week so I can help you work through your ideas and any snags that you're having in the course creation process. But I also always offer it as an as a self guided.
option. So it is a course that is available at any time. It's an evergreen course that you can start whenever you're ready to create an online course. You can go and access the self -guided version of it. And like I said, I also have this option to add on a couple of laser sessions with me to help you with that if you're doing the self -guided version of it. So you can do the same thing with your course that you create. You can create a course if you're careful.
Wendy (06:39.77)
and thoughtful about it, you can create a course that can be used in a variety of different ways in your coaching business. And that's my favorite thing to do is to create courses that I know I can sell as a group coach program. I can sell it in addition or alongside a one on one offer, and I can also offer it as a self guided option. So think about that before you get started. What's the purpose of this course? Business wise, where does it fit in my suite? What do I already have to offer?
And where are there gaps? Do I need a medium priced offer? Do I need a lower priced offer? Do I need a high ticket offer? Do I need something self -guided? What do I need? And where is this course going to fit in that? And then the next question, and this is again, the place that I really wanted to spend some time today, is what do I actually choose as my topic? And...
Sometimes people come into the CCC program ready to create a course, they already have that great idea and they're just raring to go. In which case I have a bunch of lessons that help them sort of hone that idea, get super clear on the transformation that they're gonna help people affect in this online course and then start creating the customer journey map or the client journey map. So that is the steps in this course that are gonna take them from where they are right now to the desired outcome.
But a lot of people come into the program and this may be you, they're thinking, I don't know, I mean, I have a million different things that I could do for online courses and I don't know which one's the best idea or where to even start. If that's you, here are some ideas for coming up with a good idea, a solid marketable idea for an online course. I would really suggest you get a big piece of paper out or a whiteboard if you're like me.
or it could be your laptop, depends on how you like to brainstorm and take notes. But I love to have it in a big format that I can look at and start thinking about these questions. So what is a journey or transformation that you have already affected in your own life and gone through in your own life that you feel really competent teaching other people how to do or affect? So...
Wendy (08:55.45)
Have you, for example, gone from a life of constantly being on a diet for the first three decades of your life to realizing that's not serving you and moving into an intuitive eating phase, for example? Have you changed your relationship with alcohol? Have you recovered from burnout? Have you successfully navigated a separation and divorce without...
any fighting or acrimony. What's something that you've done that you're really proud of that you can actually teach people? For most of you, this is probably why you went into coaching. I mean, most coaches teach what they know and have experienced themselves. So ask yourself, what is that thing? And then, is there another way to look at it is, is there a special skill that I have developed or a set of skills or tools that I can teach other people? Is there a code that I have cracked? And if you can't...
If there isn't an easy answer to that in your own personal life, then start looking at the coaching that you're already doing. Look at the one -on -one coaching, for example, that you're probably already doing. What is the thing that I help my coaching clients do or affect in terms of a transformation or a change? Where are my clients most often stuck? And so what's their pain point? And how do I, with my own special sauce as a coach, help them?
to get from where they are now to where they wanna be. Brainstorming all of that and just doing like a brain dump, get that big piece of paper out of the whiteboard, chalkboard or whatever it is for you and just start writing down all of the things you can think of. You may discover that there are a variety of pain points that you help people with, that is sometimes the case. List them all, it's just a really great exercise. You can come back to things that you don't use right now in your online course and you can create more online programming down the road with those. But...
just do a brain dump for now. And then what I would say is, if you've got more than one idea after this exercise, the next really helpful question is, where are my clients right now? So which of these pain points is the one that the majority of my clients have when I first start with them? So you wanna be looking for the thing that's keeping them stuck right now.
Wendy (11:13.402)
As opposed to the problem that they might have down the road with you that you might help them with as a coach, you know, for example, in six months or a year after they've already gotten through the first big challenge. I always think when it comes to creating your first online program, a really great place to start is just with the biggest problem that most of your dream clients have right now when they're first starting out. So meet them where they are. This is so important.
It's so much easier to sell something if when you're marketing it, people are thinking, oh my gosh, that's me. That's my exact problem. That's exactly where I am. She totally gets it, right? So where are your dream clients getting stuck and what is keeping them from getting to that sort of dream life, place of wellness transformation that they so desperately want for themselves?
And can you design an online course that helps them get from there to a better place? So I said to a better place for a reason. You don't need to take them all the way from A to Z or Z, depending on how you say that, in your first online course. But you do need to be able to very clearly tell them where you're going to get them to and how long it's going to take them to get there. So where are your clients stuck right now? The majority of them?
what's their pain point and what program can you create to get them further away from that pain point and closer to the end result that they're looking for. Now, if you're not sure, there are ways to figure this out. One really great way to do it is to actually talk to your clients about this. So if you have some one -on -one clients going right now or you've had some in the past, reach out to them, ask them if you can have 15 minutes.
of their time, you'd really appreciate it. You just wanna have a conversation with them and just ask them about when they first started with you, what their biggest point of stuckness was and what it was that you helped them to do and how they felt at the end of the coaching engagement with you versus at the beginning of it. Or you can ask them, you know, if they're not where they wanna be yet.
Wendy (13:31.482)
where it is they feel like they're stuck now and where they want to be. But just start talking to those people that you're already working with. You can go back and look at your notes as well. If you've taken notes during coaching engagements, you can go back and see where was the person in the very first sales call or discovery call versus where they were when they finished with me? What was it that I helped them to do? What language were they using to describe their pain or stuckness or challenge? You can also pull your audience online. So if you have an Instagram following or on Facebook, you're on LinkedIn or whatever, you can ask people.
what type of online program would be most helpful for them, where they're stuck right now in this particular area of their life and what it is they are looking for. And if you could create a dream program for them, what would it help them do? Ask them that question. And you can do the same thing with your newsletter. If you have a newsletter list, an email list, you can send out in a newsletter, a poll and ask people for some feedback on this. And this might help you to really hone in on.
the best place to start with online programming, right? Now, when it comes to, once you've got your big idea kind of nailed down, one of the things that we do in the CCC, that course creation program that I've designed, is we spend a lot of time mapping out what I call the customer journey through this program. Now, I can't go into all of the details of that, obviously, in the short podcast like this, but what I can tell you is that basically what you're doing is,
You're getting super clear on where they are right now when they start the program. So your dream client coming into this program, who's it for? Who's this program for? Who's it not for? Get super clear on that first. Once you know who this program is for, where is that dream client when they are first coming into this program? So when you are marketing this program to them, making this offer to them, what are they struggling with and how are they feeling? This is really important. I would really focus in on how they're feeling right now.
now. And then at the end of this course, where will they be? And how will they be feeling? Right? So those are, they're two different things. One is right now, what are they doing right now? What's working for them? What's not working for them? Where do you want them to be? What will they be doing by the end of this program? What sort of practices will they have in place? What will they have physically accomplished at the end of this program? And then the second piece of it is how are they feeling right now?
Wendy (15:57.274)
And it might be, oh, they're feeling overwhelmed and stuck and hopeless and frustrated and ashamed. And then how will they feel at the end of this program? Well, if they do this program from beginning to end, by the end of this, they're going to feel confident and accomplished and hopeful and optimistic and successful, maybe. And so you want to get a really clear handle on that because this is going to be really important when it comes to marketing this program because people are not buying.
action, what they're buying is a transformation in their emotions and how they're feeling. That's what people want. They want to know how they're going to feel at the end of this thing. They want to know exactly how this program is going to help them to transform the way that they feel in their lives. So you have to get super clear on that piece of it and also on who it's for and who it's not for. Because that's going to be part of the promise in your offer. If you take this program, this is what I can promise you will happen. So for example, with the CCC, what I say is,
In this eight week program, I take you from your big idea for your online course to the actual beta launch of your course. I give you everything you need to get to the place where you can actually launch and sell this course. And that happens within eight weeks. So that I think is a really good.
line of inquiry for you to engage in before you get started. And then the next piece of it, once you have like the beginning and the end, so you have, they're gonna start at A, this is where they're gonna be, this is how they're gonna feel, they're gonna end at Z, this is how they're gonna feel, this is how they're gonna be behaving and showing up in their lives or in their businesses or with their kids or whatever this program is about, then you're gonna start looking at what the major milestones are between A and Z, right? So between that very beginning and the end.
And this is where you can start to get a sense of like how long this course is, how big this course is. And again, this is for a whole other podcast episode and we talk a lot about this in the CCC. You do not want to overstuff an online program ever. So if you start mapping this out and you're like, oh my goodness, there are 20 different steps between A and B, too big guys, too big a program. People get overwhelmed with online content very, very easily.
Wendy (18:12.73)
Programs that are the most helpful are programs that have manageable bite -sized content in them. So if you start mapping out the sort of the journey between A to Z in this program for your clients, and it's clear that it involves a ton of steps and a lot of work, you probably have more than one program. And now the question becomes, how do I divide this up? Maybe this is a three -part program. Maybe this is...
you know, there's like a beginner version of this and then there's a more intermediate and a more comprehensive mastery version of this thing that you're trying to teach. I don't know, but you got to think about that. And if it looks like you've got, you know, once you get those, those basic milestones mapped out, honestly, I think like, for example, if you had, you're thinking this is going to be an eight week course, let's look at the CCC as an example, it's an eight week course that takes you from big idea to final product. The eight steps in that course, the eight modules in that course,
then have somewhere between three and seven small bite -sized lessons associated with them. So you start mapping out not just the big milestones, which then become your modules, but then also the smaller steps within that module. And again, if you have too many, like you don't wanna have more than like six or seven. If you have too many lessons within a module, then my suggestion is,
really start getting very discerning about which ones need to be there and which ones don't need to be there. Often they're like nice to have. And I always say to my coaches, put your nice to haves on a separate list and use those later in other ways. Those sometimes can become really great freebies, for example. So a free presentation, masterclass or video.
that you offer as a way to gather emails for your newsletter list, for example. Or maybe they're great bonus content that you add at the end of this course somewhere. Or it might be a cart bump or an upsell when you go to sell this program, something that like, you don't need it to affect the transformation, but it's kind of like a nice to have thing. And it's a really great way for you to add an incentive maybe as an early bird.
Wendy (20:28.698)
incentive or bonus to encourage people to buy the program in the early days after the cart is open. So there are lots of ways to use that content. Don't lose those ideas, but put them in a separate list. So in the CCC actually have created this really great tool for organizing content, content creation, including the modules, the lessons.
the PDFs that go with your lessons and which stuff is sort of nice to have, must have, and then a tracker for scheduling when you're going to create that content, complete it and upload it. And in there, I do have columns for like must have essential and nice to have. And often what I say to people is, you know, in the first iteration of your online course, just create the, the must have content. You can always after your beta launch, which is your initial sort of test launch of the program,
you can always add more content to it if it feels like that stuff is really necessary. And if you notice that your clients that are going through this program are always asking for the same thing and it's not included in there, that's a great thing to go back and add later. So the program can grow. So just to summarize, this is how you are best served as a new coach trying to create your first online program.
The first thing I would really have to think about is what do I currently offer and where are the gaps or holes? So is there a place where I just don't have something to offer? So for example, if I'm on a call with a sales call with a potential new client for a one -on -one coaching program and it is just really clear that that's not the right fit for them for financial reasons or other reasons, do I have a down sell? What else can I sell? And if the answer is no, then maybe you want to start thinking about filling that gap with this online course. You might also...
be in that situation that I was talking about earlier where you're struggling when it comes to charging what you need to charge for your one -on -one programs in order to stay in business. And you want to create something that you can incorporate into that one -on -one coaching program so that you can boost bump up the price and feel really great about selling that. Now you don't need that. I no longer ever sell one -on -one coaching with other stuff. It's just here's here are the number of sessions that you get with me. Here's the price. So.
Wendy (22:45.306)
You don't have to do that, but for a lot of especially newer coaches, they find that really helpful when it comes to selling to be able to bundle more than just the hours of coaching in a program and then charge more for that as a result of that. And then, as I said, you can also create a program that's flexible that you can offer also as a self -guided option and then maybe offer when you have time as a group coach program. So it's up to you, but have a think. What do I need?
from a business perspective, where are the gaps or the holes currently in my business model that I can use this online course to fill? And then the next question becomes, okay, what kind of course am I gonna create? My suggestion, as I said, especially if it's your first course, is to ask yourself, what is the most common pain point that my dream clients have before they get started with me? And how do I solve that? And what kind of course can I create for them that will help them to get from?
that pain point to whatever the next logical step is in this journey. And again, it doesn't need to be the end of the complete end of the journey. Everything's amazing. They've reached their dream, you know, their dream life level. It can just be the next logical step and you help them solve that problem.
And then you do a little brainstorming. Okay, how do I do that? What do I already know how to do? What special skills do I have? And then you start working on, okay, if I was to create a program to tackle this, what would the major milestones in that journey be? And then what would the sub lessons, really necessary pieces of accomplishing each of those milestones be? And you start mapping all of that out. And if you have too much content, you move the things that are not essential, that are not core lessons or...
core learnings that people absolutely have to have in order to accomplish that thing, move them onto a different list for now. And again, if you're looking for more support in the creation of your course, I have an amazing program called the Coaches Course Creator, the CCC. You can always get it on my website at wendymichellum .com as a self -guided version. Depending on the time of year, there might be a different way to access that course. If you want to add on those audit sessions with me, there will be the option to do that.
Wendy (24:59.93)
when you go to purchase the CCC, so there are different ways to do it. That is a very comprehensive, yet manageable program for somebody who is trying to create their first course and or their second course. But really what I do is I take you through not just the brainstorming, the mapping, the creation and outlining of your course, but also all of the practical pieces that come with it, including tech, how to record great videos, how to keep your content bite sized.
how to know what you need as additional content to go with it, how to market the thing, how to create a basic sales page, how to launch it. All of this stuff is included in that program. And again, it's a program designed to get you from the idea to the actual launch of your course, whether you choose to do that in a beta or test launch or a full blown launch within eight weeks. Okay, that's it. I hope you found that helpful and I will see you next time on The Coaching Edge. Thanks for tuning in.
