There is so much information and MISinformation out there about online courses – especially this time of year when many businesses are hoping to hit aggressive sales targets for their information products.
As a business owner, or someone who wants to become one, it can be really tricky to navigate all of the emails, webinars, sales pages, offers bonuses… it’s kind of a circus.
So I wrote a Launch Season Survival guide that you can read over on medium. I consulted with several subject matter experts to give you some insight into what all of these marketers and gurus are actually up to, and how to evaluate the different offers for sale.
Part 1: Do you Really Even Need an Online Course – This post is meant to help you think through whether an online course is even the best option for you. Most people selling them will say it’s the be all and end all – but it isn’t, they’re not, and you have lots of options – many of which won’t cost you a dime.
Part 2: What’s Happening Behind the Scenes – This section is to give you an overview of the different plans and relationships that have been in play for MONTHS to get ready for this launch. Many selling messages are designed to appear responsive and spontaneous. They almost never are. When you know what is happening behind the scenes, you can separate the marketing from the content and make a choice that works for you.
Part 3: Deciphering the Selling Messages -A lot of people are going to tell you a lot of bullshit. They might not be doing it on purpose, because a lot of the information and instruction out there about how to make and sell information products is completely sleazy. This part in the series is all about understanding why things are presented in a certain way, and what is a sign of respect, quality and value – and what isn’t.
I’ve also created a quick checklist that you can download right here to help you evaluate a course or information product offering on the fly. Print it out, run down the list before you purchase, and only invest your time and money in something that will really, really help you.