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309: 10 Lessons I've Learned as a Course Creator

Today’s solo episode is the first in a two-part series about the lessons I’ve learned as a course creator. I launched The Healthcasters course back in 2015, and it just passed the $300K revenue mark. Those results are far more than I could have ever imagined! Join me for today’s session where I’ll cover the first five of my ten lessons learned. 

  • Lessons learned as a course creator:
  • Decide between a skyscraper or a strip mall model for your online business.
  • This concept comes from Nathan Barry, the CEO of ConvertKit. Find out more from his appearance on the Creative Elements podcast hosted by Jay Clouse. 
  • A strip mall model offers multiple products that diversity your income, while a skyscraper model features a single, scalable flagship product.
  • I started STC with a strip mall model, but I’ve decided to move to a skyscraper model and use my mastermind as my single product.
  • Focus on one marketing channel instead of jumping around to several. 
  • Find the sweet spot where you enjoy hanging out and where your ideal audience can be found. 
  • Check out Infinite Dial for free analytics on social media trends. 
  • Think about going from a “rented audience” to an “owned audience” as you seek to build your email list.
  • Less is more when it comes to course content. 
  • Teach content that gives a concrete roadmap to help your students get from point A to point B.
  • Be a niche of one. 
  • I definitely didn’t do this very well in trying to reach too wide of a variety of healthcare providers with my first course. I know better now!
  • Don’t stress over your gear initially.
  • Start simple. I recommend Loom for recording and the Rode VideoMic NTG, which is an affordable mic with quality sound. 
  • You can save for future equipment upgrades by setting aside a small percentage of your income over time. 

Mentioned in this episode:

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Today's podcast is supported by the American Psychological Association's Psych Careers. If you are a psychology professional looking to advance your career or thinking about a pivot, definitely encourage you to check out Psych Careers, which is the career center from the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. There are over 400 positions available. It's the perfect time to create a free account, upload your resume, and set up job alerts. sellingthecouch.com/APA

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About the Podcast

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Selling the Couch
Impact And Income Beyond The Therapy Room

About your host

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Melvin Varghese, PhD

Hi. I'm Melvin. I'm a psychologist, girl dad, and online creator living in Philadelphia, PA.

In 2014, I began to think about how to use our therapist skillset in different realms besides clinical work (e.g., podcasting, consulting, online course creation, writing, etc).

This allows us to serve others on larger scales while diversifying our income beyond 1 to 1 work.

I make podcasts and videos about business, tech, productivity, and lessons I'm learning from becoming the CEO of a lean, mean 5 person 100% remote team (we're not really mean..it just rhymed =P).