Creating an online course can be a rewarding experience, but it’s essential to recognize the needs of your students to ensure they get the most out of the learning experience. By understanding what your students are looking for, you can tailor your course to meet their needs effectively. In this blog post, we will explore strategies for recognizing student needs when designing an online course.
We’ve already seen how psychographics information can help you more accurately identify pain points that will cause your ideal student to take your course – but if you want to really ensure you reach her, you will need to go deeper.
In fact, that’s the key rule of useful market research: When you think you’ve done your research, realize that’s just the first layer. Dig deeper.
Probably around eighty-five per cent of course creators do token market research and then jump into action creating their courses. It’s no coincidence that it’s also eighty-five per cent of courses that fail to fly, netting only a handful of takers (or generating the lonely sound of crickets in an empty field).
The other fifteen percent grit their teeth and start digging deeper.
This fifteen percent:
- Practices multiple research methods.
- Takes time to identify their perfect student.
- Takes time to analyze responses.
- Cross-checks their own results – and assumptions.
In short, successful course presenters get specific. They don’t just teach a course called “Becoming a Virtual Assistant”, they teach courses like “An Introduction to Starting Your Virtual Assistant Business —Everything You Need to Know Before You Start”.
After the introduction and overview, they present next-level, specific courses like “Choosing Your Niche or “How to Do a Client Consultation”.
Recognizing The Real Stumbling Block in Designing an Online Course
In the preceding example, choosing your niche is a specific task aspiring virtual assistants need to know. Although this guidance can be useful at any point, Fall might be an ideal period to introduce this course, considering the importance of timing. With the new year on the horizon, individuals are often inspired to hop on the entrepreneurial journey – and figuring out where to start is typically their first major hurdle.
How to do a client consultation provides an example of a real pain point for aspiring virtual assistants. You need to know your potential students so that you can identify what they are stuck on or what is causing them panic and pain right now.
You don’t just need to know what your ideal students’ ‘pain point’ is – they might actually have several pain points. Again, you need to know which specific pain point is stopping them from advancing toward their goal right now.
And, of course, you need to know what their most immediate goal is, as well as their ultimate goal. This is the way of thinking and mindset you as a teacher need to develop.
Identify where your ideal student is stuck, and you’re halfway to knowing what the topic of your course should be. (It’s usually the step they are always complaining about or asking how to do, over and over.)
Especially do your best to find out which similar courses they keep investing in. Someone who keeps taking “Business Budgeting”, “Finance for Business” and “Money Management for Business” courses is someone who hasn’t got past their business finances sticking point if these courses are all at the same level.
The obstacle keeping them at a standstill is your clue to what your students will rush to pay for. Identify it using detective work, polls, surveys, and even formal market research if you have the budget for the latter.
Performing a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) can help you gain a better understanding of how your course can meet the needs of your students. Identify what sets your course apart from others, where it may fall short, what opportunities exist in the market, and any potential threats. This analysis will guide you in refining your course to cater to student needs effectively.
Your SWOT analysis relates more to your own strengths and weaknesses. The opportunities and threats come from your ideal audience and your competition respectively.
Once you have identified the real problem – the issue that will have them willing to pay just about anything and the blockage that makes them sign up for your exploratory webinar, jump on your livestream or download your sign-up gift — then you are ready to find out where you fit in.
Matching Students Needs With Your Skills And Experience
So, you’ve identified their big pain point. Now ask yourself, “Where do I fit in? What can I help them achieve? What can I show them?”
Once you’ve answered that, ask the million-dollar question:
- “How will this change their lives?”
Even a small transformation in mindset and/or circumstances can get your ideal student un-stuck and help her move forward with renewed energy toward her goal.
Think about things you have helped others do in the past:
- What do people always ask you for help with?
- What do people ask you questions about?
- What did you help them do? Understand? Achieve?
Whatever you decide to teach, it has to be transformative – just like coaching. It has to help your ideal student:
- Master at least one vital aspect of a new skill
- Get past an obstacle
- Complete a task she has never been able to successfully complete before
- Help her understand something that has previously always been a frustrating closed door
- Undergo an epiphany
- See a significant improvement in her life, learning, business, hobby, et cetera
You may end up with a list of four or five ideas or even more. (This is when you should run a poll!) But first make a plan: Is this course going to be a one-off, so that their choices are ‘either/or’? Or can you position these topics into a series of courses, each one escalating in complexity, building on the one before and increasing your student’s skill or knowledge level?
Designing an online course that recognizes and meets the needs of your students is a strategic process that requires careful planning and research. By identifying pain points, conducting market research, performing a SWOT analysis, and aligning your skills with student needs, you can create a course that adds significant value to their learning journey.
Remember, the more you understand your students, the better equipped you’ll be to design a course that resonates with them and drives success.
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