How to Launch Your Online Course with Confidence
Oct 22, 2024Are you a business owner or therapist thinking about creating an online course? If you're passionate about helping others, there’s no better time than now to start building passive income through online courses. Today, I’m diving into some lessons I’ve learned from speaking with Heather Fischbuch, a holistic health practitioner, about her journey into online course creation. Whether you're just starting out or refining your online side hustle, these tips will help you create, build confidence, and grow your online mission.
1. Start With What You Know and Love
When Heather began her journey into online courses, she didn’t reinvent the wheel. She drew from her 40+ years of experience in holistic health, including massage therapy, aromatherapy, and traditional Chinese medicine. As she explained, "I saw how significant sleep was to people's good health," so she created a course around sleep strategies.
The key here? Start with what you already know. Whether you're a therapist, coach, or any mission-driven professional, your years of experience hold immense value. Ask yourself: What knowledge do I have that could help others? What problems can I solve for my audience? Let your passion and mission lead you toward creating something life-changing.
2. Embrace Challenges as Part of the Process
Heather’s journey into online course creation wasn’t without its bumps. After experiencing a stroke and a heart condition, she needed to shift her career. She realized, "I needed to do something online that didn’t require me to physically be present with people."
Every course creator will face obstacles. You might struggle with technology, time management, or content creation. But these challenges are part of the process. Heather’s story reminds us that adversity can be an opportunity to evolve. As she put it, "I had to find a way to diversify my income, using my brain and skills, even though my physical energy was limited."
3. Low-Tech Solutions First, Automation Later
One of Heather’s biggest initial hurdles was technology. She mentioned how challenging it was at first to navigate online platforms. "I’m very hands-on and not very techy," she said, laughing. Instead of jumping into complicated systems, Heather started with low-tech solutions like Zoom, and eventually transitioned to more robust platforms like Rizuku.
If you’re just starting out, don’t feel pressured to buy expensive software right away. Begin with simple tools like Zoom, Google Docs, or email to interact with your audience. Once you’ve gained momentum and confidence, you can scale up by automating processes, which will save you time and effort in the long run.
4. Focus on Building Relationships, Not Just Selling
Like many of us, Heather didn’t love the marketing side of things. "I enjoy the presentations, but I feel like I’m bugging people when I send too many emails," she shared. Her solution? Build genuine relationships with her audience.
Heather found success by offering value through live events, workshops, and networking, rather than relying on high-pressure sales tactics. "I go and speak, give them real tips to help, and from there, they decide if they want to sign up for more."
Instead of seeing selling as manipulation, try reframing it as a way to solve your audience's problems. You’re not pushing a product—you’re offering a solution. When you genuinely believe in what you're teaching, your confidence will resonate with your audience.
5. Take a Long-Term View of Success
Creating online courses isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Heather is realistic about her journey, saying, "I still work in my clinic to pay the bills, but my goal is to have 50% of my income come from online work in the next year or two."
It’s important to have a long-term view of success. Building passive income through online courses takes time, persistence, and constant improvement. Focus on delivering value to your audience, and as you grow, the results will follow.
Closing Thoughts
By following Heather's story and the lessons learned from her path, you too can transform your passion and knowledge into a successful online course. Whether you're creating for therapists, business owners, or anyone driven by a mission to help others, remember that the journey is just as important as the destination. Keep pushing forward, build relationships, and don’t forget to enjoy the process. You’ve got this!
Links and Resources
Heather on Instagram: @Flourishing_Health_Invermere
Heather on LinkedIn: Heather Fischbuch
Join The Course Creator Hub
Looking for support in creating more freedom for yourself using online courses? Join the Free Community!
Course Creation Planning Worksheet Download
Subscription give you weekly updates on blogs, podcasts, webinars, and offers from CCS and their partners. We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
