6 proven questions to discover your valuable online course topic

Have you ever dreamed of creating an online course but you get stuck at the start because you have no idea what to teach?

If this sound familiar to you, know this, you are not alone girl!

There are so many brilliant women out there who want to create an online course but they just don’t know what they should teach.

These 6 questions to discovering your online course topic will guide you to the right one – fo’ reals!!

Once upon a time on a dark and stormy night, I sat in my living room listening to the thunder roll through the sky…and as I watched lightning strike the field outside I decided it was time for me to create my first online course.

As I researched a million different ideas on my laptop by the flickering candlelight, I realized that this was freakin’ harder than I thought. I had so many ideas in my head and I couldn’t decide which one was right.

Then thunder bellowed, shook the house and the room went pitch black.

So scary …seriously? 

No – not seriously at all, except for that part about having lots of ideas, totally, 100% true! 

As I was saying…so many ideas, I didn’t know what the heck to do.

I considered just smashing it all together and creating one massive program.

But, I didn’t. Instead…I just sat there and did nothing.

Yup, that’s right.

No course, no knowledge sharing, no pretty graphics, just me staring at a computer not knowing what to do.

Since that time (over 10 years ago), I found a way to get clear on choosing the best online course topic for me. And, it starts with what I’m going to share with you today.

If you’re nodding you head, then you’re in the right place. These 6 questions will help you too!

1. What does your business do? How do you serve others?

Knowing exactly what you do to help your target market will allow you to think about how you can help people and what your online course topic should be.

Write this down in 1-2 sentences.

If you are a leadership coach, I want you to get specific. Don’t just say, I coach leaders. You need to go a bit deeper than that. 

Try, “I coach leaders to build their confidence so that they can manage their teams and lead with grace.”

2. What have you been paid to do at least 2 previous times and by different clients?

Make a list of all the past projects you’ve worked on. Are there some that are VERY similar?

They don’t have to be identical, but in the same vein as each other.

Write down those that have been similar…now, choose 1-2 from those ones that are slightly outside the norm.

Something a little different.

For example, I’ve been hired to design a load of websites…and then there are a bunch where I was hired to develop online course, membership websites. THOSE are my unicorns. They’re a bit different, yet similar to designing just websites.

What are your unicorns?

3. What do you want to focus on in the future?

We now know what you do today, how you serve others, what people have paid you for and what things make you stand out a little.

Next you need to think about your future goals.

Where are you heading? Are you heading in the same direction that you have been for the last few years, or is it time to adjust your course?

What I mean by this is that I have always been a “for-hire” designer that focused on website design. BUT, a few years ago, I noticed the trend of online courses and memberships start to take off.

I knew I could bring a ton to the table in this area, so I started pushing those types of products.

Will you be adjusting your path or staying the course for the next 2-3 years?

4. What does your target market want from you? And what do they want out of this online course? 

Ok, we know about you, now we need to know about THEM!

Them being your target market.

First, is your future target market the same as your current target market? If not, go deep on how they’re different. You need to know who you’re are targeting in order to “speak” to them. (Grab my Brand Voice workbook here to help you with that).

What do your current clients want from you? What do they ask you? What do they SAY about you to others?

If your clients say things like, Lynn Hand said about me, “You have taken our site to a whole new level! Honestly, it blew my mind when I saw it. (And) I really am loving that I have knowledge in this and that I’m not relying on others, working with you is really increasing my capacity and I appreciate that so much. Thank you thank you thank you!”

(Oh guuurl, I know you want you a client like Lynn – back off! She’s mine!)

Then, I must ALWAYS give my clients the WOW factor and the transfer of knowledge on how to do things with their website.

What about you? 

5. What are your target market’s pain points? 

How many times have I mentioned pain points? How many times have very business person in the world mentioned pain points?

And, how many times have you ignored them and focused only on what you know?

That’s why you need to hear it again!

You need to find out their pain points. You need to find out their pain points. You need to find out their pain points. You need to find out their pain points. You need to find out their pain points. You need to find out their pain points. 

Phew! Ok, I think you get it.

This will help you figure out what they need from you. It will show you all the things you could possibly FIX for them.

Here are a couple of ideas on how to find out what pain points they have: 

Asking them directly. 

Create a poll with Survey Monkey or on Facebook. Keep it simple, people won’t do it if there’s too many questions. 3-5 is enough.

Check out Facebook Groups

Join a bunch of Facebook (or LinkedIn) groups where your target market can be found and search for your topic in the side bar. See what people are asking or discussing around your focus area.

Popular business books

Check out what’s trending in Amazon under a similar topic to yours. Seeing what books people are buying will help you see what issues they are potentially facing.

6. What’s popular? Are there competing online courses already?

If no one has created an online course for your topic yet…it may not be the best one to start with.

“But, no one is even doing it yet, it’s the MISSING link! I just know it! I’ve been thinking about it for decades!”

I hear you and I get why it’s easy to think that, but maybe part of the reason no one is talking about it yet is that it just isn’t that important to anyone… no matter how brilliant you think you are for thinking of it. *band-aid ripped off!*

Seriously, check out your competition and your “I want to be her” people. What are they selling? What topics are people EATING up?

Do any of those work with your goals? Even a portion of them?

Also, check out places like Udemy or Amazon to see what is popular.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR ONLINE COURSE TOPIC...

What are you going to do to action this new information?

Maybe I can make a suggestion?

How about you start by using my FREE checklist that includes all of the questions mentioned in this blog post?

Grab it RIGHT HERE (opens in facebook Messenger - sooo cool)!

This was PART 1 in an 8 part series! Connect with me to be sure you don't miss the next ones:

• Part 2: How to research your content
• Part 3: How to structure your course
• Part 4: Why not build your online course membership on Facebook?
• Part 5: Naming your course and membership
• Part 6: What options there are for Membership models / content
• Part 7: Onboarding your members the right way
• Part 8: How to retain your members for consistent income