Expert enough, no more tired copywriting frameworks, and some recent marketing trends
Be The Expert
The most common advice to position yourself as a knowledgeable person / trusted advisor / other cliched term:
or...
or...
Nothing wrong with that advice, although I question how many people will be impressed with that CreateSpace stock cover. Also, I'm terrible at consistently posting on a single topic. There are far too many far too interesting a topic to explore.?
So lately I've had a hankering to explore door # 3: creating a course. I've been following Wes Kao of Maven (great name! ;) since her days at Seth Godin's altMBA, and recently decided?to explore Maven and its Course Accelerator. Maven is a platform for live cohort courses, not prerecorded ones (yay) which seems to be geared toward mid-career corporate types (hmm). Still, I like their ethos, despite some quirks it's very well thought out and "all in one place" without trying to be all things to all people (I'm looking at you, Kajabi).?
Deciding to dip a toe in is all well and good, but what's a happy generalist who doesn't have that impressive pedigree from FAANG/MANAA/whatever the current version is to do? What would I teach about? Would anyone sign up for a course led by someone like me?
How do you know when you're ready?
Spoiler alert: never.?
So here's a puzzler for you: if you feel like you're ready, then you probably aren't, and if you feel like you're not ready, then maybe you are, but as soon as you feel like you maybe, possibly, are ready, does that mean that you're no longer actually ready?
If you read the paragraph above without tilting your head sideways and frowning, I salute you.?
If you too are in the "Am I expert enough...at anything?" spot, the first question to ask is not about expertise, but rather "Does showing and teaching others, even in a small way, feel meaningful and important?" If the answer is Yes, like it is for me, then maybe it's time to dip a toe in.
Step 1, where I am today: research! Yay!
1. Make a list of questions people ask you, questions you see incessantly online and feel a nearly irresistible urge to answer in great detail, questions you wish your past self had gotten answers to, and throw in questions you wish people *would* ask you for a good measure.?
2. Remix time: look for themes, and see how you can mix and match things. If you're a generalist, chances are you have knowledge from different domains that pure experts won't. You bring a unique lens to topics that seem like they were written by ChatGPT.
3. Get feedback. This can be in a social media post (see below ;), email, anonymous Reddit post, or even a paid ad test.?
领英推荐
Then pick a winner, or two, or three, and sleep on them. Say them out loud a few times. Can you picture yourself teaching this? Is anyone's camera going to be on while you deliver your wisdom? Be honest about what you bring to the table. It doesn't have to be a top industry award, but you do need a point of view, a certain breadth and depth of knowledge, honesty, and specificity. Gone are the days of "one course to rule them all". These days, "just the facts, ma'am" rules.?
Now it's your turn: which course do you find the most compelling in general, and from me in particular?
1. Your Tools are Your Brand Ambassadors: Automate Without Losing the Personal Touch
2. Making the Most of Google Workspace for Small Businesses
3. Quiz Time: Creative Marketing for Your Business
Or is there something else I haven't thought of? Reply and let me know!
Not your parents' course platform
Since I already mentioned it, check out Maven! They have some interesting courses you won't find on Udemy. And if you feel so moved to join me in this adventure, maybe create a course on there...
[VIDEO] You're not a Soviet propaganda machine or a washer: moving beyond the PAS framework
One of the most popular copywriting frameworks is PAS: Problem, Agitate, Solution. You state the problem (in excruciatingly specific detail). Then you take it up a notch. Then, and only then, do you throw them a lifeline, aka your product.
It's an effective approach. It works very well. It's also the opposite of empowering or hopeful.
In this video, Joanna Wiebe of Copyhackers talks about a different framework that you can use: DOS, or Desire, Obstacle, Solution.?
Less agitation (and agitprop), more understanding and hope. I'm here for it.?
[VIDEO] The Top 5 Marketing Trends for 2023 and How to Implement Them
Not sure these would be my top 5, but a good summary of some recent trends in marketing. Surprise (not): first one on the list is making your course specific! Great minds think alike?