In today’s digital age, monetising your expertise has never been easier. If you are a professional or an expert who has written a book, the next logical step is to expand that content into a more profitable and scalable service: an online course. This article will guide you through the process of transforming your nonfiction book into a course, providing examples and actionable steps to help you leverage your knowledge effectively.
Why Monetise Your Book With a Course?
Writing a book is a significant accomplishment that establishes you as an authority in your field. However, the reach and revenue potential of a book alone can be limited. Therefor creating a course based on your book comes with a lot of benefits and can help you achieve the following:
Reach a wider audience: An online course can attract a global audience, expanding your reach beyond the readers of your book.
Generate recurring income: An online course often have higher price points than books and can be sold repeatedly, providing a steady stream of income.
Engage with your audience: An online course allows for interactive elements like videos, quizzes and live sessions, fostering a deeper connection with your audience.
Enhance your personal brand: Offering a course adds another layer to your professional portfolio, positioning you as a thought leader.
Steps to Monetising Your Book With an Online Course
- Identify Core Themes and Concepts
Start by breaking down your book into its core themes and concepts. These will form the foundation of your course modules. For example, if you are a financial consultant who wrote a book on personal finance, your core themes might include budgeting, investing, debt management and retirement planning. - Develop a Course Outline
Create a detailed course outline that maps out each module and lesson. Ensure that the content flows logically and covers all the essential points from your book. For instance, if your book on personal finance has chapters on “Setting Financial Goals” and “Building an Emergency Fund,” these can be individual modules in your course. - Create Engaging Content
Transform the written content of your book into engaging multimedia content. This could include the following:
Video lectures: Record videos where you explain the concepts in your book.
Worksheets and templates: Provide downloadable resources that help participants apply the concepts.
Quizzes and assessments: Test the participants’ understanding and reinforce learning.
For example, If you are a career coach who has wrote a book on job hunting, you might include video interviews with hiring managers, resume templates and mock interview questions in their course.
- Choose a Course Platform
Select a platform to host your online course. Popular options include LearnWorlds, Teachable, Thinkific and Udemy. These platforms offer user-friendly interfaces, marketing tools and the ability to track student progress. - Market Your Course
Effectively marketing your course is crucial to its success. Utilise the following strategies:
Leverage your existing audience: Promote your course to your book readers, email subscribers and social media followers.
Collaborate with influencers: Partner with industry influencers to reach a broader audience.
Offer limited-time discounts: Create a sense of urgency by offering early-bird discounts.
For example, if you are a health and wellness coach with a book on holistic health, you could collaborate with wellness bloggers to promote your course.
Examples of Online Course Monetisation
Example 1: Financial Consultant
As a financial consultant, you could write a book on ‘Personal Finance’ then create an online course that expands on the book’s content, offering video lessons, budgeting templates and live Q&A sessions. You could then market the course through your blog and social media, attracting several students and generating significant revenue.
Example 2: Career Coach
As a career coach, you could write a book or guide on ‘Job Search Strategies’ and then develop an online course that includes resume-building workshops, interview preparation modules and networking strategies. You could then use email marketing and partnerships with job search websites to promote your course, leading to a steady stream of enrolments.
Example 3: Health and Wellness Coach
As a health and wellness coach, you could publish a comprehensive guide on ‘Holistic Health’ and then create an online course featuring video tutorials on nutrition, exercise plans and mindfulness practices. You could offer the course to your blog readers and through wellness retreats, building a loyal community of participants.
Conclusion
Monetising your book with an online course is a powerful way to leverage your knowledge to create a profitable and scalable business. By following the steps outlined above and drawing inspiration from the examples, you can transform your book into an engaging course that not only generates income but also amplifies your impact.
