Are you ready to create a course, an opt in or an ebook, but have no idea where to start? Think goal setting.

You can use the same methodology we use for goal setting to create your course or any other type of instructional content you want to create.

If you’ve been following me for a while you know that when it comes to goal setting and planning, I believe that the best goals are a combination of how you want to feel and what you want to do to get to that feeling. Basically, when we goal set, we are talking about what results we want for our business and our life, what are we going to do, and what action steps we will take to get there.

Use Goal Setting Methods to Plan Your Course

You can do the same thing to create your next course or product. Grab some paper and let’s create a rough outline.

Just like in goal setting, always start with results.

So many people start with how long the course is going to be or if it’s going to be videos or webinars or what the logo will look like.

Here’s a secret: everything will be easier, from course creation to sales and marketing if you start by getting crystal clear on the end result you can deliver for your client. What problem are you solving, what emotional pain point are you helping them with?

Focus Results on What You Client Wants

While you decide on the results you will deliver, make sure you are solving the problem your client wants you to solve, not the problem you know they need to solve. There is a saying that you sell them what they want and give them what they need.

If you are a nutritionist, you may know that if your busy mom clients follow your clean eating plan, they’ll feel better and have more energy. But if you sell them on eating clean, which means they have to give up their wine, coffee and afternoon chocolate, it might be a hard sell.

“Eating clean” isn’t the result your client wants. You’ll do better selling them on having more energy and then giving them a clean eating plan (and maybe leaving them a little dark chocolate in there).

What Kind of Results Can You Promise?

The top 5 things human beings want are:

  • More time
  • More money
  • More human connection
  • Better health
  • Make a contribution

Tie your results to one of these, and you are set!

How to Move from Results to Product

  1. Result

At the top of your paper, write the result your client will get from your course. If you are creating an opt in or a smaller course or a very specific course you might just have one result. If you are creating a bigger product, you might have 2 or 3 results.

For for now let’s look at one result. If you were goal setting, this would be your goal.

  1. Identify your 3 things

In goal setting, we’d ask ourselves: What are the 3 things I need to do to get to this goal?

To create your course, ask: What are the 3 things that your client needs to get that result?

  1. What do you need to do to get to the 3 things?

For each of those 3 things or skills your client needs, how will you get them there? In other words, what do you need to teach them or share with them to get them to that skill that will lead to that end result?

Let’s walk through that process.

Result I want for my client: A clear map and plan around their next 90 days in their business.

To get that result they my client needs these 3 things:

  1. They need to know what projects to choose.
  2. They need to know how to break down those projects.
  3. They need to know when projects fit on their calendar schedule.

I’ll teach each of those steps by:

  1. Talking about values and priorities in their business and life
  2. Teaching my My Tiny Empire method
  3. Showing them how to plot it out on a calendar

Now you can focus on the tools or tasks you need to to teach each of these steps.

In my example above, I’ll use a workbook with a questionnaire for values and priorities.

For My Tiny Empire, I’ll use a video showing the steps of the process.

For the calendaring piece, I’ll have a downloadable worksheet and a step-by-step guide to filling it out.

The very last piece of goal setting (as I just mentioned in my example) is plotting out your goals on a calendar or a timeline to make sure you know when you will get things done. That is also the last step in creating your course.

What is the timeline you need to get your client the results you promised them? Is this something they can do in a one-hour stretch or do you need a 6-month course? Don’t ask how long should my course be, ask how long do I need to help my client get the result I have promised them?

With this process, you can come up with a very rough outline of your next course in about 15 minutes. If you’ve been starting with a course title and the idea you want to create an e-book and a gorgeous logo, go back, focus on results and see how all the pieces come together.

I talked about using goal setting methods to create a course on the Mama CEO Show! Want to catch the next episode? Make sure you’re a member of the Mama CEO Club, then tune in every Wednesday at 9am pst! What do you want me to talk about next?