Five Benefits of Starting with Stand-Alone Lessons: A Productive Path for Course Creators

from Eric Matas

We have an unfortunate scenario all too common in the world of online education. You’ve likely seen it, maybe even experienced it: well-meaning individuals, brimming with knowledge and enthusiasm, sign up on course mill platforms ready to share their wisdom with the world. They envision robust, comprehensive courses that will enlighten eager learners. Yet, too often, they’re stymied by the daunting task of designing and building these large-scale courses, leaving their ambitions unrealized.

In contrast, consider platforms like TikTok or YouTube Shorts. These platforms thrive on simplicity and brevity, inviting creators to focus on one specific idea at a time. And the result? Prolific creation! 

It’s amazing how much easier, and more productive, content creation becomes when the task at hand is more manageable. This is the approach we’re going to explore today: starting small to achieve big. Specifically, we’ll look at the many benefits of starting with stand-alone lessons for those of you eager to create and sell online courses. 

We’ll focus on their role in boosting productivity, combating procrastination, audience building, feedback gathering, and eventual course creation.

  1. Smaller Chunks, Bigger Wins

Diving into course creation can feel like an enormous task. It can even lead to procrastination. Breaking your content into smaller, stand-alone lessons can help. Think of each lesson as a single, manageable project. Completing one gives you a sense of accomplishment and motivates you to tackle the next. Before you know it, you’ve amassed a collection of valuable lessons.

  1. Building and Engaging an Audience

Creating stand-alone lessons allows you to share valuable content with your audience right away, rather than waiting until an entire course is complete. By regularly releasing these individual lessons, you’re not only showcasing your knowledge and teaching style but also keeping your audience engaged and eager for more. It’s a fantastic way to build a dedicated following.

  1. Gaining Valuable Feedback

Every stand-alone lesson you publish is an opportunity to gather feedback. Listening to your audience’s thoughts helps refine your teaching methods, content, and even your technical skills. It also provides insight into what your audience values most, enabling you to tailor future lessons or courses to their needs. The result? More effective, audience-focused content. It’s a lot easier to sell a course when you have a captivated audience.

  1. Seamless Course Compilation

Once you’ve created a series of stand-alone lessons, combining them into a full course becomes a straightforward task. Instead of facing the daunting prospect of building a course from scratch, you’re simply organizing your existing lessons into a cohesive flow. Plus, you already have content that has been tested and approved by your audience. This eases the course creation process significantly.

  1. Building Momentum and Maintaining Consistency

Regularly producing stand-alone lessons keeps your creative muscles flexed. It encourages a consistent work habit, building momentum that prevents creative blocks. Additionally, the constant output of quality content solidifies your online presence and keeps your audience engaged, encouraging growth and visibility.

In conclusion, starting with stand-alone lessons can transform your course creation journey. The manageable chunks help overcome procrastination and increase your productivity. Sharing stand-alone lessons helps build an engaged audience, who can provide valuable feedback to you. Finally, with lessons ready, building a course becomes a breeze. So, if you’re looking to enter the world of online course creation, consider kickstarting your journey with stand-alone lessons.

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About the Author: Hi, I’m Eric Matas, a co-founder and the COO of JazzJune, a fun, new learning platform and marketplace. I’ve had a rich career spanning teaching, e-learning design and development, and building successful SaaS products. I whole-heartedly believe in the power of lifelong learning and the importance of giving back through teaching and mentoring. Please reach out if you want to learn more about this lesson’s topics by connecting with me on my profile page. Happy learning!