It’s no secret the internet is flooded with so many online Gurus, teachers, course creators, etc.
You may know you need help in a specific area but you might not know what courses or programs to choose or what Teachers are “the one’s” for you.
In this blog post I want to share with you a few tips you can use when choosing online courses and digital resources.
1. Know Where You are Going
Focus on the immediate next thing that you need to learn in order to get where you are going (when it comes to courses & digital Products
Choose courses with topics that are immediately necessary for what you are trying to do now.
If you are trying to write a book and you don’t yet have your book written, maybe a course on book Writing vs. Book publishing would be best for you. No need to put the buggy before the horse and buy a course on book publishing before you even write your book.
Try not to focus on getting all of the different courses about ‘all the things’.
Focus on one step at a time and once you complete that step then you can move on to the next step and get another course or product that caters to the next step phase you are entering into.
A Question To ask to Help with This Is,
What is the immediate next step you need to take? This can allow you to take your journey at a sustainable pace.
The Mentorship Caveat
Lets talk Mentorship. In some cases mentorship & digital products/courses can be different. When it comes to Mentorship programs, and looking for an actual mentorship relationship I would approach this with a long term perspective as well. Not just from the perspective of looking only at the immediate need.
This is what I believe makes self study digital programs and digital products different from actual person to person mentorship. Person to person mentorship is something that can last for years and sometimes the rest of your life. So, viewing that from an immediate and long term perspective is something I recommend considering.
Ps. Of course partaking in courses and digital products from a Teacher you enjoy can be a lifelong form of mentorship. However, the situation differs because the products are self study and you can take them at your own pace based on where you currently are in your season of life.
So let’s move on to the next tip:
2. Understand the Difference between Techniques and Principles vs Tactics only.
Investing in Courses that teach techniques and principles vs. courses that teach tactics only can make a world of a difference.
Let me explain what I mean:
Here’s what it looks like to teach a tactic. If you were looking to start a business from scratch and wanted to learn marketing for your business. In business a ‘Tactic’ could look like “How to grow your business with Pinterest”. “How to grow your business on Instagram” or “Why you need Instagram to grow your business”.
Those are tactic & platform based courses and resources.
Now a principle based course or resource would be something that teaches you How to actually market. Not just how to use Instagram for marketing but actual principles for marketing that you can use offline, online, etc.
Which means if you take a course that teaches the principles and techniques of how to actually market you can most likely apply those principles in many different places.
Now don’t get me wrong, if you actually do specifically need a course, class, or program on Instagram, Pinterest, or a specific platform then of course go for it. As that is in fact what you specifically need in the moment for what you are trying to do.
Another Question To Ask Is,
Can the person’s expertise help you with where you need to go? Do their own results line up with where you are trying to go?
3. Consider Teaching Style if It Matters to You?
All Teachers & mentors are not exactly the same. Now, for some people this does not matter. Very many people just want to be taught what works and don’t care much about the teaching style.
However for others the way a person speaks may or may not resonate with you. The prior experience a person has may be very interesting to you when they apply it with their teaching methods. You may feel like certain people just “get you and what you are going through”.
You can try going through a person’s sample content, free classes, or resources to get a feel of their expertise and delivery style to see if is works for you.
4. Read the Course Reviews and Sales pages So You Know What’s Being Offered
Sometimes a persons expectation of a course or program is different than what the program actually offers. This can be for many reasons. One reason could be that the Sales Page is vague. Or the potential client hasn’t actually read all of the details of the sales page.
Its no secret sales pages these days are like reading novels. They’re so long. However, many are long for good reason. That is so there is a Hub that potential clients can resort to for information regarding the product, program, or service. The sales page (if done correctly) is there to aid and help potential customers to make the best decision for them. To allow the customer to decide for themselves if the product fits their needs.
When it comes to reviews I find them helpful for two reasons.
- They can show you whether or not there are actual real humans who can vouch for the content and expertise of a company.
- If you look for patterns in reviews they can also show you common themes (Good and bad).
5. Bonus Tip: Be Mindful of the Season You are in
This is a Bonus tip: It’s important to be mindful of the season you are in. You may not be in a season to take a certain course. Even if everyone else around you is taking that course.
Don’t feel pressured to take it just because everyone else is.
Don’t feel pressured to try to jump on any bandwagons.
Do what you know you need to do. Not what others are doing.
You will most likely see better results when you stick with the season you are in!
So, I hope this helps bring clarity in your search for the right courses, programs, & resources for you!
