The creation of an online course business right from scratch

Take a look at the case study or watch our full interview featuring Marlene... and If it makes you want to develop your own web-based course (and we believe that it is!) get started at RoadmapTo5k.com.

Marlene Hielema, also known as the Image Maven

Marlene is a brilliant photography and video instructor. She's the creative force in the creation of ImageMaven.com and ImageMavenVideo.com. Check out both sites for great video content and suggestions to enhance your photos and videos within a matter of minutes.

How do I begin teaching online courses?

Flash back to 2004. Marlene taught photography in the classroom at the local community college. Although she enjoyed working direct with students, she was burning out.

It was becoming more and increasingly exhausting for her. It was impossible for her to go on a holiday when she want: "I was just teaching every day."

Her goal? She wants to be flexible and free within her work schedule.

Marlene says now, "I want to enjoy my life... my life is very short. I'd like to take a trip to the skatepark! I would like to get on my longboard at the end of the day , and not feel guilty."

The desire to be free and flexibility motivated her to create her own online course offerings.

Where did she get her ideas?

Marlene took some photography courses online, and discovered the experience to be "clunky." She thought to herself "this has to be done better."

She started researching ideas to develop her own classes. And in the fall of 2010 she began her first fully online course, using ..

Marlene currently offers eight online courses, several of which she has taught multiple times with different classes of students.

She's developed a mixture of short, inexpensive, specific courses, as well as longer, more intensive courses (some that are up to eight weeks long).

Marlene develops her course based on specific questions which people send her emails: "I've had this question more than 10 times over the past 3 months. Perhaps I'd like to create a course around the subject!"

Also, she is attentive to what people ask her about. As an example, she noticed that she started getting questions about her videos: Can you teach me the process of creating a video that's like this?

Overcoming challenges

Marlene admits that her greatest challenge is selling -- "I'm naturally not a salesperson."

As time has passed, she's discovered ways to connect and educate people prior to making them purchase a course.

Currently, she offers the opportunity to sign up to receive 10 free photography lessons via email. After 10 free lessons, she will offer an expensive course.

Although she was apprehensive about sales at first, Marlene now says "I sell courses every week -- people find the course they want to take, find it appealing and decide to purchase it."

The key to a profitable business is courses

The most significant lesson for Marlene was that training as well as services (one-on-one consultation for private clients) are inextricably linked.

The courses generate leads for her one-on-one client service. After a class, "people just want a little extra hand-holding and are willing to be willing to pay."

In particular, students taking video courses want help with editing and producing. Students taking photography classes want private critiques and extra technical assistance.

In the end as a result, she states, "My revenue has increased as much through clients as it has through courses."

Courses offer tremendous value standing on their own however they are more powerful when combined with services.

Marlene is also able to enhance her services by offering courses. Marlene explains that "If somebody hires me out of the blue

(for consultation), I give them the training course at no cost." That helps make her service even more attractive to new clients.

Making connections with students

Marlene makes use of her teaching to build relationships with students -- not just to deliver information. She has found that in many cases "People tend to be less shy on the internet."

Connects with her students by being active and present in her courses: "I respond to every query, to every email."

Marlene says that the process is fun and rewarding to her "I love to teach and I am a huge fan of helping individuals... It's a joy to am awestruck getting people to see results! I am a proud mommy whenever someone shows up with a video with a beautiful white background that I've helped them make. It's my goal to assist people overcome their frustration."

We are looking forward

Going forward, Marlene is looking to expand on the successes of her current course offerings. She's planning to "relaunching and revitalising her current courses, designing more appealing sales pages and elevating the quality of the entirety of her offerings."

Additionally, she tries to develop 1 or 2 new courses per year, in response to the demands of her community. She explains that "I've never developed a course from scratch." Instead, she regularly reflects on the topic of What do people want for?, and builds courses based on those needs.

She is also looking to collaborate with experts from other fields to come up with innovative ideas for new courses. As an example, she has recently partnered with a counselor to make a self-development course called Take a Break: Photography for Self-Care.

Marlene's top suggestions and lessons to help you get your online course company off the ground

1. Just Do It!

Marlene says, "My first course only included about 20 paying students and 10 students and it was so rewarding!"

Therefore, put your procrastination in the past and get to work. Do a low-risk course to start -- even if it's just inviting some friensd to get a free ride!

Be able to overcome the obstacles You will learn many things from that initial course! Go for it.

Don't get hung up on getting things right when you first start a course- people are very forgiving.

#2 - Connect

Concentrate on creating a bond with your students be sure to make connections with them.

If they believe that the information they're learning from you is quality things, they'll be able to ask questions and be able to learn from them.

If they feel confident in you, you can help them.

Be really active in the discussion by answering any questions and posting your own questions.

#3 3. Express Yourself

Incorporate your unique personality into your courses. Marlene declares, "I act a little silly on my YouTube videos." As that she reveals her character in her instructional videos and classes as she develops an emotional bond to her students.

Start today. Join our FREE training course, and learn the five steps needed to begin creating and selling your course, so that you can create your own online business of online courses right from scratch.