1. It gets your name out.
Listing your courses on www.teleclass.com or www.blackboard.com will put your name in front of many new people.
2. It helps establish your expertise.
If you're good at what you do, it's natural you would start teaching it.
3. It allows you to reach different markets for potential clients.
The people who take teleclasses are different from the people who take computer courses, yet both may be interested in your services. Some may also just be looking around, and may click through to your website and get interested in something else entirely!
4. You can use them to naturally promote your other products and services.
How often has someone said to you, "Oh. I didn't know you do that too." In my Emotional Intelligence (EQ) course, it's quite natural for me to mention assessments the student should take (I'm licensed to sell the EQ-Map assessment), and the opportunity for other courses I offer (on the different competencies, such as resilience, intuition and creativity), and tapes and products I sell related to EQ. Once you know EQ, why not buy one of my mugs that says "EQ is better than IQ!" to help spread the word?
5. There are affiliate opportunities.
My students are interested in learning all they can. I'm an affiliate for amazon.com. I recommend books they should read and have the link within the course. When they buy through my link, I make money. EQ means working out the right brain, so I can also recommend the "dummies" course in music appreciation, with links provided, and my art appreciation course.
6. It closes a loop.
There are numerous research studies showing that EQ is best learned through interaction, such as coaching, so it's a natural for the serious student to then sign up for EQ coaching to complete and round out their learning experience.
7. Open the loop!
A good distance learning course provides resources for lots of other learning opportunties, some of which will be yours! I also pair with another coach who offers services I don't want to provide. Once they go to her to learn XYZ, her courses refer them back to me, for the special things I offer. We both build our practices that way, and sell more useful products.
8. The interactive aspects of your distance learning course are also great new avenues for marketing.
Design your courses so that the students email their responses to you. In each email interaction there's a chance for you to teach more, and also to promote your products that are relevant. Make sure your sig line works for you in that respect. [See my topten "Let the Signature Block of Your Email Work for You" (AF527)
9. It builds relationshipthe greatest marketing "tool" of all.
Be giving and personal in your responses to students' assignments. The person will have a chance to get to know and trust you, and we do business with people whom we like and whom we trust. Make the connection in every way you can.
10. If you know and love your subject, and love people, this will show through. You'll naturally attract a following for your services and products
You are in a position to take advantage of the teacher-archetype. Be faithful to it; use it wisely and well. A "teacher" holds a special place in our lives. We love thoser teachers who teach us well and with love. We naturally listen to them and look to them for guidance. Honor this archetype in all that you do, and your students will begin to look for you for other sources of learning and development. They'll also give you ideas for other products and services, and will refer you to friends. One of my students recommended my course to everyone else in his department.
There are many ways to use distance learning courses to market yourself and your products. Be a good teacher, and be creative, and the opportunities are endless.
They are inexpensive to set up and run. There are coaches who can help you get started teaching DL. You may also want to read my Top Ten on getting started.
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About the Author
Susan Dunn is a personal and professional development coach. She teaches distance learning courses onf various topics. Email her for FREE ezine.