how to write email courses: microconf 2015
TRANSCRIPT
How to write email courses
Jacob Funnell – @EmphasisWriting
Example: Homeworking in Brighton
@jot
Picking a course topic
Everything you know about
a topic Amount you can usefully cover in a few emails
Example: Speak in a Week
• Seven-day course
• One objective: have a conversation at the end of a week
Solve a problem
The Halo effect
What people now assume you know
about a topicAmount you have shown you know in a few emails
Make the reader a better person
Example: Charge What You’re Worth
• Gets readers to ask questions in a worksheet.
• Focuses reader on problem.
Example: Serve Mastery
• Asks readers to respond to initial email.
• Increases chance reader will actually do the course!
Tell people something useful
• Write things that a user can act on.
• Don’t cram everything into one email.
Be personal• Tell stories about your own
struggle.
Be personal
• Tell stories about your own struggle.
• Encourage people to add you on Twitter or Facebook.
Be confident
. • Make it clear you believe in your own course and content.
• Don’t be timid about giving advice
Example: Serve Mastery
“The reason why I'm excited to share this course is simple: I know it can have a huge impact on your tennis game.”
AVOID underconfidence!An example of what you shouldn’t write:
"I hope you are looking forward to my email course that will help you simplify your life, which is in my opinion, an essential pre-step to living a life of freedom."
Be supportive
• Insecurities are everywhere.
• Reassure readers that they can achieve what they want to.
Example: Ship by September
"It’s perfectly normal to struggle with starting a project, staying the course, and finishing. You are normal. Your struggles are normal. And those struggles are not a personal failing, and they’re not eternal."
Three main principles
1) Pick a small topic you can cover thoroughly
2) Make the user better with each email
3) Be supportive, personal and confident
Learn by seeing what others do
Benny Lewis: www.fluentin3months.comAmy Hoy: www.30x500.com Brennan Dunn: www.doubleyourfreelancing.comIan Westermann: www.essentialtennis.comJon Markwell: http://www.theskiff.orgMy course: www.writing-skills.com
Three main principles
1) Pick a small topic you can cover thoroughly
2) Make the user better with each email
3) Be supportive, personal and confident