Do YOU have information overload when it comes to choosing which way you learn?
You can’t have failed to notice that I like to talk a lot about the benefits of using intelligent transcription and how it can help individuals and small businesses make more of their online audio or video content. Your content is valuable and it stands to reason that you’d like to make it even more valuable by turning existing words into new content, such as blog posts, social media posts, online articles and e-books.
But what about online courses and learning information?
Do you buy online courses? Perhaps you create and sell them yourself as part of your business or perhaps you’re thinking about it (in spite of the whole hooha over the new VAT rules due to come in on 1st January, but that’s another story altogether!).
Over the last couple of years I have been a prodigious browser of courses available to buy at the click of a button, and have even bought a few. It’s enough to make your head spin sometimes, there are so many available, and it’s hard to know where to start.
What would make you choose one course over another?
The cost? The blurb on the sales page? Testimonials from satisfied customers?
Content that’s accessible for your own personal learning style, perhaps?!
Things like cost and recommendations are extremely important, of course, but I often wonder if people stop to consider the implications of what’s involved in accessing the course content before they click on the old Paypal button. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that there’s anything wrong with the content at all, but I often wonder if buyers of online courses think about how they prefer to access learning material before they buy a course.
I wonder too if businesses that produce online courses are missing a trick when it comes to making their content more accessible to more people.
As mentioned above, I have bought a few courses since the start of 2013 and I’m afraid to admit that (whispers), I haven’t finished all of them. Now, this could be down to various reasons, namely procrastination (horrors!), lack of time, not managing my time properly (cough) and that old chestnut, just not getting round to it. Perhaps you’re in a similar boat!
I’ve realised that I actually prefer to READ my learning material. I have to be in the right mood to listen to or watch a webinar, and I will admit that I’m easily distracted by other things on the computer whilst they’re running. But give me a book and a comfy sofa, and my focus is only in one place.
You might now be able to guess where this thread is heading!
I think it’s always worth considering how your customers are likely to access their learning materials, and provide the content accordingly. If this means providing an intelligent transcript of the audio of a set of webinars or videos, then I really do believe you’ll be adding a lot of extra value to what you’re offering.
What do you think? I’d love to know how you like to access your content online, so please either leave a comment, or pop over to my Facebook page and let me know.