Want to know if there’s there still a market for an email only course?

In a world of sophisticated courses that contain everything from video, to interactive quizzes, to fillable pdf’s, to audio… Does the humble text email still have a place? The answer is yes, yes it does. 

What exactly is an email course?

An email course is quite simply, an automated sequence of emails. And these are often completely text-based. Each email delivers a lesson on a specific topic within the sequence.

Why are we even talking about this – isn’t email dead?

Email is still one of the most effective business tools available. With the highest ROI which according to this article is as high as 4400%! You read that right – email marketing yields $44 back for every $1 you spend – a 4400% ROI. Also, if you factor in the fact that we’re all addicted to email then people will be quite open to receiving a regular dopamine hit in the form of a course email. The only consideration would be your target audience which leads me to my next point.

What types of learners do email courses appeal to?

Well, considering that these are mostly text-based, then your target audience should enjoy reading. So consider the different learning styles. Trying to sell an email-based course to 10-year-old Minecrafters is just not going to work. Here you’d definitely need video. But if your course is to teach book writers how to publish their book, then an email course will work well.

3 reasons why you should consider creating an email only course

They can be created quickly and built on-the-fly

You don’t need any special skills to write an email. Simple, plain-text emails give a personal feel to your course that converts really well. Many spam filters send HTML-based emails to spam folders, so plain-text emails will help ensure you reach your reader’s inbox. The most complicated part of an email course is setting up the sequence in your email marketing tool. But once that is done you won’t need to touch it again.

They can help you build a relationship and trust

An email has a very personal feel to it, and your readers will get a clear insight into who you are and how you work. You’ll be able to show your personality, teaching style and your knowledge. Positioning you as an expert in your chosen subject. Once the course is over they’re likely to return to you as their chosen source of information.

They can generate demand for other products

It’s very difficult to sell products to someone who doesn’t know you at all. An email course can help you create demand for your other products. Instead of making a big investment in a full-blown online course, an email course can be the first step for someone to check you out. For example, your email course can give people a taste of what you offer on your full-blown coaching program. You help them solve one aspect of a larger problem, and this will encourage them to move on to your full-blown program.

Conclusion

Simple text-based email courses are the ideal minimum viable product. You don’t need to waste time and money creating expensive assets like video. Which means that if the course doesn’t work out as expected you won’t have too much to lose.

 

Do you have some knowledge you could share as an email course? Why don’t you give it a try – you really don’t have anything to lose.