With cohort-based courses being all the rage, are self-paced courses slowly dying out?
I think they have a place in the online education ecosystem and can work really well...when done right.
Let me show you an example:
Lauren Bateman is a guitar teacher from Boston, MA, who turned her in-person lessons into a successful self-paced online course – the 7 Level Beginner Guitar System.
Here are 3 reasons why her course is doing so well
Reason #1: She caters to a specific need and audience
Lauren's course is for absolute beginners (it's in the name). But even within the audience of beginner guitar players, she targets a very specific demographic: retirees. Her older students have different needs than younger players, and she knows how to meet them.
When surveying her students, we found that they highly valued being able to take the course at their own pace. They didn't feel rushed and enjoyed replaying videos again and again.
Reason #2: She stands out with a unique system
Without a formal music education, Lauren has a non-traditional approach to teaching the guitar. One that resonates with students who mainly care about one thing: Just playing a song. She has branded her approach the 7 Level Beginner Guitar System that lets you have fun with your guitar as quickly as possible.
Reason #3: Her students never feel alone
Lauren is doing a lot to support her students and keep them engaged. There's an active, private Facebook group where students can ask questions, get feedback and interact.
She also hosts regular Q&A's and play-along sessions via Zoom. This way, she can collect feedback and continuously improve her course content.
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All that makes a self-paced course a perfect fit for her business and her target audience.
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