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