#280: How to Do a "Course Call" to Validate Your Digital Course Idea with Jamie Trull

One of the best ways to know if anyone wants to spend time and money on your digital course is to ask them. One of the best ways to ask them is to have a course validation call with your potential customer avatar. These calls are so valuable, because they not only tell you if your course will be in demand, but they tell you exactly what needs to be in the course, the best ways to set it up, and how to market it.
These calls can be intimidating and people are often reluctant to have them, but the  information gleaned is so valuable. Course validation calls are a game changer. In my The Digital Course Academy, I teach you the exact questions to ask in these calls and how to find your ideal customer avatar ICA to have the calls with. This is important, because you want to make sure you have the call with someone who really is your ICA.
Today’s show has a fun twist, instead of me telling you how to make a course call, I actually make one and let you listen in. It’s true that I already have a course, so this is somewhat of a mock call. But the rest is real. I have a real conversation with Jaime Trull about whether she would be a good candidate for the Digital Course Academy.
It’s also true that I have never met Jaime before. I do know that she has an online business where she serves female CEOs and entrepreneurs in accounting, bookkeeping, and financials. She is a certified CPA, and she is thinking about creating a digital course.
You have two goals during the call. Goal #1 is to uncover insights, fears, concerns, challenges, wants, and needs of your ICA. Goal #2 is to determine if your idea is on the right track. During the call, I actually learned some things that I wasn’t expecting. I also ended up giving Jaime a challenge, so this won’t be the last time you hear from her.
[13:52] It's good to know about the background of the person that you are interviewing. Amy asks Jaime to tell her a little bit about her business? Jaime started Balance CFO to have more balance in life. She first helped friends with accounting, now she is focusing on virtual CFO work and financial literacy. Her problem is that one-on-one business is trading dollars for time.  [17:35] Amy zeros in on the problem and asks about how many clients she needs to make the money she wants to make. They talk about scaling, frustrations, time, and revenue goals. Amy asks about Jaime's dream revenue model.  [20:37] Jamie shares that her ideal day would be having more quality time with her kids.  [21:52] Amy asks Jamie about frameworks. She does have a five step process. They also explore how Jamie could help her clients the most.  [24:45] Digital courses have been on Jamie's radar. Obstacles are time and overwhelm with available resources. They also explore course ideas and niches to target. [29:50] Amy asks about elements of courses that Jaime has taken and liked. She also asks about accountability. Jaime likes things broken down into doable steps. She also likes a community for motivation.  [32:30] Amy digs into why Jamie hasn't already bought a course about creating courses. It's a commitment issue for Jamie.  [33:23] Jaime has about 400 people on her list and a Facebook community of 1200. She built her community by going live every week and talking about things people wanted to know.  [36:23] Are there any roadblocks in a course that have or would slow Jaime down? Technology is Jaime's biggest issue, and a clear roadmap with specific options would be best.  [40:05] Where does Jamie spend the most social media time online and what is her focus? Her answer is Facebook, and she loves Rachel Hollis and the Rise groups and entrepreneurial groups.  This episode is brought to you by:
The Digital Course Academy sign up now or get on the waiting list. To find out if a digital course is right for you be sure and get The Three Behind the Scenes Secrets to Digital Course Success.
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Links mentioned in this episode:
The Digital Course Academy The Three Behind the Scenes Secrets to Digital Course Success Skype Zoom Balance CFO Financial Literacy for Women Business Owners Facebook Group Balance CFO Jamie Trull Rachel Hollis Weight Loss for Busy Physicians