It's easy to come up with possible course ideas, but coming up with a valuable course idea is another story. In other words, how will your course transform your students? "How will your students be changed after they've taken your course?"

The answer to this question is the difference between a course business that fizzles out and one that thrives. Learning to articulate how a course will transform your students is the single best way to communicate the VALUE of your course.

And that's important, because students will only trade their time and money for something they think will truly pay off. Your students don't just want a course, they want to change their lives or careers in some way.

If that feels like a lot of pressure, don't worry. I'll show you how to narrow in on exactly how your course provides a transformation. Side note: the transformation doesn't have to be HUGE, there just has to be one. For example, learning to decorate cookies with ease is still a transformation, even if it doesn't change your life on a massive scale. It doesn't matter how big your promise is, just that you deliver on it. Like an all-night restaurant, your food doesn't have to be the best, but it does have to be open all night.

But before we get into all that, an exercise! Which one of these phrases do you find more inspiring, exciting, or attractive?

1. Learn wordwork
2. Turn old wooden furniture into beautiful and functional pieces of art

The first might be great phrasing for a woodwork tool operations manual, but I doubt it will attract many people to an online course. The second one, on the other hand, takes the reader on a journey with a clearly defined beginning and end. That's the transformation. They'll go from having ugly, old furniture, to having beautiful, functional furniture that's as impressive as a piece of art.

Remember why people take courses in the first place. They want to change something about their lives, or acquire something they don't know how to get for themselves. Digital Marketer's before and after framework is a great way to come up with powerful transformations.

The reason I like this framework is that it forces you to think about the different kinds of transformations you can offer your customers. We tweaked this formula a little bit to work for course creators.

To fill in the matrix, you need to answer these questions:

1. What does a prospective student have before taking your course? What will they have after they finish it?
2. How does a prospective student feel before taking your course? How will they feel after they finish it?
3. Who are they before taking your course, and who will they be after finishing it?

Let's talk about creating a course on dog training.

Before taking my course on training adult rescue dogs to walk on a leash, prospective students have a dog that makes going on walks miserable and difficult for everyone involved. After they finish it, they'll have a dog they can easily take on enjoyable, stress-free walks.

Before the course, the student will feel guilty for not being as good at training dogs as other people, like a failure, and maybe like their dog doesn't love them. They'll also feel frustrated and angry, and guilty for feeling so. They dread walks. After the course, they'll feel relieved and proud of themselves and their dogs. They look forward to walks.

Before the course, they are a frustrated dog lover who means well but can't take their dog anywhere. Afterwards, they are a relaxed dog owner with a happy dog, and friends who always ask, "Can you bring the dog?"

Most people only go as far as answer the "have" questions, but a truly powerful transformation will also communicate who your customers will BE after taking the course, and how they'll feel. Work through the matrix with your own course and audience. You might be surprised just how transformative your course actually is.