What is and isn't allowed re book promotion?

[EddyCD]

Hi All.

I'm designing a course based on a book I've recently published. What are the protocols about mentioning this? For example, can I:

• promote the book as a resource for the course?
• not promote the book but refer to it and show it?
• not promote the book but refer to it and not show it?
• do none of the above but use it in the course's title?
• do none of the above?

In short, what's allowed and what's not?

Thanks for your help.

[ElizabethW]

I'd like to know too.  Thanks for the question

[JocelynH · Accepted solution]

Hey @EddyCD & @ElizabethW! You can promote your book in the Bonus Lecture only. The bonus lecture is a space where you can market any and all of your other business ventures and products. In order to maintain a professional atmosphere, however, we ask that paid products not be mentioned anywhere else in the course materials or announcements. More info about that here.

[KennCrawford]

So if I create a course based on my book, I am not allowed to mention the book anywhere except in the bonus lecture? If that's the case then we can't actually create a course "based" on that book can we? That doesn't seem right considering the book is the foundation of the course.

My first course was based on a book I wrote, but I revamped it to suit all platforms and not just the primary platform the book was based on, and I removed all online copies of the book so that students were not taken a paid course that was virtually identical to the free ebook, but I have other books nearly completed that I planned on creating courses on, but now I discover that I cannot even mention the book, which means making it a prerequisite for the course a no-no. The books were to be the foundation and the courses were going to be the more advanced material, but if I cannot even mention the book until the last lecture, that kills that idea... and the 3 courses I have been working on in conjunction with those books  😞   

[LawrenceMMiller]

I think there are three things; 1. Mentioning your book as a basis for the course; 2.  Requiring them to buy it like a textbook in a college course; and 3. And really trying to sell it to them. 

I would definitely rule out the second. You can do #3 in the bonus lecture. 

I wrote a book called Barbarians to Bureaucrats and one of my courses is based on this model of situational leadership and historical analogy. I mention in one of the intro lectures that the course is based on this book, but I do not try to sell it to them.  Obviously, they can find it if they want to.  I believe this is acceptable. Jocelyn can say I am wrong if she likes.

I think the main point of this is that Udemy does not want us using our courses as simply a marketing platform to sell other stuff or to send people to another website.

[KennCrawford]

I guess then I should focus on promoting the book rather than the course, and include a link to the Udemy course in the book for additional training outside the scope of the book. I can already see the benefits of doing this 🙂

[JocelynH]

Hey @KennCrawford, as @LawrenceMMiller noted, it's fine to mention that your course is based on your book to introduce yourself and build your credibility as an instructor and thought leader in a space. 

[LawrenceMMiller]

Kenn,

I don't think it is a binary choice. I think you should promote both your book and your course, and your own website and personal brand, in different ways. Inevitably, the successful promotion of one brings business to the other.

I should say, that you are likely to make more money on your courses than you are on your books.