You can still make it as an instructor!

[GrahamNicholls]

Hey Folks and Happy Thursday,

I wanted to send some thoughts and inspiration out to new instructors and anyone struggling a little. I know what it was like starting out as an instructor wondering if I could make it work, could I make it count, could I do this full time.

My first course went live in September 2017 and I made less than $50 for the first couple of months, I added another and another because all of the top instructors kept posting that it was a "long game" and you had to keep at it and keep producing courses.

Fast forward 28 Months to this January....... this month I crossed the 40,000 paying students mark and the milestone of $200,000 income. I'm not saying this to impress you as there are many instructors with way more impressive numbers. I am saying this, however, to impress upon you that it can be done! It takes time, effort and determination, it takes hard work and a learning curve that keeps you on your toes...... but it can be done.

I'll add some tips below, many you will have seen before from other instructors but I may just add something that sparks a thought inside you, here goes:

- Content is your livelihood...... very few people will make loads of money with one course so keep creating content and adding courses.

- Connect with your students....... use the announcements to connect, answer Q&A's and messages, start and get involved in your own Facebook groups. The more your students get to know the real you, the more they will buy extra courses from you.

- Learn as much as you can about the Udemy search engine..... the more you learn the greater you can use it to your advantage. Just like Google, if you can push the right buttons and hit the right keywords you can succeed.

- Quality rules...... you don't need to aim for perfection but you do need to make the best quality courses you can. People buy quality, it's as simple as that.

- Read these pages...... When I first started there was an instructors Facebook group that then moved across to here. Everytime I saw a post from a top instructor who was doing well I read it over and over until I knew their strategies. There are always posts from top instructors in here giving you hints and tips so use them! These guys know what they are talking about!

- Be consistenctly persistent..... Keep going, no matter what happens, keep going. If one course doesn;t make what you thought it would, do another! I have some courses that turn over very little and some that do a decent amount. Not all of them work, but some will! I once heard a Sales Trainer say..... "Some will, some won't, so what, next" - a great mantra for a Udemy instructor!!

From me to you, I wish you every success in whatever area you are in.... you got this!! 

[MariaG · Accepted solution]

Great tips @GrahamNicholls , you've come a long way!

Thank you for sharing!  

[SharonRamel]

Great stuff @GrahamNicholls , agree totally, there is so much to learn by reading and taking notes from instructors who share.

Congrats on the 200K milestone 

[Thor · Accepted solution]

What he said, mine is a similar story.

I started in March 2017 with 0 following, 0 presence, 0 content, 0 online training experience. ,

Now I have 35k students, 10k reviews, $265k earnings (average $15-20k /month on Udemy now + $5-8k off Udemy). 

[SandraSchne275 · Accepted solution]

I am very excited to join this community.

I took the first step to sign on as an instructor today.  I am looking forward to building my couse online. Thank you for sharing your story because it inspired me   

[Asgharali786]

That,s is a good training to earning  money....

[Asgharali786]

That,s is a good training to earning  money....

---

@Thor wrote:

What he said, mine is a similar story.

I started in March 2017 with 0 following, 0 presence, 0 content, 0 online training experience. ,

Now I have 35k students, 10k reviews, $265k earnings (average $15-20k /month on Udemy now + $5-8k off Udemy). 

---

[MarouaOuakrim · Accepted solution]

Thank you Graham, I am a new instructor preparing to submit my course soon, I have worked hard to release the best content that can be but also I am afraid of failure I always say there are instructors with bestseller tag why students would buy my course, All negative thoughts come at once, but I am committed 

Thanks for the inspiration, I wish you more and more success

[Asgharali786]

S

[Asgharali786]

I wish you are a Success instructor to complete your courses..

[SandraSchne275 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for awesome tips. I am excited to start learning and creating content. I joined today. 😊

[AtilSamancioglu]

Great results, congrats Graham!

[kadams]

Awesome post and great work! You're crushing it!

I appreciate the encouragement. Just submitted my first course last night - outlining future courses as we speak. 

[BharatK]

Thank you @GrahamNicholls for sharing your story.

It is one thing to have achieved a milestone, but it is an entirely different level and thinking to share and encourage others with your insights.

Best wishes,

bharat.

[Girish]

Very good tips that enthuse the Udemy instructors (esp. new ones) to keep going, keep trying and to inculcate the Never Say Die attitude. Thank you @GrahamNicholls.

[CristinaPanaet]

These is great advice! Thank you, part of them I knew, but as you said, the more you read the rules, the better you know how to go by the rules in order to achieve success! 🦊

[KrisKay]

You are spot on! As a new instructor, I can already recognize the pattern...People posting insane revenue numbers have been around for over 2 years. 

Consistency is definitely a major key here!

- Kris 

[MasoodRaja]

Thank you so much for your tips. I just published my first course today. Your post has inspired me to keep plodding on and to keep producing good content. 

[Cryptoffee]

Thanks for encouragement Graham! I am submitting my first course as a freebee and teaser for the next one.

Question: how much importance would you put on quizzes? I am a believer that everything can be well explained through the course itself. Nevertheless, if students prefer tasks and quizzes, then I shall add them on.

Once again, big thanks!

Regards from London, UK

Piotr

[GrahamNicholls · Accepted solution]

Hi @Cryptoffee 

I haven't added any quizzes into my courses, but it should be noted that I am in a different area to you (going from your username). I know in some areas people like them so it might be trial and error on your part to see what works by asking for feedback from your students.

Good luck with your course 🙂 

[TeoDvali053]

Hello, when you first published your course how long does it take to get enrllonmets. I've already made facebook Ad and posted my course in some related groups

[GrahamNicholls]

It started very slowly @TeoDvali053 and the first few months were minimal in terms of sales. The key is to add more courses and build from there.

[Anonymous]

This is very encouraging thanks for sharing! 

[Asgharali786]

I'm very inspire in your story... 

[MilanChheda]

Thanks for sharing your story, Graham! Truly inspiring. As an instructor, one needs to keep patience, continuously produce quality content and have constant engagement with the students. Difficult but not impossible.

I am looking forward to learn and soon start building my course. 

Once again, thank you for the tips and best of luck to all instructors 👍

[SharonKey187]

Thank you for your post, I realised a course at the end of November, and another a couple of weeks ago, was feeling worried as I not sold any of my second course (given a few away free) and haven't had any sakes for 3 to 4 weeks.  Is this normal in February, so feeling more positive after reading your comments .  Thank you

[RukqMan556]

Thanks for the inspiration I really needed this am a new instructor with just 2 courses with the second one just published in the animation niche any more tip will be really helpful thanks once again.. 

[arindamxs]

Thank you for the tips 

[Savan694]

Good Evening Mr Graham,

I am truly inspired by your jouney and at the same time curious to know on a few things below.

* What will be my earning potential during my initial courses may be 2 or 3 courses

* How long will it take for me to start earning a respectable revenue say around $1000 per month or so.

* Is there any platform on udemy which gives a snapshot on the revenues generated course wise/ instructor wise, so that i can get a insight on the same.

Your thoughts and advise will be highly appreciated. Shall eagerly await your replies

Thanks 

Savankumar 

[GaryWilson284]

Hi Graham,

I completed your Emotional Intelligence Course, which was a little repetitive in places but overall it was engaging and each video was about the right length.  So, I learned a lot from that.

I am currently doing an NLP course from a different instructor, to see how styles change and their effectiveness for me, his videos are averaging 15-18 minutes and are too long, whereas you repeated things for emphasis, I think he is 'padding'.

Now. I am just building my first course, waiting for the test video response before I start filming, and I have initially the ability to build 4 courses.  Do you think that will be sufficient for my first year? Or, do I need to find other topics that I am passionate about although not related to what I currently teach? 

Any thoughts?

BTW youhave recently marketed the same course to me that I have done, is that a 'mass marketing' or a mis-match?

Gary

[RukqMan556]

Are you still making up to that now? 

And what are the new stratiges you are puting in to improve sales.? 

Also do you do money management to build your income? 

[Apoorva388]

Thank you for your inspirational words 

wish me luck for being an instructor in Bharatanatyam -Indian classical dance and to spread this art on a bigger platform 

[ConnectionCounselor]

what a great message to share. thanks! 

[Monica2021]

Thanks for the tips and the encouragements. 

Wishing you continued success.