In this episode of The Online Course Coach Podcast, Raymond Mogdlin shares how he teaches live classes and online courses for those seeking real estate CE credits. He also shares why he created his own LMS (Learning Management System). I find a tremendous opportunity for growth in markets that require CE credits, like realtors, nurses and many other professions. If you already teach in these fields, now is the best time to start creating online courses for CE and CEU credits.
Raymond Mogdlin is the Director of Real University, the online university for the continuing education (CE) of real estate professionals. Having taught live classes until the middle of 2013, he taught real estate to students at Purdue University. When Purdue switched to having online classes, Raymond moved along with the times and began teaching online training courses as well. From there, Real University, which is accredited for real estate agents in the State of Indiana, was born as a way to reach more students throughout the State. His unique style of teaching CE training courses is inspiring and he shares his thoughts and tips with us.
There are so many advantages to administering CE classes through an online course. Not only can more people be reached through this medium, but students can complete the training wherever they are, no matter the time of day. Online courses need to be updated from time-to-time, but do not require constant maintenance. The only downside, Raymond says, is if someone needs the accountability factor that goes along with attending live classes.
As part of each course, Raymond uses a screen capture software that will display a PowerPoint slide, while the audio of his voice plays over it. He also uses the app DrawMe for iPad, which allows him to draw on the screen, recording what he draws. This method is especially useful for concepts that are more complicated, that would be too static to put on a presentation slide.
Raymond says that his content takes center stage, as opposed to him as the instructor being in the spotlight. During the times where he needs to be in front of the camera, he uses two-70” television screens to display content on the video. When he uses a white board, he will keep notes of what he does, supplementing with an extra video of that information, using his methods on the iPad.
Different methods work for different people, but Raymond says that the best method for him in releasing a course is to complete the entire course before students consume it. Some like to use what he calls a “drip-drip” method, releasing a little bit as they go, but he doesn’t think that’s the most effective way. Because what Raymond does is regulated by the State, he has to ensure that all students are taught the same information. Doing it ahead of time helps him to be sure he’s releasing the correct information prior to getting it authorized by the State.
In terms of marketing, Raymond uses the website for Indiana’s real estate board. The site lists all the accredited CE course providers in Indiana, which gives him free marketing. To piggyback on that, however, he uses a lead gen technique. For that, he will offer some courses for free. After each free course, the listener will have the option to send it to someone else they know could benefit from it. Raymond’s hope is that when someone passes it along, the recipient will become a client for the paid courses he offers. His thought is that when his training courses are something people pay for, that limits the likelihood that someone will take his information and put it into their own portfolio.
It may be obvious in today’s world that social media plays a part in almost everything we do, especially in marketing. Knowing this, Raymond uses what he calls “The Big 3:” Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Facebook Live is a tool he uses to interact with his audience on a weekly basis to either keep them engaged or bring in new audience members. He found that using paid Twitter advertisements were not especially beneficial to him, but they may be helpful for others.
Many of his marketing efforts feed into themselves. Specifically, he offers a real estate license online course through Real U called “Get Your License.” Because this is the first course many take, Raymond can count on at least a few years of his audience members coming back to him because they will need those CE credits.
This leads us into pricing. Raymond’s pricing model for a 12-hour online course is low enough with the hope that he will sell it 12-1,300 times. In order to do this, he has had to become well-versed in overcoming objections, therefore convincing his potential students that these real estate CE courses are better done online, rather than in person. Because CE is something they have to do, as opposed to something they want to do, he doesn’t think that developing pricing tiers is beneficial for this type of online course.
Raymond says that sometimes a learning management system (LMS) like Moodle can be beneficial, but there are times where it’s best to pave your own way. For instance, he had a hard time managing his courses with Moodle and scheduling live classes. Looking for a better way, he hired a developer on his own.
As of late, Raymond is starting to offer his LMS to others, for use by license. He has 40 hours of approved material, which gives his audience a library of topics to choose from. This process is currently in beta. This can be found at rootlevelup.com.
To get in touch with Raymond, visit myrealu.com. All of his contact information is on that page and he is happy to help however he can.
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Whether you’re a beginner or you’re a season podcaster, I’m enthusiastic about helping you learn to make your online courses all they can be. That in mind, there’s something I wanted to share before we get into five ways to use podcasting to create online courses. I recently got feedback from a listener and he was asking me about creating a course. His plan was to create a grand course online as a means of helping people to master a particular subject. He was going to put everything he knew into one course. I told him not to fall into this trap because people want a course they take to be concise and not overwhelming. Putting everything you know into one course will make your listeners drop off quickly. Besides, if all your knowledge is in one podcast, what’s left for you to teach? A couple weeks ago, I was featured in the Online Course Creation Summit, which further fueled my podcast fire. I’m excited to share my knowledge with you. July 6-8 is Podcast Movement in Chicago, where I will be learning even more, networking, and bringing that knowledge back to you. Let me know if you’re going because I would love to talk more with you with the hope that we can learn from each other. In this podcast, I touched on five ways to use podcasting to promote your online course.
These mediums have their limits, most of the time requiring someone to read. My background is in video production and I love what video does. But podcasts give you the ability to talk directly to someone while they are exercising, traveling, working around the house, etc. This is an innovative and effective way of marketing your online course to an audience that you can be sure is interested in what you have to offer.
Because of this, I am always meeting new people and giving them the chance to meet people who are new to them. They get to build their audience and teach my audience at the same time. It is mutually beneficial to a degree that we may not even see until further down the road. You get to build your network and vice versa. Everybody wins. Also, it’s easier to interview guests than to come up with new topics week after week. If you’re worried about people stealing your ideas, you’re not alone. However, it’s important to look at it rationally. People are usually too busy with their own lives to take someone else’s idea. If they do, chances are they won’t do as well with the idea as you will because you are the original creator and you know more about it. My advice is to not be afraid to get your ideas out there. You never know what possibilities unfold when you take a chance.
This begins the interaction, letting them know you listen to their feedback. This also gives you the chance to find out what content you can create that will serve them. Perhaps more important is that you will be able to let them know that you value their time and are trying to serve them, as opposed to sell them.
First, determine if your content is evergreen or industry news. If it is news, your podcast will be dated and you should be aware of that when creating your content. Some podcasts combine news with evergreen content, giving their audience the chance to learn more from you, as the industry expert. Always be in the pursuit of knowledge yourself so that when you are looking like an expert, you will genuinely become an expert. Personally, I have found the more I study and learn, the more I grow, which in turn helps me teach you, my audience. I encourage you to do the same.
First off, title matters. It is what draws your audience in and tells them what they are about to learn and that you have something to teach them. It’s best if you create show notes, putting the title of your podcast into the notes. Turn those notes into a blog post on your website. But when you do, make sure your post is at least 500 words in length. For Google to even register a post as having any content, it typically needs at least 500 words in that post. Words are the easiest way to get Google’s attention, which increases your SEO. Also, make it engaging content. Since you already have that podcast, the show notes/blog should be simple. For me, I create bullet points and some basic notes before recording my voice.
If you’re looking for free ways to promote your course, podcasting is for you! As with anything, you should weigh the benefits versus the sacrifice. Are you able to put the time into editing the podcast, developing the show notes, and making them ready to be published? Or are you able to just record the podcast and let your team go to work on turning that and the show notes into a beautiful, finished product? Podcasting is free, but it does take some time. Personally, it has opened many doors and given me an outlet that I find valuable. I hope it does the same for you!