Your students have purchased your online course, full of excitement and anticipation. Yet, many mentally check out within the first 30 seconds. Not because the course lacks quality, but because the introductory moments fail to engage them. In this episode, you'll learn about critical course design mistakes that cause students to disengage right from the start, and discover a simple, three-part framework to hook your audience from lesson one.

You'll learn:

• Why "In this lesson, we're going to learn about..." is the worst way to start
• The four intro mistakes that make your course sound like a boring lecture
• How YouTube, TV, and podcasts hook audiences, and how to steal those techniques for your course
• The difference between telling students why a lesson matters and showing them
• A simple three-part framework you can use to open every lesson in 15-30 seconds

Your students already paid. But attention isn't included in the purchase price. You have to earn it every single lesson, the same way a TV show earns your attention every single episode. The good news? It's simpler than you think.

Perfect for solopreneurs looking to build an online course that transforms students and grows their business, this episode offers actionable advice rooted in 17 years of course design experience. Attention isn't guaranteed just because someone paid—it must be earned lesson by lesson, just like a hit TV show. Tune in to learn how to design course intros that captivate and retain your students from the start.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've been an educator and course designer for 17 years, and I help solopreneurs build courses that actually transform their students and grow their business.

If you liked this episode, go check out my episode on "The Handoff Method." It's another lesson-level design technique that helps your students go from "I get it" to "I can actually do this." Search "The Handoff Method" wherever you're listening.

Ready to stop spinning your wheels? Book a free Course Roadmap Call and let's figure out the right next steps for your course: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Send me a message!

For solopreneurs looking to build an online course that truly transforms students, understanding the difference between transferring information and transferring skills is key.

In this episode, we introduce the Handoff Method, a simple three-step approach to course design that helps your students move from "I get it" to "I can do it."

You'll learn:

• Why most online courses fail to transfer actual skills
• The absurd way most courses are structured (and why we'd never accept it in other fields)
• The three steps of the Handoff Method: Me, Us, You
• A real example of this method creating a breakthrough for a student
• How to implement the Handoff Method in your own course
• How to use the Handoff Method in pre-recorded courses where you can't interact with students

Your students don't truly understand something until they've done it themselves. But they can't just jump to doing. They need to see it, practice with support, then own it. The Handoff Method gives you a simple structure to make that happen.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've been an educator and course designer for 17 years, and I help solopreneurs build courses that actually transform their students and grow their business.

Got a course creation question? Use the send me a message link and let me know what you're struggling with. I might answer it in a future episode.

Send me a message!

Creating an online course? Solopreneurs often make this course design mistake without realizing it. And it's costing them students, testimonials, and future sales.

In this episode, I share a personal story about learning to crochet that reminded me why so many course creators lose students before they even get started.

You'll learn:

• Why students give up on courses in the first few minutes
• What the "curse of knowledge" is and how it affects your course design
• How to figure out where your audience truly is in their journey
• The difference between a "beginner" and a "beginner beginner"
• Why it's okay to include basic information in your course

The transformation your students get determines your course's value, not how advanced the content is. If you skip the foundations your students need, they'll go elsewhere. And without students completing your course, you won't get the testimonials and social proof you need to grow your business.

Check out my Amigurumi Whale (and journey) here.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've been an educator and course designer for 17 years, and I help solopreneurs build courses that actually transform their students and grow their business.

Ready to stop spinning your wheels? Book a free Course Roadmap Call and let's figure out the right next steps for your course: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Send me a message!