| I first became acquainted with teleclasses back in | | | | Once you've completed the training, you're able to |
| 1997 when I stumbled across the coaching | | | | list your teleclass on their website and in their |
| community. At the time, I lived in small town in | | | | email newsletter for a small fee. permits you to |
| western Massachusetts, and professional | | | | list your event at no cost, and no special training |
| development opportunities were few and far | | | | is required to list your event.Once you've got a |
| between without a drive to Albany, NY, or to | | | | topic in mind, now comes the design of the |
| Springfield or Boston, MA.With teleclasses, I | | | | teleclass. If you've never had to plan out a |
| thought I'd hit the personal development | | | | program, determining how much content to offer |
| motherload. I could simply dial a teleconference | | | | versus how much discussion can be tricky, or just |
| bridgeline from the comfort of my own home | | | | figuring out in what order to present your |
| and be connected with 10-150 other people | | | | information can be a bit overwhelming Here's a list |
| around the globe, who were all gathered on a call | | | | of 20 questions you can use to help you design |
| to learn more about a particular topic. Moreover, | | | | your teleclass, as provided in the newsletter, |
| in many cases the class was free or low-cost, | | | | Today's Coach: do you find a bridgeline for the |
| and I didn't have to get dressed, drive anywhere, | | | | teleclass? I get my bridgeline free of charge at |
| find and pay for parking, nor stay overnight, all of | | | | One feature that is VERY important to have on |
| which I would have to do if it were an in-person | | | | your bridgeline is the ability to mute all participants. |
| seminar or conference. What could be simpler?So, | | | | I've been on too many calls when someone brings |
| what is a teleclass, anyway? A teleclass is a | | | | alot of static or a big echo to the call. As the |
| conference call in which everyone on the line can | | | | leader, you can mute the other callers and |
| hear and speak with everyone else. You and | | | | eliminate this background noise, if your bridgeline |
| between 10-500 other registrants call a regular | | | | has this feature, and just unmute the participants |
| phone number (will typically be a long-distance | | | | when you want to open the floor for questions. |
| number where your regular long distance rates | | | | The ability to do this will eliminate many |
| apply) at your designated time and you are | | | | headaches for you and your participants.Now that |
| welcomed by the host, or teleclass leader. | | | | you've built it (the teleclass), will they come? You |
| Teleclasses have been compared to a grad school | | | | may have to do a bit of education with your |
| discussion -- some lecture, some questions, some | | | | target market to let them know about the |
| discussion. As a participant, it's easy to listen in | | | | concept of teleclasses, as it's not a term that's |
| and either absorb or engage in the discussion.Fast | | | | familiar to everyone. Then, you'll need to promote |
| forward to the present, and I've come a long | | | | your event just like you might do a live |
| way since then in my teleclass education. I've now | | | | event--send out press releases, buy advertising |
| conducted tons of teleclasses on a variety of | | | | (as appropriate), sent notices out to your email |
| subjects, and currently have a group coaching | | | | newsletter or list, have friends and colleagues |
| program in progress that's conducted solely over | | | | notify everyone on their lists, have it listed at one |
| a teleconference bridgeline. More and more | | | | of the teleclass announcement sites listed above, |
| corporations and larger businesses are using the | | | | or post it on discussion lists as appropriate.If you |
| teleconference concept to conduct virtual | | | | haven't listed your class with either and |
| meetings with far-flung employees around the | | | | Teleclassinternational.com, both of whom will |
| globe or to provide training to those same | | | | provide registration for teleclasses, you'll want |
| people.Teleclasses are a great way for people to | | | | have some mechanism on your website for |
| get a "taste" of what you have to offer without | | | | taking course registrations. I use my shopping cart |
| any great expenditure. Many self-employed | | | | for this function, and you can sign up for a |
| service professionals use free teleclasses as a | | | | 30-day free trial of that service here: Free video |
| marketing tool so that participants can get to | | | | tutorials on how to use this shopping cart can be |
| know them, or as an introduction to a fee-based | | | | found here: strongly encourage you to record all |
| course/program that they're selling. Instead of | | | | the teleclasses that you conduct so that you can |
| dealing with the hassles entailed in putting on a live | | | | leverage them in different ways: have them |
| event, such as finding a venue, arranging for | | | | available for free on your website, convert them |
| parking, setting up catering and AV needs, and | | | | to MP3's and sell the MP3 file or access to that, |
| promoting the event, you can provide nearly an | | | | convert them to a package of CD's and offer |
| identical experience with much less trouble and | | | | those for sale, or send them out as a |
| much less up-front cost.So, what topic should | | | | podcast.Teleconferences are a very inexpensive |
| your teleclass cover? Here are 3 great resources | | | | way to expand your market reach throughout |
| where you can get some teleclass ideas: | | | | the world. Pick a subject, invite your contacts, and |
| Teleclass.com, TeleclassInternational.com, and | | | | get started today! |
| Seminar and both offer teleclass leader training. | | | | |