Creating a Digital ‘Underwater Basket Weaving’ Business

I create “Digital Experiences’ for a living.  So when I was chatting with a buddy of mine the other day (*note: highly caffeinated), we started to brainstorm ideas around how a teacher of a particular skill could convert traditional, in-person teaching into a digital experience.  For anonymity sake, I’ll use the example of teaching underwater basket weaving to demonstrate what we came up with…

Step 1 – “Pilot Test” The Idea

• Come up with 3 concepts commonly shared with students at lessons
• Simple iPhone setup (on a table w/ a book behind it) -> hit record
• Record a rough draft video of you explaining the concept
• Record 2 more
• Upload to YouTube
• Mark YouTube videos ‘Private’ so no one can see until you’re ready
• Step 1 complete.

Step 2 – Create Reference Video Library

Idea:  “Hey Johnny, for that willow rod weaving technique we worked on, check out video #17 on my YouTube channel while you’re practicing this week”

• Keep track of the most common, universal concepts taught at your lessons
• Record 10+ additional videos on these concepts w/ simple iPhone setup
• Upload to YouTube
• Make videos public when comfortable
• End state:  Refer your students to YouTube videos when relevant
• You are now using ‘underwater basket weaving technology’ to position yourself as a state-of the-art teacher as compared with your peers
• You have now taking steps into the ‘digital experience’ to turn the current Blockbuster-like experience of taking physical underwater basket weaving lessons into a more Netflix-like online experience

Step 3 – Upsell – Video the Lessons

• Offer to video your students for an additional charge
• Benefit = students can go back and refer to specifics of lesson to address practicing challenges
• Straight video of the lesson, no editing
• Create Google Drive or public space where each student has a folder and can access their videos

Step 4 – Upsell – Video a Subset of Lessons

• If student has a specific project / performance coming up (i.e. creating a basket for grandma for Christmas)
• Offer to video a subset of lessons for a specific period of time
• Benefit = students can go back and refer to specifics of lesson to address practicing challenges
• Straight video of the lesson, no editing
• Create Google Drive or public space where each student has a folder and can access their videos

Step 5 – Underwater Basket Weaving Lessons:  The Digital Experience

• Promote your universe of free video tutorials on YouTube and Google
• Designate specific videos as ‘paid videos’- pay to watch
• Offer 1: 1 lessons -or- creating custom content for a fee
• Create offer link on bottom of every video for 1: 1 lessons / custom content