Extra Income through Podcasts & Course Creation
Melvin Varghese, PhD, runs a brilliant podcast called Selling the Couch where he has north of 1.7 million downloads and 350+ episodes.
Check out what Melvin had to share in our latest BPT Interview 👇
What is your initial advice for therapists when looking to create additional revenue streams?
To be honest, I feel like growing online income requires much the same kind of diligence and persistence as starting and growing a private practice.
A few things to think about:
What’s the end goal (sell a book, course, etc)? Think about your end goal and work backwards!
“Platform before product” (i.e., create a loyal audience of online fans before jumping into creating and selling something)
Lean into platforms that are more “Play-list” vs. feed based. I personally like blogging, podcasting, and YouTube!
A potential low hanging fruit is an e-book or mini-course on a topic that’s lower priced (~$99). But remember to build an audience and validate it before selling.
For Podcasts specifically, what are some of your quick tips for beginners?
Podcasting is an extension of our natural skills as therapists.
Tips On Starting a Podcast:
Don’t obsess about gear
Get going for the first year, then get good at it for years 2-3, and then get smart with it during year 3+
We have a free podcasting workshop for therapists (basically a ton of practical lessons and failures I’ve had as the STC podcast has grown): sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworkshop
Tips On Podcast “Guesting”:
Listen to an episode to confirm podcast-fit & prepare to reach out to the host
Make the pitch personalized vs. mass generated to the host
Include something to stand out (e.g., video)
Proactively share 3 things you can talk about (that line up with podcast)
Same question but for Course Creation… What are some practical tips for therapists looking to create & sell a course?
Most of us as therapists are taught the “trade time for income” model.
Course creation is best when you’re an established therapist who has a clear niche(s) for which people are coming to you for therapy.
This helps you create a digital product that you can sell to 1 person or to 100, with the benefit that the work beyond the initial creation process doesn’t change significantly.
Practical Tips On Courses:
Validate before creating: We have a free course creator starter kit (7 day email course) to help with this: coursecreatorstarterkit.com
You don’t need 10 courses to do well, just one idea that’s in-demand and growing is great!
Think about the recurring and scalable product or service after your course.
Any final thoughts?
Two of the biggest mistakes I see therapists making with online presence and brand creation:
Jumping in and trying to do too many platforms vs. getting good at one for several years, and
Drive-by marketing on social media (irregular, manual posting rather than setting up an auto-schedule).
