UDEMY Although most of the audio or video classes in this education marketplace cost about $ 20-40 , there are some free options among the hundreds of mostly business-related topics .
COURSERA AND EDX Love college but don ’ t really care about earning a degree ? Try these sites that offer online courses from top universities , including Stanford and Harvard . Create an account ( no application necessary ) and sign up for multi-week classes ( many are free , some involve a small fee ). Topics run the gamut from practical (“ Creative Problem Solving ”) to esoteric (“ The Science of Happiness ”).
HIGHBROW Short on time ? Learn something new in just 5 minutes a day . This learning system delivers lessons to your inbox each morning . There are a bunch of really cool “ classes ” on a variety of useful topics , from technology to productivity .
3 . LISTEN TO PODCASTS
Turn your car into a classroom by using drive time to learn something new . There are thousands of podcasts available for free ( subscribe for free via iTunes , Google Play , etc .) covering almost any topic of interest .
For example , Amy Porterfield ’ s Online Marketing Made Easy will walk you through launching a product and growing an email list . And Pat Flynn ’ s Smart Passive Income is chock full of advice for building an online business that makes money while you sleep .
4 . CREATE AN EXCHANGE
Consider sharing your knowledge with others who want to learn more about your area of expertise . In return , you can learn from them . Gather a group of like-minded professionals from a variety of fields and encourage information sharing .
Keep it informal where members are simply available to each other on an as-needed basis . Or , create structure with once-a-month instructional classes ( the featured presenter / educator rotates among members until everyone has shared a formal lesson ).
5 . GO BACK TO BASICS
If all else fails , consider an old-fashioned bartering arrangement . Find someone who has the knowledge you want , and offer to provide him or her some amount of your product or service in exchange for one-on-one tutoring . It can take a while to find a taker , but this can be a very useful tool for gaining specific knowledge .
While many podcasts are strictly entertainment , there are plenty of industry experts dropping masterclass-level knowledge for free week after week .
About the Author
Becky Mollenkamp is a content marketing professional who helps B2Bs educate , engage , and excite their customers and prospects . She blogs on creative entrepreneurial topics her website ( where she also offers a free resources library to her subscribers ).
beckymollenkamp . com
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