A good distance learning course provides resources for lots of other learning opportunties, some of which will be yours! I also pair with another coach who offers services I don't. I don't use a referral fee, but once they go to her to learn XYZ, her courses refer them back to me, for special things I offer.

The interactive aspects of your distance learning course are also great new avenues for marketing. Set them up so that students email their responses to you. In each email interaction there's a chance for you to teach more, and also to promote your products that are relevant. Make sure your sig line works for you in that respect.

Be giving and personal in your responses to students' assignments. The person will have a chance to get to know and trust you, and we do business with people whom we like and whom we trust. Make connection is every way you can.

If you know and love your subject, and love people, this will show through. You'll naturally attract a following for your services and products.

You also are in a position to take advantage of teacher-archetype (Jung). A "teacher" holds a special place in our lives. We love our teachers who teach us well and with love. We naturally listen to them and look to them for guidance. Honor this archetype in all that you do, and your students will begin to look for you for other sources of learning and development. They'll also give you ideas for other products and services, and will refer you to friends. One of my students recommended my course to everyone else in his department.

There are many ways to use distance learning courses to market yourself and your products. Be a good teacher, and be creative and opportunities are endless.

Even better, however, would be to add content to search engines or directories that have human-edited content. For example, Lycos UK - a UK search engine - supplements its search results with a human-edited directory. This directory includes content for specific seasonal events, and always welcomes new additions. - http://www.uk.lycos.de/dir/Lifestyle/Valentines_Day/ - http://www.uk.lycos.de/dir/Lifestyle/Mothers_Day/

There are many other Lycos categories, all of which allow you to add your content: just click 'Recommend a website for this category' - http://www.uk.lycos.de/dir/Lifestyle

Another human-edited directory is Open Directory Project - http://www.dmoz.org

Or you could just check your favourite search engine/directory to see whether it includes human-edited content.

3: PROMOTE SEASONAL CONTENT ON PAY-PER-CLICK SEARCH ENGINES

The beauty of pay-per-click search engines, apart from a guaranteed position for your keywords, is that new content can be announced in only a matter of days. So add more keywords to your various pay-per-click accounts. The cost of your keywords will increase as seasonal event approaches, so act quickly to take advantage of low initial keyword cost, and constantly monitor.

===== Sidebar ===== Pay-per-click search engines are proving to be a very viable means of income generation for search engines and advertisers alike. This means that you really need to stay informed, as rapid developments inevitably take place. To stay informed, I suggest you visit (and revisit) - http://www.PayPerClickSearchEngines.com === End Sidebar ===

4: TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT

Everyone is busy, busy, busy! This includes your family, friends, colleagues, and newsletter subscribers. So whilst you have been toiling away creating great seasonal content, everyone else has been busy too. So you need to remind them about your site and about your site's new content.

Remind everyone of upcoming seasonal event - they might have forgotten! - and then tell them how your new content can really benefit them. (Maybe it can save them time and money; maybe it can give them gift ideas; maybe it can simply provide entertainment!)

Just remember to:

* tell your family, friends, and colleagues; * tell your newsletter subscribers; * tell anyone else you e-mail (in a suitable signature file!)

Remember to tell them what's in it for them; focus on benefits!

~ ~ ~

That's it! 4 easy steps that show you how to take advantage of seasonal events on your website.

Just remember, there's more to seasonal events than Christmas. AND, seasonal events are repeated every year!! So think hard to see how your website can take advantage of a seasonal event: it keeps your website looking fresh, and it may increase sales!

Happy Holidays!

PS Seasonal events can also include award-ceremonies like... well, like The Oscars. Just add your imagination!