I want to have a colleague write a bonus module for my course. Is it best to pay a flat fee for this?

You’ve got options here, and it really depends on the person you're partnering with and what their goals are. For my own programs, I’ve never paid guest experts to create bonuses. Instead, I typically give them visibility to my audience. That alone can be incredibly valuable if their ICA overlaps with mine. But I’ve also been on the other side and have been paid a flat fee to contribute content to someone else’s course, so either route is possible.

Here are some options to consider:

• Offer visibility in exchange for content: If your colleague’s ideal audience is also in your course, you can offer them exposure as the primary value exchange. For example, in Digital Course Academy, Chanti Zak created a bonus lesson on quizzes, and we included a clear shout-out and a link to her site. That bonus helped her grow her email list and connect with future customers, which was more valuable to her than a flat payment.

• Let them promote a freebie: If you’re just starting out, you could let your colleague share a free resource (like a PDF or mini-training) in their bonus lesson. This allows them to grow their list while offering extra value to your students. This kind of collaboration often feels like a win-win for both parties.

• Offer a flat fee: If visibility doesn’t interest them (for example, if they’re not building an email list or business) then offering a flat fee may be the better route. This doesn’t have to be a huge expense. Just make sure it feels fair for their time and effort.

No matter which approach you choose, keep things simple, especially with your first course. The most important thing is to make sure the bonus aligns well with your core content and adds real value for your students.