Tool Stack Definition

Welcome to the first training in the platform building checkpoint. This training covers selecting your tool stack.

Here’s a view of the Platform Builder framework to see where we’re at in the training.

This training covers selecting your tool stack. Your tool stack is the group of technologies you use to help market and offer your product. It’s here that you choose the core tools you’ll use to run your business.

Since you’re running a digital business, you’ll need tools to ensure things go smoothly. Depending on which tool you use for one aspect can limit you in other aspects. Whether or not the tools integrate together is a big issue, and how many technical choices you want determines a lot.

Transcript –

Your tool stack is the group of technologies you use to help market and offer your product. In your case, your product is your digital training. Since you’re running an online business, you will need some complex digital tools to make everything happen properly and give your users the best experience.

These tools include your learning management system (also known as LMS), site builder, hosting, email marketing solution, and e-commerce solution.

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I’ll cover options for each of these and some features to look out for. Then, I’ll also cover the tool stack I use for two of my online course businesses. So you’ll get some examples that tie everything together.

There are many more examples if you check out the interviews on coursemethod.com. Some of the successful digital training companies and online course creators interviewed there share all the tools they use to run their businesses.

The goal for this micro training is for you to have your tool stack completely sorted out.

If you’re starting, you might want to know if you have to buy everything now. And with many of these options, you don’t need to start paying now. You can get a trial offer (some are unlimited) for many options. You don’t need to start paying for your online course platform now because, in many cases, you won’t have your course created yet.

While you don’t have to start paying now, sorting out how the tools fit together and making decisions will save you headaches later. You can also accurately price out and budget all your tools.

Later, you’ll build out your platform, including your site. Often the first tool you need will be your site builder and hosting. However, if you plan to get an all-in-one LMS, you may start with that instead.

Let’s start going through it all in the following steps!