Selling an online course can be incredibly rewarding—both financially and in terms of impact. It offers the ability to share your expertise while creating a source of passive income. However, behind the success stories lies a reality that many course creators don’t fully anticipate. Launching and selling an online course requires a blend of strategy, patience, and consistent marketing efforts that go beyond simply producing great content.
In this blog, we’ll explore the essential truths you need to know before launching your online course so you can set yourself up for success.
Most creators focus heavily on developing the content for their course, assuming that once it’s ready, people will automatically buy it. The reality, however, is that the creation process is only a small part of the journey. The real work begins once your course is live. Without a solid marketing strategy, even the most valuable course will struggle to reach the right audience.
What You Should Do: Plan your marketing strategy alongside course development. As you create your content, think about how you’ll build awareness and drive traffic to your sales page. Consider strategies like content marketing, email campaigns, and social media promotion.
Also, begin engaging with your audience well in advance of your launch—building anticipation is key to having a successful first release.
One of the hardest lessons for new course creators is realizing that sales won’t automatically flood in unless you’ve already cultivated an audience. While there are exceptions, most successful course creators spent time building trust with their audience long before they launched their first course. This often involves producing free content like blog posts, YouTube videos, or social media content to showcase your expertise.
What You Should Do: Start building your audience now if you haven’t already. Whether it’s through social media, blogging, or creating a YouTube channel, offer free content that aligns with your course topic. You’ll attract potential students who are genuinely interested in your expertise and more likely to buy when you eventually launch.
Many people are drawn to the idea of creating a course because they see it as a form of passive income. The reality, though, is that selling a course requires constant marketing, outreach, and updates, especially in the beginning. You’ll need to refine your sales funnel, respond to customer questions, gather feedback, and adjust your course based on early feedback.
What You Should Do: Understand that while the income from a course can become passive over time, the early stages require a lot of hands-on work. After launching, focus on refining your marketing strategies, improving your course based on user feedback, and continuing to promote it through various channels.
Many first-time course creators are shocked to see that their launch doesn’t bring in the large numbers they expected, despite their hard work. This is often because they underestimate the importance of audience size, timing, and the competition in their niche.
What You Should Do: Set realistic expectations for your first launch. Instead of solely focusing on revenue, treat your initial launch as a learning experience. Focus on gathering customer feedback, improving the course, and learning what marketing strategies work best for your audience. Over time, with ongoing marketing and adjustments, your course sales can steadily grow.
The e-learning market is booming, which means that competition in most niches is fierce. Your course isn’t just competing with others on the same subject, but also with free content available on YouTube, blogs, and podcasts.
What You Should Do: Focus on your unique value proposition (UVP). What makes your course different or better than others on the same topic? Whether it’s your personal expertise, the format of your lessons, or the additional support you offer, make sure to communicate this clearly to your audience.
You should also highlight the specific transformation your course provides. For example, instead of simply saying “Learn Instagram marketing,” emphasize the result: “Grow your Instagram following to 10,000 in 3 months with step-by-step tutorials.”
Pricing is one of the biggest challenges course creators face. Too high, and you may scare away potential students; too low, and you undervalue your content.
What You Should Do: Research the pricing of similar courses in your niche and consider your audience’s willingness to pay. If you’re just starting out, consider offering early-bird pricing or a limited-time discount to incentivize initial buyers and get valuable feedback. Over time, you can increase the price as you add more content or improve the course.
The best courses are those that evolve over time based on feedback, industry changes, and new insights.
What You Should Do: Actively seek feedback from your students and look for areas where your course can be improved. Whether it’s adding new modules, updating existing content, or offering additional resources, keeping your course fresh will help you attract repeat buyers and stay competitive in the market.
Even the best-designed courses come with customer support challenges. Students may have technical difficulties, need clarification on course materials, or request refunds.
What You Should Do: Be prepared to offer prompt, friendly, and helpful support. Consider creating a dedicated FAQ page or support resources to help students solve common problems on their own. If you plan to handle customer support yourself, set aside time each week to respond to inquiries. Alternatively, hiring a virtual assistant to manage support can free up your time to focus on other tasks.
Selling an online course is an exciting journey that offers many opportunities, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. By understanding the truths behind launching and marketing a course—such as the importance of audience building, ongoing promotion, and continuous improvement—you can set yourself up for long-term success.
If you’re ready to take the plunge but need help navigating the complexities of course creation and marketing, High Tide Strategy offers comprehensive support, from course development to launching and beyond. For more insider tips and expert guidance, join our Digital Product Collective, where you’ll gain access to a community of course creators and marketing professionals eager to help you succeed!