How to Launch an Online Course Profitably Without Paid Ads with Joanna Newton

How to Launch an Online Course: Start with Building Your Audience

One of the most critical first steps in learning how to launch an online course is building an audience. You might even want to start building this audience before you've fully created your course content, or at least simultaneously. Attempting to create all the course content and then worrying about selling later is the wrong approach.

Building an audience is essential because paid advertisements alone are often not enough; you need an organic way for people to discover you first. While traditional methods like growing a YouTube channel or Instagram account are excellent, they aren't the only options. Alternative ways to build an audience include giving guest lectures or connecting in relevant Facebook groups. The key is to get on the internet, talk to people, and do it.

The primary goal when building your audience should be to establish some form of traffic-generating machine, like an email list or a strong social channel.

The Power of the Email List for How to Launch an Online Course

Of these audience-building methods, building an email list is particularly vital. Experts across the spectrum, from corporate brands to small accounts, agree that for the most part, sales come from emails. While you should certainly promote your offers on social media, simply saying "buy, buy, buy" there is less effective than getting people into your ecosystem via an email list, nurturing them, and then selling.

The reach of email is significantly higher than social media platforms. Even with substantial follower counts on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook, only a tiny fraction of your followers will see any given post. In contrast, an email sent to your list can have an open rate of 10% to 40% or higher. This level of direct reach is unparalleled on social platforms. Furthermore, you own your email list, unlike social media accounts which can be shut down or affected by algorithm changes without warning. Many businesses see a significant portion of their sales, sometimes 40-50%, coming specifically from follow-up emails sent after promotional events.

To build your email list, offer valuable freebies. It's recommended to have one really good freebie for every program you offer, rather than overwhelming people with too many options. Don't be afraid to give away your best stuff for free; it's how you attract potential customers and build connections. Simple, valuable freebies, like a one-page study guide listing exam topics, can generate tens of thousands of email addresses when promoted consistently. This allows you to build a relationship with subscribers and notify them about relevant course launches, perhaps even offering a special deal because they engaged with your free content.

Learning from Your Audience

Building your audience early provides another crucial benefit: you learn what they genuinely engage with, understand their problems, and discover what content interests them most. This information is invaluable as it helps you determine the direction and content of your course, as well as the best marketing angles to use. Audience feedback can tell you what will actually sell. Sometimes, simply surveying your audience is the best way to figure out what they want, allowing you to create a product tailored to their needs and then return to them with the solution.

Planning and Executing Your Launch Event: How to Launch an Online Course Effectively

Once you've built an audience, the next step is to launch your course. It's helpful to set a specific goal for your audience size or engagement metric before launching, such as having 500 people on your email list. If people are actively asking you for a course, you are definitely ready to launch, even if your email list is small. However, don't wait too long, especially for your very first launch, as you want to get practice and hone your presentation skills with a smaller audience before potentially "blowing it" with a much larger one. Early launches might not be perfect, but making even one sale validates that you are hitting on the right points.

There are many different launch styles that can work, including live webinars, challenges, or even creative approaches like YouTube premieres. The best launch style depends on your audience, your program, and where you feel comfortable showing up. The goal is to choose a style you enjoy and want to repeat, not one that creates undue stress.

A successful launch typically involves some kind of pre-launch "event" (which can be virtual or even just a specific date/time communication) to build excitement. This event could be a live training on any platform where you connect with your audience.

Creating Urgency and Driving Sales

Regardless of the format, incorporating urgency and deadlines is crucial for driving sales. While evergreen funnels (where a course is always available) are valuable for consistent trickle sales, launch events with limited-time offers are what create spikes in sales. Even if your launch event is automated, you need a date and time for the event itself and a deadline for the offer associated with it. Urgency gets people off the fence and prevents them from putting your course on a wish list only to forget about it later.

You can create urgency through limited-time discounts or, as an alternative, by offering valuable bonuses that expire after a specific deadline. Many sales often occur right before a bonus or discount deadline expires, a trend seen repeatedly through follow-up emails reminding people of the impending cutoff. Follow-up emails after your launch event are incredibly important; make sure to send timely reminders, especially as deadlines approach.

Live vs. Automated Launches: When to Use Which

When considering launch styles, live launches (like a live webinar) can have significantly higher conversion rates than automated, pre-recorded versions of the same content (up to three times better). However, automated funnels can often be scaled to reach a much larger audience (potentially eight times bigger), making them more profitable in the long run once optimized.

It's recommended to start with live launches to gain experience, refine your presentation, and optimize your process. Once your live launch is converting well and your business is ready for scale, then converting it to an automated, evergreen funnel makes sense.

Pricing Your Course

When considering how to launch an online course and determining its price, focus on the value of the transformation you offer, not just the amount of content or the length of the course. A short course offering a high-value outcome can command a much higher price than a lengthy course with less significant results.

For your initial launch, consider offering a "founding members" discount. This can be a significant discount off your intended final price (e.g., half off or $300 off) offered for a short period to encourage early adoption and build momentum. Getting initial customers is important, as sales tend to build upon themselves. Crucially, if you offer a founding members discount, you must never offer the course at that low price again to maintain credibility. Plan future, smaller promotions at a price point higher than the founding members rate.

Alternative Strategies: How to Launch an Online Course Without an Existing Audience

What if you've already created your course but have no audience and a previous attempt to launch yielded no sales? Don't give up. There are ways to build momentum quickly.

One effective strategy is through partnerships and collaborations. Look for people in your niche or complementary spaces who already have an audience. You might propose cross-promotion, bundling your course with theirs, or even paying them to promote your material to their list or followers. This is a way to "borrow" an audience and quickly reach potential customers.

Another creative approach is focusing on bulk licenses or business-to-business (B2B) sales. Instead of selling directly to individuals, identify organizations or businesses that serve your target demographic. For example, if you have a parenting course, approach non-profit organizations supporting parents; they might have a budget to buy licenses for their community. If your course teaches a professional skill, reach out to companies' HR departments who need to provide professional development.

This B2B approach is more of a direct sales strategy than traditional marketing. You'll need to reach out, potentially meet with contacts at these organizations, and create proposals. Offer scaled discounts for bulk purchases, typically between 10-40% depending on the volume. You can also package deals to include bonuses like live presentations for the group. It's important to note that this approach requires understanding and tailoring your messaging to the organization's buyer (e.g., the HR representative) in addition to the end-user (the course participant). Sometimes, organizations even have budgets they need to spend by year-end, creating additional opportunities.

Mindset is Key

Finally, learning how to launch an online course requires a strong mindset. Not every launch will be a massive success, especially the first one. If your first launch gets few or no sales, don't let it crush you and make you give up. View it as a learning experience, analyze what might have gone wrong (e.g., need more emails, different messaging), adjust your strategy, and try again. Practicing launches, even to a small audience, can help you grow your email list and gain valuable experience.

By focusing on building a genuine audience, leveraging the power of email, planning strategic launch events with urgency, pricing based on value, and being open to creative sales and partnership strategies, you can navigate the process of how to launch an online course effectively and build a profitable online business.