How should you launch a new online course?

Why not launch straight to your whole list?

Because on day one you’ve got nothing to show people except your own word. No reviews, no results, no stories from people who’ve done it. You’re asking your list to trust a course nobody has finished yet.

You also don’t know what’s broken. Every new course has a module that runs too long, or a lesson that confuses people. Better to find that with a small group who signed up knowing it’s early than with everyone at once.

So I launch courses in two waves. A small paid beta first, then the full launch.

What’s the order of play?

When I sketch it out for a client, it goes like this: basically we go hype, pre-launch, close, review, then the full launch.

1. Hype. Tease the course to your list for a while before it’s ready. Tell them you’re building something and who it’s for.
2. Pre-launch. Open a small number of beta spots.
3. Close. When the spots are gone, shut the door.
4. Review. The beta group goes through the course. You collect feedback, fix what needs fixing and gather testimonials.
5. Full launch. Short and intense, with the social proof up front.

How do you sell the beta spots?

Email only, to begin with. No ads, no homepage banner. One email to your database that says something like: we’ve been building a new course, it’s for people who are A, B and C, and we’re after our first few testers.

Be specific about who it’s for. You want people who actually have the problem the course solves, because their feedback is what you’re really after, and their testimonials have to land with people just like them. The plan is selling the first, say 10, 20 people at a discounted rate to get them to go through it, so we can get a little bit of feedback and some testimonials.

Be upfront about the deal. They get early access and a better price. You get honest feedback and, if they like it, a review. Make both part of the purchase so it doesn’t feel like a favour you’re chasing later.

How do you make the scarcity real?

Cap the stock. If you’re selling the course through Shopify, you just set it up with only a limited number of units available. When the units sell out, the product sells out. Nobody has to watch a counter or manually close anything.

That lets you write the email honestly: we’re after our first few testers, there’s only a handful of spots, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. Scarcity only works if it’s true. Your list can smell a fake countdown.

A couple of practical points. You can discount the beta, or keep the price the same as the full launch to avoid the complexity of codes and price changes. Either works, so pick one and stick to it. And watch the store for a few hours after the email goes out. If something breaks at checkout, you want to catch it while people are still trying to buy.

What does the full launch look like?

Once the beta group has been through and you’ve got their words, run the full launch as a short, sharp campaign. A week or so is plenty. Dragging it out kills the urgency.

1. Teaser. Let the list know something’s coming, and lean on what the beta group said.
2. Save the date. Tell them exactly when doors open.
3. Doors open. Limited spots and a launch incentive for people who buy in the window.
4. Push hard over the weekend with reminders and testimonials, then close.

The testimonials go everywhere: emails, the sales page, ads if you’re running them. Real people who’ve done the course will sell it better than any copy you write yourself.

Does this work for physical products too?

Yes, with a slightly different shape. If you’ve got a new product and you’re nervous about messing with your ad account or your homepage, the easiest, lowest risk test to do would be a mini launch to past customers only.

Build an unlisted product page, then email previous buyers an invite that makes it clear this is for customers only and isn’t public. Give them a loyalty discount. Three or four emails covers it: a tease, the reveal with the code, a reminder, and an expiry warning before the code ends.

You find out whether people want it, your best customers feel looked after, and your ads don’t skip a beat. If it sells, you go public with confidence and a few reviews already in hand.