Let’s be real: launching an online course or membership can feel like an emotional rollercoaster. You pour your heart and soul into building the perfect offer, only to launch it and hear… crickets.
I know how frustrating it is to put in all that work and not see the results you want.
But here’s the thing—it’s not always about the course itself. More often than not, the issue lies in how you’re launching it.
The good news? These common mistakes can be easily avoided. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie in the online course world, I’m here to help you spot those critical launch mistakes so you can stay ahead of the curve and actually get the sales you deserve.
In this post, we’re breaking down some of the most frequent missteps creators make during a launch, and trust me—avoiding these could mean the difference between a launch that you’re happy with and one that feels like a failure.
Don’t make these very common mistakes around launching your online course or membership!
Creating an offer without a specific outcome
This is the #1 reason why offers of any kind – courses, coaching, services – don’t convert. If you don’t have a clear outcome for the people who would buy your offer, you will always struggle to get sales.
Let’s say you have a weight loss course. You promise to help people lose weight, which sounds like a specific outcome, but it’s not. Questions that immediately come to mind are,
- How much weight? How fast?
- How long do I have to work out for?
- What do I have to eat?
- Do I have to bulk up with muscle?
- Who is it for?
Get as specific as possible with your offer and try to add some sort of quantifiable or tangible number to it such as a timeframe, ex. “6 weeks” or a number “lose 4 lbs of body fat with just 4 hours of workouts a week!”
On your sales page, make sure that the outcomes of your offer are explicitly clear. And, if you have them, add client transformation stories or testimonials in your marketing, where you showcase before-and-after results. This reinforces the specificity and builds trust.
Confusing marketing
I see you…you are posting about your program launch one day, and then the next day you post or email your list about a new 1:1 service you have that’s on a totally different topic, then on day 3 you’re running a flash sale for old templates you have.
Unfortunately, I think it’s easy to fall into this trap with the pressure to post something every day, but it’s important to be cohesive and consistent with your marketing and narrow your content down to just 2-4 main topics you talk about.
Inconsistent messaging creates confusion and dilutes your brand. Instead of your audience getting excited about your course, they get distracted by multiple offers. This “jack of all trades” approach can make you seem unfocused.
Many people resist niching down but it does work, especially with courses, memberships and digital products. I’ve worked with 3,000+ clients and I can confidently say that those who niche down and focus their marketing around being an expert in one area are the people who see the fastest growth and the best launches.
If you’re someone who likes to plan or who struggles with cohesive content, a content calendar can help keep your messaging streamlined, ensuring that you’re building anticipation and reinforcing the value of your course without derailing the focus.
No one knew you built a course
Don’t make this mistake…building in private and then launching in public. If you spend 3 months creating a really great offer, but you did it *totally in secret* and then posted, “My course/program is now open for enrollment!!” and…no one joined.
Involve your audience in the process. Let them co-create with you. Post questions and polls in your instagram stories, ask questions in your emails, share behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of what you are building. I promise, talking about and teasing out your offer every single day will lead you to a better launch.
Involving your audience not only builds anticipation but also gives you valuable feedback. You’ll know exactly what they want, allowing you to tailor the course to their needs, which increases the likelihood of conversions.
Not to mention…early buzz helps you gather a waitlist or build up an email list of interested buyers before the launch, giving you a warm audience to market to when the course is ready.
Remember, don’t just talk about the course once—keep them engaged by sharing progress, snippets of content, or even a sneak peek of the first module. This way, your audience feels like they’re part of the journey.
You pivoted without your audience
You found a great course topic, you pivoted a little or niched down to a topic you are really excited about but…you didn’t help your audience transition with you. I have seen people make this mistake often.
For example, you are a photographer who built an audience of potential clients who are moms, families, and business owners who need branding sessions but you launched a course for other photographers.
Abrupt pivots can alienate your existing audience, leaving them feeling disconnected from your brand. Gradual shifts allow you to retain their trust while you attract new clients.
One strategy to help you avoid a failed launch because you pivoted is to create transition content that addresses the change directly. Explain why you’re shifting focus and how it benefits your audience. This transparency keeps them engaged while preparing them for the new offer.
If the pivot feels too large for your audience to follow, segment your email list and social channels to communicate more clearly with different groups. This allows you to market new products without confusing your core audience.
You CAN pivot or expand your business with a new revenue stream, but make sure you either 1) give your audience 3 months minimum of content based around your new offer or 2) start a separate social media account & email list for that offer.
You didn’t sell often enough
The top reason a great offer didn’t have a great launch – you didn’t actually sell it. Before social media, the frequency principle or the “rule of 7” in marketing suggested we needed about 7 touch points (your social posts, emails, etc) with a brand before we decide to buy.
Now, it’s likely that number is around 28-30 times.
In order to have a successful online offer launch, you should talk about your offer every single day in the 2-6 week prior to your launch and every single day during your launch.
Now – that doesn’t mean you should post promotional ‘my course is open’ content every single day, but there needs to be some kind of related content around your course’s topic whether it’s personal storytelling, sneak peeks, or educational content.
You can also incorporate selling in a more subtle way through educational posts, testimonials, or sharing client success stories. Every time you talk about a topic related to your course, you’re subtly reminding people that you’re the expert and the course is available.
And PSA: don’t rely on one channel for promotion. Combine social media posts, email marketing, Instagram stories, and even DMs or comments to maximize your reach and engagement. (You can also recycle and repeat content across platforms – I promise you not everyone is seeing everything on every platform!)
Mix urgency and scarcity into your messaging as the launch period winds down—letting people know the deadline to join creates FOMO (fear of missing out) and can drive last-minute sign-ups.
The launch period was too long or too short
Don’t make it difficult to buy your offer because they are busy or they forgot. I’ve seen people make the mistake of only keeping their offer open for 2-3 days or for 2+ weeks.
Short launches don’t give people enough time to make a decision, especially if they first see your offer in the middle of a busy week. They need multiple reminders, not just one or two days.
Long launches, on the other hand, can cause procrastination. If your offer is open too long, people tend to think, “I’ll do it later,” and often forget or lose interest.
You should also consider planning your launch around your audience’s schedule. For example, launching during a holiday season or a time when your audience is less likely to engage could impact results.
This is one strategy where there is a sweet spot and it’s virtually the same for everyone, no matter your niche. Your launch window should be between 7-11 days in most cases.
You overeducated during your launch.
I’m going to be a little controversial here. You should educate prior to your launch, but never during your launch.
Your launch window is a time where you want to focus on pain points, desires, and the value of your offer – your audience should already know you’re the expert by the time you launch.
If you are using your launch to convince people you are an expert…it’s too late.
Too much education during the launch can overwhelm people or even make them feel like they’ve already learned enough for free, leading to fewer sign-ups.
Use the pre-launch period for education and value-building. During the launch, shift your messaging to address why the course is the best solution to their pain points.
During the launch itself, focus on emotional triggers and the transformation your offer provides. People don’t just buy information—they buy solutions, emotions, and the feeling that they’re making progress toward their goals.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, a successful course launch isn’t just about the course itself—it’s about the strategy behind how you bring it to your audience. When you nail the details, like offering a clear, specific outcome and getting your marketing on point, you’ll see a huge difference in how people respond.
And here’s the truth: there’s no such thing as “too much” when it comes to putting yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to talk about your offer, involve your audience, and make it easy for them to say “yes.” Do not be afraid to sell your offer every single day.
Avoid the common mistakes we’ve talked about, and you’ll be on your way to a launch that feels smooth, aligned, and successful. Let’s make your next course launch one your audience can’t wait to sign up for!
Read more: My 2025 online course & membership trends + predictions
Need ideas before you even start? Download my full list of 2025 Trending Digital Course & Membership Ideas! I’ve put together a strategic list of exactly the kinds of offers that are converting across any niche and they’re anything but basic.
