How To Create an Online Course For Beginners (8-Step Guide)

Most people overcomplicate the process of creating their first online course, which is why they never actually launch.

They get stuck trying to perfect every detail, from the course outline to the learning management system, without ever putting their course content out into the world.

But I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way ...

In this article, I’ll walk you through an 8-step process to create and launch your first training course—without the overwhelm, confusion, or tech headaches.

You’ll learn:

How to pick the right course topic that aligns with market demand and attracts your target audience
The best way to structure your course materials for maximum learning outcomes
How to start selling your course—even before it’s fully built
What tools and best practices will help you streamline the process

I’ve worked with countless course creators and coaches to help them build a successful online course business while working less than 20 hours a week.

This isn’t just theory—it’s the exact process I’ve used to launch my own digital products, build an engaged online community, and generate thousands in course sales.

If your goal is to turn your course into a passive income stream, I highly recommend checking out my free masterclass after reading this post.

It’ll walk you through a 3-part system to earn your first $2,000/month from online courses—without needing a massive email list, expensive marketing strategies, or complicated tech.

Let’s dive in and get your course launched the right way!

But before we get into creating your online course, I need to share the BIGGEST MISTAKE that most beginners make.

The Biggest Mistake New Course Creators Make

One of the biggest mistakes course creators make is thinking their online course needs to be a massive, all-in-one program from day one.

They spend months (or even years) building out an extensive course outline, adding tons of course content, perfecting their outline, and recording endless hours of video content.

Only to launch and realize that their target audience isn’t interested in what they created.

This is a massive waste of time, effort, and resources—and it’s one of the biggest pain points that keeps new course creators from ever launching a successful online course.

The Smarter Approach: Start with a Mini-Course

Instead of going all-in on a giant project, starting with a mini-course is a great way to validate your course idea, build confidence, and get real feedback from your first students—without the overwhelming commitment.

A mini-course allows you to:

Test your course topic in the real world and see if there’s market demand
Gain experience structuring course materials and improving learning outcomes
Start making money faster while refining your marketing strategies
Grow your email list and attract an audience of paying students
Build an engaged online community of early adopters in facebook groups or membership platforms

By focusing on launching a mini-course, you’ll learn the essentials of online course creation without getting bogged down in complexity.

Plus, you’ll be able to create your sales page, test delivery methods, and gain valuable positive feedback before scaling up to a full-length training course.

When the time comes to build a more comprehensive program, you’ll already have:

A proven course topic
An engaged audience
A validated course structure
Experience with marketing tools like email marketing, landing pages, and social media promotion

Now that we’ve agreed that a mini course is the best way to start, let’s dive into step one of building your successful online course…

Step 1: Choose a Very Specific Topic

When brainstorming your first-time course topic, it’s crucial to be specific, not overly broad.

A common mistake course creators make is trying to teach too much in one training course, which overwhelms both them and their students.

For example, instead of creating a successful online course on "How to Play Guitar," narrow it down to a more focused course idea like:

"Finger Picking 101: Master the Basics of Acoustic Guitar"
"Music Theory 101: Understanding Chords & Scales for Beginners"

These focused digital products make it easier to attract the right people and give them a clear, helpful learning experience with real results.

And I didn't just make those examples up.

Those are real courses from Lauren Bateman, a course creator who teaches beginners how to play guitar, has generated over $2 million selling online courses.

She built her digital empire focusing on highly specific course topics rather than general ones.

Here are some ideas for your product ...

How to Speak on Camera with Confidence: Perfect for coaches, content creators, or business owners looking to improve their video content and personal branding.
How to Write Emails That Sell (Even with a Small List): A step-by-step training course on crafting persuasive email marketing campaigns that drive sales.
How to Start Watercolor Painting as an Absolute Beginner: A creative and engaging online learning experience designed for beginners who want to explore watercolor painting.

The more specific your course topic, the easier it is to market your course, connect with potential customers, and create a successful course that stands out.

Once you’ve chosen your sweet spot, it’s time to validate your market demand, build your email list, and ensure there’s a real audience eager to buy your digital products!

Step 2: Create Your Promotional Materials

Before investing your time into course creation, it’s important to ensure your target audience is actually interested in what you’re offering.

The best way to do this is by creating a Waitlist Page—a simple yet powerful tool that lets you gauge demand before you build your mini-course.

A Waitlist Page is essentially a landing page that highlights your course topic, the key learning outcomes, and the transformation your students will experience.

On this page, we're just going to have an email sign up box - we're not selling anything just yet.

Instead of listing technical details or course materials, focus on the real-world benefits of your training course.

For example:

❌ Less effective: “Includes 10 video content lessons on personal finance.”

✅ More compelling: “Walk away with a simple money plan that puts you in control—so you can stop stressing about bills and start building real wealth.”

When your potential customers see the impact your online course will have on their lives, they’re far more likely to sign up.

How to Drive Traffic to Your Waitlist Page

Once your sales page is live, you need to get people to it. Here’s how:

1. Leverage Social Media

Share valuable content related to your course topic across your social media platforms—whether it’s quick tips, behind-the-scenes insights, or a sneak peek of your course content. Always include a clear call-to-action that leads to your Waitlist Page.

2. Engage in Online Communities

Join Facebook groups, niche online communities, and forums where your target audience is already discussing their struggles. Participate in conversations, provide helpful insights, and naturally mention your online course idea when relevant.

3. Collaborate with Others

Team up with influencers, bloggers, or course creators in your industry. Even if they have a small but engaged email list, their audience could be the perfect fit for your training course. A simple marketing tool like a guest post, shoutout, or cross-promotion can make a big impact.

4. Tap into Your Existing Network

Even if you don’t have a large following, your personal network is a great way to spread the word. Let friends, family, and colleagues know about your upcoming mini-course—they may be interested themselves or can refer you to someone who is. Personal recommendations carry a lot of weight.

If you collect a few hundred emails on your email list, that’s a strong signal that your course idea has market demand—and it’s time to move to the next step in creating your successful online course.

Step 3: Outline Your Course Content

Once you’ve validated your online course idea and built interest through your Waitlist Page, it’s time to structure your course content with a clear course outline.

Your goal here is to break down your course topic into 5-10 structured lessons. Each lesson should focus on a single key concept or skill that helps your target audience achieve the desired learning outcomes.

Keep Your Course Outline Simple and Focused

A common mistake course creators make is trying to cram too much information into their first training course.

Remember, your students don’t need more content—they need clear and actionable steps that lead to results.

To make sure your course is digestible and easy to follow, map out each lesson with:

A main concept (what the student needs to learn)
Supporting examples or case studies
Any course materials, resources, or exercises that reinforce learning
A quick action step to help students implement what they’ve learned

This step-by-step guide keeps your course organized and helps your students reach their learning goals faster.

Example Course Outline

Let’s say your course topic is, "How to Write Emails That Sell (Even with a Small List)"

A structured course outline might look like this:

Lesson 1: The Psychology of Persuasive Emails

Understanding why people buy from emails
The role of storytelling in email marketing
How to identify your audience’s pain points and specific needs

Lesson 2: The 3-Email Framework for Selling Without Feeling Salesy

Breaking down a proven email marketing formula
How to transition from value to selling naturally
Writing with clarity and confidence to build trust

Lesson 3: Subject Lines & Hooks That Get Opens and Clicks

The best way to craft compelling subject lines
Using ai tools to generate high-converting email hooks
How to avoid common mistakes that hurt open rates

Lesson 4: Writing Your First Sales Email (With a Simple Template)

A step-by-step guide to structuring your email
The best platform to send your emails from
A sneak peek at real-world examples of high-performing sales emails

Lesson 5: Automating Your Emails for Passive Sales

Setting up an email list and automated sequences
Choosing the right online course platform for email delivery
How to turn your email sequence into a passive income system

By following this course structure, your students will go from feeling lost about email marketing to confidently writing persuasive emails that generate sales.

Now that your course outline is mapped out, it’s time to bring your lessons to life with engaging video content, digital downloads, and interactive elements. Let’s move on to the next step—creating your course materials!

Step 4: Create Your Course Content

Now that your course outline is complete, it’s time to start developing your course content.

Each lesson should be structured in a way that delivers clear learning outcomes, keeps students engaged, and builds momentum as they progress through your online course.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to structuring each lesson effectively:

1. Introduce the Key Learning Points

Start each lesson by outlining what students will learn and how it applies to their specific needs. Setting clear expectations helps students stay focused and understand the value of what they’re about to learn.

For example, you could say:

"In this lesson, you’ll learn how to craft compelling subject lines that increase your email open rates. This will help you grab your audience’s attention right from the inbox and boost your email marketing results."

2. Explain Concepts Using Examples & Visuals

To create an engaging learning experience, break down complex ideas with relatable examples, visuals, and case studies.

If your course is video content-based, use screen recordings, slides, or interactive elements to reinforce key concepts.

Using ai tools or digital downloads like worksheets and checklists can also help students implement what they’re learning.

3. Provide Supporting Resources

Include helpful course materials like:

Worksheets to help students apply what they’ve learned
Templates for quick implementation
Audio files for learners who prefer to listen on-the-go via mobile devices
Digital products like cheat sheets or guides to reinforce retention

4. Summarize and Provide Action Steps

At the end of each lesson, highlight the key takeaways and give students a simple action step to complete before moving forward. This ensures they apply what they’ve learned before jumping to the next concept.

5. Connect Lessons for a Seamless Flow

To maintain a logical learning sequence, always show how each lesson builds on the previous one. This keeps students engaged and prevents them from feeling lost.

Example:

"Now that you’ve mastered crafting effective subject lines, in the next lesson, we’ll dive into writing engaging email copy that keeps your readers hooked after they open your email."

By structuring your training course this way, students can absorb the information more easily and make steady progress toward their goals.

Once you’ve completed all your lessons, you’re ready to move on to the next step—packaging and delivering your successful online course!

Step 5: Set Up Your Course Delivery Platform

You’re going to want to choose a platform to host and deliver your mini course. If you’re just getting started, choose something simple like Gumroad or Thinkific.

Don’t worry about making a huge amount of money right now. You’re just trying to get some traction. And if your mini course is successful, you can always move on to something more robust like my favorite platform, Kajabi.

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that is well worth the extra bit of money you’ll invest in other tools.

Not only can you host your course there, you can also:

Build your website – Easily create a professional-looking website with customizable templates that suit your brand.
Set up email marketing – Automate email sequences, send broadcast emails, and nurture your audience all from one place.
Create landing pages – Build high-converting landing pages for lead magnets, sales pages, and opt-ins without needing a separate tool.
Offer memberships – Set up a membership site to deliver exclusive content to your subscribers or clients.
Sell products – Sell your courses, digital products, and coaching packages using Kajabi's integrated checkout system.
Track and analyze data – Get insights into sales, email campaigns, and user engagement to improve your marketing efforts.
Create quizzes and assessments – Engage students with interactive content to test their knowledge and boost their learning experience.

Kajabi simplifies the process of creating, marketing, and selling your courses, allowing you to focus more on delivering value to your students.

If you use my link, you can get a free 30-day trial compared to the regular 14 trial Kajabi offers.

And on top of that, I’m giving you my Kajabi Kickstart course that will help you set your business up for success in that 30 days + a private 1-1 coaching session with me on Zoom.

Click here to grab your bonuses and start your 30-day free trial of Kajabi.

Now that you’ve built your course and chose a hosting platform, let’s talk about pricing.

Step 6: Pricing Your Mini-Course the Smart Way

Just because your course content delivers massive value doesn’t mean you can charge high-ticket pricing right away.

Many first-time course creators fall into the trap of overpricing their digital products, assuming their online course idea is worth thousands—when they haven’t yet built the social proof to back it up.

Start with an Accessible Price Point

At this stage, your primary focus isn’t maximizing revenue—it’s getting potential customers through the door, gathering testimonials, and improving your learning experience.

A great way to do this is by pricing your mini course between $25 to $50.

This lower investment removes the risk for buyers and helps generate low-cost tripwire sales, encouraging students to actually complete the course content.

Also, keeping your course format short and digestible (about an hour) increases the likelihood that students will finish it—which is crucial for securing positive feedback and success stories.

Collect Testimonials to Build Trust

At the end of your training course, make it easy for students to leave testimonials.

Use tools like Senja.io or Testimonial.to to automate the process and gather reviews you can display on your sales page, landing page, or own website.

Over time, these testimonials will boost your market demand and allow you to justify charging a higher price for future digital products.

Offer Private Coaching for Upsells

If you offer private coaching, your mini course can serve as a marketing tool to attract potential clients.

Since buyers have already invested in your course, they’re more likely to consider higher-priced offers, such as a self-paced course, group coaching, or even a membership site.

A simple strategy is to include an offer for your coaching services at the end of your course, either through a call-to-action in your final video content or as an automated email in your email marketing sequence.

Now that you’ve set the right price and built a strategy to gather positive feedback, the next step is to focus on marketing strategies to get your target audience to enroll.

Let’s dive into the best way to sell your successful online course!

Step 7: Create a Sales Page and Refine Promotional Materials

Now that your mini course is ready, it’s time to convert your waitlist page into a high-converting sales page.

The best way to do this is simple: replace the email list signup form with a strong call-to-action (CTA) button that allows your potential customers to purchase your course instantly.

How to Optimize Your Sales Page for Conversions

Your sales page should highlight the course topic, the learning outcomes, and the transformation your students will experience.

Make sure it’s designed with a user-friendly interface and easy navigation.

Here's an example of a good CTA:

"Ready to finally master the kitchen and cook meals that wow your family and friends? Click the button below to get instant access to Kitchen Confidence Kickstart and start creating delicious, foolproof dishes today!"

Where to Place Your CTA Buttons

To maximize conversions, include a CTA button in multiple sections of your landing page so that when visitors are ready to enroll, they can do so easily.

For button text, use action-driven, benefit-focused phrases like:

✅ "Start Cooking Like a Pro Now"
✅ "Enroll in Kitchen Confidence Kickstart Today"
✅ "Get Instant Access to Kitchen Confidence Kickstart"

Or it could just be as simple as "Enroll Now".

Additional Tips for a High-Converting Sales Page

Use video content or a sneak peek of your course to showcase what’s inside.
Highlight positive feedback or testimonials from early students.
Answer common pain points with a detailed FAQ section.
Offer a discounted price for a limited time to create urgency.
Include multiple payment plans or a free trial option if applicable.

Once your sales page is live, the next step is driving traffic to it using smart marketing strategies.

Step 8: Launch and Promote Your Mini-Course

To get the best results from your mini course, set a launch date and start promoting it to your target audience.

Use your email list, social media platforms, and online community to generate buzz and encourage early sign-ups.

Create Urgency with a Special Launch Offer

A great way to drive initial sales is by offering a discounted price, bonus content, or exclusive digital downloads during launch week.

This creates a sense of urgency and rewards early adopters for taking action.

Close the Cart for a Limited-Time Launch

Instead of keeping your sales page open indefinitely, consider closing enrollment at the end of the launch week.

This does two things:

It gives your students time to go through the course content, apply what they’ve learned, and engage in the learning experience without distractions.
It allows you to collect positive feedback, testimonials, and marketing strategies that will improve future launches.

Once your first-time students have completed the mini course, use their feedback to enhance your course materials, tweak your course structure, and create an even better training course in the future.

This approach helps you grow your online course business strategically, build trust with your potential customers, and increase the long-term market demand for your successful online course.

Now that your launch is complete, it’s time to plan your next step—expanding your reach and scaling your passive income!

Some Final Thoughts on Building a Successful Online Course

Creating and launching your first online course doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

By following this step-by-step guide, you’ve learned how to:

✅ Choose a course topic that aligns with market demand

✅ Structure your course content with a clear course outline

✅ Create engaging course materials that enhance the learning experience

✅ Set a strategic price point and build a compelling sales page

✅ Leverage simple marketing strategies to drive traffic and increase enrollments

✅ Gather positive feedback to refine your course for long-term success

Launching a successful online course is about progress, not perfection.

Start small with a mini course, build momentum, and improve as you go.

The more you put yourself out there, the more confident you’ll become as a course creator—and the easier it will be to grow your online course business into a sustainable passive income stream.

Don’t let perfectionism hold you back. Whether you’re working on your landing page, setting up your email marketing sequence, or promoting your course through social media platforms, the key is to start now.

If you’re ready to turn your digital products into a thriving business, start by implementing these strategies today.

Your audience is waiting to learn from you—so take the leap and launch your own online course with confidence!

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