8 Effective Strategies to Increase Your Online Course Sales, Fast. (Without Paid Ads)
You've dedicated weeks, months, heck, possibly YEARS to crafting your online course, and finally, it's launched. You eagerly wait for the passive income to start rolling in, envisioning laid-back beach days as your new office routine. Except... there's silence. Zip, nada, zero.
Your online course sales are moving at a snail's pace, and your revenue is nowhere near the 6 or 7-figure dream you were promised by the marketing experts online. You're trying any sales strategies and hacks you can find to sell your course, but the result? Exhaustion, with a generous side of frustration. Doubts creep in: is this online course thing a scam?⌠And can it even work for you?!
Now, before you bid adieu to your online course dreams and call it quits, give these 8 sales-boosting strategies a try... They're quick, simple, freakishly effective, and here's the cherry on top â they do NOT require you to spend a dime on paid ads.
Hit play to watch the video or read below đ
P.S. Just so you know, some of the links in this article are affiliate ones, which means I might get a little thank-you commission if you purchase the product â at no additional cost to you! I only recommend tools &products Iâve tried and LOVED.
đ Table of Contents:
Online Course Sales Tip #1: Leverage Upsells and Downsells
Adding on upsells and downsells to your course is hands down one of the simplest and most effective strategies to improve your online course sales.
But before we dive in, let's clarify: What exactly are upsells and downsells?
An upsell is generally a product or service that is the step up from your main offer: a nudge for your customer to upgrade from the basic deal to something more advanced, more detailed, and yes, pricier than your main course offering.
Think an upgrade to your course, a more advanced level of your program, or a higher level of support.
On the flip side, a downsell is usually less advanced, not as detailed, and cheaper than your flagship course. This can be something along the lines of an ebook, template vault, or a mini-course.
Okay, but why exactly do upsells and downsells work so well?
Because you've already got your audience's attention⌠They're already considering purchasing from you, so you might as well give them more opportunities to buy by presenting options that are tailored to their needs.
For those savvy audience members already looking to level up, you present a premium offer.
And for the undecided lot who are still on the fence about investing into your online course you provide a more affordable option, letting them test out your products and get to know you a bit better.
It's a win-win scenario for both you AND your clients. Woo! đ
Online Course Sales Tip #2: Tap Into Mental Triggers
Mental what?...
"Mental triggers" as a concept have been used for quite some time in psychology, but the term gained popularity in marketing largely thanks to Robert Cialdiniâs bestselling book Influence: The psychology of Persuasion and Jeff Walkerâs book Launch â a hands-on guide for selling products online.
In a nutshell, mental triggers are these underlying psychological buttons that all of us humans come pre-wired with. They're deep-seated in our brains and tap into our inherent human tendencies, steering us towards certain actions.
Think about a time when you couldn't resist a "limited time" saleâŚ
Or when you hurriedly booked a hotel on Booking.com because you saw that warning sign âonly 3 rooms left at this price!ââŚ
Or when you decided to try a restaurant because your best friend raved about it.
Those were mental triggers in action, doing their thang!
They are hands down one of the most effective ways of making marketing messages irresistible and driving action - it's like having a direct hotline to your audience's decision-making center!
Disclaimer: Using mental triggers is NOT about manipulating your audience.
You could use them, much like any other marketing tactic, to sell a crappy offer. But, if you've found yourself on this blog, I'm willing to bet thatâs NOT your jam and youâre all about providing real, lasting value to your audience.
đ And mental triggers are simply tools to help communicate the value of your offers more effectively.
Alright, letâs dig for the overview of the most impactful sales triggers:
Mental Sales Trigger 1: Authority
Following people with authority is the way our brains have developed evolutionarily to help us make quicker, more efficient decisions (it even has a scientific term of its own: authority bias!).
It's an age-old survival tactic embedded in our DNA. Our ancestors knew that following a leader with authority often meant better chances of survival, and that mentality still influences our decision-making today, helping us navigate our fast-paced, information-overloaded world more efficiently.
Think about it. Have you ever bought a book that you hadn't heard of before, just because it had the "Oprah's Book Club" sticker or the "New York Times bestseller" on the cover?
đ That's authority in action: you trusted these recognizable symbols of quality, and voila! A purchase decision was made.
So how can you harness this principle in your marketing to increase your course sales?
Showcase notable clients youâve worked with
Display publications you were featured in
Boast the certifications and awards that confirm your expertise.
Share your expert stance and opinion on industry news and tropes.
Remember â your audience doesnât know you yet, so you need to give them a reason to trust you.
Mental Sales Trigger 2: Reciprocity
As Robert CialdiniâTHE seminal expert in the field of influence and persuasionâexplains in his work, we as humans are hardwired to want to return favors and reciprocate the acts of kindness shown to us.
The principle of reciprocity has been loooong used by companies in various industries to increase their sales. Free sample sized products you get with your order, fortune cookies on top of your bill at a restaurant, âtry before you buyâ offers are all examples of reciprocity in action.
And so is sharing free tips and content with your audience on your socials or blog! By providing free value upfront to your audience, you not only showcasing your coaching and teaching style, but you're also using the reciprocity trigger, which makes them more likely to buy your course.
Mental Sales Trigger 3: Trust
âĄď¸ Ultimately, every buying decision we make, however big or small, comes down to trust.
If your potential clients donât trust that you specifically can lead them to their desired transformation⌠they are simply not going to buy and no amount of savvy marketing techniques is going to change that.
Thing is, building trustâŚtakes time. Itâs not something that happens overnight or that can be shortcut with a smart marketing gimmick.
The good news is: if youâre leveraging your online presence the right way: aka by being open and honest about your business practices, achievements, as well as the challenges you've faced, showing up authentically as yourself, and *actually* delivering on your promises - it sorta happens naturally.
And while earning trust is a slow and steady process, it's KEY to long-term success. Stay true to your values, let your actions do the talking, and youâll soon find out just how powerful trust can be in boosting your online course sales.
Online Sales Trigger 4: Anticipation
The anticipation trigger can be a REAL game-changer for your online course sales. If you use it right, you can sell out your course before you even launch it â thatâs how powerful it is! đ¤Ż
Why does it work SO well? Well, it all comes back to our innate human nature.
Remember the thrill and excitement of counting down the days till your summer vacations or a holiday as a child? That sense of anticipation heightened the excitement, making the event itself seem even more appealing!
đ Thatâs because when we anticipate something, we tend to value it more.
We get waaayy more excited when there is a build up, a countdown, an exhilarating suspense and we have something to look forward to.
Hereâs what that means in tangible terms for your online course marketing:
Instead of suddenly surprising your audience with an offer out of the blue, stoke their anticipation. Reveal the behind-the-scenes process, tease your course, or create a countdown they can follow.
Online Sales Trigger 5: Community
Hereâs a cool (and slightly creepy n weirdâŚ) psychology knowledge nugget:
Fear of being left out is one of the most ancient, deeply ingrained human fears.
That's because, our survival once depended on being liked and accepted, and being cast out of the tribe meant almost a sure death.
Morbid, I know đ. But bear with me, it will make sense, promise!
As millenia went by, our social constructs changed. Your life is not in danger if your friends hang out without you. But to our brains, which have not evolved that much since then - it sure feels like that.
Ok, but how can this help you sell more of your online course?
đĄ By leveraging the flip-side of that fear: our desire to belong to a community.
People love, love, LOVE to belong to a movement, a club, or a team. The way we humans are wired is that we find comfort and support in like-minded individuals who are going through the same journey.
So have a lil brainstorm sesh:
How can YOU create a close-knit community for your course?
Are there any events you want to run?
How can you connect to your existing audience on a deeper level?
Make sure to emphasize and showcase the community part of your course in your promotion: The sense of being part of a bigger community or movement will create a sense of excitement and commitment, driving your audience to join and engage more actively with your course.
Online Sales Trigger 6: Scarcity
Whether you realized it or not, you've 100% seen this trigger in action⌠and it probably worked!
'Only one room left at this price!' message popping up as youâre looking for a hotel stay on Booking.com;
'Only 2 pairs left in your size!' flashing on your screen as youâre contemplating whether you really need that new pair of sneakers.
Heck, even your local supermarket has 'Limited Time Offer' signs scattered around. đ Thatâs scarcity trigger for you!
It's THE driving force behind our impulse to snap up that last discounted hotel room or determinedly hit âpurchaseâ even if we were on the fence before.
So why does it work?
The scarcity trigger plays on our natural instinct to avoid loss. We hate missing out more than we enjoy gaining something, which makes us act quickly when we think we might lose our chance at something.
Aka when we think something is limited in quantity or availability, it suddenly becomes more attractive to us. It's a weird quirk of our brain, but who are we to argue with thousands of years of evolution, right?
Now, how can you use this ethically in marketing your online course?
Scarcity doesn't mean you have to whip up a frenzy, playing on people's anxieties and pressuring them into joining your course. That's not our jam here. đ đťââď¸đŤđŻ
Instead, weave in authentic scarcity into your promotion to inspire quick action from your audience.
If you're doing live launches, scarcity is actually already part of your launch: since thereâs a certain deadline by which people have to make the decision. Otherwise, they won't be able to join the program until the next cohort starts.
And if youâre running a so-called evergreen funnel where people can join your course anytime, you could limit the number of seats for each intake of your course, create early-bird pricing specials, or offer limited-time bonus content.
Online Course Sales Tip #3: Bundle Your Offers
Bundling your courses is a fantastic (and low-effort!) way to boost your online course sales.
Remember how irresistible the popcorn and soda combo deal at the movies always is? Even if you initially only planned on getting popcorn, the bundle feels like a bargain and you end up going for it, snug that you were able to score a good deal.
The same principle applies to your online courses. Let's say you've crafted two different coursesâone focusing on mastering guitar skills, and another on the art of songwriting. While they're standalone courses, they clearly complement each other.
You can bundle them together - aka sell them as a package at a discounted rate. Your students feel like they're getting a deal (two courses for less!), and you sell more courses. It's a win-win.
Although the profit per course might appear smaller since youâre discounting the price, you are making more money because the average value of a single order is higher!
Online Course Sales Tip #4: Sell More and Promote Your Course Often
When it comes to selling your course, the frequency and visibility MATTER⌠like, a lot.
It sounds obvious: the more you sell, the more opportunities people have to buy your offer. Before you roll your eyes at meâI know, I know â the idea of promoting your course more frequently can feel... uncomfortable.
Thereâs that almost universal feeling of unease around selling that plagues most entrepreneurs. Nobody wants to come off as 'salesy' or, worse, like an infomercial on loop.
But hereâs the thing: by NOT promoting your course more often youâre doing your audience a huge disservice.
The online world is a pretty noisy place. Your potential students are probably overwhelmed by the information overload. An average American sees around 4,000 to 10,000 ads in a single day!
And that's just ads.
Add on the daily responsibilities, errands, thinking about what theyâll say to their boss tomorrow â and now you see just how easily your course can get overlooked in this overflow of information.
âĄď¸ If you only mention your offer occasionally, there is a very big chance that your audience simply won't see it or won't pay attention to it.
By reminding them about your offer, you are allowing them to take advantage of it and avoid missing out!
So the next time you feel sleazy about sales, just remember this and change your mindset because I can guarantee this will drive up your course sales.
A side note: promoting your course more often is NOT about repeating "Buy my course!" on repeat like a broken tune in your IG Stories. No way! That kind of sledgehammer selling only disengages your audience and plummets your reach.
Instead, integrate your pitches into your everyday content natively & seamlessly and talk about your offer in creative ways.
Not feeling the creative sparks? No worries! Check out the Storyselling Prompts resource - which will give you 101 prompts rooted in sales psychology that will help you sell your course wiuthout the hard sell.
Online Course Sales Tip #5: Cultivate Superfans and Brand Ambassadors
Having a tribe of Superfans is an insanely powerful sales strategy that can set you up with consistent revenue for life.
Yup, for real.
As Pat Flynn, serial entrepreneur, and bestselling author wrote in his book 'Superfans: The Easy Way to Stand Out, Grow Your Tribe, and Build a Successful Business', nurturing a base of superfans rather than just subscribers or followers is what weâll help your business grow exponentially and stay afloat in any market.
According to Flynn, a superfan is someone who loves your brand SO much they're eager to share their enthusiasm with the world.
They're not just customers, they're your brand's raving, cheering, pom-pom-waving supporters.
In an era of information overload and often impersonal digital transactions, personal recommendations from people we trust has more weight than ANY flashy ad.
So having superfans in your corner harping on about your course to their friends and colleagues, can safeguard your brand from pivots or marketâs ebbs and flows.
Theyâre your most loyal customers, purchasing all from you over and over again â regardless of what your competition might be offering.
Sounds pretty neat, huh? So, how *exactly* do you form your own base of superfan supporters?
For starters, create a truly life-changing course. And just a heads up; this does NOT equal to investing thousands into filming your course in a professional studio or creating a university-like course with hundreds of lectures. Itâs actually as easy as tapping into what your students truly want and doing your best at helping them achieve just that.
I go into detail on how to create a truly transformational online course in my free training (as well as how to build an audience to sell it to AND start making passive income!) â itâs under 1 hour and is PACKED with actionable takeaways. Save your spot here.
Online Course Sales Tip #6: Sell The Transformation, Not The Process
Picture this: you've designed a snazzy course chock-full of knowledge. You've got 15 modules, 100+ video lessons, and even a sweet workbook. But when it comes to selling, you find yourself in a rut. What gives?
The problem might just be in your approach to sales.
You're SO fixated on selling the 'process'âthose countless modules, hours of videos, and that glossy workbook, that you completely overlook the transformation your audience wants to achieve.
But hereâs the thing: while your unique framework and approach are important, itâs not what gets your audience excited.
In 99% of the cases⌠they simply donât care how youâre gonna get them where they want to go. đ
Theyâre after that end result, the 'after' picture they have in their minds.
They donât want 200 hours of guitar lessons âĄď¸ They want to ace their first guitar concert.
They donât want the business plan blueprint âĄď¸ They want a successful profitable business.
They donât care about learning the 100 frameworks for an engaging presentation âĄď¸ They want to feel confident and composed when presenting in front of their team.
Feel the difference?âŚ
If you really want to excite your audience with your online course, you need to flip the script. Instead of leading with all the knick knacks like the number of modules and lessons, emphasize on the end result your audience wants to achieve.
Remember, people aren't just buying a course, they're investing in a better version of themselves. Show them how your course can make that happen, and you'll see a major uptick in your sales.
Online Course Sales Tip #7: Build an Audience
The bigger the audience youâre selling to, the higher the potential revenue. Duh!
Continuously building and expanding your audience is one of the cornerstones of steadily increasing course revenue. Hereâs the thing though: by growing your audience I donât mean chasing after followers and subscribers on social media.
I mean doubling down on growing the audience you OWN.
Social media is a fantastic tool for course creators, but itâs not a be-all and end-all, and hereâs whyâŚ
Imagine this: You've racked up thousands of followers on Instagram, your YouTube channel is booming, and your TikTok is growing by the minute. So far, so good.
But what happens if your accounts get hacked tomorrow? Or if these platforms get banned or cease to exist? Seems like an unlikely scenario, yet there are already precedents of this happening.
Point is, you donât own or control these platforms. Thatâs why we need to focus on the channel we can control: an email list.
An email list is your direct line to people who are genuinely interested in what you offer.
There's no algorithm standing in your way.
No ad budget limiting your reach.
It's just you and your audience. This kind of connection can lead to a higher engagement rate, which can in turn translate into more course sales.
So instead of wasting hours each day trying to keep up with the social media algorithms, focus on expanding your emailing list.
Begin with valuable content. A must-read newsletter, an exclusive video series, or a useful ebook, for example. The idea is to offer something so valuable that your audience willingly trades their email address for it.
Online Course Sales Tip #8: Analyze Your Funnel Before Making Changes
Wrapping up our list with perhaps the most critical tip: don't choose your sales boosting strategies based on whatâs trending or what Instagram experts tell you you should do.
Instead, base them on a thorough analysis of your marketing funnel.
So what's a sales funnel, you ask?
Put simply, itâs the journey your students go through: from having no idea you exist, to becoming your paying customers. Every interaction, every click, and everything that happens in-between these two points is what makes up your âfunnelâ.
Just like a real funnel you might find in your kitchen, your marketing or sales funnel is wide at the top, narrow at the bottom: You've got a whole bunch of folks at the top getting to know you and what you're all about.
As they journey through your content, dipping their toes into your world, some decide it's not their cup of tea, and drop off (and that's a-okay!)
Those audience members who do stick around are inching closer to the narrower part of our funnel, getting ready to grab their wallets and turn from a prospect to a customer.
The audience gets smaller, but these are the peeps who are truly vibin' with what you're offering. So that's why we call it a funnel - wide at the top, narrower at the bottom.
Regardless of whether youâve ever consciously paid attention to your funnel â itâs there anyway.
Because whether weâre orchestrating it or not, itâs the natural flow of any selling and buying process. Paying close attention to it and really noticing which parts of your funnel work well, and which ones donât allow you to really fine-tune your efforts for max effectiveness.
Imagine this: you've set up a webinar to sell your course. And while you get loads of sign ups for it daily, people are barely converting.
đ Rather than pouring more resources into driving traffic, it's time to analyze your webinar. Are your messages hitting home? Are you addressing all the potential roadblocks? Are you balancing selling and providing value just right?
Conversely, if your webinar attendees are converting at a high rate, but numbers are low, then focusing on driving more sign-ups would be more beneficial than tweaking the webinar itself.
All this to say: itâs never a one-size-fits-all situation. The tactics you use to boost your course sales should be in sync with what your business needs.
And there you have it â the inside scoop on strategies to supercharge your online course sales. Try these tips out and watch your online course profits soar! And don't hesitate to circle back to this article anytime you need a nudge in the right direction or a fresh perspective.
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