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"I’m sitting here, staring at my laptop screen, hitting the refresh button so often it feels like it's going to break. Maybe there’s a glitch? Maybe the notifications just aren’t coming through? F… are the links working? I checked them like 100 times… that can't be it… But then what is it?!
The silence is real. My course launch—the one I spent months obsessing over—has completely flopped. Not even a trickle of interest. No sign-ups. No emails from excited students telling me how much they needed this. Just… nothing.
And then, as if the universe was just waiting to kick me while I’m down, Josh walks in.
He doesn’t say anything at first, just stands there, arms crossed, taking in the scene. The half-empty coffee cup, the piles of notes, the exhaustion written all over me.
“How many people signed up?” he finally asks, his voice tight, controlled, like he’s already bracing himself for the answer.
I don’t want to answer. Because I know where this is going. We’ve had this fight before. Over the time, the money, the weekends lost to work when I should have been with him. With the kids. With anyone but my laptop.
I pretend I didn’t hear. My chest is so tight I can barely breathe. Maybe if I just keep staring at the screen, refreshing one more time, I can somehow will a sale into existence. Maybe if I just—
He makes that sound. That little noise with his mouth when he’s losing patience. That tiny, exasperated exhale that sends my blood boiling because I know what’s coming next. I feel myself gripping the desk harder.
“Babe,” he presses.
I swallow hard, then finally mumble, “None.”
Silence.
I don’t look at him, but I feel it. His frustration. His disappointment. The weight of all the unspoken things between us.
I know what he’s thinking. All the times he took the kids to soccer practice, alone. The weekends he canceled plans because I was working. The nights I asked him to take care of my mom’s hospital visits because I just needed one more hour to finalize a module. The sacrifices. His sacrifices.
“Was it worth it?” he asks finally, his voice like a blade. Not loud, not cruel. Just… resigned.
My throat burns. “Of course it was worth it,” I snap back, too fast, too defensive.
Was it, though?
Because right now, it doesn’t feel like it. Right now, it feels like I’ve wasted everything—our time, our money, our patience—on something that maybe was never meant to work in the first place.
And worst of all?
I don’t know what to do next."
Could this entry be from your diary? Then you're probably facing the same problem many course creators face—making mistakes that end up costing them a lot of money, time, and sometimes even relationships. Time lost that cannot be earned back.
There is a better way to do this. Here are 5 mistakes to look out for in order to avoid writing entries like this in your journal.
Mistake #1: The "This Can Help Anyone!" Trap
One of the biggest mistakes I see course creators make is believing their course is for everyone. And I get it—your knowledge is valuable, and in theory, a lot of people could benefit from it. But here’s the harsh reality: when you try to help everyone, you end up helping no one.
People need to feel like your course was made specifically for them. If you’re too broad, you lose the emotional connection that makes someone say, Wow, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for!
I once worked with a coach who had an amazing personal development course. It was well-structured, deeply insightful, and packed with value. But sales were stagnant because her messaging was too general.
Her main message was "This course will help you improve your life!" Who doesn't want that, right? But it doesn’t make anyone feel seen.
After we narrowed her focus to women struggling with confidence in corporate settings, adjusted the marketing accordingly, suddenly, people started signing up.
So, how do you fix this?
If you don’t make it crystal clear who your course is actually for, people will look at it, squint their eyes, and think, Eh, maybe this isn’t really for me. And boom, you’ve lost them.
So, be specific. It doesn’t mean others can’t take your course, but the clearer you are, the easier it is for your perfect student to see themselves in what you’re offering.
Mistake #2: The "Let Me Bore You to Tears" Course Experience
Let’s be honest—no one wants to sit through a dull, uninspired online course. Yet, so many course creators assume that packing in more information is the key to success. It’s not. Engagement is.
One of my clients learned this the hard way. She spent months creating a PDF-based course, thinking it would be simple and cost-effective. But her audience—primarily millennials—wanted a more interactive, visual, and immersive experience.
Want to guess what happened? Almost no one completed the course, and even fewer raved about it.
Content isn’t just about what you teach—it’s about how you teach it. People learn best when they’re actively involved.
Here’s how you can make your course more engaging:
Storytelling: Instead of dry facts, tell stories. Make your content feel real and relatable. People remember stories, not bullet points.
Interaction: Quizzes, challenges, even something as simple as a reflection question keeps people engaged.
Multimedia – Not everyone learns the same way. Mix up text, audio, video, animations—whatever makes sense for your content.
And no, you don’t have to be on camera if that makes you uncomfortable. There are plenty of creative ways to make your course exciting without turning into a YouTuber overnight.
The bottom line is that if your course feels like a chore, people won’t finish it. And if they don’t finish it, they won’t get results—or recommend it to others.
Mistake #3: Doing Things Completely Backwards
A huge mistake I see course creators make is pouring months (or even years) into building their course before ever testing whether people actually want it. They assume that if they build it, people will come. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.
I know a business coach who spent six months perfecting her course—only to realize, upon launching, that her audience wasn’t interested in that particular topic. She had put all her energy into creating something she thought people needed, rather than validating demand first.
The solution you can try is to flip the process:
Start with validation. Before creating anything, talk to your audience. What problems do they struggle with? What solutions are they actively looking for?
Pre-sell your course. Set up a sales page and start marketing before you build the content. If people buy, you know it’s worth creating.
Build as you go. Instead of spending months on content, launch a beta version and refine it based on real student feedback.
Doing this saves time, energy, and ensures you’re actually creating something people want to buy.
Mistake #4: Expecting Overnight Success
It’s easy to scroll through social media and see stories of people making six figures from a course launch, and think, That could be me! But what those success stories don’t show is the years of work, audience-building, and trial and error that went into it.
We’ve all seen those posts: “I made $100K from my first course launch!” And while that’s amazing, it’s not the full story. What they don’t show is the years of audience-building, failed launches, and constant tweaks behind the scenes.
One of my clients runs a successful course that consistently brings in $10K per launch multiple times a year. That sounds like a dream, right?
But is it enough for her to quit her job? Not yet.
And does that stop her? No way.
Since launching her first course in 2022, she’s built three additional courses to expand her offerings and support her students more.
What does this mean to you?
Success isn’t about one big launch—it’s about iteration, persistence, and long-term commitment. Instead of chasing an overnight win, focus on:
Growing your audience before launching.
Optimizing your course based on feedback from each cohort.
Playing the long game. A course is an evolving asset, not a one-time event.
Mistake #5: Focusing Too Much on Content, Not the Experience
You can create the most comprehensive, value-packed course in the world, but if students don’t feel engaged and supported, they won’t finish it. And if they don’t finish, they won’t get results—or recommend it to others.
One common mistake course creators make is assuming that more content = more value. In reality, people don’t need more information—they need transformation. And transformation happens when students feel connected, encouraged, and motivated to keep going.
So, what makes a great course experience?
Clear onboarding. Do students know where to start, or do they feel overwhelmed the second they log in?
Community. Can they ask questions, get feedback, or connect with others?
Milestones and rewards. Celebrate progress. A simple certificate, progress tracker, or bonus content at key stages can boost motivation.
Your course should be just about delivering lessons—but about guiding students toward real results. If you focus on their journey, your course will stand out, and your students will become your biggest advocates.
Here’s my advice: Keep Going
If your course launch didn’t go as planned, don’t let that be the end of the story. Creating something valuable takes time, and mistakes are just part of the learning curve.
You’re not failing—you’re figuring things out.
Your knowledge is valuable. There are people out there who need what you have to offer. The key is to refine, adjust, and keep moving forward. Every misstep is just another piece of experience that will make your next launch better.
So take what you’ve learned, tweak what needs tweaking, and get back out there. You’ve got this. And this time? People will actually buy it. 😉
Meet the expert:
Orsi partners with women business owners to elevate their branding, website, and course launches while supporting their long-term growth. She provides ongoing guidance and strategic refinements to ensure their business stays aligned, effective, and positioned for success. With a focus on continuous improvement, she helps them build a strong, scalable brand that attracts and converts with ease.
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