My First Digital Course: 10 Mistakes I Made

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So Many Mistakes…

When you try something for the very first time, it’s likely that you’re going to fail. Or totally mess things up. Or forget a few steps. Or make a ton of mistakes.

Today, I wanted to share with you the ten mistakes I made when I first created my first digital course back in the Fall of 2018. There are some seriously cringe-worthy moments and things that I regret…

But, in hindsight, if I hadn’t gotten started somewhere I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you today.

Mistake One: Priced Too Low

There are a lot of smart marketing techniques when it comes to pricing your digital products. Those that I’ve learned over the years are strategic and can create great results.

I didn’t know anything about pricing any kind of product when I created my first digital course. But I can tell you one thing, I priced mine way too low.

My original course was only $38!

And I tried to do the whole cutesy “slash through” on a graphic to make it more appealing. “The original price is $98, but for a limited time…you can get it for only $38!”

But that was the extent of the marketing behind my course. A price – that was way too low – and a buy button. Not much else.

So don’t make the same mistake as me.

Do your research on price and settle on a number that’ll work for you and your course.

Mistake Two: Not Knowing Who to Serve

We’ve talked about this concept before (make sure to listen to 4 Reasons You Won’t Make Money Podcasting!) but if you’re not talking to the right audience, then you won’t make money.

Well, I didn’t know who I was trying to talk to when I was creating my first digital course. I had a broad, general audience. I didn’t have an ideal listener like I do today.

I was just like, “I’ll sell this to anyone that wants to create a podcast!” And I threw it out there into the world.

This was a big mistake because my marketing was off, my customers didn’t know if it was for them or not, and I didn’t have a great strategy for being able to target the right people because I was trying to talk to everyone!

Mistake Three: Tried Too Many Things at One Time

I tried so many things at one time. And I wasn’t taking my time to develop a step-by-step strategy or approach.

But to be honest, I know this about myself. I’m more of a baptism-by-fire kind of girl.

“Just throw me in coach. I’ll figure it out!”

It’s how I’ve always been.

So with my first digital course, when I launched it, I was also trying to grow my social media and establish an email list. I thought about trying webinars for the first time. I was still trying to figure out how to create sales pages and write, copy, and talk to my podcast audience in a way that didn’t sound like it was just reading a textbook.

There were just way too many things that I was trying at one time.

To piggyback off of this mistake, I wanted to make sure and tell you to not try so many things all at once. If you are just now starting your podcast, you don’t need to create a digital course right away.

I was podcasting for about four months before I ever created and launched my course. I’m not saying you have to wait years into your podcast journey before you create something.

But, one thing at a time.

Establish your podcast, establish yourself as the expert in what you’re doing, start growing your email list, maybe get a following on social media, and then launch to an audience that knows who you are, what you’re all about, and why you can add value to their life.

I just kind of threw a bunch of stuff together and said, “I’m gonna throw this out there. It’s gonna be so successful…”

And it wasn’t.

Path to [Podcast] Success

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Mistake Four: Felt Bad Selling

I wasn’t confident in my skills as a marketer (and course creator if we’re being totally honest). I stumbled over my words, flubbed through emails, and just tried to piece enough fake confidence together to get through my first digital course launch.

“I didn’t show up the way that I show up today…”

The reasons I wasn’t as confident? Well, it goes back to my first mistakes. I didn’t know exactly who I was talking to and I wasn’t confident that I was serving the right people.

Marketing becomes so much better and so much easier when you know exactly who you’re talking to, the problem that you’re solving, and how you can add value to your audience.

Mistake Five: I Wasn’t 100% Confident in My Process

When you’re the only one that’s gotten results with your “proven systems”, you can question whether your process will work for other people.

That’s what I did.

I knew that what I’d done worked wonderfully for me…but would it work for someone else? Was I an anomaly that figured things out but couldn’t teach those same skills to someone else.

I started doubting my abilities to teach others. I was nervous to offer advice to someone else and realize that I was a fraud. Or that I actually was doing everything wrong and I was totally incompetent!

Imposter syndrome at its finest!

Mistake Six: Overwhelmed with Too Many Mentors

You can only listen to so many people in your head when you’re trying to do something. And if you have 15 different voices telling you 15 different ways to do something, you’ll get overwhelmed.

That’s exactly what happened to me!

I was trying to listen to all of the marketing experts and try every approach and strategy they suggested. But I quickly found out that most of them were contradicting one another.

So I’m going to challenge you to pick one or two mentors to listen to and that’s it. Not every expert in your industry. Not every person online that claims they know what they’re talking about.

Listen to experts that have gotten results and know what they’re doing.

Mistake Seven: Using Templates Instead of My Own Voice

Even if you go through a program that offers you templates (even my own course), you shouldn’t just use their templates. It’s like taking the easy way out.

It doesn’t force you to be more strategic and use your own voice. Whether it’s emails, course scripts, or social media posts, use your own voice.

I know, it’s hard at first to create your own content, but pushing past that comfort zone can help you get further faster.

My First Digital Course

Mistake Eight: Tried to Bootstrap Everything

Now listen here, I’m all about being frugal and saving money. But when I first created my first digital course, I was way too cheap!

I literally tried to do everything myself, save money, and not spend a dime on anything that was unnecessary. And now that I know better (and where it’s actually best to invest my dollars), I know I could’ve gotten further faster had I not been so dang cheap!

So, know what’s smart to invest it.
Know what tools can help you.
Know where you can spend money.
Know when you should hire help.

Mistake Nine: Tried a Facebook Ad with No Idea What I Was Doing!

Let me be very clear, I’m not a Facebook Ads expert today. But when I got started on my first digital course journey, I tried running a Facebook ad when I had no business running ads.

I had no idea what I was doing!

And if you aren’t a Facebook Ads expert (or plan on hiring one) then don’t bother with them. Most people, me included, don’t know how to set things up properly to run an actual converting ad.

I know that paid ads can work, but when you’re just getting started with digital courses…it’s not necessary. Work with what you have. Use what you know.

Mistake Ten: Wanting to Move On Too Soon

Have you heard of “shiny object syndrome”? Ya know, where everything looks appealing and you get bored quickly.

That’s what happened to me after my first digital course launch. I wanted to move on. I was ready to do something else immediately after I was done.

Why was I so eager to move on?

Because I didn’t have the thousand dollar launch like so many people talk about. I had a lot of new ideas and tons of things I wanted to move on to. It was a fall back plan instead of facing a launch that wasn’t as stellar as I wanted it to be.

Speaking of my less-than-stellar launch, let’s talk about real numbers…

Let’s Talk Real Numbers…

For my first digital course launch, I wanted to share with you my results:

Students Enrolled: 6 (1 was my mom)
Course Price: $38
Size of Email List: Less than 100
Total Revenue: $228

So the reason I’m sharing all of this with you today isn’t to impress you with lots of first digital course success. It’s to show you where I messed up and what my actual results are.

But that was just my first launch.

I’ve had many successful launches that have happened since this first one. But they never would’ve happened if I hadn’t taken this first step. Remember…

Done is better than perfect.
We all have to start somewhere.

How to Use This Resource

If you don’t already know this about Amy, she creates THE BEST guides, checklist, and free resources for her audience! Her guides have helped me plan content, create a DIY photoshoot at home, master a proper launch runway, and develop skills for understanding my audience better.

Inside The Ultimate Course Creation StarterKit guide, you’ll find important information to help you make the following 3 key decisions:

Course Topic
Course Name
What You’ll STOP Doing Once Your Course Takes Off!

You’ll also find many details on how to brainstorm about your course in ways you may have never thought of. And, my personal favorite, you get to see firsthand what it looks like to create a freebie for your audience!

Win-Win-Win!

And, here’s a little something extra special! Amy recorded a quick video to tell you all about the Starter Kit!

Remember, when it comes to podcast monetization…

You don’t have to wait until you have thousands of listeners and millions of downloads. I’d only had my podcast up and running for four months before I decided to create my course.

And I didn’t have Amy’s amazing resource back then. (Man, to think where my business would be today if I had!)

So, go download this PDF guide and get started creating your digital course today!

RECAP: My First Digital Course: 10 Mistakes I Made

Priced too Low
Didn’t Know Who I Was Serving
Tried Too Many Things
Didn’t Believe in Myself
Felt Bad Selling
Overwhelmed with Too Many Mentors
Used Templates Instead of My Own Voice
Tried to Bootstrap Everything
Facebook Ads When I Didn’t Know What I Was Doing
Wanted to Move On to Something Else Immediately

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