BUILD & LAUNCH YOUR ONLINE COURSE IN 4 MONTHS:
THE SPECIFIC STEP-BY-STEP PLAN
SHAYNA OLIVEIRA
ESPRESSO ENGLISH

I’ve run an online course business for 5+ years…
Main business: Behind the scenes:

Nowadays, I can travel and work
as much or as little as I want!
Main business: Behind the scenes:

An online course business is
a LONG-TERM investment…
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Implement 3 stages over 4 months:
Build & cultivate
audience (2 months)
Pre-sell
(1 month)
Deliver
(1 month)

Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

WEEK 1:
• Create a “lead magnet”:
something SIMPLE,
helpful, and compelling
It should deliver ONE
“quick win” for your subscriber!
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

LEAD MAGNETS CAN BE…
• A mini-course
• A cheat sheet / checklist
• A design template
• A case study
• A toolkit / ultimate resource list
• A worksheet / printable
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

WEEK 1:
• Create a lead magnet:
something SIMPLE,
helpful, and compelling
• Set up a SIMPLE website with
a strong emphasis on the opt-in
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

WEEK 2:
• Produce 3 pieces of “pillar content” for your own
site (text, audio, or video – whatever you prefer)
What are the most common questions,
the biggest burning problems?
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

WEEK 2:
• Produce 3 pieces of “pillar content” for your own
site (text, audio, or video – whatever you prefer)
• Brainstorm and identify places where you can
get in front of your potential customers
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

THE REST OF THE TWO MONTHS:
• Go out and get in front of your people!!!
• Guest posts/interviews
• Forums and Facebook groups
• Personal invites, cold contacts
• Targeted paid advertising
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

THE REST OF THE TWO MONTHS:
• Go out and get in front of your people!!!
• Guest posts/interviews
• Forums and Facebook groups
• Personal invites, cold contacts
• Targeted paid advertising
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience
Pitfall:
Not being
proactive
enough

Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience
At least 100 e-mail subscribersGOAL:

CULTIVATE your list:
• Send one new piece of
content per week
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

CULTIVATE your list:
• Interact & ask questions:
• What are you struggling with?
• What do you want to know more about?
• What questions do you have for me?
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience

CULTIVATE your list:
• Interact & ask questions:
• What are you struggling with?
• What do you want to know
more about?
• What questions do you
have for me?
Stage 1:
Build & Cultivate Audience
Pitfall:
Not contacting
your subscribers
until launch

Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create

WHY?
• It will validate your product
with REAL paying customers
• It will give you a DEADLINE!
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create

WEEK 1: Choose a topic (can have a vote)
WEEK 2: Decide on the format, price, platform
WEEK 3: Write a sales page and e-mail sequence
WEEK 4: Send the e-mails!
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create

WEEK 2: Format, price, platform
• Don’t agonize over this – do a bit of research and
pick something that seems like it will work well
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create

WEEK 2: Format, price, platform
• Don’t agonize over this – do a bit of research and
pick something that seems like it will work well
• If you are not techy, use a ready-made platform
like Teachable or Thinkific
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create

WEEK 3: Sales page
• Paint a picture of the customer’s NEED + your
course as the SOLUTION
• Clearly communicate the course topics and
timeline for delivery
• Use a video + text under it
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create

WEEK 3-4: Sample e-mail sequence:
• Course is open!
• Lesson list (or free sample)
• FAQs
• Last chance
(countdown: motionmail.com)
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create
EntrepreneursInMotion.com/launch

WEEK 3-4: Sample e-mail sequence:
• Course is open!
• Lesson list (or free sample)
• FAQs
• Last chance
(countdown: motionmail.com)
Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create
Pitfall:
Not selling hard
enough

Stage 2:
Pre-Sell – Get paid before you create
At least 10 paying customersGOAL:

Stage 3:
Create & Deliver Your Course

• Deliver on the promised schedule
(work ahead!)
Stage 3:
Create & Deliver Your Course

• Deliver on the promised schedule
(work ahead!)
• Keep each lesson concise & focused
Stage 3:
Create & Deliver Your Course

• Deliver on the promised schedule
(work ahead!)
• Keep each lesson concise & focused
• Offer practice opportunities:
quizzes, worksheets, “homework”
Stage 3:
Create & Deliver Your Course

• Deliver on the promised schedule
(work ahead!)
• Keep each lesson concise & focused
• Offer practice opportunities:
quizzes, worksheets, “homework”
• Ask for feedback at the end
Stage 3:
Create & Deliver Your Course

• Deliver on the promised schedule
(work ahead!)
• Keep each lesson concise & focused
• Offer practice opportunities:
quizzes, worksheets, “homework”
• Ask for feedback at the end
Stage 3:
Create & Deliver Your Course
Pitfall:
Perfectionism,
trying to do too
much

Now what?

Now what?

Now what?
+ Time &
Hard Work

• Continue building your audience
• Revise course based on
feedback & re-launch
• Make more courses…
• …or expand the current
one and raise the price
Now what?

• Continue building your audience
• Revise course based on
feedback & re-launch
• Make more courses…
• …or expand the current
one and raise the price
Now what?

You’re going to make mistakes.
It’s going to feel slow…

But it’s very much worth it!

Slides:
entrepreneursinmotion.com/dnx2017
Contact me:
EntrepreneursInMotion.com
@entrepinmotion
Thank you!