Why Launching Your Online Course Feels Harder in 2025
You're not imagining it. Launching is different than it used to be.
That "one perfect way to launch" thing everyone was selling? It's falling apart. And I think that's actually great news for you. Because it means you're not behind. You're allowed to build a launch strategy that fits how you teach, how you sell, and how you want your business to feel.
I've spent this whole January series trying to help you see launching with more clarity and less pressure. Not another silver bullet. Not another thing to compare yourself to. Just some perspective.
What You'll Learn
Why big name educators are pivoting their launch strategies right now
The four things you actually need to sell your education (that's it, just four)
Why short open cart periods are fading out
What to focus on before you pick your launch event
How to build something repeatable instead of stressful
Why Are So Many Course Creators Changing Their Launch Strategy?
Here's what I've been watching happen in real time:
People who spent years talking against "freebie seekers" and refused to do free webinars? Now they're hosting free webinars. Educators who built their entire brand around free launch events? They're adding paid challenges. People who only talked about cold audiences are suddenly focused on nurturing.
And those aggressive three to four day open cart windows? They're stretching out. Because here's the thing: people aren't responding to false urgency the way they used to.
I actually think that's good. You don't want someone joining your program because they panicked and didn't have time to think. You want people who are ready.
Is This Hypocrisy? (No, It's Evolution)
I want to be really clear here. These pivots aren't hypocrisy. These are smart people who taught great stuff that worked when they taught it.
Markets evolve. Entrepreneurs are allowed to evolve too.
I've seen some mean girl energy around Amy Porterfield closing Digital Course Academy and honestly, we need to check that. We're allowed to change. We're allowed to stop doing things that aren't lighting us up anymore.
What worked a few years ago just doesn't hit the same now. Your audience has taken courses before. They've been through launches. Some of them got burned by education that didn't deliver. Trust takes longer to build now. Context matters more. Specificity matters more.
What Do You Actually Need to Launch an Online Course?
Strip it all back and you need four things. That's it.
Eyeballs. Someone has to know you exist. Otherwise you're just doing a monologue with no audience. Doesn't matter if it's organic, ads, networking in person. You need people to talk to.
A way to build a relationship. Not just broadcasting at them. Creating familiarity, trust, resonance. Email, podcast, Instagram, in person. However you do it, this piece matters.
A way to introduce your offer. People need to know it exists, what it is, who it's for, why it matters.
A way to sell. A clear moment where someone can make a decision and say yes.
Every launch method is just a different way of doing those four things. Webinars do it one way. Challenges do it another. Mini offers, another. When someone says "I sold this without really marketing it," they just did that work in advance.
Why Doesn't Copying Someone Else's Launch Work?
Because you're copying their container without what's inside it.
You're taking their webinar structure without their audience relationship, their messaging, their positioning. The messaging matters more than the method. So instead of obsessing over picking the perfect launch event, focus on what's underneath it.
For beauty educators and hairstylists starting out, I do think a live element helps. And those mini offers or taster offers can be really powerful, but only if they're actually good. By good I don't mean big. I don't mean stuffed with bonuses. I mean it provides a transformation and builds trust.
Key Takeaways
The plug and play launch formats built on urgency and scarcity? They don't work the way they used to. We're watching industry giants pivot in real time.
Launching isn't about cracking a code anymore. It's about building something cohesive where your content, messaging, offers, and delivery actually support each other.
Once that's in place, launching stops being this massive thing you have to psych yourself up for. It becomes repeatable. Calmer. Something you improve instead of fear.
If you've been feeling overwhelmed by all of this, you're not alone. Adopt an experimental mindset. Try things. Attach less meaning to what doesn't work. You'll find your thing.
If this post gave you an idea or a new perspective, send me a DM on Instagram @itsJodiebrown. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
And if you’d like to listen in on the exact podcast episode that accompanies this blog post, you can do that here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Xo Jodie
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