Introduction
You’ve built a high-quality, co-produced digital course—but how do you turn interested followers into paying students? The answer lies in a well-designed sales funnel.
A sales funnel guides potential customers through a series of steps—from awareness to purchase. When built strategically, it can automate your marketing, increase conversions, and boost your revenue—all while helping each partner in a co-production maximize their reach and expertise.
In this article, we’ll walk through the key elements of a successful sales funnel for co-produced digital courses and how to build one that works.
1. Understand the Funnel Stages
A sales funnel typically includes these core stages:
- Awareness – Attract attention to your course and its topic
- Interest – Offer valuable content to build trust
- Decision – Showcase the course benefits and offer incentives
- Action – Make it easy to purchase and enroll
- Retention – Keep students engaged and loyal for future offers
Each stage requires its own strategy and tools. Let’s break them down.
2. Awareness: Attract the Right Audience
To build a funnel, you need traffic. Drive awareness through:
- Joint social media posts and reels
- Free content (e.g., YouTube, blog posts, Instagram carousels)
- Podcast interviews or guest appearances
- Paid ads (Facebook, Instagram, Google)
- Giveaways or mini-challenges
Tip: Use both partners’ audiences for cross-promotion. Leverage each person’s personal brand to maximize visibility.
3. Interest: Offer a Free Lead Magnet
Once you’ve captured attention, give people a reason to join your list. Offer a lead magnet, such as:
- A free PDF guide
- A webinar or workshop
- A video training
- A mini email course
This magnet should be closely related to your course topic and positioned as the first step in solving the problem your course will fully address.
Use a landing page with:
- A compelling headline
- Clear value proposition
- An email opt-in form
- A visual or preview of the freebie
4. Email Nurture Sequence
Once someone downloads your lead magnet, guide them through a nurture email sequence (usually 4–7 emails):
Email 1: Deliver the lead magnet + a warm welcome
Email 2: Share your story or student success stories
Email 3: Offer tips or a preview of what’s inside the course
Email 4: Introduce the course with urgency (limited-time bonus or early access)
Email 5–7: Overcome objections, provide testimonials, reinforce benefits
Use tools like ConvertKit, MailerLite, or Kajabi to automate this process.
5. Decision: Craft a Compelling Sales Page
Your sales page is the heart of the funnel. It must convince your audience that your course is the solution they’ve been waiting for.
A strong sales page includes:
- A bold headline with a transformation promise
- Course benefits and outcomes
- Module breakdown
- Testimonials and social proof
- Instructor bios with co-production background
- Pricing and payment options
- A strong call to action
Pro tip: Include visuals of your course dashboard and downloadable resources to show the value.
6. Action: Simplify the Purchase Process
Make it easy for people to buy. Use platforms that support:
- Secure checkout
- Multiple payment options (one-time, installments)
- Coupon codes and discounts
- Affiliate links (if others are promoting your course)
Integrate Teachable, Thinkific, or Podia with Stripe or PayPal for seamless payments.
Make sure confirmation emails are personalized and clear—this sets the tone for the student experience.
7. Bonuses and Urgency Tactics
Boost conversions by including:
- Limited-time bonuses (extra modules, templates, calls)
- Early-bird pricing
- Countdown timers
- Scarcity (only X seats available)
Urgency and exclusivity motivate buyers to act now instead of “later.”
8. Retargeting and Follow-Ups
Not everyone will buy on the first visit. Use retargeting tools to re-engage them:
- Facebook/Instagram pixel retargeting ads
- Google remarketing campaigns
- Abandoned cart emails
Also follow up with people who clicked but didn’t purchase. Offer a downsell or answer FAQs via email.
9. Retention: Keep Students Engaged After Purchase
The funnel doesn’t end at checkout. Retaining and delighting students leads to:
- Testimonials
- Referrals
- Repeat customers
Use:
- Welcome videos
- Live Q&A sessions
- Student-only community (Facebook, Slack, Circle)
- Course completion certificates
Encourage students to share their progress on social media—this creates user-generated content to feed back into your funnel.
10. Analyze and Optimize
Track your funnel performance:
- Landing page conversion rate
- Email open/click rates
- Sales page bounce rate
- Checkout abandonment rate
Tools to use:
- Google Analytics
- Facebook Ads Manager
- Heatmap tools like Hotjar
- Built-in platform analytics
Use this data to refine your content, offers, and messaging over time.
Conclusion
Creating a sales funnel for your co-produced digital course isn’t just about marketing—it’s about building a journey that turns strangers into loyal students. By designing a funnel that leverages both partners’ strengths and connects emotionally with your audience, you can grow your course with purpose and profitability.
Don’t just launch. Funnel it smart.