Build an AI Course Creation System with ChatGPT: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Most online courses fail. Not because the content is bad — because the creator picked the wrong topic, structured it wrong, produced it slowly, launched it quietly, and priced it like an afterthought. AI fixes every one of those problems if you use it correctly. This guide shows you exactly how. Every click. Every setting. Every prompt. Follow it in order. Do not skip steps.

Prerequisites

Before you start, gather these accounts and tools:

• A laptop with a microphone (built-in is fine to start) and a modern browser (Chrome or Firefox)
• A ChatGPT account — go to chat.openai.com and sign up. Free tier works. ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) is better for longer outputs and GPT-4o access. Get it if you can afford it.
• A Canva account (free tier) — go to canva.com and sign up
• An OBS Studio installation — go to obsproject.com, download, and install. Free. This is your recording software.
• A Google account (for Google Docs, Sheets, and YouTube)
• A Loom account (free tier) — go to loom.com and sign up. 25 videos/month on free. Optional if you use OBS exclusively.
• A Gumroad account (free to list) — go to gumroad.com and sign up. They take 10% per transaction. No monthly fee. This is your first course platform.
• A ConvertKit account (free up to 1,000 subscribers) — go to convertkit.com and sign up. This is your email marketing engine.
• A Notion account (free tier) — go to notion.so and sign up. This is your project management and content organization hub.
• 15-20 hours of focused time across 2-3 weekends

Total upfront cost: $0 if you use all free tiers. $20/mo if you upgrade to ChatGPT Plus. You do not need to spend money until you have a product to sell.

Step 1: Research and Validate Your Course Topic

The topic determines everything. A brilliant course on a topic nobody wants earns $0. A mediocre course on a topic people are desperate to learn earns thousands. Do not skip this step. Spend the full 2-4 hours on it. The data you collect here will guide every decision you make later.

1.1 Generate Topic Ideas with ChatGPT

Open ChatGPT. Paste this prompt exactly:

I want to create an online course. My areas of knowledge are: [LIST YOUR 3-5 AREAS]. Generate 20 course topic ideas that meet all three criteria: (1) something I can teach based on my knowledge, (2) a topic with demonstrated market demand, (3) a topic people will pay money to learn. For each topic, include: the target audience, the specific outcome the student achieves, and why someone would pay for this instead of finding free content on YouTube.

Replace [LIST YOUR 3-5 AREAS] with your actual knowledge areas. Be honest. “Marketing” is too broad. “Facebook ad campaign optimization for e-commerce brands doing $10K-100K/mo revenue” is specific enough to build a course around.

ChatGPT will return 20 topic ideas. Do not pick one yet. You are going to validate all of them against real data.

1.2 Validate Demand Using YouTube Trends

Open your browser and go to trends.google.com. This is Google Trends. For each of your top 5 topic ideas from ChatGPT, enter the topic as a search term. Look at the trend line over the past 12 months.

You want a topic with either:

• A steady or rising trend line over 12 months (consistent demand)
• A sharp upward trend in the last 3-6 months (emerging demand)

Reject any topic with a declining trend line. The market is cooling. You do not want to build a course for a shrinking audience.

For each topic that passes the Google Trends test, click “Related queries” in the right sidebar. These are the specific phrases people search for. Write down the top 10 related queries for each topic. These become your lesson topics later.

Now open YouTube Search for each topic. Sort by “View count.” Look at the top 10 videos. Record:

• The view count of each video
• The upload date
• Whether the video is from a course creator selling something (look for links in the description)

If the top videos have 50,000+ views each, demand is proven. If the top videos have fewer than 5,000 views, the audience is too small for a paid course.

1.3 Validate Willingness to Pay Using Udemy

Open your browser and go to udemy.com. Search for each of your remaining topic candidates. For each search result, record:

• The number of courses on the topic (more courses = more demand, but also more competition)
• The enrollment count of the top 5 courses
• The price of the top 5 courses
• The average rating of the top 5 courses

If the top course has 10,000+ enrollments, people are paying for this topic. If multiple courses have 5,000+ enrollments, the market is deep enough for a premium-priced course. If no course has more than 500 enrollments, the market is too small or people are not willing to pay.

Pay attention to gaps. If the top courses all have ratings below 4.2 stars, the existing content is poor quality — your opportunity. If the top courses are all beginner-level, an intermediate or advanced course fills an unmet need. If every course is 2 hours long, a comprehensive 10-hour course stands out.

1.4 Cross-Reference with Reddit and Communities

Go to reddit.com. Search for your topic in the search bar. Sort by “Top” and filter to the past year. Look for:

• Posts asking “How do I learn [topic]?” — these are your future students
• Posts complaining about existing courses — these reveal gaps you can fill
• Subreddits dedicated to the topic — the subscriber count tells you the audience size

A subreddit with 50,000+ members around your topic means an active community you can tap for course feedback and early sales. Join the subreddit. Read the top 20 posts. Note the specific questions people ask — these become your lesson topics.

1.5 Make the Decision

Create a Google Sheet called “Course Topic Validation.” Build a scoring matrix:

Score each topic 1-5 on each criterion. Add them up. The topic with the highest total wins. If two topics are tied, pick the one where you have deeper knowledge. Knowledge gaps can be filled with research. Audience gaps cannot be filled at all.

Write your chosen topic down. This is your course topic. Do not change it. Second-guessing your topic is the No. 1 reason courses never get finished.

Interactive Check-in

You should have:

• One chosen course topic written down
• 10 related search queries from Google Trends
• View counts from the top 10 YouTube videos on your topic
• Enrollment counts from the top 5 Udemy courses on your topic
• A list of 10 specific questions your target audience asks on Reddit If you are missing any of these, go back and complete the research. You are building on a foundation of data, not guesses. If your chosen topic has fewer than 10,000 total Udemy enrollments across all courses and fewer than 50,000 YouTube views on top videos, pick a different topic. The market is too small.

Step 2: Design the Curriculum with AI

A course without structure is a YouTube playlist. Structure is what separates a $197 course from a free tutorial. You are going to use AI to build a professional curriculum, then refine it until it is airtight.

2.1 Generate the Course Outline

Open ChatGPT. Paste this prompt:

I'm creating an online course titled "[YOUR COURSE TITLE]" for [YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE]. The course should take a student from [STARTING POINT] to [END OUTCOME]. Generate a complete course outline with:
- 6 modules
- 4 lessons per module (24 lessons total)
- A clear learning objective for each lesson
- 3 quiz questions per lesson
- 1 practical exercise per module
- The estimated time to complete each lesson (in minutes)

Make it practical and action-oriented. Every lesson should end with something the student can do, not just something they know. The progression should build logically — each module depends on the previous one.

Replace the bracketed text with your specific details. Be precise about the starting point and end outcome. “From zero to building a working AI chatbot” is specific. “Learn about AI” is useless.

ChatGPT will generate a full course outline. Read it. It will be good but not perfect. You will refine it next.

2.2 Refine the Outline for Gaps and Redundancy

Read the generated outline from Module 1 to Module 6. Ask yourself these questions for every module:

1. Does this module have a clear purpose? Each module should deliver one major milestone on the path from starting point to end outcome. If a module’s purpose is unclear, rewrite it.
2. Is the progression logical? Can a student understand Module 3 without having completed Module 2? If yes, the modules are independent, not progressive. Restructure so each module builds on the previous one.
3. Is anything missing? Compare the outline against the 10 Reddit questions you collected in Step 1. If the outline does not address any of those questions, add a lesson that does.
4. Is anything redundant? If two lessons teach overlapping concepts, merge them or make one an advanced version of the other.

Feed your revisions back to ChatGPT with this prompt:

Here is my revised course outline for "[YOUR COURSE TITLE]":
[PASTE YOUR REVISED OUTLINE]

Review this outline for: (1) logical progression gaps, (2) missing prerequisite knowledge that students might need, (3) lessons that could be combined, (4) any module that does not clearly contribute to the end outcome of [YOUR END OUTCOME]. Suggest specific changes.

Apply ChatGPT’s suggestions where they make sense. Ignore them where they do not. You are the domain expert. AI is the editor.

2.3 Define the Student Transformation

Your course sells a transformation, not information. Write this sentence and fill in the blanks:

“By the end of this course, the student will go from [CURRENT STATE] to [DESIRED STATE], enabling them to [SPECIFIC ACTION OR RESULT].”

Example: “By the end of this course, the student will go from manually writing marketing emails that get 2% open rates to building AI-powered email sequences that achieve 35%+ open rates, enabling them to double their email marketing ROI in 30 days.”

This sentence goes on your sales page, in your course description, and in every marketing email. If you cannot write this sentence clearly, your course outcome is not specific enough. Go back to your outline and sharpen it.

2.4 Create Lesson Scripts with AI

You need a script for every lesson. Not a full word-for-word teleprompter script — a detailed outline that keeps you on track while recording. Open ChatGPT and generate scripts for each lesson using this prompt:

Write a detailed lesson script for a course titled "[COURSE TITLE]". This is Module [X], Lesson [Y]: "[LESSON TITLE]". The learning objective is: [LEARNING OBJECTIVE].

The script should include:
1. An opening hook (15-30 seconds) — start with a surprising fact, a relatable problem, or a bold claim
2. Three key points, each with a concrete example or demonstration (3-5 minutes total)
3. A practical action item the student can complete immediately (30 seconds)
4. A transition to the next lesson (15 seconds)

Total speaking time: approximately 5-7 minutes. Tone: conversational, direct, no fluff. Write in a way that sounds natural when spoken aloud — short sentences, active voice, no jargon without explanation.

Generate all 24 scripts. This takes about 2 hours with ChatGPT Plus, longer with the free tier due to message limits. Save each script as a separate Google Doc titled “M[X]L[Y] — [Lesson Title].” Put all scripts in a Google Drive folder called “[Course Name] — Scripts.”

2.5 Review and Edit Every Script

AI-generated scripts are 80% good and 20% wrong. The 20% is your job. Read every script aloud. Mark anything that:

• Sounds robotic or generic (“In today’s rapidly evolving landscape…”)
• Makes a claim you cannot personally verify
• Uses jargon without defining it first
• Rambles or goes off-topic
• Could be said in half the words

Edit the script. Add your own examples, stories, and personality. The script should sound like you explaining something to a colleague over coffee, not a textbook reading itself aloud. If a script does not include at least one personal anecdote or real-world example, add one.

This editing step is non-negotiable. Students can tell when a script was generated by AI and pasted without editing. It feels hollow. Your edits are what make the course worth paying for.

Interactive Check-in

You should have:

• A complete 6-module, 24-lesson course outline with learning objectives for every lesson
• 24 edited lesson scripts saved as individual Google Docs
• 72 quiz questions (3 per lesson)
• 6 practical exercises (1 per module)
• A one-sentence student transformation statement

If any lesson script is missing, generate it before moving on. If any script still contains unedited AI output (generic phrasing, unverified claims, jargon without definition), edit it now. You will not have time to fix scripts during recording.

Step 3: Create Course Materials

Scripts are the spoken content. Students also need visual materials to follow along with. This step produces your slides, worksheets, and supplementary materials.

3.1 Create Slide Presentations in Canva

Open Canva and sign in. Click Create a design → Presentation (16:9). This creates a widescreen slide deck.

Before designing individual slides, set up your brand:

1. Click the Background tab on the left. Choose a solid dark color (navy, charcoal, or dark green — dark backgrounds reduce eye strain during long viewing sessions).
2. Click the Elements tab. Search for “minimal title.” Choose a simple, clean layout.
3. Set your fonts: one for headings (Montserrat Bold or similar), one for body text (Inter or similar). Use these consistently across every slide in every module.

Now create the slide deck for Module 1, Lesson 1. Follow this template for every lesson:

• Slide 1: Title slide — Lesson title, module number, your name
• Slide 2: Learning objective — “By the end of this lesson, you will be able to…”
• Slides 3-8: Key points — One key point per slide. Use the 10-20-30 rule: no more than 10 words per slide, 20 minutes max per section, minimum 30-point font. Bullet points are fine. Paragraphs are not.
• Slide 9: Action item — “Your action item: [SPECIFIC TASK]”
• Slide 10: Next lesson preview — “Coming up next: [NEXT LESSON TITLE]”

Duplicate this template for all 24 lessons. Change the content, keep the design consistent. Consistency signals professionalism. Inconsistency signals amateur hour.

Time estimate: 10-15 minutes per lesson with the template. 4-6 hours total for all 24 lessons.

3.2 Create Worksheets and Workbooks in Google Docs

Every module gets a worksheet. Worksheets turn passive watching into active learning. A student who does the worksheet is 3x more likely to complete the course and leave a positive review.

Open Google Docs. Create a document called “[Course Name] — Module [X] Worksheet.” Use this structure:

1. Module title and brief description (2 sentences)
2. Reflection questions — 3-5 questions that ask the student to apply the module’s concepts to their own situation. Not “What did you learn?” but “Write down the 3 biggest bottlenecks in your current [topic] workflow and rank them by impact.”
3. Action steps — A checklist of 3-5 specific tasks the student should complete. Each step should be achievable in 15-30 minutes.
4. Quick reference — A one-page summary of the module’s key frameworks, formulas, or concepts. This is the “cheat sheet” students will print and pin to their wall.

Use ChatGPT to generate the first draft of each worksheet:

Create a worksheet for an online course module about "[MODULE TITLE]". The module covers: [LIST THE 4 LESSON TOPICS]. Include: (1) 5 reflection questions that force the student to apply these concepts to their own work, (2) a 5-item action checklist with specific, time-bound tasks, (3) a one-page quick reference summarizing the key frameworks and concepts. Format it as a clean document with clear headers.

Edit the output. Add specific examples from your own experience. Save as PDF when finalized. You will upload these PDFs to your course platform later.

3.3 Create Quizzes

Use ChatGPT to generate quiz questions if you have not already done so in Step 2.4. Each lesson gets 3 questions. Each module gets a 10-question comprehensive quiz. Use this prompt:

Generate a 10-question multiple-choice quiz for Module [X] of a course about "[COURSE TOPIC]". The module covers: [LIST LESSON TOPICS]. Requirements:
- 7 factual/comprehension questions (testing understanding of concepts)
- 3 application questions (testing ability to use concepts in new situations)
- Each question has 4 answer choices with exactly 1 correct answer
- Include the correct answer and a 1-sentence explanation for each

Save quizzes in a Google Sheet called “[Course Name] — Quizzes.” Column A: Question. Column B-D: Wrong answers. Column E: Correct answer. Column F: Explanation. You will use this spreadsheet to input quizzes into your course platform.

3.4 Design a Completion Certificate

Open Canva. Search for “certificate template.” Choose a clean, professional design — nothing with ribbons or excessive decoration. Customize it with:

• Your course name
• A line for the student’s name
• A line for the completion date
• Your signature (scan your actual signature and upload it as a PNG)
• Your brand colors

Certificates increase completion rates by 40% and perceived value by 30%. This is not optional. Make the certificate.

Download the certificate as a PNG. You will use a tool like Canva’s bulk create or a simple script to personalize it for each student who completes the course.

Interactive Check-in

You should have:

• 24 slide presentations (one per lesson) in Canva
• 6 worksheets saved as PDFs
• 6 module quizzes (10 questions each) in a Google Sheet
• 72 lesson quizzes (3 questions each) in the same Google Sheet
• 1 completion certificate template in Canva

Open one slide deck at random. Does it follow the template? Is the text readable at arm’s length on a laptop screen? Are the colors consistent with your other slides? If any deck breaks the template, fix it now. Students notice inconsistency, and it erodes trust.

Step 4: Set Up Your Recording Environment

Professional video does not require professional equipment. It requires clean audio, decent lighting, and a clutter-free screen. A $2,000 camera with terrible audio is worse than a laptop webcam with clear audio. Prioritize audio above everything.

4.1 Configure OBS Studio for Screen Recording

Open OBS Studio. You will see a dark interface with a preview area in the center, a “Sources” panel at the bottom, and a “Controls” panel on the right.

Add your display source:

1. In the Sources panel, click the + button
2. Select Display Capture
3. Name it “Main Display” and click OK
4. Select your primary monitor from the dropdown
5. Click OK

Add your webcam (optional but recommended):

1. Click the + in Sources again
2. Select Video Capture Device
3. Name it “Webcam” and click OK
4. Select your webcam from the dropdown
5. Click OK

Resize and position the webcam:

1. Click on the Webcam source in the preview area
2. Drag the corner handles to resize it (aim for about 15-20% of the screen, positioned in the bottom-right corner)
3. Right-click the Webcam source → Order → Move to Top (so it appears over the screen capture)

Configure audio:

1. In the Sources panel, click the + button
2. Select Audio Input Capture
3. Name it “Microphone” and click OK
4. Select your microphone from the dropdown
5. Click OK

Set recording quality:

1. Click Settings → Output
2. Set Output Mode to Advanced
3. Under the Recording tab:
   • Recording Path: Choose a folder on your desktop called “Course Recordings”
   • Recording Format: mkv (more resilient than mp4 if OBS crashes mid-recording)
   • Encoder: x264 (software encoding, more reliable than hardware encoding for screen recordings)
   • Rate Control: CRF
   • CRF: 18 (visually lossless quality)
   • Keyframe Interval: 2
4. Click OK

Set resolution:

1. Click Settings → Video
2. Base Resolution: 1920x1080
3. Output Resolution: 1920x1080
4. Common FPS Values: 30
5. Click OK

Close Settings. Your OBS is now configured for professional-quality screen recording.

4.2 Optimize Your Recording Environment

Before recording your first lesson:

1. Close every application on your computer except OBS, your slide presentation, and your lesson script. Browser tabs, notifications, and Discord popups destroy professionalism.
2. Turn on Do Not Disturb on your operating system (macOS: Control Center → Focus → Do Not Disturb; Windows: Settings → System → Focus Assist → Alarms Only).
3. Position a light source in front of you, not behind you. A desk lamp pointed at your face from 45 degrees above eliminates shadows. A window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
4. Record in a quiet room. Close the door. Turn off the air conditioner during recording. Put your phone on silent. Background noise is the No. 1 reason students abandon video courses.
5. Position your microphone 6-8 inches from your mouth. If using a built-in laptop mic, lean in slightly. If using a USB mic (even a $30 one like the Fifine K669B), position it on a stand at mouth level.

4.3 Record a Test Video

Record a 60-second test video. Click Start Recording in OBS. Introduce yourself, state the course name, and read one paragraph from your first lesson script. Click Stop Recording.

Open the video file in your media player (VLC, QuickTime, or Windows Media Player). Check:

• Audio: Can you hear yourself clearly? Is there echo, hum, or background noise? If the audio sounds like you recorded it in a bathroom, you have echo. Hang a blanket on the wall behind you or move to a room with carpet and curtains.
• Video: Is the screen sharp? Is text readable? Is the webcam positioned well and not blocking important content on your slides?
• Pacing: Did you speak too fast? Most people speed up when recording. Slow down by 15-20% from your natural speaking pace.

If the test video fails any of these checks, fix the problem and record another test. Do not start recording lessons until your test video passes all three checks.

Interactive Check-in

Record a 60-second test video. Play it back. Can you hear every word clearly? Is the screen sharp? Does the webcam not obscure any slide content? If any of these fail, fix your setup before proceeding. Students will not tolerate bad audio for 24 lessons. They will quit and ask for a refund.

Step 5: Record All Video Lessons

This is the production grind. 24 lessons. 5-7 minutes each. You will record each lesson 2-3 times before getting a take you are happy with. This is normal. Push through.

5.1 Establish a Recording Workflow

For each lesson, follow this exact sequence:

1. Open the lesson script in Google Docs on a second monitor or on your phone (off-screen). You will reference it but not read it word-for-word.
2. Open the slide presentation in Canva. Enter full-screen presentation mode.
3. Open OBS. Click Start Recording.
4. Wait 3 seconds of silence before speaking (this gives you clean audio to cut later).
5. Deliver the lesson. Follow the script but speak naturally. If you stumble, pause for 2 seconds, then restart the sentence. Do not stop the recording. You will cut the mistakes later.
6. Wait 3 seconds of silence at the end.
7. Click Stop Recording.
8. Rename the file: “M[X]L[Y] — [Lesson Title].mkv”

5.2 Batch Record by Module

Do not record one lesson per day. That takes 24 days and kills your momentum. Instead, batch record one module (4 lessons) per session. Each session takes 1-2 hours including re-takes.

Schedule your recording sessions:

• Session 1: Module 1 (Lessons 1-4)
• Session 2: Module 2 (Lessons 5-8)
• Session 3: Module 3 (Lessons 9-12)
• Session 4: Module 4 (Lessons 13-16)
• Session 5: Module 5 (Lessons 17-20)
• Session 6: Module 6 (Lessons 21-24)

Record on consecutive days or within the same week. Your energy, appearance, and audio setup should be consistent across all modules. A course where Module 1 was recorded in July and Module 6 in December looks and sounds inconsistent.

5.3 Edit Videos (Minimal Editing)

You do not need professional video editing. You need clean cuts. The fastest workflow:

1. Open each MKV recording file. Play it through. Note the timestamps of mistakes (stumbles, long pauses, “ums”).
2. If you have Descript ($24/mo), import the file. Descript transcribes the video automatically. Edit by deleting text in the transcript — the video edits itself. Remove filler words (“um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know”) with one click. This tool saves 3-5 hours of editing per module.
3. If you do not have Descript, use a free editor like DaVinci Resolve or Clipchamp. Cut out the mistakes. No transitions. No effects. No background music. Just clean cuts.
4. Export each edited video as MP4 at 1080p resolution.
5. Name each file: “M[X]L[Y] — [Lesson Title].mp4”

5.4 Add Captions (Accessibility and SEO)

Captions are not optional. 85% of social media videos are watched without sound. Many students watch course videos on mute during commutes or in open offices. Uncaptioned videos lose these students.

The free way: Upload each video to YouTube as “Unlisted.” YouTube auto-generates captions. Download the caption file (YouTube Studio → Subtitles → Download). Edit the captions for accuracy — YouTube’s auto-captions are about 90% accurate. Fix the errors.

The paid way: Use Descript or Rev.com ($1.50/minute) for professional captions. Descript generates captions automatically during transcription. Rev provides human-reviewed captions with 99% accuracy.

If your course platform supports SRT files (Teachable and Kajabi do), upload the caption file alongside each video. If it does not (Gumroad does not), burn the captions into the video using Handbrake or your video editor.

Interactive Check-in

You should have 24 edited, captioned MP4 video files in your “Course Recordings” folder. Open 3 random videos from different modules. Does the audio sound consistent across all three? Is the webcam positioned the same way? Does the slide design match? If the videos look and sound like they were made by different people, re-record the outlier. Consistency builds trust.

Step 6: Choose and Set Up Your Course Platform

Your course platform handles payments, student access, video hosting, and content delivery. Choose wrong and you will migrate later — a painful process that breaks student links and loses SEO. Choose right the first time.

6.1 Platform Comparison

Choose Gumroad if: This is your first course, you have zero budget, and you want to validate demand before investing in a platform. Maximum time to launch: 2 hours.

Choose Teachable if: You are serious about course creation as a business, need quizzes and drip content, and want a platform that scales. Maximum time to launch: 1 day.

Choose Kajabi if: You want an all-in-one solution (course, community, email marketing, landing pages) and are willing to pay for convenience. Maximum time to launch: 1 day.

This guide provides setup steps for all three. Follow the one you chose.

6.2 Set Up Gumroad (Free Path)

1. Go to gumroad.com and sign in.
2. Click Create a Product → Course.
3. Enter your course title, subtitle, and description. Use your student transformation statement from Step 2.3 as the first line of the description.
4. Upload a course thumbnail. Create one in Canva: 600x400px, course title, your name, a relevant icon. Clean and simple.
5. Set your price (see Step 8 for pricing strategy). Enter the amount in the “Price” field.
6. Click Add Content. You will see a module-based content editor.
7. Create Module 1. Add 4 lessons. For each lesson, upload the video file (MP4) and attach the worksheet PDF.
8. Repeat for all 6 modules.
9. Click Publish. Your course is live.

Important: Gumroad does not host videos. You need to host your videos elsewhere and embed them. The free method: Upload each video to YouTube as “Unlisted.” Copy the YouTube URL. In Gumroad, for each lesson, click Add Video → Embed → paste the YouTube URL. Students will not see YouTube branding — Gumroad’s player covers it.

6.3 Set Up Teachable ($39/mo Path)

1. Go to teachable.com and sign up for the Basic plan ($39/mo).
2. In the dashboard, click Create a Course.
3. Enter your course name and subtitle. Upload the course thumbnail.
4. Click Curriculum in the left sidebar. You will see a blank curriculum builder.
5. Click Add Section. Name it “Module 1: [Module Title].” Click Add Lecture under it. Name it “Lesson 1: [Lesson Title].” Upload the video file. Click Add File and upload the worksheet PDF.
6. Repeat for all 24 lessons across 6 sections.
7. Click Quizzes under each section. Enter the quiz questions from your Google Sheet. Select “Multiple Choice” format. Input the question, four answer options, and mark the correct answer.
8. Click Drip on each section. Set the drip schedule: Module 1 available immediately, Module 2 available after 3 days, Module 3 after 7 days, etc. Drip content prevents students from binge-watching and refunding within 24 hours.
9. Click Pricing in the left sidebar. Add your pricing plan (see Step 8).
10. Click Sales Page in the left sidebar. Write your sales page copy (see Step 7).
11. Click Publish. Your course is live.

6.4 Set Up Kajabi ($149/mo Path)

1. Go to kajabi.com and sign up for the Basic plan ($149/mo).
2. In the dashboard, click Products → New Product → Online Course.
3. Enter your course name and upload the thumbnail.
4. Click Add Category for each module. Under each category, click Add Post for each lesson. Upload the video file and attach the worksheet PDF.
5. Click Assessments → New Quiz for each module. Enter the quiz questions from your Google Sheet.
6. Click Offers → New Offer. Set your pricing (see Step 8). Connect your Stripe or PayPal account for payments.
7. Click Marketing → Funnel → New Funnel → Sales Page. Build your sales page using Kajabi’s drag-and-drop builder (see Step 7 for copy).
8. Click Email Campaigns → New Campaign. Set up your email sequences (see Step 9).
9. Click Publish. Your course is live.

Interactive Check-in

Your course should be published on your chosen platform. Open the student view (Gumroad: click “View as student”; Teachable: click “Preview”; Kajabi: click “Preview as student”). Can you navigate from Module 1 to Module 6? Do all 24 videos play? Do all worksheets download? Do quizzes submit and show results? If any video fails to play, re-upload it. If any worksheet is missing, attach it now. Do not launch a broken course.

Step 7: Write Your Sales Page

Your sales page is your 24/7 salesperson. It does the selling while you sleep. A mediocre course with a great sales page outsells a great course with a mediocre sales page. Write the sales page like your revenue depends on it — because it does.

7.1 Generate the Sales Page with AI

Open ChatGPT. Use this prompt:

Write a long-form sales page for an online course titled "[COURSE TITLE]". Target audience: [AUDIENCE]. The course transforms students from [STARTING STATE] to [END STATE] in [TIME FRAME].

The sales page must include:
1. A headline that states the outcome, not the topic
2. A subheadline that adds specificity (who it's for, the timeframe, the result)
3. A "Who this is for" section (3-4 specific personas)
4. A "Who this is NOT for" section (2-3 specific exclusions — this builds trust)
5. A module-by-module breakdown with 1-2 sentences per module describing what the student learns
6. A "What you get" section listing all deliverables (videos, worksheets, quizzes, certificate, community)
7. Three pricing tiers (Basic, Pro, VIP) with specific deliverables for each
8. A FAQ section with 6 questions that address the top objections
9. A guarantee section (30-day money-back guarantee)
10. A final call to action

Tone: direct, confident, no hype. Use specific numbers and outcomes wherever possible. Avoid exclamation marks. Do not use the words "revolutionary," "game-changing," or "transformative."

7.2 Edit the Sales Page

AI-generated sales copy is a starting point. Edit it with these rules:

1. Replace vague claims with specific ones. “Improve your skills” → “Complete 6 real-world projects you can add to your portfolio.”
2. Add social proof placeholders. If you do not have testimonials yet, write “[STUDENT TESTIMONIAL]” where testimonials will go. Launch, collect testimonials, and fill them in.
3. Cut the fluff. Every paragraph must earn its place on the page. If removing a paragraph does not weaken the argument, remove it.
4. Make the CTA impossible to miss. The “Enroll Now” button should appear at least 3 times on the page: after the hero section, after the module breakdown, and at the bottom.

7.3 Build the Sales Page on Your Platform

• Gumroad: The product page IS your sales page. Paste your copy into the product description. Add images using Canva-designed graphics for each section.
• Teachable: Click Sales Page → Page Builder. Use the text blocks, image blocks, and pricing blocks to recreate your sales page. Teachable’s builder is limited but functional.
• Kajabi: Click Marketing → Funnel → Sales Page. Use the drag-and-drop builder with sections for hero, features, testimonials, pricing, and FAQ.

Step 8: Set Your Pricing Strategy

Pricing is not about what your course is worth. Pricing is about what the transformation is worth to your student. Price too low and students will not take the course seriously. Price too high and you will not get enough sales to validate. Here is the framework.

8.1 Set Your Base Price

Research what similar courses charge. You did this in Step 1.3 when you looked at Udemy prices. Udemy prices are artificially low ($9.99-19.99 during perpetual sales) — do not use them as a benchmark. Instead, look at what independent course creators charge on their own platforms.

For a course with 24 video lessons, 6 worksheets, 6 quizzes, and a certificate:

• Introductory launch price: $97-147
• Regular price after launch: $197-297
• Premium bundle (course + community + coaching): $397-497

The introductory price creates urgency during your launch window. After the launch, raise the price. Students who paid $97 during launch become your testimonials. Students who pay $247 later see the testimonials and feel confident buying.

8.2 Create Three Pricing Tiers

Always offer three tiers. The middle tier is your target. The premium tier makes the middle look like a deal. The basic tier catches price-sensitive buyers. Use this structure:

Set up these tiers on your platform:

• Gumroad: Create 3 separate products at different prices with different content access.
• Teachable: Click Pricing → Add Pricing Plan. Create 3 plans: “Basic,” “Pro,” “VIP.” Configure content access for each plan (Pro and VIP get all content; Basic gets only videos and worksheets).
• Kajabi: Create 3 Offers at different prices, each granting access to the course plus additional products (community, coaching calls as separate “Products” that get bundled into the higher-tier Offers).

8.3 Add Payment Plans

For any tier priced above $200, offer a payment plan. The standard is 3 payments:

• Pro at $247 → 3 payments of $97 ($291 total — the premium covers your cash flow risk)
• VIP at $497 → 3 payments of $189 ($567 total)

Payment plans increase conversions by 20-30%. Some students cannot afford a lump sum but will pay over time. On Teachable and Kajabi, payment plans are built into the pricing configuration. On Gumroad, you need to use their “Pay What You Want” feature creatively or set up a separate product for each payment installment.

Interactive Check-in

Your pricing should be set on your course platform. Open the checkout page as a student would see it. Do all three tiers appear with correct prices? Does the payment plan option show up? Does the checkout flow work (test with a $0 or low-amount test purchase)? If the checkout fails, your sales funnel is broken. Fix it before launch.

Step 9: Build the Email Marketing Funnel

Your email list is the single most valuable asset for selling courses. Social media algorithms change. Ad costs rise. Your email list is audience you own. This step builds the funnel that converts subscribers into students.

9.1 Set Up ConvertKit

1. Go to convertkit.com and sign in.
2. Click your profile → Account Settings → Sending Domains. Add your custom domain and configure DNS records (same process as Step 1 of the email marketing guide — SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Verify the domain.
3. Click Subscribers → Tags. Create these tags:
   • mini-course-enrolled
   • course-purchased
   • course-launch-2026
   • disengaged
4. Click Forms → Create Form → Landing Page. Choose a clean template. Name it “Free 5-Day [Topic] Mini-Course.”

9.2 Create Your Lead Magnet: The 5-Day Mini-Course

The mini-course is your highest-converting lead magnet. It delivers real value over 5 days and naturally leads to your paid course.

Use ChatGPT to generate the mini-course content:

Create a 5-day email mini-course about [YOUR COURSE TOPIC] for [TARGET AUDIENCE]. Each email should:
- Be 300-400 words
- Teach one specific, actionable concept
- Include a "Today's Action Step" at the end
- End with a soft pitch for the full course (1-2 sentences)

Day 1: [The biggest misconception about topic]
Day 2: [The foundational framework]
Day 3: [The quick win — something they can do in 10 minutes]
Day 4: [The common mistake and how to avoid it]
Day 5: [The roadmap — what the full journey looks like, leading to course pitch]

Tone: direct, helpful, no fluff. Subject lines should be under 50 characters.

Edit the output. Add your personal examples. Make sure each email genuinely teaches something useful — this is not a 5-day advertisement. It is a 5-day value delivery with a soft pitch at the end.

9.3 Build the Mini-Course Sequence in ConvertKit

1. In ConvertKit, click Automations → Create Visual Automation.
2. Set the trigger: Form Submission → select your “Free 5-Day Mini-Course” form.
3. Add the first email (Day 1). Set the delay to 0 hours (immediate send).
4. Add a Time Delay of 1 day. Add the second email (Day 2).
5. Add a Time Delay of 1 day. Add the third email (Day 3).
6. Continue until Day 5.
7. After Day 5, add a Condition: “If subscriber has tag course-purchased, end automation. If not, continue to launch sequence.”

The mini-course sequence runs on autopilot. Every new subscriber gets 5 days of value, then enters your sales funnel.

9.4 Build the Launch Sequence

The launch sequence runs when your course opens for enrollment. It is a 7-day sequence with escalating urgency.

Pre-Launch (2 weeks before cart opens):

Send 3 emails to your entire list:

1. “I’m building something for you” — announce the course concept, ask for feedback
2. “Here’s what I heard” — share the feedback, reveal the course outline
3. “It’s almost ready” — build anticipation, set the launch date

Launch Week (7 days):

Use ChatGPT to generate the first draft of each email:

Write a launch email for my course "[COURSE TITLE]". This is Day [X] of a 7-day launch sequence. The specific purpose of this email is: [PURPOSE FROM TABLE ABOVE]. Course price: $[PRICE] (launch special, regular price $[HIGHER PRICE]). The course transforms [AUDIENCE] from [STARTING STATE] to [END STATE]. Include a clear CTA linking to the sales page. Tone: confident, direct, no hype. Under 300 words.

Edit every email. Add specific details AI cannot know: your personal story, beta tester names and results, unique features of your course.

9.5 Set Up the Evergreen Funnel

After your launch ends, the evergreen funnel takes over. It sells your course automatically, 24/7, to every new subscriber who completes the mini-course.

Build this in ConvertKit as a second automation:

1. Trigger: Subscriber completes the mini-course sequence (tag mini-course-completed added).
2. Email 1 (Day 6 after mini-course): “Here’s what the full course covers” — link to sales page.
3. Email 2 (Day 9): “The No. 1 question students ask before joining” — address the biggest objection.
4. Email 3 (Day 12): Case study or testimonial — one specific result.
5. Email 4 (Day 14): “Your [TOPIC] roadmap” — a visual showing the path from where they are to where they want to be, with your course as the vehicle.
6. Email 5 (Day 16): Soft close — “If you’ve been thinking about it, now is a good time.”

This sequence runs forever. Every new subscriber gets 5 days of free value (mini-course) followed by 16 days of gentle selling (evergreen funnel). Conversion rate for this type of funnel: 3-8% from subscriber to student.

9.6 Drive Traffic to Your Lead Magnet

Your funnel is useless without traffic. Here are the three highest-ROI traffic sources for course creators:

1. Content marketing on social media (Free): Post 3-5 times per week on the platform where your audience lives. Each post teaches one micro-concept from your course. End each post with: “Want the full system? My free 5-day mini-course covers it: [LINK].”

Use ChatGPT to generate social posts:

Write 5 social media posts about [TOPIC] for [PLATFORM]. Each post should: (1) teach one specific concept in under 150 words, (2) end with a CTA for my free 5-day mini-course, (3) be formatted for the platform (short paragraphs for LinkedIn, hashtags for Instagram/Twitter). Tone: authoritative, direct, no fluff.

2. YouTube (Free, slower to build): Record 4-6 YouTube videos based on your course modules. These are not your course videos — they are standalone tutorials that teach one concept each. Link to your mini-course in the description and in a pinned comment. YouTube is a long game but it compounds: a video uploaded today can generate leads for years.

3. Paid ads (Fastest, costs money): Run Facebook or Instagram ads targeting your audience. Send ad traffic directly to your mini-course landing page. Budget: $5-10/day to start. Expect $2-5 per email subscriber. At a 5% conversion rate from subscriber to student and a $247 course price, you need 20 subscribers per student. Cost per student: $40-100. Revenue per student: $247. The math works.

Interactive Check-in

Your email funnel should be fully configured. Test it:

1. Sign up for your own mini-course using a different email address.
2. Did the Day 1 email arrive immediately?
3. Did each subsequent email arrive 24 hours apart?
4. After Day 5, did the evergreen funnel emails start?
5. Do all links in every email point to the correct pages?

If any email failed to send, check the ConvertKit automation — the delay or trigger may be misconfigured. If any link is broken, fix it immediately. Broken links in a launch sequence are revenue you will never recover.

Step 10: Launch Your Course

You have the course. You have the sales page. You have the email funnel. Now you launch. This is the sequence.

10.1 The Pre-Sell (Optional but Recommended)

Before you record a single lesson, test whether anyone will buy. Create your sales page. Set up the checkout. Open pre-orders at a 40% discount. Announce it to your email list and social media.

If you get 10+ pre-orders, you have validation. Record the course with confidence, knowing real people are waiting for it.

If you get 0 pre-orders, your topic, your positioning, or your audience is wrong. Fix the problem before investing 40 hours in production. This is the cheapest market research you will ever do.

10.2 The Launch Week

Monday (Cart Opens):

• Send “Course is live” email to your entire list (Launch Day 1 email from Step 9.4)
• Post on all social media channels
• Turn on any paid ads pointing to the sales page

Tuesday-Wednesday (Value Days):

• Send Launch Day 2-3 emails (sneak peeks)
• Post a behind-the-scenes look at the course creation process
• Share any early student results if you had beta testers

Thursday (Social Proof Day):

• Send Launch Day 4 email (case study / testimonial)
• Share testimonials on social media
• Go live on social media for a 15-minute Q&A about the course

Friday (FAQ Day):

• Send Launch Day 5 email (FAQ)
• Reply to every DM and email about the course personally

Saturday (Urgency Day):

• Send Launch Day 6 email (last chance for launch pricing)
• Post a countdown on social media (“24 hours left”)

Sunday (Close Day):

• Morning: Send Launch Day 7 email (cart closes tonight)
• 6 PM: Send a “Final 6 hours” email
• 10 PM: Send a “Last call” email
• Midnight: Close the cart or raise the price

10.3 Post-Launch

The day after your launch closes:

1. Send a “Thank you” email to everyone who purchased. Include their login instructions and a link to Module 1.
2. Send a “You missed it” email to everyone who did not purchase. Offer one final chance at the launch price (24-hour window). This captures 10-15% additional sales from fence-sitters.
3. Calculate your launch metrics:
   • Total revenue
   • Total students enrolled
   • Email list conversion rate (students / total subscribers)
   • Average price per student (total revenue / students)
   • Cost per acquisition (ad spend / students from ads)

Record these metrics. You will compare every future launch against these numbers.

Cost Breakdown

Total cost to launch (free path): $0 + 10% per sale on Gumroad Total cost to launch (recommended path): $59-83/mo (ChatGPT Plus + Teachable Basic + ConvertKit free tier) Total cost to launch (premium path): $189-229/mo (ChatGPT Plus + Kajabi Basic + Descript Hobbyist)

Production Checklist

Before launching your course, verify every item:

• Course topic validated with Google Trends data, YouTube view counts, and Udemy enrollment numbers
• 6-module, 24-lesson curriculum is complete with learning objectives for every lesson
• All 24 lesson scripts are edited for accuracy, personality, and natural speaking style
• All 24 slide presentations follow the consistent template (title, objective, key points, action item, next preview)
• All 6 worksheets are saved as PDFs and uploaded to the course platform
• All 6 module quizzes and 72 lesson quizzes are entered into the course platform with correct answers
• Completion certificate template is designed and ready for personalization
• All 24 video lessons are recorded, edited, captioned, and uploaded to the course platform
• Audio quality is consistent across all videos (play 3 random videos and verify)
• Course platform is fully configured: student checkout works, content access is correct for each pricing tier
• Three pricing tiers are set up with payment plan options
• Sales page is live with compelling copy, module breakdown, FAQ, and guarantee
• 5-day mini-course lead magnet is written, loaded into ConvertKit, and tested end-to-end
• 7-day launch email sequence is written and loaded into ConvertKit
• Evergreen funnel (5 emails over 16 days) is configured and tested
• All links in every email are verified and point to correct pages
• Social media content is scheduled for launch week (at least 2 posts per day)
• Test purchase completed successfully — you can log in as a student and access all content
• Refund policy is clearly stated on the sales page (30-day money-back guarantee)
• Student onboarding email is ready to send on launch day (login instructions, how to get help, what to do first)

What to Do Next

Once your course is live and your first students are enrolling, expand and compound:

• Collect and showcase testimonials immediately. Email every student 7 days after enrollment asking for feedback. Turn positive responses into testimonials on your sales page. One specific testimonial (“I used Module 3’s framework and landed a $15K client in 2 weeks”) is worth 50 generic ones.
• Update the course quarterly. AI tools change monthly. Your course content will age. Commit to updating at least 2 lessons per quarter. Students who see updated content renew subscriptions and leave positive reviews.
• Build a community. Add a Circle.so community ($49/mo) or a Discord server (free) for your Pro and VIP students. Community increases completion rates, reduces refund requests, and creates a moat that competitors cannot easily replicate.
• Create a second course. Your existing students are your warmest market. If your first course teaches AI fundamentals, your second course teaches AI for a specific industry. Cross-sell to your existing list. The second course is always faster to create and easier to sell.
• Launch an affiliate program. Offer 30-50% commissions to anyone who refers students. Teachable and Kajabi have built-in affiliate management. Your happiest students become your sales force.
• Build a cohort-based version. Run the course live with a group of 20-30 students over 6 weeks. Charge $497-997. Record the live sessions. Use the recordings to update the self-paced course. The cohort version generates higher revenue per student and produces fresh content simultaneously.
• Add a subscription tier. Offer ongoing access to updated content, monthly live Q&A sessions, and a private community for $29-49/month. A student who pays $247 once is valuable. A student who pays $39/month for 12 months is more valuable.
• Repurpose course content everywhere. Turn lesson scripts into blog posts. Turn slide presentations into LinkedIn carousels. Turn quiz questions into Instagram stories. One course’s content can generate 6 months of social media posts. Use ChatGPT to reformat each lesson into 5 different content types.