How do I check an online course’s launch calendar and promotion pattern?

Ask for a dated list of every launch, sale, bundle and discount over the course’s life. Place it beside the payment records. You are looking for the shape: steady sales all year, or a few spikes with long quiet spells in between. Ask how the seller picks dates, since launching around other busy times, or too often, can tire the audience.

Next, ask what created each spike. Was it an email series, a partner promotion, a webinar, a social campaign, or a discount? Find out who did the work, what it cost in time and money, and whether the same approach would still be possible. Some peaks depend on the owner’s personal audience or on partners who might not help a new owner. Look at how the audience was built before each launch, because early warm-up activity is often where results are decided.

Look at the quiet periods as well. How many students arrive without a promotion? What does the owner do to keep interest alive? Finally, ask how often discounts were used. Heavy and frequent discounting may train buyers to wait. Ask to see the next promotion the seller had planned, and the assets behind it.

Key takeaways

• Put every launch and discount on a calendar beside income.
• Find out what caused each spike and who did the work.
• Look at quiet periods and how often discounts were used.