🍭 Strategy of the Week: Pre-selling*.

What does it mean to pre-sell?

Pre-selling is about validating your idea before you create all the content.
Another word for pre-selling is pre-ordering.

You’re testing:
→ If your audience wants this transformation
→ If they’re willing to pay for it right now

You’ll create your course outline, design a strong offer promise (or transformation), write your sales page, and open cart.

All of this before you build the course or program.

Your audience is pre-ordering your program before it’s available “in store”.

When the first sales come in, you’ll have some validation that people are ready for it.

Then, you can deliver the program live or within the timeline promoted (1-3 months), creating and refining it as you go.

Common pre-selling questions 👇🏻

→ Will my audience wait that long for the course?
Yes, if they trust you and clearly understand what they’re getting.
People will happily wait for something they believe will truly help them.

I’ve waited 2 months for a course to drop, from a large creator in the space, and didn’t mind at all.

→ What if I only make 1 sale during pre-sale?
One sale is data. Its your proof of concept.
I suggest setting a minimum number of pre-sales to hit before moving on to creating the program.

You can also refine your messaging, ask that buyer questions (and those that didn’t buy), and relaunch with stronger positioning.

→ What would make someone willing to pre-order instead of just waiting for launch?
Give early buyers a reason to say yes now with: early access, a special bonus, a limited founding-member price, or group/private Q&A calls.

→ It feels weird selling something that doesn’t exist yet.
Pre-selling is like a pre-order from a physical product shop.
You’re ordering something that is still in production.
Remember you’re selling the transformation, not the tech setup or video edits.
If you can deliver the result, you can sell the course.

*When I suggest pre-selling I’m assuming you run your business with integrity and you’re able to provide on the promise you’re selling.

⛰️ Why this works

→ You save time.
No more 3-6 month course builds that lead to no sales.

→ You reduce risk.
Only build a program that is validated.

→ You get real-time feedback.
Your first students help shape the best version of your course.

🎙️ My own experience

When I launched my first course, The Pinterest Gameplan, I pre-sold it.
7 students bought in before a single module existed.

I kept the recording and course design simple and focused on exactly what the promise was so that they’d get the transformation.
I asked for feedback and created new resources that those pre-sale students mentioned they wanted added.

Years later, I did it again. But this time with a different course.
Same method. Same results. Validation first, creation second.

I also created courses without pre-selling and let me tell you…I will never get those months back!!

Your audience will tell you what they want, if you’re open to listening.

🧠 How to Pre-Sell Your Offer

1. Craft your offer promise.
   Make sure to list out the exact transformation your offer will provide. What will they walk away with in the end and how will it move them from their current state to their desired state.
   

2. Create your offer outline.
   Now that you know the transformation you can create the offer outline. What will this offer include or cover that will take them from state A to state B? You’re outlining the details here.
   

3. Build a simple sales page.
   Clarity beats design every single time. Don’t let perfectionism hold you back from clearly sharing what your offer will do for your audience.
   

4. Set a pre-sale date for yourself and prime your audience.
   Give yourself at least 4-6+ weeks before the pre-sale to share content that draws in the right buyers. Speak to their pain points, share your unique perspectives, and let them get to know you better.
   

5. Open cart and collect feedback.
   If no one buys, collect feedback and start by refining your messaging and your promise.
   If you get sales, collect feedback from those that didn’t buy to find out what stopped them.

👀 BTS of a pre-sale

Actual footage of me the week before a pre-sale 🤣

🎯 This week’s action:

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, turn it into a mini pre-sale test.

Create your outline, share it with your audience, and gauge interest.
One “paid yes” is way more powerful and impactful than a hundred likes.

If they don’t buy, send out a survey to get feedback and pivot from there.

🧠Work With Me:

If your Notes app is a treasure trove of ideas but every time you open it, you get overwhelmed with what to focus on👇🏻

Let’s spend 2 hours together working through your trove of ideas and your goals so we can create clarity around your action plan for the next 90 days.

In this 2-hour session, we’ll create a personalized 90-day plan tailored to your goals, business model, and working style.
Plus you get 1 month private 1:1 coaching with me.

*Payment plan available, just pop me an email.

🦄 In Your Corner:

Perfection is safe but action is brave.
You’re just one pre-sale away from proof that your idea is worth building.
Don’t let perfectionism stop you from building the life and business you’re imagining.

One of my clients is launching her pre-sale soon and it reminded me of a simple thought that I wanted to share with you.

When you create something new, it takes a lot from you.
It feels like you’re pulling things from deep within you to create this new project.

That means you need to fill your cup back up daily.
But you also need to reduce things that are drawing from your reserves that aren’t important.

One of the best bits of advice I have for this stage is to:

1. Cut down consumption (no social media that isn’t work related, any internet activities or TV that drains you, no mindless watching or scrolling)

2. Fill up your cup with non-internet things every day (garden, hobbies, friends, family, hikes, etc.)

If you have specific pre-sales questions, just hit reply and let me know. I’d be happy to answer them.

Have a great week!
— Kat 🍭