Why Some Courses Sell Out (And Others Don't)

The Passion-Problem Intersection

Why is it that some courses sell like hotcakes while others barely get a second glance?

You've probably heard the advice: "Just follow your passion and the money will follow." While that sounds inspiring, it's only half the story—and following it blindly could lead you straight into a product nobody wants.

Here's the thing...

Passion alone isn't enough to create a successful course. You need to find that critical intersection between what you're passionate about and a problem your audience desperately wants solved.

The Passion-Problem Framework

Let me share a couple of real-world stories that perfectly illustrate this principle—one success and one painful (but educational) failure.

When It Works: Finding the Perfect Intersection

Years ago, I worked with a coach who had an amazing transformative coaching method. Despite decades in business, he and his wife were struggling financially. Their approach was powerful, but they couldn't seem to attract enough clients.

The problem? They were marketing their coaching service as "this amazing program" and explaining why it worked so well. They had testimonials. They had enthusiasm. But they weren't targeting a specific problem.

When they finally opened up to new marketing ideas, we brainstormed potential niches. After considering several options, we landed on fear of public speaking.

At first, they worried: "If we focus just on this, won't people think that's all we can do?"

I explained that once people see you successfully help them with one emotional issue, they naturally understand you can help with others. Plus, you can always let them know about your other services.

So what happened?

We built a website focused specifically on solving fear of public speaking. We created targeted ads. We gathered powerful testimonials from clients who had overcome this specific fear.

And business started coming in like crazy. They ended up with a waiting list of clients two months long.

Why did it work? Because we found that sweet spot—the intersection between his passion (coaching) and a real problem people were actively seeking solutions for (fear of public speaking).

When It Fails: Assuming There's a Problem

Excited by our success, my client wanted to expand. "People really love golf," he said. "Let's see if we can do something with golf."

We followed a similar approach: worked with some clients, gathered testimonials, built a website, and launched ad campaigns targeting golfers.

The result? Nothing. We could barely get anyone to visit the site, let alone purchase any services.

Here's what we learned: While people love golf, most don't perceive their challenges as emotional or mental issues. They think they just need to improve their swing technique or get better equipment.

Even though many golfers DO have mental blocks affecting their performance, most don't see it that way. There was a fundamental mismatch between what we were selling and how golfers perceived their problems.

We assumed there was a problem our solution could fix. But we failed to validate that assumption with actual golfers who were actively investing in improving their game.

How to Find That Crucial Intersection

So how do you avoid our golf mistake and replicate our public speaking success? Here's the framework I've developed:

1. Acknowledge Your Assumptions

First, recognize that you're going to make assumptions—it's human nature. You'll think, "People will definitely want this!" That's fine as a starting point. Just don't stop there.

2. Find the Right People to Talk To

This is crucial: You need to talk to people who have RECENTLY invested time or money to solve the problem you're targeting.

If someone says they invested in a solution five years ago, their insights are outdated. People's memories aren't always reliable, especially when they're trying to be helpful (human hallucination is worse than AI hallucination when it comes to remembering motivations).

And if you can't find anyone? Sorry. There's probably no market for what you are selling.

3. Ask the Right Questions (Not "Do You Like My Idea?")

When you find these people, don't ask if your idea is good. Instead, ask:

• "When was the last time you invested time or money in this area?"

• "What triggered you to make that investment?"

• "What specific problem were you trying to solve?"

These questions reveal what actually motivates people to take action and spend money.

4. Test Your Solution Objectively

Only after understanding their problem should you present your solution. Then ask:

"On a scale of 0-10, how strongly does this solution relate to what you were trying to solve? Zero means not at all, and ten means it's exactly what you wanted."

This gives you a clear measure of potential demand. If they say "2 or 3," that's not good. If they say "10" and ask when your course will be available, you're onto something big.

But who has the time for all this research?

If interviewing recent buyers feels too slow, here's a shortcut: find objective sources of reviews.

Look at Amazon reviews for books on your topic—especially the one-star and two-star reviews. These will tell you what's wrong with existing resources. "These books don't address X" or "They never show you how to do Y" are gold mines of insight.

Similarly, check course platforms like Udemy where reviews aren't curated by the seller. This approach is faster than talking to customers directly.

The downside? Everyone has access to these reviews, so you won't get unique insights in competitive fields. When you actually talk to customers, very few of your competitors are doing that—giving you an edge they'll miss.

It's up to you how far you want to go. The more effort you put into understanding your audience's real problems, the more likely you are to create something they'll actually buy.

Putting It All Together

Your passion is important—it gives you the energy and expertise to create something valuable. But to succeed, you must find where your passion intersects with a problem people:

1. Recognize they have

2. Want to solve

3. Are willing to invest in solving

When you nail that intersection, you create courses that not only express your passion but actually sell.

I do NOT recommend just pursuing your passion and hoping for the best. Instead, find that passion-problem intersection, and you'll be well on your way to creating courses people actually want to buy.

Have you tried to identify the problems your audience is actively trying to solve? Reply to this email and let me know—I'd love to hear about your experience.

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Two ways I can help you

The Atomic Course Blueprint - Want to create a course without the usual overwhelm? Try creating a tiny course. Find out more here.

iPARA: How to organize your digital life for action - Is digital disorganization keeping you from reaching your goals? What if just four folders could let you not just stay organized but actually get things done. See for yourself here.

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