Teachable Sales Funnels: How to Fix the 3 Most Common Mistakes
If you’re using Teachable (or any online course platform) to sell digital products, you’ve probably felt this before:
👉 You launch.
👉 You sell a few courses.
👉 Then… nothing.
The sales slow down. You scramble to post more. You plan another launch. The cycle repeats.
What’s missing? A sales funnel that actually works.
I work with digital creators and educators using Teachable to sell courses, workshops, and communities—and the majority of them are missing the exact same foundational pieces.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the 3 most common funnel mistakes I see—and how to fix them so your course doesn’t depend on constant promotion to stay profitable. I’ll use courses as the main product, but this applies to all digital products.
Why Funnels Matter More Than You Think
Let’s define “funnel” real quick—not the bro-marketer version, but the version that actually works for creators.
A funnel is just a system that moves someone from curious to converted.
It can be simple. But it needs to be intentional.
A working funnel means:
Your leads know exactly what step to take next
You’re not starting from scratch every time you sell
You’re building long-term relationships, not one-off transactions
You make money without having to be “on” all the time
If your course sales are inconsistent, your funnel is likely missing one (or all) of the following elements.
Mistake #1: Your Freebie Doesn’t Lead Anywhere
You might have:
A great lead magnet
A beautiful landing page
But if there’s no direct path from that freebie to a relevant offer, you’re wasting your warmest leads.
What I see often:
Creators offer something helpful (like a checklist or template), but never reference their course again, or send automated emails. Or they wait weeks before making a pitch—by which point the lead has moved on.
Fix it:
Your freebie should naturally introduce your course as the next step. Ideally:
The lead magnet solves a small problem → your course solves the full one
Your email sequence nurtures → then pitches
There’s a clear CTA in every email
Don’t overcomplicate this. Simple, clear, direct funnels convert.
Mistake #2: Your Sales Page Is Doing Too Much (or Not Enough)
Your sales page isn’t just a digital brochure. It’s a critical part of the conversion funnel—and most creators treat it like an afterthought.
Two common issues I see:
Overloaded, over-explained pages that feel like a wall of text
Minimal pages with no real persuasion, credibility, or CTA
Here’s what your sales page should do:
Speak directly to your ideal student’s pain point
Break down the transformation, not just the features
Include social proof, testimonials, or outcomes
Have CTAs placed strategically throughout the page
Load fast and look good on mobile
Bonus tip:
Use a short “bridge” landing page when promoting via Instagram or ads. Don’t send cold leads directly to a sales page without context.
Mistake #3: No Evergreen Strategy
If you’re only making sales during live launches, you’re leaving money (and sanity) on the table.
Creators who burn out usually have one thing in common: They never built an evergreen funnel.
Evergreen doesn’t mean passive. It means sustainable.
It’s a system that allows new leads to find your content, opt in, get nurtured, and make a buying decision—without needing you to run a full launch every 6 weeks.
Even if you love live launching, having an evergreen funnel gives you:
Consistent income between launches
A backup plan when life hits
The space to create your next offer, instead of reselling the old one
🔗 Want a step-by-step guide to building a sustainable evergreen funnel?
Read: How to Build an Evergreen Funnel That Actually Works
How to Audit Your Funnel Fast
If your funnel feels messy, invisible, or non-existent—you’re not alone.
Start by asking:
Is your freebie aligned with your offer?
Do your emails guide readers to your course (or confuse them)?
Is your sales page doing its job—or just taking up space?
Are you building a system, or repeating the same manual launch process over and over?
If you can’t confidently answer those questions, it’s time to step back and audit what’s happening behind the scenes.
Conclusion
Funnels don’t have to be complicated—but they do need to be intentional.
If you’re using Teachable (or any platform) and sales are stalling, your funnel might be the missing piece. Start small. Fix one section at a time.
Ready to Fix Your Funnel?
Here are two ways to get started:
1. Work with me directly
Book a free discovery call and let’s take a look at what’s happening inside your business. I’ll help you identify what’s missing and how to fix it fast.
2. Do it yourself (launching soon)
Join the waitlist to get first access to use the Creator Business Audit Tool — a free, AI-powered tool for auditing your business backend. It takes 5 minutes and gives you a high-level action plan that will save you weeks of trying to figure out what’s not working.
