18 Psychology Hacks to Sell Your Coaching & Courses
Janis | Audience Monetize
26.03.2025
•
5 min read
Intro
Intro
You don’t need a massive audience or flashy funnels to sell coaching or online courses.
You need psychology.
Understanding how people think, decide, and buy is the single most powerful advantage you can have as a coach, expert, or creator.
In this post, I’m going to break down 18 proven psychological triggers that top course and info product creators use to:
Increase conversions
Build trust
Justify charging premium prices
And most importantly? These triggers have allowed me to collect over $500,000 in cash with my clients, as they enable anyone to sell with confidence.
Let’s dive in.
1. Authority Bias
People trust experts. If you want to sell, you need to show that you know your stuff. Display credentials, mention client results, or show up confidently on camera.
Example: Iman Gadzhi’s Agency Navigator uses his track record and client wins to reinforce authority. He leads with personal income screenshots and successful student testimonials.
2. Social Proof
Humans look to others when making decisions. Showcase testimonials, student wins, number of clients served, or community screenshots to build credibility.
Example: Justin Welsh highlights his student's testimonials and his earnings publicly on LinkedIn, creating momentum and perceived value.
3. Scarcity
The less there is of something, the more people want it. Limit spots, time, or bonuses to drive urgency.
Example: Dan Koe’s programs open a few times per year and have short enrollment windows, creating scarcity and urgency.
4. Reciprocity
Give value first. When you help people upfront - through free resources, webinars, or content - they feel naturally inclined to give back.
Example: Alex Hormozi gives away his playbooks and frameworks for free, which in turn drives demand for his premium offers.
5. Commitment & Consistency
Get micro-commitments. When someone opts into your email list or downloads a freebie, they’re more likely to keep engaging and eventually buy.
Example: The Copy Posse offers a mini email challenge that leads into a larger program - getting prospects to commit before pitching.
6. Anchoring Bias
Set a high initial value so your price feels like a steal. If you show that your offer is worth $3,000 and sell it for $997, it feels like a no-brainer.
Example: Course creators like Vanessa Lau showcase the full breakdown of everything inside their program - stacked value totaling $5,000+, followed by a lower price reveal.
7. Cognitive Dissonance
People want to act in alignment with their beliefs. If they identify as someone who "invests in their growth," your offer will feel like the logical next step.
Example: Creators often frame their program as a "step successful people take," reinforcing the identity of their ideal buyer.
8. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
When others are buying, people want in. Highlight active enrollments, student results, or limited-time bonuses.
Example: Platforms like Skool show real-time new members joining the group - adding social momentum and FOMO.
9. The Ikea Effect
People value things they build themselves. Let prospects feel involved by letting them co-create their transformation. Personalization goes a long way.
Example: Khe Hy’s Supercharge Your Productivity course lets users build their own systems using Notion templates.
10. Loss Aversion
We fear losing more than we enjoy gaining. Show what your prospect is missing out on by not solving their problem.
Example: Sales pages from the Growth Cave emphasize what you’ll lose (time, clients, money) by not having a client acquisition system.
11. Curiosity Gaps
Open loops trigger intrigue. Tease a result or idea, but don’t reveal everything at once. This keeps people engaged through your entire funnel.
Example: Email funnels by Daniel Fazio use cliffhangers and partial reveals to drive people to book a call.
12. The Ben Franklin Effect
When someone does you a small favor (like replying to a DM), they’re more likely to keep engaging. Ask questions, invite replies, and involve your audience.
Example: Many coaching funnels include "quick wins" surveys or input questions before offering the full product.
13. Contrast Effect
Make your offer stand out by comparing it to more expensive, less effective alternatives. Show why yours is the better deal.
Example: Some coaches show what it would cost to do 1:1 coaching or agency work - and how their course gives the same results for a fraction of the price.
14. Status Quo Bias
People hate change. Position your offer as the least disruptive, most logical next step.
Example: Jay Clouse’s Creator Science presents his membership as a natural extension of what creators are already doing - just optimized.
15. Storytelling
We remember stories more than stats. Frame your sales message through a transformation arc: pain, breakthrough, result.
Example: Steph Smith’s Doing Content Right uses her personal story as the frame for why she built the course and how it works.
16. The Pratfall Effect
Show your flaws. Being too polished can hurt trust. Share your mistakes or lessons learned to make your message more relatable.
Example: Arvid Kahl openly discusses the failures of his first product launches, which builds connection and credibility.
17. Exclusivity
People want what they can’t have. Make your offer feel exclusive—whether that’s limited access, an application process, or community gatekeeping.
Example: Ship 30 for 30 has defined enrollment windows and doesn’t accept everyone. The exclusivity creates more perceived value.
18. Simplicity Bias
The simpler your offer is to understand, the easier it is to say yes. Strip your pitch down to the essentials: problem, solution, outcome.
Example: Justin Welsh's Creator MBA landing page has one offer, one price, and one clear outcome - making it frictionless to purchase.
Final Thoughts
Selling isn’t about manipulation. It’s about understanding how people make decisions and helping them feel confident saying yes.
Use these psychology hacks not to trick people, but to:
Communicate more clearly
Build stronger connections
And sell offers that actually help people transform
If you apply even 3-4 of these in your next launch, you’ll feel the difference.
And if you want help building an offer that uses these strategies by default?
Head over here and let's build something powerful together :)
You don’t need a massive audience or flashy funnels to sell coaching or online courses.
You need psychology.
Understanding how people think, decide, and buy is the single most powerful advantage you can have as a coach, expert, or creator.
In this post, I’m going to break down 18 proven psychological triggers that top course and info product creators use to:
Increase conversions
Build trust
Justify charging premium prices
And most importantly? These triggers have allowed me to collect over $500,000 in cash with my clients, as they enable anyone to sell with confidence.
Let’s dive in.
1. Authority Bias
People trust experts. If you want to sell, you need to show that you know your stuff. Display credentials, mention client results, or show up confidently on camera.
Example: Iman Gadzhi’s Agency Navigator uses his track record and client wins to reinforce authority. He leads with personal income screenshots and successful student testimonials.
2. Social Proof
Humans look to others when making decisions. Showcase testimonials, student wins, number of clients served, or community screenshots to build credibility.
Example: Justin Welsh highlights his student's testimonials and his earnings publicly on LinkedIn, creating momentum and perceived value.
3. Scarcity
The less there is of something, the more people want it. Limit spots, time, or bonuses to drive urgency.
Example: Dan Koe’s programs open a few times per year and have short enrollment windows, creating scarcity and urgency.
4. Reciprocity
Give value first. When you help people upfront - through free resources, webinars, or content - they feel naturally inclined to give back.
Example: Alex Hormozi gives away his playbooks and frameworks for free, which in turn drives demand for his premium offers.
5. Commitment & Consistency
Get micro-commitments. When someone opts into your email list or downloads a freebie, they’re more likely to keep engaging and eventually buy.
Example: The Copy Posse offers a mini email challenge that leads into a larger program - getting prospects to commit before pitching.
6. Anchoring Bias
Set a high initial value so your price feels like a steal. If you show that your offer is worth $3,000 and sell it for $997, it feels like a no-brainer.
Example: Course creators like Vanessa Lau showcase the full breakdown of everything inside their program - stacked value totaling $5,000+, followed by a lower price reveal.
7. Cognitive Dissonance
People want to act in alignment with their beliefs. If they identify as someone who "invests in their growth," your offer will feel like the logical next step.
Example: Creators often frame their program as a "step successful people take," reinforcing the identity of their ideal buyer.
8. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
When others are buying, people want in. Highlight active enrollments, student results, or limited-time bonuses.
Example: Platforms like Skool show real-time new members joining the group - adding social momentum and FOMO.
9. The Ikea Effect
People value things they build themselves. Let prospects feel involved by letting them co-create their transformation. Personalization goes a long way.
Example: Khe Hy’s Supercharge Your Productivity course lets users build their own systems using Notion templates.
10. Loss Aversion
We fear losing more than we enjoy gaining. Show what your prospect is missing out on by not solving their problem.
Example: Sales pages from the Growth Cave emphasize what you’ll lose (time, clients, money) by not having a client acquisition system.
11. Curiosity Gaps
Open loops trigger intrigue. Tease a result or idea, but don’t reveal everything at once. This keeps people engaged through your entire funnel.
Example: Email funnels by Daniel Fazio use cliffhangers and partial reveals to drive people to book a call.
12. The Ben Franklin Effect
When someone does you a small favor (like replying to a DM), they’re more likely to keep engaging. Ask questions, invite replies, and involve your audience.
Example: Many coaching funnels include "quick wins" surveys or input questions before offering the full product.
13. Contrast Effect
Make your offer stand out by comparing it to more expensive, less effective alternatives. Show why yours is the better deal.
Example: Some coaches show what it would cost to do 1:1 coaching or agency work - and how their course gives the same results for a fraction of the price.
14. Status Quo Bias
People hate change. Position your offer as the least disruptive, most logical next step.
Example: Jay Clouse’s Creator Science presents his membership as a natural extension of what creators are already doing - just optimized.
15. Storytelling
We remember stories more than stats. Frame your sales message through a transformation arc: pain, breakthrough, result.
Example: Steph Smith’s Doing Content Right uses her personal story as the frame for why she built the course and how it works.
16. The Pratfall Effect
Show your flaws. Being too polished can hurt trust. Share your mistakes or lessons learned to make your message more relatable.
Example: Arvid Kahl openly discusses the failures of his first product launches, which builds connection and credibility.
17. Exclusivity
People want what they can’t have. Make your offer feel exclusive—whether that’s limited access, an application process, or community gatekeeping.
Example: Ship 30 for 30 has defined enrollment windows and doesn’t accept everyone. The exclusivity creates more perceived value.
18. Simplicity Bias
The simpler your offer is to understand, the easier it is to say yes. Strip your pitch down to the essentials: problem, solution, outcome.
Example: Justin Welsh's Creator MBA landing page has one offer, one price, and one clear outcome - making it frictionless to purchase.
Final Thoughts
Selling isn’t about manipulation. It’s about understanding how people make decisions and helping them feel confident saying yes.
Use these psychology hacks not to trick people, but to:
Communicate more clearly
Build stronger connections
And sell offers that actually help people transform
If you apply even 3-4 of these in your next launch, you’ll feel the difference.
And if you want help building an offer that uses these strategies by default?
Head over here and let's build something powerful together :)