13 Unique Black Friday Ideas for Selling Online Courses

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) represent the single biggest sales opportunity of the year. For online course creators, this period can be a massive revenue generator or a frustrating race to the bottom. 

The conventional wisdom is to slash prices with deep, often unsustainable, discounts. But what if you could capture the BFCM excitement without devaluing your expertise or training your audience to only buy when your prices are at their lowest? 

The truth is, the most successful course creators use this time to get creative, offering unique, value-driven deals that stand out. 

In this post, we bring you 13 unique Black Friday ideas for selling online courses that focus on maximizing value, building goodwill, and creating genuine urgency. 

01. The Anti-Discount

Let’s talk about a simple but powerful Black Friday idea that doesn’t involve slashing your prices.

Here’s the thing: many creators think Black Friday means they have to discount their course. But that’s not always the best move, especially if you’re just starting out and want your course to be seen as valuable.

Value stacking is basically the anti-discount strategy. Instead of making your course cheaper, you make it worth more in your customer’s eyes.

Let’s say your main course costs $199. Instead of dropping the price to $99 for Black Friday, you could add extra things that make the offer feel like a no-brainer:

• A bonus workbook or checklist that helps them take action faster
• A few templates or scripts to save them time
• Access to a private community for support and networking
• A 30-minute consultation call with you to review their progress

So the course is still $199, but now, it looks and feels like it’s worth $500 or more because of everything included.

For example, if you teach Instagram marketing, your Black Friday bundle could be:

“Enroll now and get my full Instagram Growth Course + 10 plug-and-play caption templates + access to my private creator circle + a 20-minute strategy session with me.”

Value stacking helps you attract buyers who want a complete solution rather than just a cheap deal. It also keeps your brand strong because you’re focusing on value, not just price.

02. Pay What You Want

Here’s another fun Black Friday idea that can really surprise your audience: Pay What You Want.

Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like. For a short time, you let people decide how much they want to pay for your course.

Now, I know this might sound risky, like, what if everyone just pays $1? But here’s the thing: this strategy works best for courses you’ve already made your money back on. So, it’s less about profit and more about building momentum, trust, and buzz around your brand.

Let’s say you have an older course that used to sell for $99. You could run a Black Friday campaign saying:

“For this week only, you set the price. Pay what you want and get full access to my XYZ course.”

You’ll be surprised how many people actually pay fair amounts and, even more importantly, how many new students you’ll bring into your world.

This strategy builds goodwill and excitement. People love feeling in control, and this offer gives them that chance. Plus, it can create a big wave of attention and shares. That’s because “pay what you want” isn’t something you see every day in the online course space.

03. Lifetime Deals 

LTDs are a simple but powerful idea: instead of charging people monthly or yearly, you give them a one-time payment option for lifetime access.

For example, if your membership usually costs $29 per month, you could offer a Black Friday deal like:

“Get lifetime access to all current and future lessons for a one-time payment of $199 — this week only.”

That’s it. One payment, access forever.

This kind of deal works so well because it creates a mix of urgency (“this week only”) and value (“no more monthly fees”). It gives people who’ve been on the fence a strong reason to finally buy. 

It’s also great for you because it brings in a quick boost of cash while rewarding your loyal followers. Just remember to use this offer carefully and sparingly. The “lifetime” promise should feel rare, not something you offer all the time.

04. Mystery Box

Black Friday is the perfect time to get creative, and one of the most exciting ways to do that is with a Mystery Box or Bundle.

Instead of showing exactly what’s inside, you put together a mix of courses or digital goodies and let the surprise do the talking. The unknown element makes the offer feel fun, intriguing, and hard to resist.

Why does this work? Because people love surprises. It makes buying feel exciting, almost like opening a gift. That excitement can push someone who’s been thinking, “Should I buy this or not?” into finally clicking the purchase button.

For example, if you teach business skills, you could do a Mystery Bundle like this:

“Get a surprise bundle of 3–5 courses from my library. Could be templates, workshops, or full courses total value $400+, but for this weekend only, it’s a Black Friday Mystery Bundle for $99!”

Even if someone doesn’t know every item they’re getting, they immediately feel like the value is high, and the thrill of surprise makes the offer irresistible.

This strategy is also great for clearing older courses or digital products that aren’t selling as quickly. 

05. Gamification

Another creative Black Friday idea for selling your online courses could be Gamified Micro-Interactions.

This is all about making your site more interactive and fun. Instead of just showing your courses, you let visitors play a tiny game or take a short quiz that gives them a personalized result. Then you offer a special Black Friday discount at the end.

For example, you could create a spin-the-wheel pop-up where visitors can spin to reveal a discount or bonus for Black Friday.

These little interactions do more than just entertain your potential customers. They keep people on your site longer and guide them toward buying a course in a fun, low-pressure way.

06. Partnership with Other Course Creators

A smart way to reach more people this Black Friday is to partner with another course creator by creating a special bundle.

For example, if you teach Instagram marketing and a fellow creator teaches Facebook ads, you could put your courses together in one package:

“This Black Friday, get the Instagram Marketing Course from X and the Facebook Ads Course from Y for one special price. Get everything you need to grow your business on social media platforms!”

This kind of collaboration works really well because it gives your audience more value. Also, if both of the course creators are well-known, this kind of partnership is a sure shot. 

Moreover, your partner gets exposure to your students, you get exposure to theirs, and your customers walk away feeling like they got a complete solution.

07. The Waitlist Strategy

Before your Black Friday sale starts, you ask people to sign up for an exclusive waitlist to get access to the deal. This does a few things for you: it builds anticipation, creates excitement, and gives you a list of people who are already interested and ready to buy.

This works really well because people feel like they’re getting early access to something special. When the sale finally goes live, your waitlist is full of engaged, pre-qualified buyers who are much more likely to make a purchase.

It’s also a great way to collect emails and start conversations with your audience before the big sale, so you’re not starting from scratch on the day of Black Friday.

08. Enrollment Cap

If your course includes live sessions or group coaching, you can use a Cohort-Based Enrollment Cap for Black Friday.

Simply limit the number of spots available for the next group. This creates real scarcity, making the offer feel exclusive and motivating people to sign up before it’s too late.

For example, if you run a live 6-week marketing course, you could say:

“Only 20 spots available for the next cohort! Enroll now to secure your place and get our Black Friday bonus!”

This strategy works well because it highlights the value of personal attention and small-group interaction, which can be a big selling point for beginners. People don’t just get the course. They get to be a part of your small, premium group.

Limiting spots also encourages immediate action. No one wants to miss out on a limited opportunity. It’s a simple way to boost sign-ups while keeping your course experience high-quality.

09. Host a Charity Drive

You can make your Black Friday sale about more than just courses by supporting a cause.

You choose a cause or non-profit and donate a percentage of your Black Friday sales (or the money you would have spent on a traditional campaign) to that cause. This not only helps others but also shows your audience what your brand stands for.

For example, if you teach online business skills, you could say:

“This Black Friday, 10% of every course sold will go to support local education programs. Learn new skills and make a difference at the same time!”

This strategy works really well because it appeals to socially conscious buyers and builds goodwill. People feel good about supporting your course because they’re also supporting a cause they care about. It can create a deeper emotional connection with your audience.

10. Deal of the Hour

A fun way to keep people coming back during Black Friday is to run “Deal of the Hour” flash sales.

For short, limited windows, like one hour at a time, you offer special deals that are bigger than your standard Black Friday discount. You can even make them pop up randomly on your site to surprise visitors.

For example, if you sell a social media marketing course, you could run a flash sale like:

“For the next hour only, get 50% off our Instagram Growth Course! Hurry, this deal disappears at 2 PM!”

This strategy works really well because it creates excitement and urgency. People will keep checking your site to see the next deal. This means more engagement and a higher chance they’ll make a purchase. 

11. Social Media Challenge

A fun way to run your Black Friday promotion and get lots of engagement is to run a social media challenge.

Ask your followers to do something creative. It could be like posting their own work, sharing your content, or tagging your account, in exchange for a chance to win a bonus or free product.

For example, if you teach graphic design, you could run a challenge like:

“Show us your best holiday-themed design using the tips from my free mini-guide and tag @YourAccount. One lucky winner will get free access to my full design course!”

This strategy works well because it spreads the word about your courses organically. People love participating in challenges, and it encourages engagement while giving your audience a fun way to interact with your brand. 

It’s also a low-cost way to create excitement and bring new eyes to your courses during Black Friday.

12. Pre-recorded Webinar Funnel

A smart way to promote your course for Black Friday is with a pre-recorded webinar funnel.

Instead of requiring live attendance, you make your webinar available on-demand for 2–4 weeks leading up to Black Friday. This allows people to watch at their convenience while still guiding them toward your sale.

Here’s how it can work:

• Start by identifying a problem your course solves.
• Give a partial solution; enough to show value, but leave them wanting more.
• Share student success stories and transformations to show real results.
• End with a clear Black Friday offer for your course.
• After the webinar, send follow-up emails with testimonials, case studies, and reminders about your limited-time Black Friday deal.

This method works well because it’s scalable. You can run it multiple times without being live, and it builds trust by showing your audience that your course delivers real results.

13. Create a Limited-Time Premium Tier

Instead of just selling your standard course, create a limited “premium tier” at a higher price and add extra perks that serious students will really appreciate.

For example, you could offer:

• Personal email support
• Early access to new course updates
• Monthly group coaching calls
• Accountability check-ins for course completion

Even if only a few students buy this premium tier, it works wonders psychologically. It makes your standard course feel like an amazing deal in comparison, which can help boost overall sales.

The key is to market it carefully, so you don’t take away from your regular course sales. Focus on students who really want extra support and are willing to pay for it. This approach positions your courses as high-value, giving people more choices while making every option feel worthwhile.

How Not to Promote Your Online Course This Black Friday

The Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) period can be tricky for online course creators. Trying to boost sales is natural, but some mistakes can hurt your brand, cut into profits, and make customers expect discounts. 

Here are 10 mistakes to avoid while promoting your online course this Black Friday.

1. Offering Generic Discounts: Don’t use simple discounts like “20% off everything.” It won’t stand out, and trains your audience to only buy on sale.

2. Overloading Customers with Too Many Offers: Avoid multiple deals, bundles, or tiered discounts at once. Too many options overwhelm buyers and lead to abandoned carts.

3. Ignoring Profit Margins: Never set discounts without calculating the impact on net profit. Small discounts can drastically cut earnings.

4. Starting Marketing Too Late: Don’t launch campaigns a week or two before Black Friday. Late starts miss momentum and lead nurturing.

5. Not Testing the Campaign: Always test ads, landing pages, and checkout. Broken links or buggy processes kill sales fast.

6. Poor Email Marketing Strategy: Don’t send generic, impersonal emails. Saturated inboxes ignore messages that lack value or personalization.

7. Not Understanding Your Audience: Avoid generic, product-centric messaging. Low relevance leads to poor engagement and conversions.

8. Underestimating Social Proof: Don’t rely only on your own claims; include testimonials, reviews, and case studies to build trust.

9. Ignoring Abandoned Carts: Follow up with customers who didn’t complete purchases. Ignoring them loses easy conversions.

10. Neglecting Post-Black Friday Follow-ups: Don’t ignore new customers or leads after the sale. Failing to nurture them sacrifices long-term loyalty and revenue.

Stand Out This Black Friday with Smarter Deals

As we’ve explored, the real power lies in creativity and providing as much value as possible to your customers. By implementing the unique strategies we have discussed, you can generate massive sales. 

Remember, a successful BFCM campaign starts with a plan that prioritizes long-term brand health over short-term revenue spikes. Stop following the crowd and start leading with an offer that is truly irresistible.