There’s a lot of talk at the moment about how trust is disappearing online.

And I agree.

In a world where AI can write, design, and speak for us, people are craving the real thing. Humans. Credibility. Proof that the person behind the screen actually knows what they’re doing.

Which is why you’ll often hear the same advice everywhere:

“Use testimonials.”

“Show case studies.”

“Share your wins.”

Which is all true. And very useful. Except for one tiny problem…

What on earth are you supposed to do if your course is brand new?

Or you’ve used your skills in one context, but not in the exact way you’re now selling them?

Do you just… not launch? Sit quietly in the corner until someone gives you permission to begin?

Absolutely not.

This is something so many of you get tangled up in, and I want to make this very clear:

Being new doesn’t make you untrustworthy.

It just means you need to be smart in how you frame things.

So let me give you three simple ways to build trust even when you don’t have a track record for this specific offer yet.

1. Offer a guarantee that actually calms nerves.

Most guarantees sound like someone’s negotiating a hostage situation.

But the whole point of a guarantee is to reduce fear, not create more of it.

If you’re new, a strong, clean guarantee acts as borrowed trust. Remember: this person is taking a risk on you. They haven’t met you in person, so you need to help them feel confident moving forward. A well-worded guarantee does exactly that.

Here are a few examples:

1. Simple + Direct

“If you finish the [program/course/workshop] and don’t feel more confident, clearer, and more capable with [insert topic/skill], email me within X days and I’ll refund you. No drama.”

So that first guarantee I shared is the one I’d usually recommend when you’re just starting out.

It’s what is known as an unconditional guarantee, which I know can feel scary. It’s natural to worry that people will take advantage or that you’ll face a wave of refunds. But in my experience, most people are honest. And when you’re new and don’t yet have a track record, an unconditional guarantee is often the quickest way to remove customer hesitation and build trust.

Just make sure you still set a clear time limit.

Without one, it feels open-ended, which creates uncertainty for you and for your customer. A simple time frame – 7 days, 14 days, 30 days – is all you need.

Once you have more experience, or your course has been around for a while, that’s when you can move into conditional guarantees. At that point, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect someone to actually go through the lessons before asking for a refund.

Here’s how you might word a conditional guarantee with a clear time limit:

2. Results-Focused / Conditional

“Complete all the lessons. If you reach the end and don’t feel a real improvement in your ability to [insert desired outcome], message me within X days for a full refund.”

Offering a guarantee shows confidence. It shows integrity.

And most importantly, it gives people the feeling that you’ve taken the risk off their shoulders.

2. Run a small beta round and get real results fast

A free (or very discounted) beta group is, in my opinion, one of the quickest ways to build credibility from scratch.

And when I say “beta group,” I’m simply talking about a small group of people who go through your course before it’s officially launched, in exchange for their feedback and results.

It doesn’t need to be big.

It doesn’t need to be polished.

And it most certainly doesn’t need to be perfect.

What matters is this: You take people through your process and capture specific proof points.

Not fluffy praise like, “This was great!”

But real, tangible outcomes such as:

“I finally finished my outline.”

“I got the clarity I’ve been chasing for years.”

“This saved me hours.”

Those are the kinds of results that build trust instantly.

And if you’ve been inside my Course Creation Academy, you’ll already know exactly how to structure your beta so you come out the other side with proof & testimonials you can actually use.

3. Use experience from your wider life or career – transparently

Even if nobody has taken your course yet, that doesn’t mean you’ve never helped anyone before.

Maybe you’ve worked with clients one-to-one.

Maybe you’ve solved this problem for colleagues.

Maybe you’ve taught the topic informally for years.

You can reference this – you just need to be clear and honest.

For example:

“This course is new, but the process isn’t. I’ve used these same methods with clients for years. Here’s what they’ve said…”

It reassures people without pretending your course has been on the market since 2005.

Transparency builds trust faster than anything else.

A quick reminder before I wrap up

Yes, people are cautious right now…and yes, they rightly want proof.

But they don’t need you to have a 10-year legacy. They just need to feel safe choosing you.

And that comes from clarity, honesty, and structure, not from pretending you’re further ahead than you are.

Inside the Course Creation Academy, I teach this in far more depth, because it’s one of the biggest sticking points for new course creators (you can join the waitlist here)

But I wanted to reassure you today:

A lack of case studies and testimonials is not a reason to delay your dream.

It just means you’re at the beginning.

And beginnings can be brilliant.