If you’re launching your YouTube channel with the goal of actually making money in your business — not just creating content for content’s sake — you’re in the right place. This post is part of a larger YouTube series all about how to grow your YouTube channel as a business owner. Today, we’re diving deep into how to make your FIRST sale on YouTube, even if you’ve just started your channel.

Start with a Strategic Game Plan

One of the biggest mistakes I see new business owners make when starting their YouTube channel is uploading random content that doesn’t actually align with what they sell. If you’re creating videos that don’t speak directly to your ideal customer or client, it’s going to be a lot harder to see real revenue come in.

What you want instead is a 5-week YouTube game plan — your first four to five videos should be crafted with intention. These videos should be based on your paid offers and reverse engineered to attract the right audience. Think about the people who are most likely to convert into customers — what are they already asking about? What kinds of content would help them solve a specific problem they’re facing right now?

Whether you’re selling a service, a digital product, or an online course, your content should directly relate to the transformation your offer provides. This is where that “Help, Hero, Hub” content strategy comes in — rotating through different types of value-driven content while staying aligned with your business goals.

Make Your CTA Clear (and Early)

Now, this part is so key: you need to include what I call a primary call to action in every single one of your YouTube videos — and it should happen within the first 30% of your video. Why? Because the average watch time on YouTube is only about a third of the total video length. If you’re saving your CTA for the end, most people simply won’t hear it.

This CTA should audibly direct viewers to take a specific action that generates leads for your business. Whether that’s downloading a freebie, watching a free class, filling out an application, or purchasing a low-ticket offer — it needs to be said out loud, not just stuck in the description.

Better yet, show it visually too. Pop it up on screen, let people see what they’re getting when they take action. That visual touch can seriously boost clicks and conversions.

Align Your Freebie with Your Content

This might sound obvious, but your freebie (or whatever you’re offering) needs to match the content in your video. If you’re talking about YouTube growth, don’t send them to your Instagram reels class. Send them to a YouTube-specific offer — like a masterclass, workbook, or guide. That alignment is what creates trust and gets people to say yes.

When I first started creating videos about Instagram reels, I consistently pointed people to my free reels class — because I knew that was the #1 way they converted to becoming paying students. And it worked. Over time, that one strategy helped my $197 mini course generate over $250,000 in revenue… just from my YouTube audience. Wild, right?

Repurpose & Share on Other Platforms

Here’s the truth: YouTube takes time to grow. But if you already have an audience somewhere — whether it’s Instagram, your email list, or even Pinterest — don’t wait for YouTube to do all the work.

Start sharing your videos with your existing community right away. Repurpose clips from your videos into Reels, Stories, Pins — you name it. Link to your YouTube channel in your weekly emails. Post about it on Instagram. Get that video content in front of as many eyes as you can.

The people who already know, like, and trust you are the most likely to engage with your YouTube videos and take action on your offers. That’s how you can get your first sale even if your YouTube channel is brand new.

Real Results from This Strategy

I’ve seen this strategy work time and time again — not just for me, but for my students too. One of my students, Tabitha, is a brand designer with a website template shop. After going through my program, she doubled her YouTube subscribers and saw direct sales come through her videos. YouTube even became her top traffic source for her online store.

It all came down to embedding clear, strategic CTAs inside her videos — and sharing them in a way that felt natural and valuable to her audience.

What to Do Next

Now that you’ve learned how to make your first sale on YouTube, it’s time to turn YouTube into a sales machine for your business! I have a free masterclass that dives even deeper into this strategy. It’s called YouTube Cash Flow, and it walks you through my full process of turning YouTube views into real revenue — step-by-step.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your channel to the next level, this masterclass is for you.

Ready to Start Seeing Sales from Your Channel?

If you haven’t already, make sure to watch the next video in the YouTube series — it’s all about how to take one long-form YouTube video and turn it into 15+ pieces of content for your other platforms. Seriously, it’s a game-changer. If it’s already live, check the description or head to my channel to watch now.

And don’t forget to grab your spot in the YouTube Cash Flow masterclass — it’s completely free, and it’s going to give you so much clarity for turning your content into income.

You’ve got this — and I’m cheering you on every step of the way!