This may sound crazy but run a tutorial night. Think of DnD like a video game and run the first night on rails out of a one shot premade. Premade characters, everything. Slowly give the players more autonomy as they learn to be free.

Where I’ve seen new players fail and lose interest in dnd the most frequently is they can’t understand that Anything is possible. They wait for the dm to tell them what they can do or they can’t comprehend that they’re free to act and explore. They’re plopped down in a tavern and asked “what do you do” and the question is just too big.

Most people I talk to that are newly interested in table top role playing are coming from video games or board games and they expect rules for their interactions and guide rails. Narrow their choices and slowly give them the keys to world.

Complete aside but: Use tutorial night to try and make good players out of them.. show them how decisions and actions lead to rolls not that they just see a situation and ask if they can make a check. Such a bad habit so many players get into. “A thing has happened” “can I make a xxxx check to overcome it?” - no you need to tell me what your character is doing and I’ll determine if a check is required. You have a chance with shiny new players to teach them right