First, create the curve you want for your text using one of the drawing tools, such as the Pen too or the Paint Brush. The choose the Text tool and more the cursor to the beginning of the curve you created. You'll see the cursor change as you get close to the curve. Click at that point and begin typing.
Another thing you can do is to create the text and the curve separately, choose both objects and choose Object > Text on a Path > Attach Text from the menu bar.
Excellent. I followed your pointers and it worked faster than the way I figured out on my own. I was creating the text, choosing "Objects", "Envelop Distort", "Make Warp Group", and then manually moving and the points to exactly the place I wanted them. Took more time.