How To Create and Launch Mini Courses | Experts Proven Ways

Creating a comprehensive and full course takes a great deal of your time. You design the content, put your course together, and the time comes for marketing and launch. All the little steps necessary to put together a full course sometimes stop you from moving forward. 

Luckily, you can always get started with mini courses, which are much faster and easier to create. Mini courses have gained great popularity and became a go-to for many learners. In this article you are about to find out:

• What exactly is a mini course and what are some mini course examples
• Why you may need to create mini courses

A step-by-step guide on how to create a mini course based on the best practices and strategies of Eli Natoli herself.

What is a mini-course?

A mini-course is a short educational program that tends to be highly niche-specific and focused. It is designed to equip students with skills and knowledge in a targeted area within a short period of time. 

Compared with regular online courses, mini courses are quicker to complete. Traditional online courses typically cover a broader range of topics and require a longer time commitment, often spanning weeks or even months. On the other hand, mini courses are more focused and can usually be completed in a few hours to a few weeks.

Why create mini courses? 

There are a number of benefits when it comes to creating mini courses. Eli Natoli, an online course coach and mentor with more than 7 years of experience, highly recommends starting with mini courses. 

“If you are thinking I have this massive expertise that I want my audience to know, I encourage taking that experience and figure out how you can actually divide it up into smaller chunks and make it available through mini courses. The reason you want to do that is that even students with the best of intentions have a hard time getting through a regular course”. 

The mini-course is shorter in volume

This is beneficial as it makes keeping learners engaged and motivated far easier. Consequently, your students are going to have an easier time getting through it. As mini courses are self-contained and small, your students have a higher chance of implementing and getting results. 

Getting new leads easily

Mini courses are a great way to get new leads easily. As students like the experience and they achieve the learning outcomes you set, they are more likely to trust you and consider your online courses as well. Eli Natoli has students who have been with her for years, taking one course and moving to her bigger courses. 

“Granted that your students loved your approach, they found it to be easy-to-follow and got results, it is a no-brainer that they will invest with you again”. 

You test the waters first 

If you are a beginner in the industry, mini courses become an excellent way to validate the course idea. So, before you can spend months on creating your full course you can offer a mini course to see how much the students are interested in that particular topic. 

“It’s harder to sell the massive course, it’s harder for your audience to get through it and get results. So, it’s just win-win all around when you create self-contained mini learning.”  
 

At the end of the day, mini-courses allow for time and cost-efficient learning both for students and instructors. Also, they provide targeted learning experiences that contribute to the growth of your client base. 

3 mini course examples

To avoid confusion, let’s overview 3 examples of mini-courses. 

• “Basics of Digital Photography in less than 7 Days”. Courses such as this one allow you to also declare with the headline that the course is precise, short & to the point. 
• Another example is a niche marketing course; for instance, instead of “Social Media Marketing: Basics,” you can offer a “Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses: Boost Brand Awareness & Get a Practical Plan.”
• “Introduction to Personal Finance: Build your Perfect Budget” is also a good example, as it showcases the theme & the outcome within the headline. 

Not only can you make your mini-course as a main offer, but also present them as a bonus offer. Let’s see how other creators bring these into effect. 

On his webpage, I Will Teach You How to be Rich, Ramit Sethi introduces one of his mini-courses. As you read the title and the course description, it becomes apparent who the mini-course is intended for. Besides, the mini-course is free. This means the learners will need to leave their email to get it, making it an excellent way to increase the client base. 

Therefore, if you already have a course, you can easily generate a mini-course topic, potentially increasing your earnings, even if the mini-course is offered for free. 

Another example of using a mini-course is by offering it as a bonus. We can see this tactic employed by creators and author Chris Guillebeau. Chris also offers his mini-course bearing the same title on the webpage of one of his books. 

What makes his offer even better is that the mini-course is not publicly available. So, only those who get the book can have access to it. 

Now that we have a better idea about mini-courses and their usage, let’s walk into the main steps. 

How to create and launch your mini course? 

How do you actually create the mini course? Is this so different from creating a regular course? To provide you with the best mini course creating strategies, we asked Eli Natoli to share her steps and experience with you. 

#1 Choose a specific topic for the specific target audience

To reach the target audience and spike interest, you must know who your audience is. If you have already created full online courses there is no need to build your audience. All you have to do is find a specific group within your huge audience who is interested in a particular topic. 

And when it comes to the choice of topic, things get difficult. With online courses, you have the chance to pick a general topic and go into all the details. However, your mini-courses should aim at covering narrower and more to-the-point topics. The biggest mistake you want to avoid is putting too much into a mini course. 

To understand your topic, think about the following: What is the smallest goal you can help a student achieve? To pick a topic your students would love, Eli Natoli recommends 

• finding the unmet gaps - do a research to find a point nobody is sharing about, because they do exist
• add your unique experience to it, making your mini course a lot different than the ones already existing

The combination of these will make a course that nobody else is teaching. 

“It is not so much whether or not your topic is in demand. What you really need to pay attention to is whether or not the mini course you are creating is filling a gap in your industry that nobody else is filling. Once you figure out the unmet gaps, think about how I can infuse more of my unique way of solving the problem into this topic.”

Make sure that the topics are up-to-date, specific, actional, and interesting. These are three factors affecting the selling potential of the course. Also, the course must be built around solving a specific problem and offering to-the-point solutions that learners can start implementing. 

#2 Set the aim of your course

The next step is to set goals for your course. Potential goals are:

• Sell more courses to increase the income level. 
• To gather a wider audience and grow your client base
• To generate more leads and increase brand awareness
• To promote your other courses and implement cross-selling & upselling strategies. 

Depending on what you want to achieve by launching your course,  you might adapt a different pricing strategy later. Let’s say, your main goal is generating leads, and directing your students to your full courses. In this case, you might think of offering the mini course as a freebie and give your students a taste of what a full course feels like. 

#3 Outline your course

Instead of focusing on creativity, focus on value. When creating a course, ask yourself why someone would purchase it, and what value will they gain? Everyone considers education an investment; thus, make sure you offer value good enough to bring them a return on that investment. This is one of the most motivational factors behind purchases. 

It is time to create an outline for the course. To give value, include topics that provide information, in-depth analysis, and solutions to the problems. 

An example outline for the “Time Management” Mini-Course can be:

• Introduction to the course & basics of time management 
• Challenges faced 
• Techniques of time optimization
• Techniques for overcoming procrastination 
• Tools & Resources.   
  Related: How to Create an Online Course Outline The Easiest Way With a Template

#4 Do not overthink it

When you have an outline and topics, write down the key solution/value your course provides. Now, based on this, start building up your whole course. You can use AI to help you with video scripts. 

However, do not try to make a masterpiece out of it. The more important thing is to keep it bite-sized, trying to keep each video lesson under 5 minutes. 

Also, you do not need pro editing; simply make sure your videos look nice & clean with no special effects. Pay attention to the audio, background, and quality of the video. 

When recording the videos according to scripts, ensure that you do not sound robotic. 

Keep in mind that the length of a mini-course varies from topic to topic. However, typically, those are courses that take from a few days up to a few weeks to complete. 

#5 Price your minicourse right

Another vital aspect to take into consideration when building a mini-course is pricing. The pricing strategy is usually based on the original aim. 

It’s fine if you decide to make your mini course a lead magnet, and give it free of charge if you are being strategic about it. Here is what Eli Natoli recommends asking yourself before applying the lead magnet strategy:

“What is your purpose after that? What do you teach in that free, valuable course that you are giving away for free? What do you want your audience to do after they experience the results of that free course? If you can provide compelling answers to these questions, then go for it.”

Having said that, you will have to pick a particular price for your mini course. To gain customers who are ready to appreciate the value you provide, do not aim to price the courses cheap. Many beginners make these mistakes. However, this may make you look like someone who does not have enough expertise. Depending on how unique your course is you can keep the pricing under $100.  

Related: How to price Your Online Course: Proven Strategies

#6 Create your website and mini course sales page

When the course itself is ready as well, now you need a website to start sales on. One of the most efficient and feature-rich LMS platforms that will allow you to build a website within minutes is Uteach. 

 Uteach comes in handy with every functionality needed for course creators. It has a website & course builder, integrations, multimedia support, quiz & certification builder. 

When you set up the website, do not forget about setting up a sales page for the course. The main components of a successful sales page include a banner in the headers and a CTA below every section. Make sure to use readable fonts, contrasting or complimenting colors, and visuals, as well as leave enough white spaces. 

Related: How to Build Your Course Sales Page

#7 Promote your mini-course everywhere

When everything is ready to go, it is time to promote your mini course everywhere. The marketing and promotional strategies you get to apply are no different than those for regular online courses. 

Just ensure you establish an online presence on social media, and ask your network to share about your mini course. Also, set up a marketing budget to create efficient and highly targeted social media ads; they will bring a return on investment when done properly. 

Other marketing techniques to use include email marketing, affiliate programs (which work well with influencers), discounts, deals, and limited offers.   
 

Related: 25 Tips to Market Your Online Courses

All set, let’s get started! 

Now you know how you can easily get your first mini course going in just 48 hours! 

As you can see, mini courses serve as more than just a primary income source; they also provide an opportunity for cross-selling. Thus, you get the chance to reach a broader audience, generate additional income streams and establish expertise in your niche. 

We believe these little steps help you to turn your expertise into a profitable business. 

FAQ 

Are you still not sure about the number of modules, duration and pricing of your mini-course? Let’s address these questions and find the optimal solutions for you! 

1.  How many modules should a mini-course have? 

Typically, mini-courses can be covered in 3-5 modules. However, it is not a strict rule. The divisions within your topic can help you decide on the number of modules. For example, having three modules might make sense if your topic naturally breaks down into three main sections. Try to keep each lesson under 5 minutes. 

2. How much should a mini-course be priced for? 

You can price your mini-course beginning with $0 to even $100.  Let's say you have a mini-course that offers 3 hours of video content on a specialized topic, and you're targeting a niche audience with a moderate income level. In this case, you can price it for $49-$99. 

3. Can I update my mini-course later? 

Yes, you can update and repurpose a mini-course later, just as you do with online courses. For example, you might turn a written mini-course into a video series, an ebook, a podcast, or vice versa. Thus, you will reach a wider audience and present it in a format your students like best. 

Your website can be ready within minutes

Create your website within minutes with Uteach. 

 Uteach is a potent automation that comes in handy with a website & course builder and a variety of customization options. So, stop hesitating and get started. Make sure to utilize the power of every feature, including the local payment gateway, live functionality, and white labeling. 

 A few tips for building better websites are SEO-optimizing the webpages, displaying past client testimonials or your certificates, leaving just enough white spaces, creating landing pages for each course, and you are good to go. 

Book a demo now to see all the features in action and get your first mini-course going!