What is the best way to use a free "mini-course" to promote a full "paid course"?

7 replies
I'm just wondering what you guys think the best way to use a free "mini-course" to promote a paid course would be...

Currently I have a course that I sell for $47...I'm going to experiment with higher pricing or maybe even a monthly membership model. The course sells pretty well now at $47 though. I've been selling about 20 - 30 copies per month for the last 5 months.

All of my sales so far have been organic sales - not through email and not through any sort of paid advertisements. All of my sales have been directly as a result of people finding my website, liking what I have to offer, and buying my course.

I want to start experimenting with paid advertising though - either through Facebook, Google, or Bing Ads.

Before going this route, I decided to make a "mini-course" that is 5 modules long. This mini-course is pretty good, and definitely over-delivers. It also leads perfectly into the "full version" that I am attempting to sell. I want to give away this mini-course in trade for their email address.

So I'm wondering which of these options do you guys think would be the best:

1.) Promotional video --> Collect email --> Deliver the 5 modules of the "mini-course" over 5 different emails, each letting them know about where they can find the "full version"

2.) Promotional video --> Collect email --> Send link to a page that has all 5 modules of mini-course as well as a link to the full course on it. Then just email them once a week with my normal weekly newsletter keeping them on my website.

3.) Some other method that I am unaware of


Thanks!
#free #full #minicourse #paid course #promote
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    As a lover of email marketing, I have to go with option #1. You don't have to stop at $5 mini courses. If 10 mini courses does the trick, stick with 10. Then automate it all so you don't feel so bad about all the hard work in this campaign lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
    That's nice of you to ask our advice on which method "We Think" is the best. But we'd only be guessing at best ... with your money!

    The Only way to know for sure is to test both methods in the real world with your target market.

    If I had a dollar for each time I thought one method should work, but after I split tested it my market chose the other method, I'd be Rich.
    Just being honest.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave d
    I agree with split testing both options, also to throw a 3rd option into the mix how about selling the mini course for a dollar.

    Sometimes people see a higher perception of value once it a price is attached.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
    Thanks for the replies!

    I was just wondering what you guys have found to work better from your experience.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    Most of my campaigns run this way - for organic and paid by the way - into an email sequence (typically a minicourse although I don't market them that way anymore...) via which I market a series of products including ebooks, courses and consulting.

    What I find works well is to use video if you can - so you have your first lesson with a personal message from you telling your story of how you struggled with the same thing your market struggles UNTIL you found x,y,z - results before and after and then outline the system - on to lesson 2

    You don't have to have a video for every lesson, though I typically favor that approach today and it seems to get better results.

    Also - keep in mind that you will typically get your best open rate and response in the first 2-3 emails - so make sure you are leaving each lesson with strong link to the next one and promote your product/course/service in each one - starting with the first one. Majority of my sales come from first couple of lessons/emails.

    Finally - I do typically host my lessons on separate Wordpress pages or membership site pages so you can send them to one and have them work through the sequence - you already have their email, give the fast-track people a way to work through your course at their own pace AND avoid the email delivery rate problems in subsequent emails
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  • Profile picture of the author snehil kamal
    Option 1 worked for me multiple times, so I would recommend to use that
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