How to Use the Mini-Course Template
This template is designed to help you create a free or low-cost course to help you build an audience. A mini-course can be thought of as a lead magnet or a lead qualifier that helps attract students who might be interested in a larger course down the road.
Note: _All lessons and chapters in this template are set to draft. Remember to uncheck this option before publishing your course to make lessons visible to students. Learn more about drafting lessons here.
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What is the best way to use this template?
When building a following, a mini-course is a valuable resource for your target audience to get excited about. Typically, mini-courses are low-risk online courses: they don't cost a lot and aren't lengthy in terms of time or curriculum. Students who enjoy this course will want more, so are more likely to enroll in a bigger or more expensive course later on. Think of it as giving students an appetizer, so they'll be more excited about the main course.
Other reasons why you might make a mini-course:
- Use it as a prerequisite or supplement for a larger course or for other products
- Bundle it with a larger course or other products as a bonus
- Collect email addresses to grow your mailing list in exchange for a free opt-in (lead magnet)
- Convert a lead into a paying customer now, so it's easier to sell them your other products later
- Generate leads for a service, such as coaching, that you will later upsell
Learn more about creating a mini-course here »
What is included in this template?
This template includes three chapters with lessons, in addition to this instruction page. You can either leave this instruction page in draft mode (students can't view drafted lessons) or delete it before you publish your course.
A description of the chapters and lessons included:
Welcome to the course! - Chapter - Chapters contain lessons and are sometimes called modules or sections. You can rename any chapter in this template if you wish.
A message from the instructor - Video Lesson - This lesson is a placeholder for a short video from you, the instructor. Typically, an instructor would add a short (< 2 min) message here thanking the student for enrolling in the course and/or previewing upcoming content to build excitement.
Note: You can change this lesson type to suit your preferred teaching style.
Before we begin... - Survey Lesson - This entry survey is designed to help you understand your student's desired outcome for this course, as well as to gauge their current experience with your course topic. You can use the feedback from this survey to improve your content and marketing efforts.
Note: Students are also asked to gauge their experience in an exit survey (see the bottom of this page). This will show you how your students are changing after taking your course. Positive changes indicate that you're doing a good job!
Let's get started! - Chapter
The Why - Video Lesson - In this lesson, explain the why behind what you're teaching.
The 'why' is the reason someone should be learning from you, and learning about your course topic. Explain the problem your lessons will fix, the consequences if the problem is left unsolved, and what life looks like after the problem is fixed forever.
Note: You can change this lesson type to suit your preferred teaching style.
The What - Video Lesson - In this lesson, explain the what that goes into learning your material.
The 'what' covers all the things your student needs to know before they can start practicing what you're teaching, or before they can fix the problems your lessons will solve. Think of this lesson as the prerequisite to the solution you'll give them in the next lesson.
Note: You can change this lesson type to suit your preferred teaching style.
The How - Video Lesson - In this lesson, explain the 'how' involved in putting into practice the teaching from the previous lesson.
Here you can demonstrate real-life concepts, provide how-to instructions, or guide an exercise. Show your students the steps they actually have to take in order to fix the problem and to fully understand your teachings.
Note: You can change this lesson type to suit your preferred teaching style.
Test Your Learning - Quiz Lesson - After this chapter's lessons, you should include a short, easy quiz that covers what the student has just learned.
These quizzes aren't primarily used to measure learning, but rather to reinforce it. Immediately practicing what's just been taught helps students gauge their progress with the material, and helps it stick. If students struggle to recall the lesson, then they will know to revisit it.
Note: The quiz lesson is set to draft, and you will need to add your own questions relevant to your lessons in this chapter. Remember, this is a basic quiz. Limit the number of questions so the pace of learning is not slowed down.
Next Steps - Chapter - This chapter helps transition your students out of the course after they have completed their lessons. This is the conclusion to the learning experience you've just provided.
Congrats! Here's what's next... - Video Lesson - This lesson is a placeholder for a short video from you, the instructor. Typically, an instructor would add a short (< 2 min) message to make students feel accomplished for having made it this far in the course, as well as previewing the next steps.
Note: You can change this lesson type to suit your preferred teaching style.
More resources for you - Text Lesson - When the student has completed this course, it’s always a good idea to provide them with the next steps they can take. Typically, a course instructor will include directions to practice any learning, links to other useful resources or an upsell offer for another course or product of theirs.
Note: We've included example copy in the More Resources lesson for you to edit and make your own.
Before you go... - Survey Lesson - This exit survey is designed to help you understand whether or not your students have achieved their desired learning outcomes. This survey will also gauge their experience with the course topic after having now finished its lessons.
Note: Compare the results from this survey with results from the entry survey in your first chapter to measure the change and see how effective your lessons are.
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