You’ve got an excellent idea for a course, and naturally, when you share your knowledge, you want a successful launch with thousands enrolling in it, right?
Of course, no one wants a failed launch!
Now, you might be questioning yourself, “Should I create a mini version of this course and test the market first?” After all, they say you should start with a Minimum Viable Offer, right?
Well, that’s a great thought! But what I’m about to share with you might surprise you…
What if I told you that you don’t need a high-ticket signature course at all?
Why spend so much time creating one big course when you could split it into several mini-courses and potentially earn more from these bite-sized offers over the long term?
In this blog post, I’ll break down the pros and cons of each option so you can confidently decide which course format is best for your idea.
Let’s Start with Low-Ticket Mini Courses
Mini-courses are perfect for quick-fix content—they’re designed to be bite-sized and deliver a fast, targeted win for your audience.
Mini-courses typically start around $9 (although I don’t recommend starting that low) and can go up to $99. From my experience, having created online courses since 2004, the sweet spot is $27, $37, and $47. These price points are ideal for courses that are quick and easy to launch. So, if you’re pressed for time or resources but want to get something out quickly, a mini-course is the way to go!
Mini-courses are also great for lead generation. Their low price makes them an attractive entry point for new customers, allowing them to experience your method or teaching style. Plus, they’re easy to promote with Facebook ads, helping you build trust and authority in no time.
Drawbacks of a Mini Course
Since mini-courses are sold at a lower price point, you’ll need to aim for high sales volume to generate significant revenue. Otherwise, you’ll want to introduce higher-ticket offers on your upsell page to make sure you’re covering the time, effort, and Facebook ads budget you’ve invested.
Also, mini-courses typically cover just one specific topic or problem. So, if you’re looking to teach something more comprehensive, you may need to either combine multiple mini-courses into one larger offering or consider creating a group coaching program.
Let’s Look at High-Ticket Signature Courses
This is a premium offering, typically priced between $199 and $1,999, though I’ve seen some go as high as $5,000 to $10,000.
These types of courses are designed to provide a deep, transformative experience for your audience, giving them everything they need to achieve a significant outcome.
The great thing about high-ticket courses is that each sale generates far more revenue. Selling just a few spots at $1,999 can easily outperform the revenue you’d earn from selling dozens of mini-courses.
Signature courses allow participants to dive deep into a topic, often following a step-by-step process or framework that requires extensive teaching.
Another important point is that people tend to associate higher prices with higher value. Offering a high-ticket course positions you as an expert in your field and creates a sense of exclusivity around your program.
Drawbacks of a Signature Course
One of the obvious drawbacks of creating a signature course is that it takes time. I know some creators who spend six months developing their signature course. In my own experience, it took me at least three months to create mine, and that was after already creating a few mini-courses.
Another challenge with high-ticket courses is that selling them often requires both courage and a longer sales cycle. If you naturally consider yourself a strong salesperson, you might not need that extra courage or lengthy sales process, but for most of us, we tend to delay creating high-ticket offers because we’re unsure about pricing.
Finally, you need to build trust with your audience before they’re willing to invest a large sum in you. This often means you’ll need a variety of marketing strategies, such as webinars, sales calls, a full launch funnel, and maybe even a sales team to support your efforts.
So, Which One Should You Create?
I could say the answer depends on your goals, audience, and business strategy, but I want to be blunt: don’t start with a signature course—start with a mini course.
Why? Well, if you’re just starting out or want to create something quickly, a low-ticket mini course is likely your best bet. It’s easier to produce and helps you build your audience and revenue without a huge time commitment.
Once you’ve gained experience by creating several mini courses and learned how to drive traffic with paid ads, leveraging your offer into a signature course will be a no-brainer.
Even if you already have an audience, offering multiple mini courses won’t hurt. You can still provide a transformational experience with these bite-sized offers.
And if you’ve run live trainings or group coaching programs before and have enough experience to create a signature course, why not do both?
At the end of the day, both mini and signature courses have a place in a successful online business. Consider creating both—a mini course to attract leads and a high-ticket course to deliver deeper, more comprehensive results.
Happy Course Creating!