Do you use mini-courses in your online marketing? If not then maybe you should! Mini-courses are an important part of Internet marketing. A mini-course is a tool that enables you to provide valuable content to your subscribers and promote your own or affiliate products at same time.

A mini-course is fr*ee information on a specific topic. It is normally distributed as multiple articles in e-mail format over a defined period of time. The mini-course also goes by name eCourse, free report or autoresponder course.

Before attempting to write your mini-course, identify a “niche market” that has a unique need for information. A niche market is a small segment of total general market. It is a group of individuals with a common interest that have specific wants and needs. Individuals in a niche market may also have a common problem that needs a solution.

Creating a mini-course is similar to creating an ebook but on a smaller scale. You need to select a “killer” topic that is of interest to your niche market and satisfies a want or need or solves a problem.

There is an unlimited amount of information that can be used in a mini-course. The key is to know what information to use. What information do most people want? Individuals look for informational products that satisfy their most important wants or needs. This includes information on: how to do something, money, time, work, health, self-improvement, entertainment, hobbies and sex.

How can you find your killer topic?

* Listen to your customers. Look for problems they are experiencing when they communicate with you. * Conduct a survey of your customers and visitors to your website and ask for comments. * Join niche discussion boards and chat rooms. What items are discussed on a repeating basis? * Subscribe to article announcement lists in your niche and identify key topics being published.

Next, look for common issues or problems in information you have collected. Can you solve any of them? If not, locate an expert that can help you.

Identify creative and useful solutions to issues or problems. Develop an outline to be used as a guide in writing your mini-course. Perform necessary research to obtain information you need for mini-course. Present your information in a manner that satisfies wants and needs or solves common problem of your niche market.

You need to have a killer title to grab interest of your visitors. Select a title that compels your visitor to want to see your report. You want your visitor to request report, download it, read it and purchase your product offerings.

All of your work in creating mini-course is of no use if nobody reads it. You want a title that reaches out and pulls individual into downloading your course. Instead of using a title like “My Report on Golf ” use something like “How to Take Strokes Off Your Golf Game.” Which title is more likely to grab interest of high handicap golfer?

Once you have attention of your audience you want to be able to keep them. The opening paragraph must excite your reader and make them want to know more. Use an opening sentence that pulls them into your report like “Everything you ever wanted to know about improving your golf game and more!” Your opening paragraph also needs to define main objective that will be presented in your mini-course.