How to Create Tangible Transformations - Three Core Components Every Group Program Needs
Episode 476: Show Notes
We know our listeners are super smart, and there are tons of cool things you do every day, so maybe the best thing you can do today is to outline your group course! We have been in the teaching space for a while now, and Boss Project has recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. Go us! Interestingly, even though we have taught tons of people over the years, we haven’t shared that much about what we put out into the world. We teach a lot about business and marketing, but we have not really gone into course development that much. This is mostly because this is not everyone’s primary job.
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We have, however, noticed an influx of coaches, and actually, the majority of the people in the Creative Template Shop are coaches. While this is surprising, it is also really incredible because people are looking for connection and transformation, and they want someone to guide them in that process. Before we get started, we want to invite you to a party. All you need to do is open the Strategy Hour Podcast up in your favorite podcast app, give us five-star reviews only, and then share these screenshots on Instagram. You can win one of two great prizes, either a free copy of Trello for Business or a whole month free of the Creative Template Shop.
Anyone Can Run A Group Program
Abagail was designing her group program this time last year, and as she was walking her friend through the process, she realized there was actually a method to her madness. And, because she doesn’t like to keep secrets, she thought it was only fair to share it all with you! The beauty of coaching and sharing things in a group session is that you can scale your business in a much bigger way. Emylee started her learning membership this year, which has seen great success. Although it does not have a formal learning curriculum like conventional coaches, she was getting questions about how to make her products and found this to be the best way to teach. Because products in the handmade space are all so unique, educational materials can be hard to come by. So, finally, after years of feeling she had never had anything to say, Emylee threw her hat in the ‘coaching’ ring. So, even if you aren’t a coach or don’t want to create a course or structured digital learning curriculum, there are still some great takeaways for you. In fact, most of the principles are not that different from teaching education programs.
Figuring Out What You Will Put Out There
So, before we break down the content you need to include in your program, we must talk about how you can figure out what you will put out there in the world. The problem most creatives have when it comes to teaching is that it can be really tempting to want to do it all. But, as we know, creatives already have so much going on in their brains, it’s important just to get it out and onto some paper, otherwise it will simply keep on being a distraction. So, where do you start? Abagail encourages you to do a brain dump — think about the things you could teach, all the experiences you have had, and the life transformations you have gone through, and what out of that you could share with others. Once you have it out of your head, go to the end and think about the ultimate result you want someone on your program to have. What do you want them to adopt, create a new habit around or accomplish? By looking at the final outcome, you can whittle down the three to five major content concepts your course needs to include.
What It Takes to Run A Course
As someone with a lot of experience teaching, Abagail understands what it takes to run a group program. While a lot of people have the drive and desire, many also get stuck in analysis paralysis. This is because a lot of people believe they have to be at the final destination before sharing what they have learned. Luckily, here at Boss Project, we have never thought we needed that, and we have understood we could share what we knew because we were a few steps ahead of other people. We are not saying you can teach something you haven’t done before. You can’t just have your toe dipped in the pool; you have to be swimming in it so you can understand all the problems people might have. Perhaps you have to dig deep or think laterally about what skills you can teach, but you definitely have something worth sharing! As something that will take quite a bit of your time, you must teach something you find fun, that you are passionate about, and that’s easy.
The Three Crucial Things Every Group Program Needs
Ok, so now you know what you want to put out there, but what about the content? Sure, it’s natural to feel like you need to include a million things, but guess what? You absolutely don’t! In fact, we suggest you keep it as simple as possible. The first thing any course needs to provide is a quick win that should happen within the initial seven days of buying a program. Abagail starts her program with a four-day detox, where her clients can see results fast. By doing this, she gains trust quickly and really locks in the people who have signed up. When you can give people a piece of the final results pie, they are more likely to be motivated and inspired to stick with the program all the way through. You are giving them a taste of what's to come and establishing your expertise, all while getting the customer to feel really great about their purchase. Next up, it’s the core concept — What is the ultimate learning from your course? Members just need to know what lies in store for them. The final piece is the simplest, but most effective, and it’s about maintaining the core concept. This means getting the client to understand how they will maintain the new habit in their life. In order to do this, you have to think about the results, what you have promised, and understand simple ways to implement them. While there should be outcomes from every course, it's not necessary to have super-specific results. It does not have to be a number; it can be more of a feeling, if that is what works for you.
Structured Versus Unstructured Courses
Maybe you are a product-maker, and you have an idea to create a community that you don’t want to be heavily structured, what can you do? Emylee’s Maker Inside Club is a great example of this. She wants to show her members they can do things that are fun and light and that it is possible to create a course without hard-hitting results. Although her community is about having a great time and learning many new skills, some trade-offs come with a course that is less structured. Not only can it be more difficult to get testimonials, but it can also be harder to sustain memberships when people do not necessarily know what they will be getting all the time. This should not put you off though, because there is definitely room for more carefree communities, particularly at the lower cost end. Abagail, on the other hand, has a very structured program, but that’s because, in the health and wellness world, people need to have tangible outcomes that can be measured, and we hear about some of the unbelievable results Abagail has seen so far.
Courses That Create Change That Last
Ultimately, when people join courses, it’s because they want to learn something new. And when they are looking for a result, it’s because they want to show up differently. So, what does that mean when you are the one creating the course? This means that you have to give clients more than a one-time thing. This doesn’t necessarily mean creating tons of content, but people want something that will fuel them long-term, and that can really be something that becomes a part of their lives. Change is super hard, which is why people are coming to you. They want a person to walk alongside them, but you have to earn their trust by providing them something that works. So, don’t be afraid to look within and see what has worked for you, just like Abagail and Emylee have done, and you will be sure to build a course that really moves the needle.
Quote This
They want a person to walk alongside them, but you have to earn their trust by providing them something that works.
Highlights
Anyone Can Run A Group Program [0:05:05.1]
Figuring Out What You Will Put Out There. [0:07:44.1]
What It Takes to Run A Course [0:11:53.1]
The Three Crucial Things Every Group Program Needs [0:15:54.1]
Structured versus Unstructured Courses [0:27:49.1]
Courses That Create Change That Last [0:34:43.1]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Group Programs, Coaching, Education, Quick Wins, Results, Course Content, Structured Courses, Unstructured Courses
