Creating a group program might seem hard – where do you start?

Just thinking about turning your one-on-one coaching into a bigger, moneymaking program can feel scary.

You’ll ask yourself many questions:

How should I organize it?
What should I put in it?
How do I get people to join?
How do I get people to stay interested and finish the program?
Which parts of my coaching will get results in a group setting?

Don’t worry! Going from coaching one person at a time to leading a group isn’t as tough as it sounds.

Actually, it’s doable (and fun!) if you plan and work at it in smart little steps.

Group programs – how to go about creating your first:

Transforming Your 1:1 Coaching Into a Group Program

Moving from one-on-one coaching to group sessions is an exciting transition. But how do you ensure your successful individual program translates well into a group coaching format?

Here’s what you need to know.

The Role of Outcomes In Group Programs

Your first task is identifying outcomes. What goals have clients achieved through your one-on-one coaching program?
These are not just any achievements – we’re talking about life-changing transformations like making their company profitable or overcoming self-doubt and becoming confident.

These accomplishments will become the desired results of your new group program.

Achieving Goals Through Blueprint Creation

Time to reverse-engineer the steps needed to reach your objectives a.k.a the transformation/s you bring to your clients.
How did most people reach these objectives under your guidance?
What tools did you use to help them?

Create a blueprint outlining this process and how it uses the tools. Break down the tools into logical chunks with the same outcome for the client.
List the outcomes in a logical order of achievement. For example, before they work on shifting limiting beliefs, they have to find out what they are.
So the session to find out what your limiting beliefs are comes before the part where you teach how to get over limiting beliefs.

Once finished, the blueprint or sequence of tasks/tools/skills in logical order, will serve as the foundation for each session in your online group coaching program.
Since your program is still new keep an open mind and shift the content/support whenever you can.

 

Bonuses: A Key To Success In Group Coaching

Adding bonuses is important when you create a group coaching program. You want to create bonuses because they will help you serve a wider audience.
For example, if you work with people who are stressed and want to leave their jobs and start their own businesses, some will have already left their jobs others not.
You could create a bonus that helps clients quit their jobs/or go part-time to transition into business owners. So that in your group program, everyone can follow
the same program whilst some are catching up on those things they don’t have in place yet.

Your bonuses can also be items that encourage people to buy. Perhaps some people in your audience would like more support. So you can entice them to buy by creating bonuses such as:

• A 1:1 strategy call
• Extra Q&A time during calls
• VIP access to recorded sessions

 

Grow your list with ads

The journey to a successful group coaching program begins long before the first session. It starts by building an audience of potential clients, and one powerful tool for this is advertising. Many online gurus will tell you”the money is on the list” and that is true if you take good care of it.

Packing Power in Your Email List

An email list isn’t just a collection of addresses; it’s direct access to people who are interested in what you’re offering. Generally, a list between 1,500 and 2,500 engaged subscribers can make all the difference to your launch. However, it all depends on how engaged they are. You must make sure you have an email marketing strategy to keep them interested.

Amping Up Growth With Ads

If 1,500 to 2,500 subscribers sounds like a lot it’s probably because you’re thinking of reaching those figures organically. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to reach these figures when you’re a new coach organically. You can hope to get regular subscribers if you have organic SEO traffic to your website or you run online ads to a lead magnet.

Enter paid advertisements.
When used strategically on platforms like Facebook Ads or Google AdWords, they allow you to reach out directly to your ideal client. The ad platforms allow you to target specific demographics and interests so you can target the kind of people that would be interested in your program. When you put a lead magnet in front of such an audience you will start getting registrations and growing your list.

 

Crafting Click-Worthy Content

Your ad needs more than good looks, it has to inspire action. A compelling call-to-action (CTA), coupled with benefits-focused copywriting, will drive sign-ups for your mailing list better than any pretty picture ever could.

Growing an email list through effective ad campaigns is half the battle won. The next challenge lies in keeping these new leads warm until launch day arrives. Regularly sending valuable content via emails helps maintain their interest level towards participating actively in upcoming group sessions.

 

 

Grow a Facebook Group

A thriving Facebook group can be an absolute game-changer for your coaching business. Creating and nurturing a Facebook group can be highly rewarding if you have the commitment to do so.

This platform provides a unique opportunity for coaches like yourself to build meaningful relationships with potential clients and foster discussions that revolve around your area of expertise – whether it’s natural resource management or personal development. It can also turn strangers into fans quite quickly especially if you run free training in your group. However, this is a very intensive strategy which requires a lot of time and bandwidth.

 

The Power of Community Building

A Facebook Group, at its core, is all about community building. When done right, these groups become vibrant hubs where members actively participate in conversations relevant to their interests.

In essence, as people engage more within the group and see value from their participation (like identifying money blocks through one-on-one sessions), they naturally develop trust towards you as a coach, which eventually helps them transition into becoming paid participants in your planned bank or freshman interest group program includes offerings. However, beware in 2023 you will struggle to get the visibility we enjoyed in previous years. You can use the @everyone tag but some people hate it and see it as spammy.

 

Cultivating Your Online Tribe

Growing such communities requires careful planning and execution. Start by understanding what motivates members – use polls or surveys within the space to get insights on what content resonates best with them; remember providing valuable resources should always take precedence over blatant self-promotion here. Consistent engagement is very important for visibility. Gone are the days when you could pop in once a week and just make a post or two. To keep people engaged you could use any of the following:

• exclusive webinars,
• live Q&A sessions,
• personalized feedback
  etc

 

Boosting Your Website Traffic: The How-To Guide

Ramping up your website traffic is a vital part of selling an online group coaching program. If you have to pay for every lead you get you will always be stuck with high expenses in your launches, and won’t have a very profitable business.

Blogging and SEO: A Dynamic Duo

The first step on this journey?
Creating regular, valuable content through blogging.

Blogs not only provide value to your audience but also help establish trust within the industry, setting the stage for successful Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
SEO involves optimizing various elements on your web pages such as meta descriptions using your best keywords so that search engines like Google can understand them, index them and serve them to people searching for programs like yours.

Keyword Research

To really nail down SEO in blog posts or other webpage content, keyword research should be at the top of your list. Tools such as the Mangools Keyword Finder will become fast friends – they’ll help identify phrases potential clients might use when looking for services similar to yours.

Putting these targeted keywords in the right place within your site and articles helps increase your content’s visibility in relevant searches, thereby attracting more visitors to your website.

Fresh Content Regularly: Keep ‘Em Coming Back For More.

Last but certainly not least – keep those blogs coming. Consistently updating fresh material keeps both readers and search engines coming back to your site. Search engine algorithms love active management, which boosts rankings over time, while valuable information attracts repeat visits from interested users.

 

Building Your Authority: A Crucial Step

Achieving credibility is essential for becoming a highly respected coach; this will foster trust with potential customers and help you to differentiate yourself.
Garnering your audience’s trust is essential in order to be noticed among the competition.

Dive into Blogging (this time for authority’s sake)

Starting a blog can be an effective way of sharing valuable content related to group coaching programs. Not only does this showcase your expertise, but it also helps boost organic traffic through SEO optimization on topics like “successful group coaching program” or “group sessions.”

Publishing That Book You’ve Always Wanted To Write

You might think writing a book is daunting – don’t worry. Even short ebooks can effectively demonstrate credibility. You can make it as small or large a project as you desire.

Create Engaging YouTube Videos

Videos are an engaging way to establish your expertise. YouTube, helps you reach audiences who prefer video-based learning – especially if your audience is not the reading type, you can capture their interest with video and add all the trust triggers to your script. Use testimonials to show social proof and case studies to describe the results you achieve. Maintaining consistency and giving value are the two foundations of trust-building through video.

 

Taking The Podcast Route

If video sounds like too much exposure to you, Podcasting might be your thing. Hosting podcasts gives you the opportunity to discuss relevant topics that attract your audience. You can also host guest experts who will enhance the quality and credibility of your podcast, increase listener engagement and also rub off some of their authority on you.

 

 

Build your brand on social media

As an expert or coach, you need to build your Brand on social media. More specifically – your personal brand!
Personal branding is an important part of how you control the way people perceive you on social media and on your website. This is key to whether you will sell your program or not.

The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling is key for your personal brand to be captivating to the crowd. Sharing personal experiences or success stories not only humanizes your brand but also illustrates what joining your program might look like for them.

Storytelling techniques on social and on video can be very powerful tools that help create meaningful connections between you and your prospective clients. The more people get yo know who you are and why you do what you do, how you’ve helped people and how you learnt what you share today, the more authority you will garner.

Finding Your Brand Voice

In order to stand out among other coaches or experts offering similar services, finding a unique voice is crucial.
As a coach with a personal brand you need to know yourself and your ‘persona’ well and be able to convey it through copy, imagery and video.

Maintaining Consistency Across Platforms

Beyond being consistent with messaging, visual branding plays its own role too, especially when promoting private coaching packages or group programs.

To enhance recognition among audiences, try using the same color schemes and fonts across various channels, including Facebook groups that actively participate in discussions related to natural resource management topics perhaps? Just remember: credibility builds over time, so be patient during these initial stages.

 

 

 

Start Engaging Your Audience Early

The effectiveness of a group coaching program is heavily influenced by how you engage with potential clients. You should kick-start this process at least six weeks before the launch.

The Value of Starting Early

Beginning the engagement process early will create a sense of anticipation and enthusiasm, encouraging your audience to stay involved as you customize the program according to their needs. It makes them feel valued, keeps them intrigued, and increases their likelihood of participating in your upcoming group program.

This interaction also gives you an opportunity to better understand their needs so that you can customize the personal group program accordingly. The more aligned it is with their requirements, the higher its perceived value will be.

Tactics for Effective Audience Engagement

To get started on engagement activities, ensure all communication channels are open between yourself and prospective participants – emails or social media platforms could serve as effective mediums for this purpose. 

You might consider sharing sneak peeks into what they’ll gain from being part of a successful group coaching program or offering free resources related to it like eBooks or guides which would establish trust among potential clients.

You can also offer live Q and A sessions covering similar topics to your group program to help give people a little taster.
These strategies collectively enhance the overall user experience, aligning client expectations which results in higher conversion rates, participation numbers, and successful program outcomes.

 

Run a Free Training

Pulling off an engaging, value-packed free training can be your golden ticket to fill up those group coaching slots. You could go the webinar route or create an exciting challenge that’s irresistible for your audience.

The Magic of Webinars

A webinar is more than just another online meeting; it’s a dynamic space where you get to show potential clients how much they stand to gain from joining your group program. It gives them insight into what working with you would look like and helps build trust in your expertise.

To make this happen, plan meticulously: sketch out key points, design visually appealing slides, and rehearse until everything runs smoothly. Remember – it’s not only about sharing knowledge but also forming connections with future participants in the planned bank group program including sessions.

Crafting Engaging Challenges

If webinars aren’t quite right for you or if you’re selling a topic that needs deeper understanding before they buy, consider hosting a free challenge. A challenge is a structured activity broken up into 30-minute (or shorter) training sessions over 2 to 5 days, designed around achieving specific goals under professional guidance.

Your challenges should mirror the outcomes promised by your group coaching program. This approach offers tangible results upfront while giving prospects firsthand experience of learning with you within a group setting. You’re essentially letting them sample their potential journey before making any commitments. 

 

 

Find collaborations to support you

Strategic partnerships are an excellent way to grow your reach fast!

Pick the Right Partners

The first thing on your agenda should be finding potential collaborators who align with what you’re offering in terms of values and target audience. These could range from other coaches providing complementary services or businesses catering to a similar market segment as yours. Avoid competitors of course!

Nurture those Relationships

Once you have identified suitable partners, it’s time for some relationship-building. Remember that collaboration is not just about gaining benefits for yourself; think also about how you can contribute positively towards their work or audience.

Create Opportunities Beneficial for Both Parties

A successful partnership thrives on mutual benefit. Propose collaborative projects like joint webinars, co-created content, or cross-promotion of each other’s products/services across social media platforms – anything that brings value to both parties involved.

Evaluate Your Collaborations Regularly

Last but definitely not least: always measure success. Make sure there are agreed-upon metrics in place so everyone knows exactly what they’re working towards (and more importantly), whether they’ve achieved it yet. This way, every partner stays accountable while simultaneously learning valuable insights into future collaborations’ potential.

Add Some Great Bonuses, like freebies – this will help you measure the outcome from each collaborator more easily.

Bonuses are a brilliant way to enhance your group coaching program and foster a sense of urgency among potential clients. These can include additional support, such as one-on-one sessions or resources that prepare people for purchase.

1. Offer Additional Support as Bonuses

The first bonus strategy is to provide additional support in the form of personalized advice during individualized sessions – a little something we call “one-on-one coaching”. This kind of individualized attention demonstrates your commitment to each participant, making them feel valued and not just another number.

This kind of personal attention sets you apart from other coaches who might offer generic guidance without any customization – it’s all about showing how much you care.

2. Address Readiness Blocks

A second type of bonus could be helping prospective clients identify their readiness blocks – those issues or fears that prevent them from committing to your program – often referred to as objections.

If your group coaching program involves overcoming money-related obstacles, offering an exclusive session dedicated to identifying these blockers would add immense value. It directly addresses objections prospects may have about investing in themselves through programs like yours by tackling concerns head-on with actionable solutions, effectively removing barriers between them and their commitment to joining your course.

3. Bonuses: The Catalysts for Action

In conclusion, adding well-thought-out bonuses makes successful group coaching programs even better by enhancing their overall appeal while creating urgency among potential enrollees. Creating this sense of immediacy when selling online courses encourages quicker decision-making, which ultimately leads to higher enrollment rates – now, isn’t that what every coach dreams of?

Ready to launch your own group program?

Our transformative coaching program helps coaches like you not only understand these strategies but also implement them effectively in their businesses.

If you’re ready to create impactful group programs that elevate your online coaching business, let’s talk!

We can help you create a clear strategy based on your strengths, create content ahead of time, and support you during the launch. Book a Free Consult here

 

 

———————— About the Author: 

Hi, I’m Stephanie, a Digital Marketing Coach and Business Mentor for Coaches. I’m the creator of the Profitable Content Marketing Method™ and host of the Profitable Online Coaching Podcast. I help coaches generate more leads and clients through organic and paid marketing whilst helping them build a business that makes good money with ease. My clients get fully booked with just a handful of enjoyable marketing hours per week!

I have over 15 years of experience building businesses, growing website traffic, writing blogs, creating social media campaigns, launching group programs and generating leads for my 1:1 practice. As well as ranking articles, videos, and podcasts on the first page of Google. I also managed the content and web dev team in my agency for over 10+ years.

I can teach you how to create content that will convert your visitors into discovery call bookings, every time. Let’s Talk

 

 

FAQs in Relation to Group Program

What is a group program?

A group program is a structured learning experience where multiple participants engage together, guided by an expert or coach. It’s designed to help members achieve specific goals through shared experiences and peer interaction.

How do I create a group program?

To create a group program, start by defining your objectives. Then design content that meets these goals, structure the delivery timeline, decide on pricing and marketing strategies, and finally launch the program.

How long should a group coaching program be?

The length of a group coaching program can vary based on its purpose. Typically, they last anywhere from 6 weeks to several months for comprehensive transformational programs.

How does group coaching work?

In Group Coaching, an expert/coach leads multiple individuals towards common objectives via regular sessions. These may include interactive discussions, exercises, or activities designed to promote personal growth and development.