Written by: Jordan Schanda King, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Hey there, CEO. I see you ready to take your business to the next level, but running yourself ragged trying to figure out how to get there. Maybe you’ve been told 1:1 is the only way to grow, or maybe you’re just completely confused on what direction to take ‒ are courses, memberships, or a group program the best option? There’s so many voices out there, so let’s cover the basics of these options.
Courses Vs. Memberships Vs. Group Programs I'll tell it to you straight ‒ each of these has pros and cons. They all have the potential to help you build your business but there are also a few things to consider before you decide. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each, then I’ll let you know which one is my favorite at the end (though, I’m sure you already guessed it 😉)
Online Courses have a lot going for them, but also a lot against them. Here’s a quick summary:
PRO: Self-paced and self-led (which can be convenient for your clients)
PRO: Typically a more affordable option for your clients compared to 1:1 or group work
PRO: Passive income for you ‒ once the course is created, you don’t have to personally deliver it and people can sign up and take the course on their own time
CON: Require a ton of upfront work to create the content
CON: Don’t typically include any kind of community or personal support
CON: Low completion rate >> You won’t have as many people making the promised transformation and becoming raving fans, happy clients, and sharing testimonials
Memberships are often thought of as a quick cash injection in your business, but are they really? Take a look:
PRO: Combination of support AND education
PRO: Keep your clients engaged with any new content that you are creating
PRO: Rolling enrollment allows your clients to sign up and engage at anytime during the year
CON: Don’t provide nearly as much opportunity for connection because members aren’t journeying together at the same time toward the same goal
CON: Low monthly cost means that you have to find A LOT more members to make an impact on your revenue
CON: They require a TON of ongoing work in terms of marketing and retention
Group Programs are by far my favorite option ‒ whoops, I guess I didn't wait until the end to share my opinion, but let's look at all they have going for them:
PRO: Offer a combination of education, customized support, and peer accountability
PRO: Quicker and often more powerful transformation for your clients because they can witness what others in the group are struggling with, overcoming, and accomplishing
PRO: Allow you to track your clients’ progress in real-time and offer the support they need to keep making progress
PRO: Give your clients direct access to you at typically a more affordable price than 1:1 work
PRO: More intimate community which creates deep connections and relationships. This is because there is a set start and end time for the program and set number of members who all journey together from start to finish
PRO: Save you a TON of time and allow you to make MORE money doing what you love!
CON: They aren’t passive – you do have to support your clients in real-time. BUT this is balanced out by the fact that they are a much more efficient use of your time compared to 1:1 work and don’t require you to constantly enroll clients like memberships If you’ve heard me talk about group programs before, I may sound like a bit of a broken record here, but I think group programs are the BEST option for most businesses. Surprise, right? So if you’re ready to start and scale yours, let’s dive into the next steps.
How To Launch Your Group Program First of all cheers to you if you've decided to launch a group coaching program 👏👏👏 As you now know, group programs are one of the most powerful ways to scale your business AND support your clients. But I find that many people are overwhelmed and intimidated by the HOW. These 5 tips will help you get started: 1⃣. Plan your content. Before you get started on marketing your program, ask yourself what you will cover in your program (but don’t worry about getting it perfect). I recommend mapping it out as a list of broad topics and keeping it VERY flexible. 2⃣. Decide how long your group program will be. Some programs are better suited for a short time frame (think 6 weeks) while others are best for longer time frames (like 6 months). Here's my go-to rule of thumb: Programs focused on providing education and jumpstarting someone’s journey should be shorter. Programs focused on providing ongoing support around a specific situation or time in their life should be longer. 3⃣. Decide what the investment will be to join your group. If you are in the beginning stages, it’s totally OK to start at a lower entry level price and increase as your confidence grows, just make sure that the price aligns with what's included. Put a value to each piece of your offer to give yourself a starting point and adjust up or down from there. 4⃣. Create a launch plan for your program. Be sure to think about where your audience is hanging out, what you can commit to doing consistently, and plan it all in advance so you aren't scrambling. And remember ‒ your mindset and excitement are critical to the success of your launch. So make sure you're fully aligned and confident in your offer! Alright, so you're all-in on creating a group, but you still have more questions about how to actually do the thing? I got you.
Sign up for my totally free masterclass all about How to Scale with a Group Program.
In just 38 minutes ‒ because ain't no one got time for a 1-2 hour training, I'll walk you through:
An introduction to group programs and some important definitions
How group programs can set you up for long term passive income in a way that no one is talking about
Some key questions to ask yourself as you envision and develop your program
And finally, the nuts and bolts of creating an experience to wow your clients (and save you time)!
Sign up now and let's launch this group of yours!
Jordan Schanda King, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jordan Schanda King is a serial entrepreneur and expert at business optimization. Since starting her first business in 2013, she has published a book, founded and co-founded multiple businesses, developed and led group programs in three industries, filed copyrights on multiple products, and successfully sold a business. Now Jordan runs a Contract COO agency, Easy Scaling, specializing in full business management for women who are scaling their service-based businesses. With an all-female team of VAs, OBMs, Copywriters, Marketers, Social Media Managers, and Tech Gurus, they help female founders scale without burning out so that they can build a sustainable business that they love.
