Today, I’m kicking off a two-part series focused on designing and delivering high ticket group programs – and getting yours off the ground fast. So if you’re ready to leverage what you do and scale up your business, then you’re in the right place!
So in part 1 we’re going to be looking at planning a transformational journey for your clients and in part 2 we’ll go into creating a first-rate customer experience, because you need both. If you’re going to charge high-end prices, then it’s got to be absolutely rocking,
I love high ticket group programs because they offer leveraged delivery so you can earn more and work less whilst still impacting lots of people. And your clients get a healthy dose of your time without having to pay the premium of 1:1.
Over the next two episodes, I’m going to cover five steps that help you map out a high-end, premium level group program.
And I’m giving away a free workbook from our iSuccess Leveraged Business Accelerator vault, that you can use to work through all the steps and the exercises I’ll be outlining here. I’ve not done this kind of episode before – it’s kind of a podcast-driven course!
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Introduction – Why High Ticket Group Coaching Programs?
Let’s start by asking: why high ticket group programs? Well, for your customer, a group program is more affordable compared to working with you 1:1, and for you, it’s generally easier to sell a 1k or 2k program than a 10k or 20k 1:1 program or project engagement.
By having a high-ticket group program, your business grows in income, influence and impact.
Planning any kind of program for a high-end clientele involves time and creativity because you need to think about every little detail of the experience.
These clients are investing a large amount of money for your program so you better overdeliver. Some mistakes, oversights, or glitches can be excused in a lower level program but not usually with this kind of price point.
The clientele for high ticket group programs don’t want to hear excuses about why things didn’t work properly; they just want it fixed so they can move on with the program.
This level of clientele is also used to exquisite customer service; they want to be catered to. Not just handheld, they want to be treated almost like royalty.
So, your program has to reach a completely different level of professionalism, both in the type of content delivered but also in the design of your resources. Free webinar accounts will make these clients question your pricing as will offering beginner level information.
Knowing your audience is a huge part of your program’s success and if this is your first time scaling up, spend some extra time revisiting your Ideal Client Avatar (ICA). There’s a whole exercise dedicated to that task.
Really research and understand their problems and be sure your program offers their solution to set yourself up for success. As they say, “The devil’s in the details,” so pay extra attention to every detail.
To work through the exercises, here’s our iSuccess downloadable/printable workbook – the Group Program Planner workbook for you to use to record all your brainstorming and planning.
Let’s get started planning!
Step One: Confidently Build Your Audience’s Transformational Journey
It’s not enough to simply put up a sales page and list the benefits of your high-end coaching programs. Frankly, that approach doesn’t work too well even for much less expensive products.
Your audience wants to know the deeper reason – the WHY – they should invest with you. What’s in it for them?
You need to focus on the END RESULTS. How can you transform their lives? What journey can your customer expect once they send payment? This story or journey needs to be compelling.
A group program that solves a specific problem and has a reliable framework or roadmap to the desired end result is going to be super appealing for your prospective clients. They need to believe that end result is possible for themselves.
Of course, your promises need to be realistic and capable of delivery. A health coach teaching how to lose 20 pounds in 10 days walks the fine line of being called a charlatan for promising things that can’t safely be guaranteed.
But a business coach who promises that your accounting process will be reorganized and functional in 4 weeks is much more realistic. It’s clear that these students can achieve this result provided they attend the calls and do the homework.
When you’re thinking about the transformation journey, think more about the OUTCOME instead of the tactics. Yes, you should organize your tactics to serve as a roadmap for your program, but also think about the physical transformation your clients will experience.
Not only will your clients learn specific information that will help them, but their mindset will also change:
- They’ll develop more confidence to achieve their goals.
- They’ll see more into their blindspots.
- They’ll have renewed self-esteem after reaching a goal they thought was impossible.
- They’ll experience relief after dealing with a difficult person or problem.
These are the experiences your clients want to hear about.
Your clients want reassurance that you have the answers and can teach them how to handle challenges or situations on their own with these new skills. This is the transformation they’re dreaming of so they can continue achieving their goals long after your group program has ended.
While you start thinking about what your end results will be, it’s time to revisit your Ideal Client Avatar (ICA).
For any high-end coaching program, your ICA will be vastly different from that of your eBook readers. Your high end ICAs may have traveled through your sales funnel and begun as an eBook reader, but you’re going to market this program much differently than an eBook or lower priced item, so your message MUST get in front of these higher end customers.
The only way to do that is to know them: Their goals, where they spend their time online, their income level, their biggest struggles.
As you know, not everyone will be a suitable fit for your program. Even if they fit 4 out of 5 demographic boxes, you need to be clear and spell out EXACTLY who your ICA is and who it is not.
And there’s nothing wrong with stating this as part of your FAQ or directly on your sales page. This way of pre-qualifying candidates can save you time if people read your list of criteria and decide this isn’t the right program for them.
- Who do YOU want to work with most?
- From your experience, what type of person has the most success in your program?
- What type of person has the least success?
- What kind of time commitment is necessary to complete the program successfully?
Lay it all out in black and white.
The more details your prospective clients have, the easier they can decide if your program is the right fit. Once they qualify themselves, taking that next step to join will be easier.
Exercise: Audience Analysis
Review your current avatar and make any shifts so that the clients you’re targeting are a perfect fit and can easily pay the hefty price tag, so they stay committed to the program for the long haul.
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Current Ideal Client Avatar:
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What differences (if any) are there between your current ICA and your high-end ICA? Describe your high-end ICA.
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Describe the person who will be successful with this program. Include specific personality traits, goals, etc.
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Describe the person who will NOT be successful with this program.
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Describe the Top 3 problems/pain points your high-end ICA is experiencing.
Exercise: Promise Identification
- What’s your clients’ state of mind when they join your program?
- What are their biggest struggles?
- How do they view themselves currently?
- Who do they want to “become”?
- What will the beginning weeks of your program focus on?
- What type of changes do you expect to see in your clients?
- What will the central weeks of your program focus on?
- What type of changes do you expect to see in your clients?
- What will the last weeks of your program focus on?
- What type of changes do you expect to see in your clients?
- How should clients view themselves by the end?
- What’s the overall GOAL of your program?
Exercise: Your Laser-Focused Offer
· Describe your ideal client for this program in one sentence.
· List keywords and phrases that will ATTRACT your ideal client.
· Describe the personality traits of your ideal client.
· Where can you find your ideal client?
· Describe the traits of an UNSUCCESSFUL candidate.
· List keywords and phrases that will REPEL unqualified candidates.
· Describe the personality traits of your unsuccessful candidate.
· List some ‘warning signs’ of unfit candidates.
Step two: Building A Magnetic Program That They Can’t Ignore
Creating a high-class group program that is actually scalable IS possible for you; but before you can generate the high-end clients, you need to get clarity on how this experience is going to massively shift their life (and yours!).
It’s time to brainstorm and dream big! You know which topic you’ll cover but now it’s time to decide on the HOW.
Will you implement your biggest dreams of hosting a tropical retreat right away? Maybe not. But keep this brainstorm list fluid and keep your mind open to the possibilities.
As you are brainstorming, just write down ALL the ways that intrigue you about running high ticket group programs.
List your practical ideas but also think about what you’d LOVE to offer that seems just out of reach right now. No editing allowed with this list!
While you’re brainstorming, keep track of which ideas get YOU excited. Selling becomes easier when your excitement and enthusiasm shines through to your ideal audience.
So, when you get to the editing part of this list, definitely sort out those ideas that make you cringe or feel deflated. Save them for another time when you might be more open to those ideas.
Once you decide on the basics of the program, it’s time to dig into the details.
- How many sessions?
- How many months?
- Are there key dates that you need to reserve or work around, such as holidays?
- How will you actually deliver the content to your participants?
Keep in mind, that just because you’re dreaming BIG doesn’t mean you have to jump straight to the most expensive or biggest idea you have.
The idea of ‘scaling’ your program is that you can certainly start small, get feedback from your participants, and then make changes before you launch it again. If you’ve never held a group program before, consider this option. Go with your gut but don’t stress yourself out thinking you need all the bells and whistles all at once.
Now explore if you have the technology needed to put this program together.
- Do you need to protect some of the content on your website with certain plugins?
- Do you need a membership space that’s outside of Facebook Groups?
- Do you have any software currently that you can use for these functions?
- Do you need to hire a technology expert to help you set this up?
Consider speaking to a tech expert in a discovery consult to talk out your ideas and get a feel for whether it’s possible to make your ideas reality…along with how much it will cost.
As you finalize these details, don’t forget about pricing and creating a name for this program. Your pricing should NOT be an arbitrary number picked from thin air.
Consider how much you’re investing to create it (outsourcing, technology, your time, etc.) along with how much time your clients get to spend with YOU throughout the duration of the program.
The more private access they have to you, the higher the value and the price tag.
Take a quick glance at some competitors to see what they’re charging for similar programs. Keep in mind, however, that high-end pricing may not be visible on a standard sales page and you also don’t know if your competitors are actually getting that price.
Maybe they’re running steep discounts, offering VIP pricing to select people, or had to reschedule for lack of interest. Do your research but go with your gut and what the market will bear.
When it comes to naming your program, think hard.
How can you make the name memorable yet describe what your clients will receive?
How can you make it sexy and fun, so it doesn’t sound the same as a competing program?
Brainstorm some ideas but if you get stumped, ask some friends to be sounding boards or to brainstorm with you.
And feel free to drop me an email or message on our FB group and share your program titles – tell me a bit about your program for the context and I’ll whizz back some ideas. I love doing that brainstorming with my clients.
Often I’ll come up with something totally out of the box and it helps you to know what resonates and what doesn’t, something to push against.
You’ve got a lot of brainstorming going on here anyway, but hopefully you’ll hit on something that excites you.
Your gut will tell you when you hit the jackpot. So don’t stress about it, avoid going round and round in circles. Pick something, run with it, live with it a while. If you don’t like it you can always rename it later.
Exercise: Program Experience Checklist
Brainstorm what features you want to include with this group program. How do you want to build community with this group? Check off the ideas from the checklist that you like but then add in your own creative ideas. No idea is too big or too small.
Again this is all in the Group Program Planner workbook for you to use for your brainstorming and planning.
Current Popular Ideas
- Zoom or webinar group calls
- Office hours
- Co-working sessions
- In-person retreats
- In-person meetups (if clients are local)
- Digital resources, like:
- Workbooks
- Templates
- Checklists
- Training modules
- Hot seat sessions for each participant
- 1:1 private strategy session for each participant
- Client case studies
- Private forum for asking questions and networking
- Accountability partners
- Audio lessons with transcripts
- Video lessons with transcripts
These are the kinds of features that can feel very value-added for your high-end people.
So you need to decide what’s right for your program and your participants. You don’t have to provide all of them, for sure, in fact even for high-ticket group programs, overstuffing it could get overwhelming. Pick the ones that help them get more insights not just other forms of the same information.
Exercise: Dig into the Details
Brainstorm the details and logistics of your program.
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How long will your program run?
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Weeks? Months?
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List some ideal dates.
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List any holidays, vacations, school breaks, family events or other dates that you want to avoid.
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Virtual or in person?
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How will you deliver learning resources?
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How will you hold your group sessions?
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For in person, do you need to rent space?
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For in person, do you need to book lodging?
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For in person, do you need to order food or book a caterer?
Exercise: Tech Identification
Examine your technology. What programs do you already have that you can use for this program? What do you want/need to upgrade? What do you need to purchase new and learn how to use?
| Purpose |
I have |
Need to upgrade |
Need to purchase |
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Admin Tools (contracts, payments, scheduling, etc.) |
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Communication Tools (audio, video, SMS, etc.) |
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Content Delivery (coaching platforms, autoresponder, etc.) |
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Lead Capture/Opt-in Capabilities
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Internet security & firewall
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Password keeper
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Project Management Tools
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Exercise: The Selling Staircase
Research what similar programs and competitors are charging so you can evaluate what your market will accept. Also remember to focus on the sweet spot: The price your market can afford and is willing to pay and also feels in alignment with your own value.
Scope Out the Competition – look at three programs and list the program details, pricing, and features
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How is your program DIFFERENT?
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Calculate the value of the tools and resources you’re providing.
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Calculate the value of YOUR time.
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Calculate your outsourcing costs.
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Calculate the value of the entire program.
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Does this align with other market prices?
Exercise: Craft the Perfect Name
Identify keywords that pack a punch based on the solution you’re providing with the program.
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What solution are you providing with this program?
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What keywords and adjectives describe your solution?
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What keywords and adjectives describe your Ideal Client?
Try some combinations of those things. You really want the program name to be clear and memorable. You can always use a tagline to say more specifically what the program is about and who it’s for. So here are some naming tips:
- Use alliteration
- Use rhyming or repetitive sounds
- Express the benefits, results, or solutions of your program
- Make it easy to say and spell
- Express who you are and who you help
DO NOT USE:
- Cute or funny names
- Names that are difficult to say/pronounce
CHECK FOR:
- Trademarks
- Available domain
Summary and Next Steps
So where we’ve got to in this part 1 is steps 1 and 2. And it’s going to give you a really great design, and an outline for the structure of your program. This is very important foundation work. Next week, we’ll move onto part 2 where we’ll start crafting out the curriculum and delivery model for your program.
We’ll finish up this two-part series with step 5 about the process that’s going to build rapport and excitement for people once they’ve signed up for your program.
It’s part of your welcome and onboarding, which should pinpoint the exact process you use to get somebody on board, get them excited, get them the access to the systems they need and get them that commitment to really go into the program full of anticipation, expectation and willingness to do the work.
Remember that onboarding a new client is not just about paperwork. It’s really all part of where a great customer experience with you really starts.
I can’t wait to finish what we started here …. Til next week!
