Five best practices for group programs that rock

Are you starting to develop programs to attract clients in groups? When I first started offering group courses, I had a mix of people who were at different levels. While the programs were successful with a blended group, I definitely felt it would be better to create specific courses that met different needs. Each time I delivered the program, I changed things here and there to improve them.

I want to share my best practices for developing strong group programs so that you don’t have to struggle to figure out what works. These details give you the basic structure and you can fill in from here depending on what type of service you provide and to attract clients you want.

1. Put Similar People in Groups. For my clients, it became clear that everyone would benefit being with people at a similar business level. Today, as you know I have the Growth Track for start-ups, the Leverage Track for people ready to scale their business and get past the overwhelm, and the Multiplier Track for those who want to play a much bigger game. Think about the people you serve and how they fall into different groups to see what will work for your practice.

2. Different Content. Depending on where your clients are at with their businesses, the content will vary. Using my own business as an example, start-ups need a lot more “how-to’s” and content for business basics. But clients in the Leverage Track need a lot more strategy to achieve their goals. Be aware of these differences in what the groups need so you can serve them best and attract clients to each one.

3. Live Vs. Virtual Meetings. Along with all the virtual sessions, live meetings help the groups mesh and start to lean on each other. Members are there to support each other and this is really solidified when they can spend a couple of days together.

4. Be a Strong Leader. One thing I found was how important it is to be decisive and a strong leader. At the beginning I would sometimes ask the group, “What do you think?” Then members felt entitled to have a different opinions and some would be upset when I didn’t choose their idea. Avoid this issue by being decisive for the group.

5. Accountability and Collaboration. People want a lot of accountability and collaboration. Finding a buddy can help members stay on track and keep their word about what they want to accomplish. Any opportunity to get support and work together is very important.

Your Assignment:
If you haven’t started developing your group programs, yet, you now have a solid foundation to build from. On the other hand, if you have already been running groups, these best practices give you the opportunity to fine tune things. Having the right programs serves your clients and strengthens your offerings to attract clients and expand your business.