Why You Don't Need Another Course

The first meeting of Course Buyers Anonymous has come to order, you belong here if you have been guilty of purchasing courses to solve your problems, going through the first few modules, then dropping them like bad habit, because you bought another course.

Are you guilty of this? Buying a course, starting the course, quitting the course, then buying another course that does the same thing.

Don’t get me wrong, I love buying courses, I’ve bought many courses over the years, some I finished, some I didn’t. When I take a step back and look at all the money I’ve spent on courses I never completed- it makes me tear up a little.

People buy courses because the marketing is spot on, the sales process is easy, and the course promises to help you achieve your goals and dreams.

Where most of these courses and programs are missing the mark is the people component. Part of the value stack of just about every single course is the course itself, a facebook community, and workbooks for implementation. None of this is necessarily wrong, but there is something missing in the equation… accountability and help with implementation.

Most people buy a course when what they really need is a mastermind or coaching program, because it’s what they can afford. When you stop to look at how much money you spend on courses doing the same thing, you could easily afford coaching or a mastermind, where you can almost be guaranteed to shoot past your goals, because you have coaching, accountability and true community.

I have a beef with coaches, consultants and course creators who lean heavily on their facebook groups for community, support and accountability.

With the push to grow facebook groups specifically, the personalization and caring of the industry has taken a back seat. When I see community through a facebook group being part of a value stack, I roll my eyes a little. I roll my eyes even more when I see these same people asking how to increase engagement in their facebook group.

That’s not community friends, it’s a cop out, (but that’s another post, you can read here.)

There are actually a couple courses and programs out there that take the implementation and coaching part more seriously in their sales process, but when the rubber hits the road they too fall flat in assisting with implementation.

I’m cautious of investing in companies who largely scale personalized coaching, fail to deliver personalized coaching, and hide behind contracts and weak facebook groups.

There are also some really great personalized course implementation coaching programs, which are smaller, the quality is high, and you aren’t just another number on their enrollment sheet. These programs tend to be smaller, less hyped, but more personalized- so you aren’t just getting lost in the shuffle- but they are a bit more expensive than just a course.

Friend you don’t need another coarse, you need accountability, you need a sounding board, your need someone to bounce ideas off of, and tell you what is great, and what is not. Buying another course, is just going to drain your bank account, and leave you just as confused as you were when you started.

You don’t need another course, you need coaching and accountability, if you really want to take your results to the next level. Sure you can do it on your own, but it takes longer, is more frustrating, and you get to skip the hardest learning curve when you have someone come along side you, and guide you.

Make no mistake, coaching won’t solve your problems, you still have to do the work. Coaching will give you a ear to bend, a real person to talk to, who is equally invested in your success, but it won’t give you someone to do the work for you.

If you are ready to get your business off the ground, I have a new program starting soon, called the Get Paid Every Day Case Study Program, where I will guide you through getting your business off the ground, and show you how to get sales everyday.

If you are interested shoot me a message on Facebook or Instagram with the words, “Get Paid Everyday.”

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8 Ways to Create A Community In Your Coaching or Consulting Business

Never under estimate the value of building a strong community. A strong community of people will do great things for your business, but also great things for each other. At the end of the day people need people, and if you as a coach can facilitate those relationships through your products and programs- clients will stay longer, be happier, and see more success.

Which means better reviews, programs clients love, and relationships that your customers can take with them through their lifetime. That’s a gift. Those same people will tell other how they made fabulous connections and friendships while in your program. Which also seeds your program in the minds of others, who when they see your marketing- will go- I have heard great things, and sign up, if your offering suit their needs.

When I owned my gym we focused hard on building community, because a gym without a community, is just a place to workout, which most people can do for free at home. Much like a course without a community, a real community is just another course, not a life changing experience.

How do you build a community? Friends, I hate to tell you, it’s work- like a lot of work.

You have to get people together. In the time of COVID I know that seems like a laughable suggestion. (Please insert your eye roll here.)

Figuring out how to build community is a process in and of itself, but when you succeed, clients will stay clients just so they can remain with their tribe. I look at my life in group programs like intensives, masterminds, collectives and time after time, I stayed apart of these programs a full year past when I wanted to stop, simply to remain close to those whose relationships, input and advice I appreciated.

That’s the power of community, which in this spread out, digital world is harder to come by- because we are all separated by a screen, a mask, or fear.

So how do you build community?

Building community is a layering process, because it means you need to pave the way for all the different ways people like to interact. In person, Online, Through Experiences and shared memories.

Where most coaches and consultants miss the mark, is they don’t layer their communities, they toss up a facebook group and call it community- then wonder why no one is engaging or connecting.

Here is the layering process for building community with your clients, whether your business is online or offline.

1. Facebook group-

   Facebook groups are not all bad, it’s the way we approach them. They should be a place where people are introduced, cheered on, celebrated, inspired and motivated. Where they can feel free to ask questions and get answers. In your facebook group, take time to comment on posts, post a live video, and connect with your people.

2. Zoom/ Video Calls-

   There is something so cool that happens when people can get live coaching from you, in front of others in group. They become vulnernable, create connections, have side conversations, and open the doors friendships. It’s also a great place where you clients can connect with you, be in your space, your energy, and get inspired and motivated. My favorite way to do these calls is on a regular cadence- like daily coaching for general questions, and bi-weekly or monthly for new content. What this does, is it lets your clients know what to expect, get excited, and actually want to show up for the call.

3. In person working events

   In person working events like mastermind meetings, round tables, weekend aways, etc. These are opportunities where you provide the opportunity for your clients to come together, to teach, to work, to discuss new ideas. Typically you provide the meals, snacks, and the content. Some in person events have a theme, while others are business as usual. A chance to unplug from the daily grind, and connect to their tribe in meaningful ways. If you have heard my story for how The Momma Boss came to be, it happened at one of these events.

4. In person fun events

   In person fun events can be built into a working event or be held as a stand alone event. Fun events you bring your clients together for are retreats, dinners, parties with dancings, game nights, laser tag, hiking, workouts, etc. You name it, you can bring people together for it. When people make memories together, they grow a deeper connection to each other, your tribe, and your community.

5. Online Working Events

   These have been super popular the last 9 months as coaches and consultants and worked hard to maintain their business operations in the face of travel bans and closed boarders. 2-3 Day Events where people can learn and connect are great, but also I think the blue screen fatigue is real with all of us. There are several platforms that are great for hosting these online events at scale. Hopin seems to be the smoothest running platform, zoom has some capabilities, and I am sure there are others. When running an online working event that is days… some things to consider… break times, ease of networking and connecting, breakout rooms, chat features, etc.

6. Accountability Coaching

   Separating clients into pods, for coaching and accountability. Each week they come together, learn something, ask and answer questions, and are given their marching orders as a group. Tell them to connect with each other through out the week, checkin with you if they need to, and come back the following week. This works great for intensive coaching programs where each week has a purpose.

7. Be a Connector

   Introduce people, become a connector and facilitate friendships. Tell people who they should know, make introductions, and help people start conversations. This helps people feel less awkward when meeting new people, which can often be very intimidating.

8. Be a cheerleader

   Be a cheerleader for your clients, give them status. When they are crushing it, let your tribe know who is crushing it, how they are crushing it, and why they should get to know this person. It builds the one person up who is doing well, but it also makes them an authority figure to other clients, who will reach out to them and a relationship has a chance to start. Everyone wants to be seen, and everyone wants to know they matter. Being a cheerleader for your clients, serves that purpose.

There can be a dark side of building community as well, when a rotten egg enters the batch, starts gossiping and causing chaos and discontent. I’ve seen it happen where people out stay their welcome, and end up spoiling the whole batch. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens often enough to mention.

As you are building your community, it is just as important to cull the herd every now than, to remove people who no longer fit the values of the community or your company. These conversations are never easy, but you have to value your business- more than they value the drama they are bringing to it. After all it’s your livelihood, and you must protect it.

What are ways you like to create community in your business? Let me know in the comments.

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Ready to take your coaching and consulting business to the next level and start bringing in income to your business everyday. I have a new program you will want to know about. It’s my Get Paid Everyday Case Study Intensive that I will be launching soon.

If you want to know know more about this program that will help you dial in your sales and marketing so that your business isn’t just an expensive hobby shoot me a message with the words “Get Paid Everyday” on Instagram or Facebook.