“I have SO many ideas! I have so much to share!”
We just got through pilot week over here in the current round of Create Your Program. That’s when participants outline their pilot/beta programs.
I give individual feedback to every participant who asks for it, which means I get to see what folks are creating, and I LOVE it. One piece of advice I give over and over:
Pare it down and make it simple.
By the time you get ready to create your pilot or beta version of your course, group, retreat, 1:1 coaching package, or other offer, you’ve already spent a lifetime gathering ideas. You’ve got a TON of information and tools to share. You’re an expert in your thing. I know you might doubt that in your most insecure moments, but yes, I’m talking to you.
We’re tempted to include as much content as we possibly can in our programs. We want to do this for a few reasons.
We want to pile on more content because we’re hoping that will bring more value.
We worry that if we don’t give a ton of information, we’ll be seen as an imposter. (Multiply that if we’re part of a marginalized group!)
We aren’t sure what to leave out.
We’re concerned that some of our participants might already know the basics, so we’d better include advanced stuff for the advanced folks.
We don’t even realize how much we’re piling on because this stuff seems simple to us.
We don’t want to do the painful work of editing.
And yet we should pare things down.
Please put yourself in the shoes of your future participant. They aren’t an expert in your topic, and they’re paying you to simplify this process for them.
So how do you figure out what to include in your pilot offer and what to leave out?
Decide exactly who this is for and what transformation this person will achieve with your pilot. (By the way, I know deciding on those things is hard! In Create Your Program we walk through a process to get you there before you create your pilot outline.)
Once you know those things, you can create your simple, pared down pilot program to provide only what is necessary to guide your participants through that transformation. No bonus material. No “but wait….there’s more.”
One way to get started with this process is to write down every single dingle tool, piece of information, exercise or example you might include, each on its own post it note. No editing in this first step. Put them ALL up on your wall or across your kitchen table or floor.
Next, put the post it notes that MUST be included into the center. Put the maybes on the periphery. You're probably going to edit those out.
Once you’re clear on what you’ll include, start categorizing those post it notes. The modules/lessons/topics of your offer will begin to emerge.
Are you ready to create the pilot offer that will launch the next phase of your business?
Let’s do it together. Join me and a group of warm, innovative therapists and healers.
In Create Your Program, you’ll walk through a process to identify a viable niche, outline your pilot, create a marketing plan, and launch your offer. You'll do all of this in 5 weeks, and you’ll get a ton of support.