7 Steps to Create Your Signature Coaching Program

Are you ready to create a signature coaching program that will change your clients' lives and sell like hotcakes? 

As a certified coach with experience in creating and selling successful programs from $3,000 up to $10,000, I'm here to guide you through the seven essential steps to make it happen.

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Audience

Identify your niche within a broad topic you know well. Anything under the big 3 categories of Health, Wealth, and Relationships will work as people are always trying to improve their lives in these areas (and forever will be).

For example, if you're knowledgeable about relationships, you may specialize in online dating for busy millennials. 

Think about the area you struggled with and are now good at.

If you were fat and now are in shape, use that.

If you sucked at sales, now you’re a top performer, focus on that.

You just need to be one step further than the person you can help.

Define the problems your audience faces and how you can help them by running surveys and having personal conversations with them. 

Our goal is to get crystal clear on these 3 things:

• Where are they at now and what's frustrating or challenging for them?
• Where do they ultimately want to be?
• What’s getting in the way of them achieving that?

Write everything down in a Google doc for reference.

Step 2: Outcome

When it comes to your signature coaching program, be a specialist, not a generalist. 

If a loved one of yours needs brain surgery, you’re not going to go to a plastic surgeon (duh).

Focus on the specific transformation your program will deliver. Refer to your customer research document and what your audience says they want more than anything related to your offer.

List all the benefits your clients will experience at 100% completion of your program. Aim for 10-50 benefits.

Step 3: Structure

Decide if you want to offer one-on-one coaching or a group program. If you’re just starting out, or it’s a new program, focus on 1-1. I recommend that as your audience grows and you get more demand for your business, you can consider moving to a group.

Define how often you will meet (weekly, biweekly, or monthly is typical but I recommend weekly) and what the exact steps are to get your client from point A to point B. Aim for 5-10 key steps.

Step 4: Time Frame

What is the shortest, yet most realistic, time frame to get your client from point A to point B? 

Three, six, or twelve months are typical, but six weeks can work as well. 

Remember, a longer duration doesn't necessarily equal more value. If you can solve their problem faster and better than anyone else, you can charge more and be known as the expert in your field.

Step 5: Support

Determine how your clients can reach you between calls and what resources or courses you can offer as curriculum. 

I like to use the free walkie talkie app Voxer, and a shared Google folders to keep track of my client's progress.

Step 6: Guarantee

Offering a guarantee flips the risk from the client onto you, which is a good thing because it forces you to get better results for your clients. 

Here are 3 guarantee ideas:

• Charge them an initial fee and only charge more after the client sees results.
• Continue to help them FOR FREE until they get their desired results assuming they’re doing the work.
• Give them their money back if they aren’t completely satisfied OR if they don’t get a specific result in the first 30 days.

Step 7: Price

Pricing should reflect the value you're delivering. Theoretically, you can charge as much as you want as long as you have the confidence to back it up. 

I recommend aiming for $500-$1,000/month but remember that the bigger the problem you're solving and the better you get at solving that problem, the more money you can charge.

Action Step:

Now that you have the seven steps, it's time to write out your offer. 

Imagine explaining it to someone you're enrolling in your program. Be clear, concise, and confident in what you're offering. 

With these steps, you can create a signature coaching program that will transform your clients' lives and help you build a successful coaching business.