#93: 3 Reasons Why You Need a Signature Program

Hey everybody! Welcome, welcome! Today we are wrapping up our series on how to make 2020 the best year yet in your health coaching business. And I believe that the biggest game changer in my own health coaching practice happened actually just last year when I developed my newest signature program. So the question is why? Like why has this been so game changing? Why is it so important? Why does it matter? And that's what we're going to explore today. So if you're joining me live here as I'm recording, please tell me in the comments, what do you think? Why do you think having a signature program is important? But just backing up a step or two, we have done, up until now, we've done six, this is number seven and the final episode in this series we created out, we created out, we started out creating a power thought and a single point of focus for the year ahead.

We did that back in December and then we've kind of gotten to the nuts and bolts of building an audience and thinking about the best way to sign them on as clients this year. So I'm just letting you know that if you missed any of those it's okay. They're all available on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, you know, wherever you like to go check out these episodes and they're also in the archive of our Facebook group so you can always go back and check those out. But, but, but, but much more importantly, let's talk about what's happening next. So I've decided that the best way to really set you up for success this year is to kind of take that next step with you. These episodes have been great. They've been like an introduction, but I am offering a free create your signature program, five day challenge and that's starting soon on February 2nd so you should, if you haven't already, go sign up at healthcoachpower.com/signature and hope you will because boy numbers are going to be in the thousands.

We already have so many coaches signed up for this and we're going to have a lot of fun for five days together. Every time I run an event like this, it's like a big week long party. Like I don't do anything else. I just like eat, drink and breathe health coaching for like a full week with you and it's a blast. So if you are a new coach, if you're still in school, that's fine. If you've been coaching for a while, but you want to be making a bigger difference in the world and a bigger difference in your pocket book, sign up now at health coach, power.com/signature because I'm going to be walking you through the process of creating your own program. I have done this about a billion times myself. I think I've got it down to a science.

So we're going to do it together. And then obviously if we're going to create this signature program together, you've got to understand why. Otherwise why bother? I want it to move the needle in your business, right? I don't want you wasting time on fluff ever. That's kind of my goal for you and for myself. So today I'm going to share three reasons why this is important and how. At the end I'll tell you how this has made a big difference in my business with some specific examples. In fact, you could even like, you'll be able to go to like my website or my Instagram or whatever afterwards and you'll be able to see like how this is working in real life. Useful? Okay, awesome. So again, at any point hit me up with a comment or a question if you're with me as I'm recording live, I know some of you are here because I can see you.

So let's, let's dive in. The biggest problem that seems to come up with health coaching is that even though it's been around for quite a while now, I mean I started 11 years ago and back then we would say, but nobody knows what a health coach is and that's guess what? Like still pretty true now over a decade later. Health coaching, well let's face it, it is kind of vague and it can mean a lot of different things. There are health coaches who are just selling a product like an MLM, somebody who's like involved with a company and they call themselves a health coach. There are certified health coaches, there are health coaches that work hand in hand with the doctors or health coaches that work independently. I mean it's really all over the map. Right? So, um, so that's kind of vague and also just the coaching itself.

Like people just don't always get that. What does it mean? What am I going to get out of this? Is it going to be a waste of my time? Is really what they're thinking. Is it going to be a waste of my money? So if you think about like anytime we've talked about your work with somebody or you're in a consultation with a prospective client, how many times has somebody asked you, well what exactly is a health coach? And you find yourself kind of like coming up with a definition or trying to explain this thing. I just want you to stop right there if that's happening to you. Because if you are having that conversation, what is a health coach? You are having the wrong conversation. You want to just like back up, out and run out of the room and go try again elsewhere because you're having the wrong conversation entirely.

It's not where you want to be going. So a reason to have a signature program is because selling coaching is difficult, but selling something concrete, something that feels more tangible, that's a lot, lot, lot easier because that helps people sort of wrap their head around why on earth they would want to pay you for this. Nobody wants to spend big bucks to have like 12 open-ended. We'll see what happens. Every session is unique and custom to you with no clear path from point a to point B. I mean that person would really, really, really need to trust you and know you very, very well to say, yeah, let's give this a go. Hey cause it's like super open-ended. And when usually when, like when I was in school, we were taught to say that we were taught to say, well every program is different because every person is different.

And that's true. And that will remain true between you and I. That's going to remain true. But nobody wants to hear that. That's not what makes them pick up the pen and sign on the dotted line of let's face it. Are we really doing much of this on paper anymore? I don't think so. They're typing something into the computer and signing that way, but regardless we want to be able to say this is the big problem I hear you talking about or I hear you that you were having a problem with such and such. I help clients solve this exact problem and here's how it works. Step one, step two, step three. Now your client is like nodding their head and they're like, yes, that's what I need. You are speaking my language. So basically your signature program is less about the work that you're actually doing with the client because again, between you and me, you're always going to be meeting someone where they're at.

You might think like today you're going to be talking about a certain topic or in this session you're going to cover whatever, but when that person walks into your session and they are just like melting down over some situation in their life, obviously their needs are always going to take precedent. But again, that's not the way to sell it. The way to sell it is to say, I'm going to help you solve this problem that you were concerned about today and your signature program becomes more than anything else. A marketing tool. Ah, did anybody just sound like a big aha moment with that? It's a marketing tool, you guys, and now you're going to see how it works. Okay, so that's first. First and foremost reason to have a signature program is because it is an essential marketing tool. So you can sell your services, you can make a bigger impact in this world.

And the next reason you need a signature program is because if you are like most health coaches, I know and I know an awful lot of you, we have like, I don't know, 8,000 plus coaches in the Facebook group as of today, here's what we do, here's what I see you doing. And I have done it myself. Oh we run from one shiny object to the next. And we're like, Oh maybe that's a good opportunity and no, maybe that'll be there is a good thing to do. And I'm going to put together this program and Oh and this spring I'm going to run a cleanse and then, Oh, when the holidays hit, I'm going to do a holiday program. And we just create, create, create, create, create. And it's so exciting to do that but kind of takes up all our energy and then we get all excited about this thing that we've created and nobody signs up or like, you know, one person signs up and it's a huge bummer.

Has that ever happened to you? I see it happening to you. So this is a problem. We want to sort of take back that energy to, to have enough that we are both creating something that is wanted and needed in the marketplace but also so that we can properly market it and sell it. Yeah, cause that's like a big piece. We never want to just build it and they will come because you will build it and they will not come. That is not how it works ever, ever, ever. We want to have enough energy to do the other piece of the puzzle, all the marketing and the selling and it's just easier if you have this one solid signature program that you can focus on. I have learned this the hard way guys, 11 years in the field of health coaching, right? I finally got the hint it pays literally it pays to do one thing and do it very, very well instead of lots of different things.

So having a signature program is going to give you the focus that you need to become a recognized expert in one thing instead of just another health coach. Because, like I said, we've got over 8,000 health coaches in this group alone, right? And there's like thousands and tens of thousands more out in the world. So you've got to become known for something and doesn't that feel good? If you could really step out and say, yeah, this is what I do. This is what I'm known for, this is my expertise. And you get to decide that it's so cool. I'm going to help you figure this out. So I'm, it feels a little daunting right now. Don't worry. We'll figure it out together. And then the third reason for having a signature program. Any guesses? Any guesses? Well, I'm going to tell you that my screen time is down by like 10% this week. So I think I only spent like five hours a day on my phone. Oh my God.

It's the worst, right? But we're doing this right. We're on our phones, we're on like Facebook, we're on the Instagram, we're doing all our little things to market ourselves. But this is sometimes a huge wasted effort because our marketing is just sort of all over the place. And we don't even know what to post. And we're posting a picture of like our dog or we're like reposting some article that our best friend put on Facebook or I don't know, we're just kind of all over the place with our messaging. At least I know I was for a very long time, which means the message that people get about you is a little bit unclear. Right? So if we could rewind time and go back maybe like five years or so, you would've seen me maybe six years, let's say six years because I was probably pregnant with my second son six years ago.

Um, I was posting things about, sure recipes, things I was making at home that I was exciting about, excited about. And I was just learning how to ferment food. I was posting about that. I was posting about kids, I was posting about healthy products, like using healthy products for my kids, cloth diapering cause I was getting ready to go back into the cloth diapering world pregnancy, postpartum childbirth, um, you know, exercise, postpartum, like mom's stuff. I mean I was just talking about a lot of different things. It's kind of all over the place, which means people are just going to kind of perceive you as being a lot of white noise. I think it is actually easier when you are selling one very specific thing to one very specific type of person. When you go to market yourself, your messaging is like bam, like you know exactly what it needs to be about, you know exactly what it should it be about.

It just makes it all so much easier. Blog post topics, emails, podcast topics, you know, whatever you're doing to market your business, the workshops that you're going to give it just like narrows it down until you know exactly what your message is and what you need to get out there and say in order to sell this one very specific product and then you're just like, hello. Yeah, I just saved myself a whole lot of effort and it flows so much more easily, I promise. Promise. So let me tell you a little bit about how this has all come into play and you know, sort of worked itself out in my health coaching practice. So if you don't, Oh yes, I'm here working with health coaches pretty much every day of the week. Um, and you can always find me here at healthcoachpowercommunity.com but I also have my own health coaching practice, which has been active for over a decade.

And in that, in my health coaching practice I recently rebranded. So if you want to check out the new brand just to kind of give it a peak, it's at, shesgotpower.com and when you get there you will be, it'll be very clear who my target market is and what big problem I help them solve. I promise it's going to be boom right there on the homepage. And the thing that's been really amazing about creating a signature program and attracting just the right women into my program is kind of what I was just talking about with marketing. Like, just today I posted a testimonial up to my Instagram and in the past my testimonials would kind of be all over the place cause I'd have one client and her big result was like, Whoa, she has a whole lot more energy. And I'd have another client that was all about weight loss and then maybe I have another client that got off her like high blood pressure medication or whatever it was.

So the testimonials were kind of scattered and yes I look like someone who could help you with your health. But now anytime I pick a testimonial to share, it's always very focused around the certain type of woman and the certain type of result that she sees. So this has become much more easy. Like when I, when I heard my client actually had just written something in a revisit form and I was like, wow, that's something I need to use as a testimonial. PS, you can do that when whenever your clients write something, you can say, "Hey, would you mind if I use this and my future marketing materials?" And then it's like already done. You don't have to put them on the spot and ask them for a testimonial. They just kind of spontaneously write testimonials from time to time. So keep note of that.

Keep a little word document for yourself and, you know, copy and paste things in there so you have them when you need them. But anyway, when I saw this thing that my client posted the other day, I was like, Oh, that she said to me the other day, I was like, Oh my God, this is perfect. Like this is what women need to hear. This is what my kind of woman needs to hear. I work with women who are chronically stressed out, burnt out and feeling the health effects of that, the overweight and the anxiety and the insomnia and everything that goes with it. And most of them had experienced some form of trauma, some sort of something that has keyed up their stress response, you know, probably from an early age and turn them into the type of women who are like type a perfectionist. Do you know anybody like that?

Anyway, when I, when I read this quote from my client, I was like, yeah, I got to share this. So that's one way that it's become easier for me. Like I know exactly what message to share. Another example is, um, I'm, I'm finding it so much easier to say no to different opportunities that come up. I know that sounds crazy, but until I get like 36 hours in my day, I'm going to be needing to say no to a lot more things. And this has been a learning curve. I'm sure you feel me on this. So what used to happen is somebody would say, Oh, Michelle, you're into nutrition. Would you like to come? Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, whatever, you know, come to my office and talk about healthy lunches or would you like to do this? The other day, one of the moms in my son's class was like, we want to do a healthy living, whatever thing at school and you would be perfect.

Like, I'm going to call you about coming in and doing something on healthy eating and nutrition. And I was just kind of like, I mean I nodded my head very politely, but inside I was like, never in life is that happening because, because I don't do work with kids, I don't. I have my own kids. It's true. And my children do eat vegetables. That is also true. But no, there's no way I'm taking time out of my schedule to put together some sort of program and go into the school because that is so not aligned with what I'm eventually trying to sell with my signature program. Do you see how like you can really easily split your energy by taking on like side projects? So that was like so clear to me that one example I was like, uh huh. Uh huh. No. And that feels really good.

Like it feels really good to just have fewer distractions and know what is a good use of my time and what does not such a good use of my time. And then the most important way that I think I had seen a signature program impact my business and I think you will agree is that signing clients has become, Oh I don't know, like infinitely easier, infinitely easier because they feel that I have developed and I hear them even say this like, Oh my God, have you been reading my diary or you know, I feel like this program is exactly what I need. They say that they say that before I even have to sell them on it. I don't have to say anything. I just kind of explained to them the way that I work with my clients. I'll usually let them know that they seem like a perfect fit and it's true.

I have developed this program specifically for them. I have, I've done my homework, I know what she needs. I'm only having these conversations with women who are like perfectly aligned with the kind of client that I want to work with in my signature program. So by the time we get to the part where we have to talk about money, she's like, yeah, that's cool. Like whatever. Here you go. And that my friends is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful feeling. I would like for all of you to experience that. So again, if you have not already, please sign up for the five day, create your signature program challenge and invite all of your health coach friends. I know you guys are in different groups and coaching circles and whatnot. This is a community event and it's sort of like the more the merrier. Always a whole lot of fun and everybody can sign up at health coach, power.com/signature all right, so listen, next week I will not be here doing our regular show because we're going to be in the middle of the challenge.

But of course for every day of the challenge I'm going to be showing up live here in the health coach power community Facebook group. I will be doing a Facebook live for every day of the challenge so that we can answer questions. I'm going to be looking at what you guys are posting in the Facebook group and responding to it. So it's going to be like very, very interactive. Always so much fun. I promise you. So I will be here, but there will not be a podcast episode released next week because we'll be, we'll be in the middle of all that. And like I said, it's pretty all consuming for those five days for me, for you, it's going to be like 15 minutes of your time for me. I'm going to be like, Oh my God, I'm so excited about what all these thousands of health coaches are doing and I'm going to be kind of engaging with all of you as much as I can over those five days. So hopefully I will see you there. Take good care of yourself, and we're going to talk even more about your target market and your signature challenge there. Your signature program rather very, very soon. Take care. Everybody.