Wednesday, July 23, 2008

20 Ideas for Filling Your Group Coaching, Workshops and Retreats

20 Ideas for Filling Your Group Programs
Copyright 2008 - Jennifer Britton Potentials Realized

(Originally Published in the May 2008 Group Program Nuggets Ezine)

Marketing continues to be forefront on the minds of many coaches and business owners who I am in contact with. We can have the best program designs, yet if no one is attending our group programs are simply only a good idea.

Here are 20 ideas to spark some thinking about how you may want to apporach marketing for your next group program, or even marketing in general for your business. Some of these are short term activities and others are longer-term strategies. They are all things that I have tried in my business and have seen results with.

Start a blog on issues related to the program topics
Undertake speaking engagements
Know Your Audience
Join a professional association
Host a Podcast
Develop a monthly e-zine
Write articles on topics you are knowledgable about, passionate about or are related to your group program
Develop postcards for your business (Vistaprint.com)
Partner/Collaborate with others on a Joint Venture
Ask for referrals from past participants, colleagues and others who know you
Donate a prize for a silent auction
Develop a White Paper for your industry
Develop a free e-course
Write a book
Review your business vision regularly
Refer to your business plan regularly
Update your business plan/marketing plan/marketing vision on a regular basis
Build strategic relationships
offer a regular complimentary teleseminar program on a regular basis on a topic related to your group program
Send out handwritten notes along with your program notice by mail to those in your network

Activity:
1. Create a Mindmap on marketing ideas for your group programs OR busines
2. Select 3-5 to focus on in the next month
3. Create SMART goals for each one of these focus areas
4. Follow the 1% rule - Imagine if you took action to make a 1% change in action towards any of your goals on a daily basis. What sort of movement forward would you see in a month? Ask yourself on a daily basis: What is the 1% change/action I can take today.
5. Keep track of what's working, and what's not over the short and long term. Remember that many of these marketing activities are like planting seeds and may require ongoing attention/focus as well as time before they sprout.


If you'd like even more ideas, feel free to email me for a free resource article: 101+ Marketing Ideas, designed to spark your creativity when it comes to filling your group programs and business pipeline. To receive your own copy email me at jennifer@potentialsrealized.com with 101+ Marketing Ideas in the subject line. If you are looking to dig deeper on the topic contact me to see if one of my individual, mentor or group coaching programs may support you.

Have a great week,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC

PS - We've got a new date for the August Group Coaching Essentials (Wednesdays from 8-9:15 pm EST starting on August 6th and running for five sessions). Click on over to register!

Join me on Thursday July 24th from 3 - 4 pm (ET) when I speak on Tips for Group Coaching to the Career Coaching Community at the Co-Active Network. Visit the calendar at www.coactivenetwork.com for more info.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Mid Year Booster Shot - How Are your Programs Coming

The summer can be a wonderful time for reflecting on how your group programs are coming, and making any necessary adjustments for the fall. It's also a great time to get some new programs up and launched.

Last week, while I was away on vacation, I took some time reviewing several of my programs -- making some "big picture" notes on changes for year end.

Mid-year is also a great time to revisit some of the key principles of program design and implementation. If you haven't listened to it yet - I would invite you to listen (or relisten) to a call I did earlier this year entitled "Make Your Group Programs Great for 2008". The call includes 8 Tips for Making Your Next Group Program Great. You can listen to the 1 hour recording here.

I'll also be speaking later this month (July 24th from 3 - 4 pm Eastern) to the Career Coaching Community of the Coactive Network on Tips for Group Coaching. You can visit the calendar at www.coactivenetwork.com for more information or to register

I hope that you enjoy listening to the Make Your Group Programs Great for 2008. What is your favorite tip?

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials
Potentials Realized
Email: info{At}potentialsrealized{dot}com

July Program Line up

Summer is a really popular time of year to get your group programs (workshops, retreats or group coaching programs) designed and ready to go for a fall launch.

Here are some of our upcoming programs (all by phone) which will support you in designing, marketing and running your next group program.

Group Coaching Essentials:
Looking for tips, tools, exercses and resources to launch your own group coaching program? Look no further. Join me and a small group of other coaches for this two month program covering the essentials of designing, running and marketing a group coaching program (in person or by phone, for corporate or public groups).

Choose from either a morning or evening session this month
Tuesdays 8-9:15 pm (Eastern)/5-6:15 pm (Pacific): July 15, 22, 29 and August 5th plus a fifth call in September (2 spaces remain)
Wednesdays 11 – 12:15 am (Eastern)/8-9:15 am (Pacific): July 16, 23, 30 and August 6th (4 spaces remain)
Cost: $250 US. Click here for more information and to register

6 Hours to your new group program – Group Program Design Virtual Intensive
Monday July14 and 28 (7-1o pm Eastern both evenings)
Been putting off the creation of your new program? Already have the skills and just need the space to create? Join me for a 6 hour Virtual Intensive where we’ll go through a six hour structured process to take your group program “idea” to reality. This program involves getting your hands dirty and focusing in on program development. It’s a mix of short group calls and lots of space for you to create.
Click here for more information and to register.

Engaging Exercises for Your Teams and Groups
Wednesday August 6th: 12:30-2 pm (Eastern)
Looking for some quick exercises to add to your next group coaching, workshop or retreat program? Join me for this 1.5 hour teleclass where you will receive the Engaging Exercises for Teams and Groups Manual (electronic copy) and we will spend time discussing tried and true exercises for any team or group. Cost: $59 US (includes Engaging Exercises E-Manual).
Click here for more information and to regsiter.

I hope that you will join me for one of our upcoming programs this month.

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials
Potentials Realized
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960