Creating an amazing group coaching program or mastermind

Creating an amazing group coaching program or mastermind

As someone who loves being one-on-one with people, I never thought I’d be a coach who loved coaching groups. And today, it’s one of the things that excites me the most.

When you think about running a group coaching program do you worry that you won’t have enough people to fill it? That you won’t know what to do, what to say, or how to coach several people at once? That people will eventually find out that you’re a fraud and leave? That you’ll have to have the perfect content and curriculum in order for it to be successful? 

I once worried about all of these things. And now I know, group coaching can have more of an impact than one-on-one coaching.

Over the years I’ve guided coaches in starting group coaching programs of their own. Some had the vision for years to one day venture into group coaching. Some were members in my or other group programs and then grew inspired to create theirs. Others were burning out working with too many private clients and wanted a way to scale their income with less time while helping more people.

Group coaching is one of the most powerful tools a coach can have in their toolkit. And for many, groups struggle to engage and retain members and have a lasting impact. But that doesn’t have to be the case. 

Here are 17 ways to create an amazing group coaching program. 

And know this above all else: if you want to coach groups, just begin. ;)

1. Start small. 3-5 people is perfect for your first ever group. 

2. Pick a time and date to begin within 90 days and just go—ideally, 30 days from now if you dare. Don’t wait for the “perfect time” or to feel ready. You’re as ready as you need to be right now, and waiting delays the major boost in confidence you’ll get from starting (and serving).

3. Invite people to it one by one. As you connect with potential clients, let them know you have a group coaching program and private coaching on your menu—and let them choose. Reach out to past 1:1 clients…”Hey name, just checking in. I was thinking of you. I’ve created a new program designed to [take your coaching and client creation to the next level]. It’s a small group coaching program, led by me and we start soon. Should I get you the details? Or, this may not be what you need right now, and that’s perfect too.” Check-in with people you’ve had conversations with in the past 6-12 months about possibly working together. Tell them what they’ll experience by coming to the group, not that it’s a “group coaching program that meets every Wednesday at 12PM EST for 60 minutes over zoom and costs $300 per month.” They’ll ask for the logistics if you’ve sold them on the experience. And if you’re struggling to do that, figure out a way for them to experience it before they decide. 

“Best Party” Tip: Before inviting people, bring to mind THE BEST PARTY you’ve ever been to. What made it great…was there an enticing invitation? Thoughtful details? Perfect playlist? Interesting group of guests? Notice how thinking about this party makes you feel. Bring that feeling to anyone you tell about it. This is how you want your ‘guests’ to feel. 

4. Easy YES. Make it easy for the first couple of people to join. Because once you know the first two or so people are in, you can relax a bit. Say something like: “The first two people to join also get one-on-one coaching with me, twice a month, for the next three months.” 

5. Pricing. Price your group coaching between 10-30% of your 1:1 coaching. You’ll likely increase the number year after year. And understand this important distinction when it comes to pricing: there will be people that for $150, $300, $700/month they won’t come in, whereas…you tell them it’s $5,000 for 4 months and they’ll send you a check no problem. Sometimes it’s necessary to put a stake in the ground. “I’ve created a private coaching salon for no more than 5 women. We start in September, it lasts for 5 months and it’s $6,300...” 

6. Choose from a closed or rolling container. 

a. Closed: A group that starts and ends on a certain date. For example, a group that starts in January each year and completes in December. Or a group that meets for six weeks twice per year. Closed groups are common and can be more stressful to enroll—and disappointing if you don’t meet your enrollment number. 

b. Rolling: A group that has no end date. For example, a group that meets weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly on an ongoing basis. This allows people to start at any time and can be less pressure for you to feel like you have to fill the group upfront.

7. Enrollment. I love this quote: “There is power in being a member of a group. Choose your group wisely, because they define how successful you will be.” The longer the program or more intimate the group, the more important it can be for you to have an application and intake process in place to prequalify people. Think: quality over quantity. This could be a simple application form that they complete followed by a 20-minute chat with you. If it’s a short-term or larger group, you may have a simple enrollment / shopping cart page on your site for ease. 

8. What to coach on?

a. Just show up. Find out who wants to be coached, and coach one-by-one. As you’re coaching one person, you’re really coaching the whole group. Once you’ve finished coaching one person, check-in and collect insights from the group…”what did you get from that? What did you take away for you?”

b. Have a curriculum. But not in the traditional, “let me spend months developing something fancy, shiny and new sense”—let it be simple. What are your clients top 5 challenges or what have yours been on your journey? There you have your ‘content’ for the first 5 months of your program. 

9. Start and end on time, everytime. Contrary to what you might think, people won’t like you more if you give extra time or run over on calls. Operating on schedule creates deeper trust and safety with your clients. It also empowers them to have and honor their own boundaries—a gift they’ll thank you for later.

10. Be vulnerable. If you’re concerned about people being less likely to open up in front of others, lead with vulnerability. Share your stories and experiences. Share your fears, worries and struggles. Not everyone will be willing to open up fully, but many will—and those who don’t will be happy to be there and a fly on the wall. 

11. Change things up. Monotony can be the death of groups. Having a structure can create safety, and it can also stifle transformation. Don’t be afraid to show up differently to keep things interesting. For example, if one week you start with a breathwork exercise, the next session maybe you share an interesting story to challenge people’s thinking. Take unexpected movement breaks. Start and end with a powerful question. Share new tools. Always have an intention. Trust your intuition.

12. Lead powerfully. Your role isn’t to control the group but to lead it. I create strong agreements with private clients and any group that I run. Members receive a copy of these agreements in writing and I’ll occasionally reiterate them in sessions. Here are three of our agreements: (1) I am someone who happily and willingly invests in my professional development and am in it for the long haul; (2) I am committed to showing up as a regular contributor and trusted advisor to my peers; (3) I agree to create at least a 10X return on my investment of time, money, energy and relationships while a member of this group.

13. Surprise and delight. Create an experience your clients won’t get anywhere else. Mail a handwritten note to new members. Send an inexpensive but thoughtful welcome gift from an online store like Greetabl. Mail a special book to your members in advance of a session. Treat the group as your ‘VIPs’—previewing your latest ideas, teachings or content. 

14. Open houses. If at any time you’d like to have a boost of new members, hand select and invite a few people to an “Open House”, where for one session or one month or however long you choose, you’re opening the doors to your private group at no cost. If at the end of the session or month they enjoyed it and would like to join, you’ll tell them how.

15. Think into the future. Oftentimes, if you want to grow, you must let go. You don’t always have to be the person running the group. Your members might have more fun and learn a new perspective when you’re gone anyway! Elevate members to teach or lead a session with a topic that will serve the collective group. Invite dynamic guest speakers who will be able to provoke their thinking in a new way. Find a “junior coach” to add to your team whom you will compensate and can lead sessions when you’re gone…hint: it could be a client of yours who is familiar with your teachings and methods. 

16. Be a student. Join and experience your own group coaching programs. I often tell my group coaching clients they might love or hate something I do, either way, they can use it to design their amazing group. 

17. Think less. You’ll probably want to over-prepare and plan for your sessions, but your clients will get more value from your deep presence and willingness to show up and let whatever needs to happen, happen. Give yourself grace, this way of showing up will evolve with time.

Henry Ford once said: “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself…” 

To your brightest, and most successful group coaching future. 

xo