Group Coaching Nuggets
Tips, Tools and Resources for Your Group Programs
Volume 3, Issue 5 - May 2008

In This Issue
Resources for You: Co-Faciliation, Niches, Assignments, Teams
Upcoming Programs and Special Rates
20 Ideas for Filling Your Group Programs
Quick Links
Greetings!

Welcome back to the May 2008 Group Program Nuggets, a monthly newsletter dedicated to group program facilitation and group coaching issues.
 
I'm still glowing from all the wonderful feedback I received in honour of our 4th Anniversary from former participants and blog readers. I'd like to say thank you to all who emailed me with congratulations.  If you haven't yet considered taking advantage of some of the 40% off special pricing on two of our fall in-person intensives, you've got a few more weeks to take advantage. You can find more information under our upcoming programs below.
 
You'll also find in this newseltter:
  • Links to some of my recent blog posts on creating strong co-facilitation relationships, niche marketing, creating assignments between group program sessions, as well as links to my Teams on Thursday posts.
  • A listing of our upcoming programs this month including the Group Coaching Essentials program (starts May 27th and 28th)
  • AND 20 ideas for Marketing Your Group Programs

Sit back and enjoy!

Resources for You
Here's a selection of what I've been writing about over at my blogs.I hope that you will check out the full articles.
 
Knowing your audience is a key to any successful learning experience. Who do you serve through your work? In this blog post I provide some resources on niche marketing. If you are looking for a tool to support you in getting clearer on who your group program is for, email us for a complimentary copy of the Group Coaching Client Assessment.
 
Co-Facilitation Tips and Tools:
Tips, questions and exercises to consider when laying the foundation for yournext co-facilitation experience.
 
As coaches we often say that the real work happens between the coaching sessions. What structures do you create for your clients to foward their action and deepen their learning?
 
Teams on Thursdays:
Over at the BizToolkit blog I've added a new weekly column - Teams on Thursdays - to serve and support the teams and managers I work with. 
 
 I know that many of you too work with teams and if some of this information would be useful in one of your upcoming programs or newsletters, feel free to reproduce my work (keeping copyright intact of course!) with a link my site and my contact details. I'd also love hearing where you are taking the information and what impact it is having!
Upcoming Programs : Get Your Programs Launched and Deepen Your Skills
 
Group Coaching Essentials:
Starting on Tuesday mornings (10:30 - 11:45 am EST) on May 27th or Wednesday evenings (8-9:15 pm EST) on May 28th.
 
Looking to launch your own group coaching program this summer? Looking for some tools, templates and exercises so you don't reinvent the wheel. Join me and a small group of other coaches for a 5 part teleseminar as we focus in on designing and marketing your own group coaching program.
 

The Group Coaching Essentials program covers:

         The Foundation of Group Coaching - What is Group Coaching, Best Practices of Group Coaching, Similarities and Differences with Individual Coaching and Adult Learning Principles

         The Nuts and Bolts of Developing Group Coaching - Making Your Program Development Fun and Effective: Technical issues, Techniques and Templates for Developing and Running Your Program

         Marketing Group Coaching - Knowing Your Audience, General Marketing Principles and Materials

         Filling Up Your Toolbox - Exercises and Other Resources for Group Coaching

 

During the program we will cover nuts and bolts of group coaching, and you will leave the programs with your own group coaching program design. The course is full of tools, best practices, templates, exercises and other resources, designed to make your own creation, marketing and implementation process, fun and supportive. We cover material that will be useful for corporate and personal settings, as well as in-person and phone based programs.

 
You'll receive:
  • The Group Coaching Essentials Manual (85 pages delivered in e-modules)
  • 5 x 75 minute teleseminar calls
  • Pre and post course 1-1 coaching calls with me (30 minutes each)
  • Individual support from me during the 2 months of the program at no additional cost (up to 2 hours of support)
  • Membership in our alumni community and invitations to our quarterly community calls
Choose from a morning or evening session starting in late May:
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:45 am EST/7:30-8:45 am PT: May 27th, June 10, 17 and 24, plus a fifth call in July (date determined by group) OR
Wednesdays 8-9:15 pm(EST)/5-6:15 pm (PT):
May 28, June 4, 11 and 17 plus a fifth call in July
 
Space is limited to 6 coaches. Cost: $250 US/Canadian.
 
If you register with a colleague for the May session, both of you will receive $50 off the registration rate (total $200 US/Canadian per person).  
 
For more information or to register click here. You can also contact me directly at (416) 419-9680 (toll free: 1-866-217-1960) or by email at jennifer@potentialsrealized.com.
 
Group Program Design Virtual Intensive
June 3 and 10, 2008 (7-10pm EST, both evenings) OR July 14 and 21, 2008 (7-10 pm)
 
Need a focus and the time to get a new group program idea developed and off the ground? Join me for a 6 hour virtual intensive (by phone) where you'll have six hours of structure and exercises to move from program idea to reality. The program is a mix of short group calls and individual exercises undertaken offline. Click here for more information and to register.
 
 
Special 40% off Anniversary pricing still available for our fall in-person programs:
 
Looking for some hands-on training and skill development? Join me in Toronto, Canada this fall for one of two in-person intensives:
 
Group Coaching Essentials Intensive: October 3 and 4, 2008
For coaches who want to enhance their skill set and techniques for group coaching. Click here for a complete description on the program. I will be applying for CCEs from the ICF for this program for those looking for recertification points towards their ICF Credential.
 
Special 40% off Anniversary pricing will be available until the end of this month. Regularly $695, special price $417.
 
 
Group Program Facilitation Intensive: November 1 and 2, 2008
Looking to enhance your group facilitation skills and to address issues such as handing difficult participants?  Join me for an interactive 2 day skill focused workshop in Group Program Facilitation. special anniversary pricing available until the end of May. Special pricing: $417. For full details on what's covered during this program, click here.
If you have any questions or want to register please drop me a line at jennifer@potentialsrealized.com.
This Month's Article
 

20 Ideas for Filling Your Group Programs

Copyright 2008 - Jennifer Britton | Potentials Realized

 

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.
 
  1. Start a blog on issues related to the program topics 
  2. Undertake speaking engagements
  3. Know Your Audience
  4. Join a professional association
  5. Host a Podcast
  6. Develop a monthly e-zine
  7. Write articles on topics you are knowledgable about, passionate about or are related to your group program
  8. Develop postcards for your business (Vistaprint.com)
  9. Partner/Collaborate with others on a Joint Venture
  10. Ask for referrals from past participants, colleagues and others who know you
  11. Donate a prize for a silent auction
  12. Develop a White Paper for your industry
  13. Develop a free e-course
  14. Write a book
  15. Review your business vision regularly
  16. Refer to your business plan regularly
  17. Update your business plan/marketing plan/marketing vision on a regular basis
  18. Build strategic relationships
  19. offer a regular complimentary teleseminar program on a regular basis on a topic related to your group program
  20. 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.
I hope that you will continue enjoying the spring (or fall if you are in the Southern hemisphere)! We're moving into an exciting time of year to get programs launched and systems in place for your business.
 
If you have any suggestions on topics which you would like to see in future editions of the newsletter, please drop me a note.
 
Warm regards,
 
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Potentials Realized.com
GroupCoachingEssentials.com