📈 Module 40: Group Coaching & Memberships
Turn your 1:1 expertise into scalable, high-retention group programs and a simple, profitable membership.
2. Why It Matters
Group offers let you help more people without adding hours. When designed with a clear promise, tight cadence, and community touchpoints, they create predictable monthly recurring revenue and reduce reliance on constant 1:1 sales.
Memberships extend impact between programs, improve retention, and build a pipeline for higher-ticket services. The key is simplicity: a focused outcome, consistent delivery, and a rinse-and-repeat calendar.
3. Step-by-Step Guide
Pick One Outcome & Audience
Define a single, specific transformation (e.g., “Lose 10–15 lbs safely in 8 weeks for women 45+ with joint pain”). Clarity sells groups.
Choose Your Format & Cadence
Decide: cohort (fixed start/finish) or rolling membership. Standard cadence: 1x weekly coaching call + 1x weekly office hours + community thread.
Design a Simple 8-Week Curriculum
Map 8 themes (Weeks 1–8) that ladder to the promise (e.g., foundations, meal systems, movement, recovery, mindset, plateaus, social events, maintenance).
Price for Outcomes, Not Minutes
Anchor to 1:1 pricing. Common starters: Cohort $397–$997 (8 weeks). Membership $49–$149/mo based on access and coaching touch.
Pick a Minimal Tech Stack
Use Stripe for payments, Zoom for calls, a simple community (Skool/Circle/Discord), and Google Drive/Notion for assets.
Run a 7-Day Founding Member Launch
Invite your warm list with a limited founding rate (20–30% off) for the first 20 members or first cohort only.
Engineer Retention
Stack easy wins (weekly check-ins, streaks, badges). Add quarterly challenges and “graduate track” upsell to 1:1 or advanced cohort.
4. Examples & Options
Real Example (Script)
Promise: “8-Week Joint-Friendly Fat Loss for Women 45+.”
Pitch: “We meet weekly on Tuesdays 6pm ET. You’ll get a joint-safe meal + movement plan, accountability threads, and coaching. Founding spots: 15 at $497 (or $99×6). Start date: Oct 7.”
DIY (Free/Low-Cost)
Zoom + Google Sheets check-ins + Discord community. Stripe checkout link. Manual onboarding email.
Mid-Level (Affordable)
Skool or Circle for community/courses + Stripe native payments + Zapier to send welcome packs and calendar invites.
Advanced (Premium/Outsource)
Kajabi (site + courses + email) + Circle (community) + Stripe (subs) + VA for onboarding & weekly summaries; Airtable for KPI dashboard.
Capacity Math (Starter)
12 members × $497 = $5,964 per cohort (8 weeks). 2 cohorts/quarter ≈ $11,928. Add membership back-end at $49/mo with 30% retention → +MRR.
Simple Guarantee
“Show up to 6/8 calls and submit weekly check-ins. If you don’t see measurable progress, we’ll coach you for 4 extra weeks at no charge.”
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too many promises. Instead of “help everyone,” pick one outcome for one audience.
- Overbuilding the portal. Instead of weeks building assets, launch with slides + worksheet templates and refine live.
- Unlimited access. Instead of 24/7 coaching, set office hours and response windows (e.g., 2x/week).
- No end or next step. Instead of open-ended groups, set an 8-week finish and a clear “graduate” pathway.
- Discount creep. Instead of constant sales, use a one-time founding rate and then hold your price.
6. Quick Win Highlight
💡 Quick Win: Post a “Founding Member Interest” note today. Collect names + emails via a simple form. Goal: 10 hand-raisers in 24–72 hours.
Post it to your top platform (Facebook group, LinkedIn, IG stories) and DM 10 past leads personally.
7. Mini-Implementation Exercise
Create Your 3-Tier Ladder: Define promise, cadence, inclusions, capacity, and price.
| Tier | Promise | What’s Included | Cadence | Price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohort (8-Week) | ____________________________ | Slides • Worksheet • Check-ins | 1x call/wk | $_____ PIF or $___×__ | __–__ |
| Membership (Rolling) | ____________________________ | Office hours • Community • Challenges | 2x touch/wk | $__/mo | Unlimited / Pods of 30 |
| Graduate Track | ____________________________ | Advanced curriculum • Hot seats | 1x group + 1x QA | $__/mo or $__/8-wk | __–__ |
- Set a start date (cohort) or join window (membership).
- Create one checkout link per tier in Stripe.
- Write a 3-email sequence: Announce → Social Proof → Last-Chance.
8. Tools & Resources
Simple checkout links for cohorts and monthly subscriptions.
Reliable group calls with recordings and recurring schedules.
All-in-one community + course hosting with clean UX.
Host curriculum, replays, and simple landing pages.
Free, flexible community with channels and voice rooms.
Automate: purchase → welcome email → calendar invite.
Track attendance, check-ins, and KPI dashboards.
9. Checkpoint / Success Criteria
10. Summary & Next Step
- Group offers scale impact without extra hours when the promise is focused.
- Keep tech minimal: payments, calls, community, and simple automation.
- Launch fast with a founding member window; optimize after delivery.
- Engineer retention via weekly wins, challenges, and a graduate track.