This month we launch the EXIT Readiness Accelerator Mastermind program. A program that includes regular peer support and 1-1 strategy & coaching for business owners wanting to prepare their business to run without them. It took several months to ensure we had all the fundamental pieces in place before we started. It is true, that waiting for perfection would delay the launch, but not having the key components in place would have increased confusion, and reduced the quality of the product. Here is our journey with some of the fundamental components we created as we prepared for to launch this beta program.
When we invited our first few clients into the program, before the launch, we didn’t yet have the payment process up, nor did we have the full intake process in place. We used manual contracts and invoicing.
If you ever heard the phrase “build the plane as you fly it”, then you know what we were doing. We used the experience, with our first few clients, to build the process, contracts, expectations, and program details that we could then shape the operational process around.
To prepare to invite more people into this first mastermind, we needed to automate parts with a more consistent process. We created landing pages for payments, tagging systems in our CRM for group communications, a description for the programs, and webpages for future sales.
Once we had these pieces we started working on the marketing, because it does not matter how amazing your product is, if no one knows about it, there are no sales. This included, pricing strategy, how we would promote the initial beta program, and exactly who we will position our language to attract. Our first invitations were for owners to get their EXIT score in a free scorecard which provided a report that could be used to manage the journey. Then we invite owners to a succession readiness strategy call with Barb and our team. Our third marketing invitation is to a live, online event to talk about the EXIT journey people need to have, with an invitation to join the mastermind.
Outside of the competencies that we bring into the business and the services offered, we basically, had to create:
- an online free scorecard with report
- a strategy call process
- a group event
- the program details
- a tested process for the clients
- marketing language
- webpages and landing pages
- payment system
- on-boarding process
- delivery of the service process, roles and responsibilities
And everything needed to be documented to create consistency for future programs. It was not a huge launch, but it is surprising how much effort goes into setting up the foundational components of the work you want to share.
Building the pieces, one part at a time, making them fit, making them functional, ensuring they are what the client wants to experience, takes time. Start with what you can deliver, and continue to add to your process until it is repeatable and consistent, both in the operations and in the value to your clients.
This article is 100% original content – The articles you read in this blog are 100% created by Barb Stuhlemmer, not by AI.
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