Have you started to create a new product e.g. a course in your business, only to find that you never finish it?
That you keep procrastinating on just getting it done? Whether you’re worried that it’s not going to be ‘good enough’ or that it’ll ‘fail’, laying strong foundations can help you to create a leveraged product that both you and your clients love.
I have a 7 Stage Process for creating leveraged products like courses and programs, and I see so many people just jumping straight into Stage 6 where they start creating the product. It’s not a short-cut. It’s a recipe for disaster.
I’ve seen so many people not launch their course, ebook, podcast etc. because they procrastinate on it. And weeks, months, years go by, and they haven’t taken any action. And it’s stopping them from sharing their wonderful products with the world. I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I created a one day workshop to help teach people how to lay strong foundations and give them the momentum for their new products.
In this article, I’ll be looking at three foundational elements: your ‘purpose’, your branding, and how it’s all packaged up so that you too can stop procrastinating and get your leveraged product the best start in life.
WHAT IS YOUR ‘PURPOSE’?
Unpacking your ‘purpose’ is probably the hardest thing to do. If you’re not tapping into your ‘purpose’, it’s easy to not follow through on a product. If you’re not clear on your ‘purpose’ or you haven’t refreshed it, then it’s like trying to create something new with no compelling reason to.
I’m not talking about your ‘business purpose’; I’m talking about your ‘life’s purpose’. Tapping into how your leveraged product is in alignment with your ‘life’s purpose’ is absolutely crucial to making it happen. Whether you’re creating your signature coaching program or a free opt-in, take the time to review your ‘purpose’.
So, what is your ‘purpose’? When this lifetime is over, how do you want to be remembered? What will be your legacy? Not just in business but in your whole life – how you approach parenting, family, friendships as well as business. What will be your legacy? It’s not an easy question, right?
Because staring at a blank page is scary, use the following formula to help you start creating your ‘purpose’. Brainstorm as many things as you can in the four boxes before you have a go at pulling together a purpose statement.
Examples:
- I empower people to be who they are and do what they love; or
- I uplift others so that they can be free to grow and thrive.
Once you’ve played with the formula, feel free to totally break away from it. It’s designed to avoid staring at a blank screen wondering what the meaning of life is. It’s not an easy question to resolve. I find that having the formula as a starting point helps get you through that writer’s block, but I don’t want you to feel constrained by it.
Once you’ve nailed that down, you’ll have a much better compass by which to judge if this leveraged product is actually in alignment with your purpose. People can come away with massive shifts when they go through this section. But, this will give you the necessary fuel to press on through the creation phase.
WHAT IS YOUR BRAND?
Next, we’re going to check in with your brand. Whenever you create a new product in your business, I think it’s important to check in and make sure that your branding is still relevant. Sometimes it might need updating. Or the branding for this particular product might be slightly different from your main branding.
And, of course, branding is so much more than a logo. Think about it being the intersection between your passion and purpose, your customer’s experience and then finally the branding elements: things like logo, fonts, colours, personality, etc.
So, do you need to update or change anything in your branding?
HOW ARE YOU PACKAGING AND PLANNING FOR THIS PRODUCT IN YOUR BUSINESS ECO-SYSTEM?
Finally, it’s time to look at how this new leveraged product fits in with your current business model and get clear on some specifics about what the final product will look like. Firstly, think about where this new product sits in your product funnel. Does anything need tweaking to accommodate it? You don’t want to just be creating new products without a view as to how it works within your business as a whole.
Next, you’ll want to look at the leveraged product itself by asking yourself these questions:
- How are you going to deliver it?
- Timing and duration? E.g. a six week course? A one-time downloadable pdf?
- What kind of support will you be offering for this product?
- What’s the price point?
This product map will help keep you on track when you’re creating it and help keep you focused on what you want it to look like in the end.
THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS FOR YOUR LEVERAGED PRODUCT.
I know you’re just itching to jump in and create your leveraged product. And I know taking the time to stop and lay strong foundations can feel frustrating. However, I promise you, the time spent working on the foundations will give your leveraged product the best chance of being successful.
There you have it, my top tips for giving your leveraged product the best start in life. To recap, in this article we looked at:
- Your ‘purpose’.
- Your brand.
- And your package and plan.
Those are my tips for making sure you start and FINISH creating your leveraged product!