Running a group nutrition program can be a total game-changer for your business. You can work with people at a lower price point, take on more clients, and have a ton of fun creating a community along the way.
But...
Running a group program also comes with its challenges. Especially when it comes to setting up the tech side of things.
We connected with Julie Fischer, Health Coach, and Founder of Healthy on Hudson. Julie has run multiple successful group programs and learned a lot along the way. Today she is sharing the process she uses to run her programs using two key tools: That Clean Life and Practice Better.
Julie’s own journey to better health was dramatically influenced by a sugar detox program that she completed in 2014. Once she experienced better energy, fewer headaches, and improved autoimmune symptoms, her whole life changed. Julie became an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and knew that she wanted to help people achieve the same transformation.
From Humble Beginnings
Julie didn’t have it all figured out right out of the gate (hey, no one does!) and her first group was held as a series of chats in a private Facebook group. Everything was communicated through email, and payment was collected using a PayPal invoice.
“It got the job done, but information often got lost in the shuffle. I spent way too much time following up with clients for completed healthy history forms and disclaimers, and it wasn’t always easy to keep track of payments. Group members had to search through dozens of emails to find the information they were looking for, which was just as frustrating as them trying to search a Facebook group to get the answers to their questions.
As my business grew, and my group offerings were expanding, I wanted to be able to ensure that the workflow was professional and seamless for my clients.”
To Streamlined Efficiency
These days, Julie’s process for creating and running her group programs is efficient for both her and her clients.
“I have incorporated a variety of tools into my coaching practice, and the two that I am most excited about when it comes to the new way I’ve been running my group programs are That Clean Life and Practice Better. I’ve found that this process makes group coaching programs easy to put together, and most importantly, easy for my clients to participate in.”
We asked Julie to share the exact steps she’s taking to set-up her group programs using these tools and she opened up her workflow for us to take a look.
Here is the super simple six-step process Julie uses to set up her group programs using That Clean Life and Practice Better.
1. Create Meal Plans Using That Clean Life
The first thing Julie does is create meal plans that fit the needs of her group using That Clean Life.
“The program I’m running is free from gluten, sugar, and all grains, so I use the filters to find recipes that fit those needs.”
As she finds the right recipes, she adds them to the meal plan. Julie also adds her own recipes to her personal Recipe Box to be used in her programs.
2. Export Meal Plans with Grocery Lists & Recipes
Once the meal plan has been created, Julie exports the plan, shopping list, and recipes and saves them as a PDF. That Clean Life automatically adds her logo and branding so it looks incredibly professional.
Julie also uses prep guides in her programs. All of That Clean Life’s pre-made programs come with a prep guide, and you can use the template to create a prep guide for your own custom programs as well.
Once the prep guide is customized, she saves that document as a PDF as well.
“These documents will be the core of the program. I wanted to have a place where the documents, as well as my comments and notes for each day, would be easily accessible.”
3. Create the Program in Practice Better
It’s important for Julie’s participants to be able to sign up, make payments, sign the disclaimer, and complete a brief health history form. Once they’re enrolled, it’s also important they’re able to have easy access to messaging her throughout the program. This is where Practice Better comes in to help smooth out the process of running her group programs.
First, Julie creates the program in Practice Better by:
- Going to “My Practice” and clicking “My Programs.”
- Clicking on the red plus to create a new program.
- Entering the title and the program details.
“Next, I scroll down to enter the basic information for the program such as the start and end date, registration deadline, payment requirements, and disclaimer. No links to external payment buttons or document signing services required!”
4. Write a Welcome Email
Julie uses Practice Better to set up an automated welcome email that her clients will receive upon signing up for the program. The welcome email can be customized to include attachments as well as an introduction to the program.
With the automated welcome email, clients will instantly receive a confirmation and any materials they need to access right away. No more rushing to send out resources when you get a new sign-up!
5. Build Modules and Add Program Content
Once the program is created, Julie starts setting up each section of the program by clicking “Add Module.”
“Within each module, you can easily add the content you want your clients to access during that module by adding text, videos, photos, or documents. You can also decide what date they will be able to access each module.”
Julie uploads meal plans and recipes to the modules so clients can access them easily. You can also set up specific tasks for each module, or have participants complete specific forms and worksheets.
6. Generate a Sign-Up Link and Start Marketing!
Practice Better generates a registration link that can be shared on your website or blog, in emails, or on social media. Julie’s last step is to copy this link and share it far and wide to start getting sign-ups.
When a potential client clicks on the link, they will be taken to the registration page where they will see the program information and be given the option to join the fun.
Once registered, clients will be able to access all of their forms, notes, journals, and program documents by logging into their Practice Better home page.
“I usually have a Facebook group to go along with a group program to allow for interaction between participants, but other than that, everything that comes along with my program can now exist in one place. This makes my groups easier to run, and so much easier and more enjoyable for my clients too!”