4 Keys to Planning a Successful Challenge

Challenges are this year’s answer to quickly growing your Cash, your Community and your Clout.

Given the massive shutdown we’ve all experienced this year, many businesses have found that virtual connection is the way to go.

Running a virtual challenge can help you not only grow your list, but you can also build a community packed with paying, engaged, dedicated fans who take action on your training.

Attract the right members and they will validate you as a coach by achieving results—and leaving you rave reviews.

The basic structure to a successful “Challenge” program is simple:

• Plan your challenge around a product or resource you have already created
• Choose a passionately active topic and focus on helping people reach a specific, achievable goal
• State your challenge goal, guidelines, and timeline clearly

There are many benefits to running a challenge—for both you and your members. The biggest benefit of all? You’ll be able to genuinely help your ideal client. Your challenge can provide the defining moment in helping her step from her old life to her ideal new one. It can help her realize a dream, or change her for the better forever—in any of the areas you want to focus on: For example, health, lifestyle, business expansion—whatever you specialize in helping people do.

Running a successful challenge is all about the connection and the trust.

As with anything else in your business, you must start with a solid, clear plan for your Challenge. Don’t just run a Challenge because you see others doing it, have a goal for your Challenge.

Here are 4 keys to planning a successful challenge:

1. Decide on Your Idea

The best type of Challenge idea to take action on is one that is setting you—and its potential members—on fire. There should be a crying need for it.

Your big idea for your successful challenge should be based on one of the following:

• Something that is currently red-hot (for example, a few years ago, it was getting your book published on Kindle)
• Something from one of the three top-activity niches: Health, wealth or love.
• Decide on Your Catchy Title

What you call your Challenge will have a huge impact on its share-ability. You need the title to do two things:

1. Tell people what it’s going to help them do
2. Make them feel positive and excited about joining

Their attitude should be: “I want to do this! I CAN do this!”

So, make sure your title invites that state of mind.

Being descriptive is more important than being “clever”. If you can call your Challenge something simple like “The 30-Day Publish Your Kindle Graphic Novel Challenge”, so much the better!

Again, be specific—not just “The 30-Day Kindle Challenge” but “The 30-Day Publish Your Kindle Graphic Novel Challenge”. And tell them what they’ll have done at the end of your Challenge Period.

• Decide on the Length of Your Challenge

You don’t have to make it a 30-Day Challenge, of course. You can make it a 7-Day, 10-Day, 21-Day or 30-Day Challenge. As long as the goal is achievable within that time frame, you can set the length to anything you like. However, do keep the following points in mind…

• Too short a Challenge will barely start to build a community and create a strong group
• Too long a Challenge will virtually encourage people to fall by the wayside

A short Challenge is best used as a preliminary free Challenge to give members almost-instant success in achieving a specific small goal, thus convincing them that your upcoming paid challenge is something they have already “qualified” for—and can achieve (it’s a confidence-builder).

A long Challenge is best broken up into two or more Challenges (or a Challenge and an Upsell to a service, membership site or forum).

• Decide How to Deliver Your Challenge

The number one question before deciding should be: “How does my target audience like things delivered?” Where do they hang out the most? Where are they most active?

If most of your quality interaction comes via LinkedIn, be sure to include a LinkedIn Group. If on Facebook, a closed Facebook Group.

Deliver content in the way they have demonstrated they connect with the most. Popular options include:

• By email
• In a daily or weekly member-exclusive video
• In a private-access blog post

Whichever options you choose to include, organize and plan your challenge by paying attention to three vital areas: Community and Support, Specialized Instruction, and Resources.

Start with these 4 key steps and you will be well on your way to creating a memorable Challenge.

Make sure that your Challenge helps your members take the next important step to their ultimate dream. Your challenge is proof that you are the person who journeys with them and keeps them on track.

Make sure they leave your Challenge (and stay in your Group) feeling heard, supported and encouraged.

Create the best experience possible. Make that your number one goal, and your members will love you.

Here’s to Designing Your Victory!

PS Do you want to create a Challenge to help you grow your Cash, your Community and your Clout? If so, I can help you with that.

Schedule your private 2.5-Hour VIP Strategy Session with me today and let’s get your Challenge created and planned to launch so you can have a prosperous 4^th quarter.

Visit: http://vipquickstartsession.com to schedule yours now!

PSS Join me in the Female Heart Conscious Coaches on Facebook to learn more about how to run a successful Challenge. I’m discussing this all month in our weekly Business by Design Facebook Lives.

See you in the community!