120: Best Practices for Offboarding Clients
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As a business owner, it is essential to recognize and celebrate client progress. When a client is completing a program, it is an opportunity to reflect on their successes and celebrate their accomplishments. Off-boarding clients is a process that should be done thoughtfully, and with the same level of care and attention as on-boarding them. In this episode, I’m sharing my top 5 best practices for off-boarding your group coaching clients.
STEP 1: Let your client know when their time is ending
When a client is in the midst of a program, it is important to regularly remind them that their time is coming to an end. This can be done in the form of quarterly reminders, such as “you’re three months in, you’re six months in, you’re nine months in”, or if it’s a six-month program, a reminder at the halfway mark. This reminder should be done in a way that celebrates the progress they’ve made and the successes they’ve achieved.
When a client is coming to the end of their program, it is important to provide them with a clear and concise off-boarding process. This includes providing them with all the resources they need, such as feedback forms and surveys, as well as any additional resources. It is also important to provide them with a clear timeline and expectations for the end of the program.
When off-boarding clients, it is important to celebrate their progress and the successes they have achieved. This can be done by sending them a personalized thank you letter, or by providing them with a certificate of completion. It is also important to provide them with the opportunity to stay connected, either through a private Facebook group or a newsletter. This will help to ensure that the relationship continues even after the program has ended.
STEP 2: Personalize the next steps
A lot of group coaching clients come out of group coaching programs and they don't feel like they've been heard or seen.
They don't feel like the coach or the coaches know anything about their business. A lot of people come out of group coaching programs feeling like a wallflower. Maybe that was their personality, but they wish somebody had pulled it out or they feel like they were pushed to the corner because there were just too many people, or the coach just didn't care that much. Since this is a huge complaint, you need to make sure that this is not happening in your business and the way that you can do that is by personalizing next steps based on achievements that the client has had.
Celebrating client achievements is a great way to show appreciation and recognize the hard work they have put in. It is also a great way to motivate clients to continue making progress and to strive for even greater success. This can be done through automated emails, verbal recognition, or even a small token of appreciation.
Automated emails are an easy and effective way to show clients that you appreciate their progress. These emails can be sent at the end of a program or at regular intervals throughout the program. They can include a thank you for their hard work, a congratulations for reaching a milestone, or even a reminder to keep going. Automated emails can be personalized with the client’s name and can include a link to additional resources or information.
Verbal recognition is also an important way to celebrate client achievements. This can be done through group coaching sessions, one-on-one meetings, or even in a group setting. During group coaching sessions, the coach can make a point to recognize each client’s progress and accomplishments. This can be done through verbal affirmations or even small rewards. In one-on-one meetings, the coach can take the time to discuss the client’s successes and offer encouragement and advice. In a group setting, the coach can recognize individual achievements and encourage the group to celebrate each other’s successes.
STEP 3: Offer an Off-boarding call
It is not enough to simply celebrate client achievements. It is also essential to listen to feedback and reflect on the client experience. Group coaching programs, for example, can often leave clients feeling unheard or unseen. A coach may not have had enough time to get to know each client, or the client may have felt overwhelmed by the number of other people in the program. To prevent this from happening, it is important to personalize next steps based on the client’s achievements, and to offer a quick off-boarding call to reflect on the program. This allows the client to provide valuable feedback about the program and to be heard, which is essential for creating a positive and supportive environment.
It is also important to ask for testimonials and surveys. Many clients may be reluctant to provide feedback, but it is essential to ask for it in order to improve the program and create an even better experience for future clients. Asking for feedback can be difficult, but it is essential to ensure that the program is meeting the needs of clients and that they are getting the most out of it.
STEP 4: Get a survey or testimonial
When off-boarding a client, it is important to get a survey or testimonial from them. This way you can get personalized feedback on what worked or didn’t work for them. The problem is that no one ever completes them, even with incentives.
A few tips to receive the survey or testimonial is to:
Send it out a month before
Talk about the importance of it during the last group coaching call
Have a mid assessment survey and then an off boarding survey to compare and see if anything changed.
STEP 5: Be open to criticism
It is essential to listen to feedback and use it to improve the program. It is important to put the ego aside and be open to criticism. This is not just a skill for business, it is a skill for life. It is important to be open to the idea that someone may not love the program as it is. Make sure to ask why they missed out on those points, and use this feedback to make the program even better. While it’s a difficult thing to be open to criticism, this is the best way to ensure that clients are getting the most out of the program and that the program is continuously improving. It is also a great way to ensure that the marketing and branding of the program is reflective of the amazing stuff that is going on inside the program.
Grow Your Group Program From The Inside Out
If your group program is up and running, but you know you could acquire some new skills in how to run your group calls better, how to train your clients better, or how to make your program more profitable, this is a 4-week group program that would be perfect for you. I am accepting applications now, and we start in April with a kick-off call in March.
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