Episode 42. Your Signature Method

EPISODE 42: In this episode of the Creative Spark podcast, we take a closer look at why Creatives need to package what they know into a signature method. This is the first step in my new course, the Creative Funnel Formula and it paves the way for all the steps which follow.

Everything you need to know about a topic is already freely available on the internet, so as a result, information is not what people pay for anymore. It is the organisation of that information that is much more valuable.

The problem is, when it comes time to share what they know, most "experts" tend to overwhelm their audience with all of the knowledge they have accumulated over the years.

It is tempting to share "everything" in the pursuit of giving your customers value when what they really want is results. They want the "expert" to guide them on the shortest path through the woods. They don't need to know the history of every tree along the way.

"You don't have to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream."—Michael Dell

My first course offerings were a disaster. I had so much knowledge in my head and I just wanted to get it all out into the world. I tried to give so much value to my audience so I shared everything I knew.

It was more like a brain dump than a course. I soon realised that people wanted results, not information. The funny thing was, I was a university lecturer and had been teaching students for years, but the difference between a 12-week university course and a commercial online course is that students attending university have to show up week after week otherwise they fail to get their degree.

They will suffer through boring two-hour lectures every week because it's part of the trials of being a university student. They will suffer through theoretical assignments that make no sense to their daily lives because they have to pass the course.

If someone buys your online course, they are not there for a qualification. They bought the course because they have a problem and you offer a solution. If your course is boring or overwhelming they have all the freedom in the world to stop watching your videos or participating in the coaching calls. They might even ask for their money back.

Teaching in a formal education setting is the polar opposite of teaching an online course and I found this out the hard way. It is painful to cut back information to its leanest form, but I learned through trial and error that people pay for a pathway, they pay for you to guide them through quickly, they pay for results and confidence in your structure, even if they already know most of the content contained within the structure. They also pay you to keep them accountable.

Knowledge is power, it is true, but there is also something called information overload.

If you share all of your knowledge on a topic without bringing order and organisation to it, you are doing your audience a disservice. By overwhelming someone with information, you are not providing value, so sometimes less is more when it comes to imparting knowledge, which can feel counterintuitive to someone with lots to share.

Following these simple steps will help you bring order and organisation to your topic and create a signature program

STEP ONE: Start with the end in mind

Every great speech, movie, book, or transformational experience was written with the end in mind. Before you start out on this journey, you need to define a measurable result to offer your customer, or they won't come along for the ride. Think of it this way, you're much less likely to get in the Uber if the driver can't promise he'll take you to where you want to go in the shortest amount of time for a predictable amount of money. The destination and a promise you'll get there is essential information for both of you before the Uber even shows up. It's the same with any product or service you're offering your audience. It takes the promise of a destination to persuade a stranger to trust you to take them there.

STEP TWO: Craft your message

Now that you know what transformation or result you are offering, it is time to craft a message that communicates it in a way your audience finds appealing. It also helps keep you on track when developing your content, sales, and marketing. Your transformation doesn't have to cover everything from A to Z on a topic, it's possible to move your audience from A to B and still bring about a valuable transformational result.

STEP THREE: Brain dump everything you know on this topic

No doubt you have a lot of information and ideas rattling around in your head. You might also have knowledge gaps and so a brain dump is a great way to get it all out of your head and into a format where you can sort through it. There are many different brain dump techniques but because we are going to group the information, Post-it notes are the best because you can physically pick them up and move them around. You might also want to brain dump on a large sheet of paper first and then write the ideas you want to keep onto the notes.

STEP FOUR: Arrange your ideas into nine clusters

Once you've exhausted every idea you have around your topic, it's time to group them into nine clusters. Why nine? Because humans can retain groupings of three more easily than other numbers, so by creating a nine-step plan, you can group them into three sets of three. You could also do 12 if you're covering a detailed topic but if you can't get someone a result in nine steps, you're probably trying to teach them too much. If you have plans for a 36 step program, break off the first nine steps and teach that to start with. Help someone achieve a result first and then you can move them onto the next nine modules in the second tier course.

STEP FIVE: Define a result for each of your nine steps

Now that you have your content grouped into nine clusters, you can work on a mini transformation for each step. Think of these modules as mini-courses. In my creative funnel framework, for example, step one is all about finding the perfect niche. Even if you don't proceed any further along with the framework, you already have a result. You start with a problem, not knowing what your niche is, and by the end of the module, you have created an overlap diagram and created a perfect niche statement.

STEP SIX: Edit your brain dump

When you did your brain dump in step three, chances are you've written down some ideas which don't fit into your nine-step framework. Now is the time to scrunch up those post-it notes. You might also realise that your post-its are a bit light on for some of the steps. These are known as knowledge gaps.

You might know you need a module about social media for example, in order to get your audience from A to B, but it might not be your area of expertise. That's fine, you can work it out later by adding to your knowledge as you need it, or inviting topic experts to contribute. Amy Porterfield has other guest tutors teaching the tricky tech steps in her Digital Course Academy for example because course software is not her area of expertise, but she knows her audience needs those skills to build their online courses and email lists.

STEP SEVEN: Create a series of action steps for each module

This step is where the rubber meets the road. Create a series of action steps for each of your modules to achieve the result you've promised in your framework. Stick with three per module, for now, you can always elaborate as you unpack the content, but starting with 27 action steps means you've practically outlined the program already.

STEP EIGHT: Give your framework a name

There are many ways to name your framework, but these six are my favourite:

1. The "Result is in the Title" naming strategy eg: "Learn Brush Lettering" or "Pass your Drivers Test"
2. The "Guides, Secrets, Blueprints" naming strategy eg: "The Beginners Guide to WordPress" or "The Secrets of Successful Baking"
3. The "A to B" naming strategy: "Less work, more productivity" or "Fat to Fit"
4. The "Signature Solution" naming strategy eg: "The Fletcher Method" or "Product Launch Formula"
5. The "Easy-peasy" naming strategy eg: "Email Marketing Made Easy" or "Ballroom Dancing 101"
6. The "Say it like it is"naming strategy. eg: "Etsy Academy" or "Social Media for Watercolour Artists" Try one of each and see which one sounds best.

STEP NINE: Fill in your signature solution framework

Now that you have a name, your modules, your overall promise and a result for each module, you can fill in the framework. This visual framework outlines your promise to your audience and makes a great sales tool as well as keeping you and your customers on track throughout the process.

So that's it for the steps. Imagine the clarity you would feel by packaging all your knowledge and expertise into a structured signature solution.

Before you even start working with an audience, they know exactly what journey you will be going on together and have a clear idea of the path you will guide them on.

A visual framework gives your customers confidence in your method and gives you something to be known for. A structured framework promises a measurable result and keeps you on track when you are creating content, sales, and marketing assets. Everything is built around your framework. You can pin it on the wall and stop going round in circles.

How will your package your knowledge?