Busting Digitalization Myths: Templates

It’s not uncommon that I get on a call with a potential client and we talk about using templated programs - a one-to-many strategy - in their digital journey. Since I get asked this a lot, I thought it would be a good topic to write about. 

While templated programs can work, they are not “passive income”. In most cases a template gets built, sits on your product landing page, and goes stale. So, how can you use templates in your journey to actually get results? Understand their worth, value, outcomes, and ultimately create a strategy around them. 

Since coaches and rehab professionals are usually engaged in higher touch point service models such as one-on-one visits or programming, we can use a templated option as a paid lead. That means you need to have a process and procedure around the template. 

Here’s how this would work in a digital journey, let’s say you wanted to attract clients who had low back pain to work with you:

First, we would attract them in the exploratory phase with some sort of lead magnet. This is a free piece of content that is typically purchased with the exchange of information. The client enters their name and email address and in exchange, gets access to the content. 

Next, we nurture them with an email sequence or series of touch points (maybe through a digital group) with the goal of getting them to purchase your low back pain template. This client would immediately escalate your attention as they have made their first monetary purchase from you, albeit a lower risk, lower investment. But, you’re ready for the next move. 

From the template purchase, we would have a higher touch point nurture sequence, maybe it’s a call or email directly from you or your staff. The goal here is to ensure the template is working to solve the problem or escalate them to the appropriate offer if it is not - for example: one-on-one coaching or in-person visits with you. To make the offer even more enticing, we can roll the cost of the template into the first month or fist - thus, lowering the risk again and giving you a cost of acquisition equal to the template. 

Above is an example of using the template as a front end offer. Here’s an example of using it on the backend of a customer journey. 

Let’s say the client has done extremely well working with you one-on-one and is ready for some general guidance. You can now offer the template as a downsell to maintain touch points with the client, increase the average client value, and act as a retention tool should you choose to combine it with some sort of community or group coaching offer. 

The key takeaway with template creation and usage is that you need to have a plan and strategy around them! If you do, they can be extremely valuable! If you don’t, they are likely a lot of work for a little return.