Challenge groups are the heart and soul of your Beachbody business!
My recommendation is to start SMALL to build your confidence, and then work your way up from there! Keep in mind that this is a CONSTANT learning process, so don’t expect to get it perfect on the first try. I am CONSTANTLY learning and changing things up with each new challenge group that I do!
Don’t ever give up on yourself and the people that need your help!
First of all, what is a challenge group??
A challenge group can be whatever YOU make it out to be.
Basically, you invite people to join you in a private Facebook group (or whatever platform you want to use) where you all work together for a pre-determined length of time and keep each other accountable to accomplish the same goal. If you’ve already participated in a challenge group with your upline sponsor coach that’s GREAT. You have firsthand experience which is WAY better than anything I could ever teach you in this lesson!
In a challenge group people are required to check-in daily with their nutrition, workouts, or whatever else and you want to give them some kind of incentive for checking in. Daily tips, motivation, etc. The community atmosphere, support, and accountability found in a challenge group is often the missing link for a lot of people who are struggling to stay committed to their goals.
Keep in mind that as coaches we are all familiar with the term “challenge group” but your friends may have no idea what this means. Also, your target audience or ideal client may be intimidated by the word “challenge” so feel free to change things up so you are speaking THEIR language. I’ve called them BOOTCAMPS and WORKSHOPS just to put a different spin on things. It all depends on what you think is going to be most appealing for YOUR followers.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. I can’t emphasize this enough!! I know we are trained by corporate ONE specific way to run challenge groups but YOU are the CEO of your business and are free to do whatever you want!
What are the benefits of running a “challenge” group?
- Gives clear, concise, consistent steps about fitness+nutrition+support that we can share with EVERYONE.
- Free groups help to build your network outside your immediate group of family and friends.
- Creates momentum, confidence, and business profits through equipping others for BETTER fitness success!
- Creates an organized and systematic way to get focused on helping clients. Also helps with building your team because they typically end up loving the products and their results and want to help others do the same!
- Gives you a way to collect testimonials since the POWER is in the stories, not the details of workouts, etc.
- Removes the fear of a new coach as they get acquainted with “coaching” others in a group environment.
- Creates immediate income for new coaches.
- You can teach YOUR new coaches how to duplicate your success using the system you developed as a guideline.
What are the Different Types of Challenge Groups?
1. Free Challenge Groups
New coaches who want to practice challenge groups, or veteran coaches who want to change things up or need to kick-start their biz again may want to consider hosting FREE 5 or 7-day challenge groups.
The great thing about free groups is that they can really help to build your network (friends invite their friends, etc.) because seriously…who doesn’t like FREE stuff! Also, when you engage people for at least 5-7 days they typically want to keep the momentum going and then you can invite those people into a longer (paid) challenge group.
The only downside to these free and SHORT challenge groups is that if you’re working with NEW contacts who don’t know you very well 5-7 days is usually not enough time for them to build trust and a strong relationship with you. However this is something you probably won’t have to worry about until you’ve been a coach for a while.
The possibilities are virtually endless when it comes to these free and short challenges. Make it FUN!!
To help you come up with ideas, simply think of something YOU are struggling with right now.
Healthy eating habits? Sugar? Water? Sleep? Caffeine? Walking the dog?
Chances are if you’re having a hard time with something, someone else is too. Or what about a vegan or plant-based challenge? Or maybe paleo is more your thing? Gluten-free, dairy-free, etc. Like I said, the possibilities are ENDLESS!
For some ideas on short, nutrition related challenges you can do, check out this link:
http://www.challengeloop.com/ideas/topic/nutrition
And of course my favorite…PINTEREST!!
2. Shakeology Challenges
Shakeology challenges are similar to free challenge groups, but participants are required to purchase Shakeology packets from you or the Taste Sampler Kit from TeamBeachbody.com. Since the cost of entry is lower than a challenge pack this is a great option as a transition for people who participated in one of your free challenge groups. Shakeology challenges are typically short–somewhere in the range of 5-10 days.
If you’re selling individual packets remember you can’t charge less than retail price ($5 per packet seems to be the standard + whatever you want to charge for shipping). You’ll need to setup a Paypal account if you plan on selling individual packets.
Remember, you don’t have to call it a “Shakeology Challenge” you can come up with a cute and clever name or theme to peak interest.
3. Traditional Beachbody (paid) Challenge Groups
The typical time-frame for traditional Beachbody challenge groups is 21-30 days. For a “paid” challenge group, participants must do a Beachbody workout program and/or drink Shakeology daily for the duration of the challenge. Typically the minimum purchase requirement is Shakeology if they already own a Beachbody program. Again, this is NOT a free group! Invite those unable to make a purchase to participate in a FREE challenge group instead, sign-up for your free weekly newsletter, stay connected for daily tips on your FB page, offer them a free report you wrote, etc.
You always want to have some type of FREE resource to offer those people who just aren’t ready to make an investment in their health so they don’t lose trust in you. Chances are they WILL come around eventually!
For your paid groups it’s VERY important that you set guidelines and stick with them when you are setting things up. These guidelines include: what are the requirements to join, start/end date, and daily expectations from group participants (how often will they need to report in to the group and what do they need to report on?). You need to stand firm on your guidelines!!
If you’d like to get an idea of what a 30-day group looks like, check this template out: http://www.tiecoaches.com/#!all-things-challenge-group/c1iwd (courtesy of Anita Miron)
4. A unique idea for a challenge group that YOU just came up with!
If someone hasn’t done it already, chances are it would probably be a good thing to try!
Additional Tips for Paid Challenge Groups
- Everyone in your challenge group does NOT need to be doing the same Beachbody program. Restricting it to one program limits the number of people who will take interest. One person may be interested in the 21-Day Fix and another may be interested in Insanity MAX 30.
- You do NOT have to require that they purchase a challenge pack. Some people may already have a workout program and may just need to “complete their pack” by purchasing Shakeology.
- It’s your call, but I recommend 21 or 30-day challenges start on a Monday and end on a Friday or Saturday morning. It’s a FOCUS and/or kick-start to whatever program or product they’re following. ALWAYS have a deadline date to order what product they need, as well as a start and end date.
- You do not have to give a prize to the winner of your challenge, but I’ve noticed that prizes seem to keep people motivated. Typically the winner is the person who has the best transformation and participation. The transformation can be defined as percentage of body weight, inches, or body fat lost. Personally, I like to base my “winner” on participation in the group, because those who participate the most also get the best results! Also, in a way they are helping you run the group by keeping it active and engaging.
- Some people WILL stop participating at some point. Don’t take it personally, just connect via personal message to see if they’re OK.
- At the end of the challenge period some people may want to continue. Invite them to join your next group and to invite friends/family or ask if they’ve considered coaching if you think they’re a good fit.
- Empower participants and find leaders within your groups. Once a relationship has been built, if you think someone would make a great coach, make mention of it in a private message “Have you ever considered becoming a coach and hosting your own challenge group? I think you would be AWESOME!”
- When you’re starting out don’t be afraid to do small challenges with 2-3 people. Sometimes these smaller groups end up being the most successful. Larger groups can be hard to manage and ensure everyone is checking-in daily and getting the help that they need. You can also team up with another coach/success partner and both work on the same group together to help lighten the load.
- You have to start somewhere! Each challenge group you run is a valuable learning experience. Have fun and just lift people up! Sometimes that’s what they need more than anything else. Remember, you’re not there to be a personal trainer or nutritionist (unless of course you are) just a support/accountability partner. Either way, my best advice is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. The challenge participants will be watching and wondering if they could do this too!!
BRAINSTORM before you Start:
- What date will you and your participants START the group/challenge?
- What will you call your challenge? “Hot for the Holidays?” “Summer Slimdown”…make it something catchy and appealing! If you need ideas do a search on Google or Pinterest.
- How will someone qualify to be a part of this group? Does any purchase qualify them, or is no purchase necessary?
- What date will you END the challenge group?
- What prize will you offer? A book, a t-shirt, a gift card,…maybe nothing.. you don’t have to give a prize at all! Remember though if you offer a prize the value has to be less than $25 to stay within the Beachbody policies.
- Who will you message and invite right off the bat? Make a list.
- From what date to what date will you promote it. Give yourself at least 2 weeks to promote. If you suspect people MIGHT want to purchase something or if you’re going to require that, allow 4 weeks. Two weeks to promote/invite and get commitments/purchases, and 2 weeks for them to receive their product(s).
HOW I PERSONALLY RUN CHALLENGE GROUPS
I’m constantly changing things up but this is how I currently run my challenge groups.
First I have a Facebook group called the Fit Runner Club that I’m adding new to people to all the time. It’s a free group and the only requirement to join is to sign-up to my email list. You don’t need to have an email list yet but it’s something I recommend setting up once you’ve hosted a few free challenges. I run free challenges in this group all the time…some challenges are 5-7-10 days, some are 14-30 days.
Occasionally I invite the same people in this group to participate in paid challenges, either a Shakeo challenge or a “VIP” challenge where they’re required to purchase a challenge pack. For the VIP challenge I use the new My Challenge Tracker app because I can give those people more focused attention in comparison to the larger Facebook group.
MY CHALLENGE TRACKER APP
I’ve only used this app for my PAID challenges but feel free to utilize it however it works best for YOUR biz!
For more info on the My Challenge Tracker app check out >> https://www.mychallengetrackerportal.com/
Coach Portal Tutorial Video >> https://youtu.be/RI4rFCqSPHo
Coach Portal FAQ >> https://faq.beachbody.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3222
App Tutorial Video https://youtu.be/he2CUJqjfeI
App FAQ >> https://faq.beachbody.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1360
YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT TODAY
I hope you’re ready…it’s time to start inviting people to join you on your first challenge! So break out that list you made on Day 2 cuz you’re gonna need it!
1. If you haven’t already, it’s time to give your new business a GRAND OPENING and set the stage for sharing your lifestyle on social media!!
Instead of announcing in a FB post that you’re a coach like this: “I’m a Beachbody Coach now!! If you want to get some of their awesome fitness programs (like Insanity or PiYo) or Shakeology, then you can now get them from ME! Here’s my link…..”
Choose one of the following posts that suits your current situation the best and put in your own words.
Option #1
HEY EVERYONE!! I've decided that I'm ready to give myself a fresh start and really focus on my own health and fitness. This has been a struggle for me--working full time, raising a family, and LIFE just getting in the way. But I am ready to throw all the excuses away and make some positive lifestyle changes!
I also became a coach with Team Beachbody so that I can better hold myself accountable and also help others along the way! I am SO excited about this opportunity and this new path in my life that I'm starting a FREE 5-Day support group starting next Monday (the 29th) for anyone who wants to join me! I could use the added support myself so the group would be a way for all of us to stay motivated. My team created a meal plan that's perfect for getting started and I can't wait to share it with you. In my group, we'll have a complete shopping list and detailed meal prepping instructions so there's no guess work--we'll know exactly what to do for 5 whole days! So who's IN?! Please comment below or message me for more info. :o)
Option #2
ATTENTION everyone! I HAVE A RATHER BIG ANNOUNCEMENT to make right now. XX Days/months ago I joined an awesome and supportive community to help me stay on track with my nutrition and fitness. It's been such a great experience that it's inspired me to do something I've always wanted to do---HELP other people get and stay healthy.
To keep me motivated and moving forward in my own fitness journey I am taking you all with me. :-) I am looking for at least 10 friends to join me in my first-ever free xxxxxxxx challenge/workshop/mini-course that starts on XXXXXXX. For more info please comment below or msg me so I can see if this challenge is a good fit for you. I am very excited as this is the official launch of my new business, and I am just so thrilled to get you all started on something that is already changing my life in so many ways!
Option #3
ATTENTION everyone! I HAVE A RATHER BIG ANNOUNCEMENT to make right now. I just started my own business helping ________ (your target market niche), __________ (what you're going to help them do) so they can finally ___________ (end result of you helping them) and stop ________ (problem or pain point you solved). BUT here's the thing...since I'm totally new at this I was hoping I could practice on a few of my friends so I can get your feedback. If you'd like to participate in my first-ever XXXXXXXX challenge/workshop/mini-course please comment below or message me!
I recommend sharing your post either Sunday or Monday evening (8-9 PM EST) so it gets more traction on Facebook. Also, attach a pic of YOU to the post. DO NOT post a picture of any Beachbody products! You can use PicMonkey.com to add words and graphics to your picture to make it more fun. If you’d like me to give you feedback on your post/pic before you post it to Facebook be sure to share it in our #fitbizbesties FB group!
Remember, I will be here every step of the way so don’t stress!! Running a free group is one of the BEST ways to get your name out there as someone who is actively helping others. You want people to think of YOU right away when they are needing support!
2. Once people start responding to your post you’ll need to follow-up with them via private message >>
A. Hey Jessica! I saw you were interested in joining my xxxxxx challenge. I'll definitely make sure to add you as soon as we get everything all setup! But before I do would you mind if I ask what you makes you interested in learning more about it? That way I can make sure I'm steering you in the right direction lol.
B. OK got it...thank you! That makes a lot of sense. I think this could definitely help you out! I'm super excited about getting started with all of this but a little nervous too. lol BTW how are things going with XXXXXX? (your new job, your half-marathon training, your mom, etc. etc.)
C. wow! (respond as you normally would here) ok yeah I'll add you to the group as soon as I have it all setup and ready to go! Can you think of anyone else who might need help with xxxxxxxxxx?
TIP: Ending your messages with a question helps you learn more about your friends, keeps the conversation going, and let’s people know that you care about them and what they have to say!
3. What about those people on your list who didn’t respond to your FB post? Either they aren’t interested or they didn’t see your post. There’s only one way to find out…you need to ASK!
Hi Sam! I don't know if you saw my FB post or not but I just started a new business and my mentor has challenged me to find 10 friends who are looking to get back on track with healthy eating habits and participate in a free xxxxxxx challenge. Does that sound like something you might like to do? I thought of you because ... (the other day on FB I saw you made a comment about how hard it is to find quick, healthy meals, ....I know how much you like trying new recipes, etc. etc.) You're always so much fun and I'd love to have in the group!
4. Let me know in the #fitbizbesties group when you’ve made you’re GRAND OPENING and/or if you have questions or want feedback on a message/graphic.
I know you can TOTALLY do this!! If you need a little pep-talk before you get started, watch this video:
Remember: Don’t take things *SO* seriously, and most of all just have FUN!!