106 - The Difference Between a Signature Process, a Signature Framework, and Mini Result Milestones (and Why It Matters for Your Program)

Welcome to the program design podcast. I'm your host Lauren Monique, teacher and curriculum writer, turned program mentor and business strategist for coaches, educators and online experts. Whether you're looking to create your first ever group coaching program or scale your current offer for more freedom, revenue, and consistent income, this is the podcast for you. Here you'll find practical strategies and encouragement mixed with a bit of manifestation and intuition to help you grow and design a program you absolutely love. Let's dive in. Hello and welcome to the program design podcast. I'm your host Lauren Monique and in this episode, we're going to be diving into the difference between a signature process, a signature framework and what I call many result milestones. So if you are new to the podcast, welcome. I am thrilled to have you here. We are going to be diving into some of the IP that I share around how to design your program. So in this podcast, I talk about how to design signature programs, how to grow signature programs. And I was looking back on a number of my podcasts episodes and I realized actually that I haven't done a lot on actual program design in a little while. So I wanted to dive into that today. And where I wanted to go in with this is that a lot of times I hear folks talking about IP, especially as you get more established in the online business world, having your own IP, your own intellectual property, having your own thought leadership, and why that's so important. And people kind of assume that you have it sometimes or they just say like create the program, create your IP or just assume you have your own IP. And yes, it can absolutely set you apart. Having it, it helps you build trust in your potential clients. It helps you make feel more confident in your program how you sell it. But how do you actually go and develop your IP? Because in my experience, and in the experience I've felt from a lot, I've heard from a lot of clients is most programs will tell you how to market your program, but they won't necessarily tell you how to develop your program and your IP. And that's what I want to support you with today. So if you're new to the podcast and you haven't hit subscribe yet, go ahead and hit subscribe so you don't miss another episode. And we will dive into today's content. So the first thing I want to share is like the like the title of this episode says the difference between the signature process, a signature framework, and many result milestones. So these are kind of concepts that I have established over time as I've developed and stuff like really kind of worked on my own IP and my own nomenclature, if you will. But the reason this even came up for me is one day I was in a program and one of the other business owners in the program, she was talking about her IP and she shared her IP in the group and we were all talking about it. And she had a signature framework like a lot of people do and I was looking at the framework and it was so complex. And I understand why it was complex because she had a lot of elements to her IP and she had a lot of pieces to it. But just looking at the framework, it was a lot to digest and take in. And she really needed to walk you through each step of the process of the whole visual framework for you to really be able to understand it. And that's when it got me thinking about what I want to share today is that a lot of us think, well I've got this, I've got this signature framework, especially if you've been in business for a little while, you might have like this visual signature framework that only you can understand. And sometimes like I've even spoken to other coaches and they're like, yeah, I've got my signature framework, but I honestly don't really refer to it that often. It just like sits on my computer. And that's when I wanted to come, like I wanted to clarify this distinction between the three of us, the three options, because sometimes we try to use a framework when we actually need a process or we need many result milestones. So that's why I wanted to kind of dive into this because ultimately all of these things should yes, explain your IP, but they should really be easy for your ideal client to understand. If you have to really walk someone through it and they take a lot of brain power just to wrap their minds around your IP, you're losing them. We want it to be like really digestible understandable so that they can get on board with your IP, that's what makes it valuable, right? So let's talk about that difference between the signature process, a signature framework and many result milestones. So the first piece, the signature process, process for my Americans listening is your process that you take people through in your program. That's what you develop over time in your program. Like that is like your main curriculum. It's all the elements that you include in your program to help people get results. And I will let you know a little bit about how to even create your signature process in a moment. But that's the whole thing of it. That's all of your modules. That is what you include in your lessons. That's like exercises, workbooks, any kind of meditations, anything that you include to me in your main program. Like that's your signature process that you take people through. What I find is sometimes people try to make that process into their signature framework and it can work and it cannot. And I use them differently. So that's your signature process. It's like the whole thing, right? Your signature framework to me is a visual representation of a concept in your IP or in your signature process. And I'm going to come back to this one in a second. Your many result milestones are the stepping stones that lead someone to the final transformation in your program. So to me, they're the simple way of explaining your signature process to a potential client. And it's also the path that your clients will follow in order to get results in your program. So for example, in my signature process, I have five modules in my program. And there are many things, like sometimes people ask, Oh, okay, so program design, what does that look like? And I open out the module and there's like tons of content there, right? So if I was to explain everything that I do to a potential client in all of my signature process, it would be so overwhelming. And they don't need to know all of those different things that we dive into in order for them to know if the program is right for them. And in order for them to even get a result, you don't need to go through my entire signature process to get a fantastic result by working with me, right? It's not about just finishing the course. And so instead, many result milestones distill your signature process into like understandable chunks, if you will, or milestones. So people can understand big picture. This is how the program works. So part of my signature process is you learn about program design. And you'll learn things like differentiation. You'll learn many result milestones. You'll learn what tech to use. You'll learn how to set up your programs, program outlines, like there's so many things to it signature visual frameworks. There's lots in my program design, but I'm not going to share all of that with somebody because that's just going to be way too much information. Instead, if a client is wondering how my process works, I'll share my many result milestones, which I will say first, we'll get clear on your program model. So you feel really good about the program that you're designing. You get you have a clear vision for what you're creating, what you're refining. Once you're clear on your model, then we're going to look at your program design, get clear and refining your program design. So you know what your program is going to be about. Then we'll position your offer. So it speaks to your right ideal client. They know it's right for them and how it can help them. Then we'll run your repeatable sales system. So we'll like set up your sales system in a way that works for you that you feel good about, that you don't feel slimy and pushy. So you can start to fill your program. And then you'll actually run your program and you will scale it. So those are my five milestones. So it's, we'll make sure that you have a clear vision. It's aligned in your program. Then we talk about program design, then we talk about offers, then we talk about sales systems, and then we talk about running and scaling your program. And so those are my milestones. And when I explain it like that, especially with a visual, these are the main phases that I'll go through when I work with Lauren. So I can take my signature process and simplify it into a clear digestible path. I usually have like a linear path to show that with many result milestones. A signature framework, I've been thinking about this because some people see like the signature process as your signature framework. To me, a framework is a visual, it's a visual representation of a concept in your program. So if you want to take your process and you want to describe it to somebody and you don't know how to articulate how your program works, the simplest ways to use many result milestones. But if you want to have a specific concept, you can illustrate it with a signature framework. To me, illustrating your signature process with a signature framework, there's too much to it. It gets complicated, but you can illustrate a concept with a signature framework. So it's a visual representation of a concept. So it might have like three overlapping circles. It might have like a pyramid where there's like foundational elements and you kind of move up the pyramid. The concept that has two opposing elements, you might have like a quadrant. You might have a linear path. So basically, it's like, how can I take a concept that people are wrapping their mind around and how can I show it visually to simplify it? So like one way that I would, I would show it is like, if I'm sharing three different concepts, I might show like a triangle and I'll show the three concepts around the triangle. Again, it's hard to kind of describe on a podcast, but it's a signature framework. It's illustrating one specific concept in your IP and your signature process. To me, representing your whole process with a signature framework, there's too much detail there and it gets overwhelming for someone to understand. So I'll recap what I mean by those three pieces, and then I'm going to share when to use each one and how to start developing your own signature process. So signature process is like the entire thing, your entire IP, everything that you take people through in your program. Signature framework is a piece of your signature process, and it's how you show it with a visual representation, some sort of like visual, usually with shapes. And then many result milestones are how you take your signature process, and you break it down for someone, again in a visual way, that's really simple for them to understand, so they can understand how your process works and how it could apply to them. So when to use each one. The first thing to think about is for a signature process, personally, I don't walk through, and I wouldn't recommend you walk through your entire signature process with any potential client, it will just get too overwhelming. So that is really more for like for you when you're creating your program outline, for your clients to navigate through, maybe in your core curriculum, it might be pieces that you take out in your sessions with like group clients or things like that. That's when you use it, it's really for yourself and for clients, it's not for potential clients. As signature framework, you can use with potential clients in like a workshop, in a master class, in a webinar, and you can use it in your actual content itself, like your curriculum, in your group coaching programs, to explain certain concepts, you can use it in both ways. And then many result milestones, the way I use this is I use it with potential clients when I describe how my program works, and then with my current clients, I will use it as a guideline for where to go from there, but then I actually have more detail behind the scenes in my program, so each milestone has action steps, so it's kind of like the success path, they can see, okay, what milestone am I at? What do I need to work on next, or I need to work on this action step next? So it's kind of like a GPS to navigate the signature process, so you can use it like in a simplified version with potential clients, and then you can use it like a more detailed, deeper version with existing clients. So the thing to highlight here is that with potential clients, we want to keep it really simple and clear and simple, and like big picture easy to understand your IP, because then I can get a sense of that's what she talks about. That's how her program works, or that's how her ideas work, okay, like they can wrap their mind around the concept, and then the actual how-to, the details, the action steps, that is in your actual programs. So again, if you ever wonder too about like what content to put in your free stuff, what content to put in your paid stuff, that gives you a clue. So let's think about what to actually do when you're developing your own signature program to use with clients without overwhelming them or you. So I want to show you like how I start to think of the signature process, because it is really like the foundation that once you have your signature process, then you can develop your frameworks, then you can develop your many result milestones. Sometimes people try to do the opposite, it gets a bit complicated. So with signature process, the three elements that I use to create your signature process is you have core curriculum or core content. That's piece number one. You have implementation strategies, so getting people into action, and then you have feedback loops. Where you get feedback from your clients and you pour back into your program. So the way that that creates your signature process and the difference between just like your knowledge and your signature process is it needs to be co-created with your clients. So you'll kind of create your outline, you'll have a sense of how what content to put into your program, and I mean, that's another episode altogether, but say you have your outline. Then you have your main content that you'll create, you think it's going to work with your clients, right? You think it's going to work in your program. But then you actually run it in with your clients, you give them implementation exercises, like things to actually get them into action. You get a lot of feedback, and then you can say, okay, this is missing, this is missing, this was too much, this was not enough. I'm going to refine my curriculum, my implementation strategies, and I'm going to run it again. And then it becomes this loop, or I guess this cycle that over time you can start to see, these are all the elements that my clients need, and that becomes your signature process. Because if you're just developing your signature process based on your own experience alone, even if it's content that has worked with one to one clients, brick and mortar clients, it won't necessarily translate online or in your group program and your signature program. It really needs to be specific to your ideal person. So it's like this overlap of like your knowledge and your expertise and everything that you can support people with, with the problem that your ideal client wants solved. The overlap is what becomes your signature process. And so we need to co-create it with our clients so that it really is relevant for them. It's not just you firehousing them with too much information. You've been around me for a little while. You've likely heard me say that. You're creating it with them. So it's always refining and getting better and better. And they're going to give you the feedback that you go, actually, I could help them with this. Oh, this could be improved. Oh, I could add this. And that's what creates your signature process over time. So again, parts of your signature process to include is your core curriculum that you start to build up with program outlines, but core curriculum, implementation strategies, which are exercises that you do to get your clients in action. And so I have tons, but an example of a feedback loop would be like checking in at the beginning of a group call, for example, and saying like, how did last week go? Where did you get stock? Like say your health coach and you're helping them with like a specific strength training. Say a nutrition. And then you can say like, how did last week go? And then you notice they dropped off because of XYZ or they're not eating enough or oh, I see that they're making this mistake. Okay, I'm going to feed that back into my program. Maybe I'll make a lesson for it. How can I make sure to support them? And then that bit of knowledge that you learned that week gets fed back into your program. And so there's tons of different feedback loops that you can use. So you're always like keeping the pulse and where your clients are at. And then that improves and improves your program over time and your signature process over time. So let's recap today's episode on the difference between a signature process framework and many result milestones. Your signature process is like everything. It's the whole thing in your program, your curriculum. It's like the exercises that you take people through. It's like the whole thing. Great for clients. It's too much for potential clients. That's why I like to simplify it with many result milestones that shows people your process in a really easy digestible way. And it also gives your clients a path to follow once they're in your program so that they can see what to do next signature frameworks. Instead of representing your signature process with a signature framework, I recommend many result milestones instead. And then signature framework, you can represent a specific concept within your IP within your process with a visual framework to make it more, make it easier for someone to understand. The mistake I see when people use a signature framework instead of many result milestones is like I said, there's signature framework. Instead of illustrating a concept, it's illustrating a whole process and it gets too complicated. So that's why I like illustrating with many result milestones instead when to use each one. Your signature process is really for you and for your clients. Signature frameworks, you can use with potential clients outside in like free content and you can use it in paid content. You just give more of the concepts in your free content and then like the how to of how to actually apply that framework in your paid content. And then your many result milestones, you give the overview to potential clients and then your paid clients can take that overview but also have like actual step by step actions within that so they know exactly what to do and when. And then to develop that signature process, you're developing it over time, you're co-creating it with your clients and it includes your curriculum or your content, your curriculum, implementation strategies, get your getting your clients into action and be back loops. So I trust that this was helpful for you today to start thinking about your own IP and how you can refine it so you know when to use it and where and the difference between those things and start to really develop your own IP because when you can create names and I didn't specify this, when you have a name for like different frameworks, when you have a name for different concepts, when you have a name for different steps of your milestones, all of a sudden it becomes your own IP, it feels more valuable, it feels more established and it builds trust with potential clients. And it also helps your current clients like really understand your concept better because there's a name for it like all my clients know many result milestones and it's just a word and they like it's a word in our world and they're like all my milestones need some work or I need to refine my milestones like it helps them understand your concepts and be able to apply them better to when they have a name for them. So trust is helpful, loves being here with you today and I will see you on another episode of the program design.