Your Mission Accomplished Story
After 20 years of success as a published novelist, I was stuck for 2 years transitioning from a writing instructor to a writing coach with my Hack Your Muse coaching brand. I spent too much time designing courses to help writers finish a book, but rarely launched or marketed them because I could feel there was something missing. The lightbulb would go on, I'd start designing, and then it would flicker off. I'd seen the disappointing drop off rates when I taught before. I'd been a student who didn't always finish a program myself.
I didn't want to create a program that would leave writers with unfinished books. With 40 years of experience, I knew anyone could finish a book, and that I could help them do it. But how to design a program that would impart 40 years of knowledge and still leave writers with time to write the book?
I joined the Experience Product Masterclass because Marisa expressly shared her own desire to design courses that people finished, and enjoyed. Through the EPM coaching and coursework, I realized three key things: I needed to simplify my offer, I needed to clarify my offer, and -- most importantly -- I needed to begin having conversations about how to finish the book with prospective members of the ""finish-the-book"" tribe I want to grow.
Unlike in my previous two years of struggle to design exactly the ""right"" offer (spoiler alert...there isn't one), I started asking my (small) email list questions about them, about their books, about their struggles. I reached out to writers I had talked to personally in the past.
As I reached out (definitely not in my personal comfort zone), I talked to everyone with a growing confidence that my program would allow writers to finish a book -- because I could help them do the one thing they most needed -- sweep all the mind clutter away and keep them focused on solving every problem and making every decision on the path between ""Once upon a time,"" and ""happily ever after."" I had (finally, with Marisa's help) designed a program that would speed a writer through her first draft. At last, the lightbulb had stopped flickering and was shining full on.
Ironically, I hit Mission Accomplished from a totally unexpected direction, but directly related to the Chatterbox outreach I did because of EPM. I'm confident that I'll be taking 1,000 writers through ""Win Your Writing Game: Finish Your Book"" in 2020. I know what to do to make it happen, and I'm ready to roll up my sleeves, stick my iPhone on my tripod, and get the necessary conversation between my finish-the-book tribe and me going.
Thanks, Marisa, Murray, Don, Coach Matthew, and all the generous members of EPM. I could have done it without you...in just about a hundred years from now.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
I've been doing a lot, through Teachable and Ask, to make this coaching brand happen, and shift my mindset/focus to building a successful Hack Your Muse brand. But EPM helped me reframe my mindset in a game-centered way. We (my students, Marisa, and ME) all stick with what is both enjoyable and is clearly leading us to our objective for much longer than we stick with anything that leaves us confused or going up blind alleys in the dark trusting we're going to get where we want to do. So, in 2020, I'm focused on the most important two metrics -- are my students enjoying themselves while they make progress? If the answer is no to either of those questions...time for me to pull out the EPM core experience toolbox and get to work.
How did EPM help you become successful?
EPM helped me reach Mission Accomplished because it didn't let me off the hook. I needed to choose which campaigns I was going to run...and RUN them. EPM gave me very clear guidelines on what it looked like to run them, and how to know if a particular campaign was working for me or not. But I couldn't hit that little circle and hear the sound of success until I'd not only created, but RUN the campaign.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
Having developed so much that will help me build my Hack Your Muse branding during the 10 weeks of EPM, I feel a little gobsmacked. I have a brand new website, two brand new lead magnets, a sales page, six marketing campaigns, and a value-added curriculum built that I can use now and in the future. I didn't just create a program, I created a machine. Best of all, I can visualize my goals for Hack Your Muse for 2020 and I can believe in them, so I'm finding it easier to share my goals with my husband, friends, and family (something I've rarely been willing to do before).
What has been the biggest change in your business?
The biggest change in Hack Your Muse is that it is now real, instead of hidden away on my author website. It has its own brand website and soon Google will know it is a force to be reckoned with.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
The Core Experience elements of my Experience Product have me really excited. I look forward to developing more of them. This kind of program development aligns with my core beliefs (from raising two unique children with unique learning challenges, and other life experiences). We can all finish our books, meet our goals, or make our dreams come true. Discouragement and confusion are the true enemies of dreams, not time and money.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I didn't have the time or money to take EPM. But I'm so glad I did it anyway. I want writer who take my programs to feel exactly the same way I do, as I hit mission accomplished, and look to the future.