We’ve been teaching the high-end model for years.

I love it. I truly do. I’ve seen SO many women completely transform themselves, simply by offering their services in a way that honors their magic.

And then start charging for it. A LOT.

Charging “a lot” is a new paradigm. It’s not the norm. It’s triggering.

So, naturally some nigglies are gonna come up, if you’re going to play the high-end game.

One of THE biggest is…. “I can’t promise results,” which is really code for… “OMG what if my clients don’t make it happen?!?”

If that’s you… on one hand, you’re right to be concerned. Facebook is FULL of stories of those who’ve been burned by high-end mentors, spending a TON of money with nothing to show for it.

On the OTHER hand… here’s why you can breathe a sigh of relief….

Whether your clients get the results actually has surprisingly little to do with your expertise.

I know. I know. Stick with me, here…

Of COURSE ya gotta have skills. You DO have to take responsibility for your skill set. You can’t perform surgery without knowing how to wield a scalpel.   Mastery is critical.

AND… you probably already have more than enough mastery to 2x or 3x what you charge for your services right now. (Mastery evolves over time, which means no matter what, you have to put yourself in the game. And be willing to be NOT masterful along the way.)

Fact is… there is ANOTHER factor that has arguably THE biggest impact on whether your clients get results. It has NOTHING to do with mastery of “the thing you do.” Without it, mastery of “the thing you do” actually doesn’t matter very much.

So what’s the OTHER factor?

What I like to call… the “yeah buts.”

YEAH but… I can’t really do it.

YEAH but… my family won’t like it.

YEAH but… I may lose love.

YEAH but… I’m terrified of being visible.

YEAH but… [insert your own here]

Simply put, the “yeah buts” are… resistance to change.

Human beings are WIRED to resist change. It is a neurological fact that as soon as we get close to something we want but have never had, our “squishyminds” (aka critter brain) will throw up an objection.

YEAH but… I don’t have the money.

YEAH but… I might have to give up something I care about.

YEAH but… I’m freakin’ scared.

Many “yeah but”s aren’t even verbal. It’s a feeling. A sense of STOP STOP STOP that’s deep in your clients’ body.

They won’t even know that it’s coming up… they’ll see something, have a circumstance, make something up, justify, rationalize why they are not moving forward. And whatever it is… it will look real.

It happens to all of us.

Years ago, when I was learning sales, I was introduced to this old adage:

“Take away all their yeah-buts and all that’s left to do is buy.”

Kinda crass, right? Not entirely true… but very close to true. (If you’ve had some sales conversations, you know what I’m talking about.)

The SAME THING happens once your peeps are enrolled in a program too, making it even MORE important that you pay attention to the yeahbuts and design your program around making them disappear.

Take away all the reasons for people to fail – or QUIT, which is more likely – and guess what?

They won’t.

They’ll transform. They’ll do things they never dreamed of. It’s freakin’ amazing.

Here are 7 program design best practices to dissolve the “yeah buts” – to help you create the conditions where NOTHING stands between your clients and the miracles they Desire:

1. Know EXACTLY what their “yeah buts are.

Before you can change something, you need to know what you’re dealing with.

In my experience, the “yeah buts” fall into 2 categories. The inner game, and the outer game.

The inner game is the stories that people are telling themselves. Mindsets. I can’t be spiritual and make money. (In the sales realm, I can’t afford it and I don’t have time are two inner game biggies.)

The outer game is the ways the inner game shows up. Distraction, overwhelm, external drama. The dog ate my homework. Indecisiveness.

So… first things first: think of your ideal client and determine all the inner and outer game things that are likely to get in their way.

For example, for a sales coach, your clients are going to have beliefs and patterning that lead them to avoid picking up the phone. Or in a health program, it’s predictable that your clients will be derailed by, say, sugary sweets.

You can then build structures into your program to account for these obstacles.

2. Start STRONG.

Surprisingly… one of the most common times for people to quit out of a program is right at the beginning.

Why? Because of a yeah-but, of course…

Did I make the right decision?

Your client is almost ALWAYS going to ask themselves, on some level, if they made the right decision in joining your program. (It’s not you. They do this when buying just about anything.)

The solution is to design your program to deliver a RESULT or mini-result right at the very beginning.

Results create momentum. Success leads to more success. Success also provides PROOF to the squishymind that everything is okay and that we’re going to “get our money’s worth,” so to speak.

You can create results and momentum via a 1-day intensive, or simply a set of “kickstart exercises.” Or a special plan of action at the beginning. (Think: the first 2 weeks of quite possibly every weight loss plan ever devised.)

Whatever it is, get it going right after the sales conversation, or – even better – while you have them on the phone. Give them the exercises. Get that day or session on the calendar. This will get your client into action and quiet her doubts and fears.

3. Be STRONG in your accountability.

So you’ve got someone who just paid you ten grand for 6 months. Guess what? This gives you a LOT of permission to step it up.

Your clients want you to step it up. They want you to be strong in your leadership, and hold them accountable.

If you’re a private coach, co-create action steps with your client at every session, and check in with them to see if they’ve done it.

In a group program, build in accountability buddies as a program benefit. Pair people up and have them check in with each other on a regular basis and report their progress.

One of the main things people are investing in with a high-end program is accountability to get it done. This doesn’t mean you babysit people. It doesmean you have their back and call their attention to the commitments they are honoring – or not honoring.

4. Speak to their “yeah buts all the time.

No, really. In every article, every video, every Facebook post.

ALL. THE. TIME.

Why? Because the yeah-buts start loooooong before peeps ever step into your program.

As a transformational leader, your #1 job is to raise ambitions (so well put, Brendon) and shift their perspective so they can BELIEVE new possibilities they never considered for themselves. And SEE the opportunities they’ve never seen before (which always there, by the way).

This kind of thing takes TIME. Multiple touches. All-the-time immersion in what they need to believe and understand, before they can take action.

Do this well, and you’re going to provide a TON of value for your whole community, whether someone signs up with you or not.

Marketing to the yeah-buts makes it more likely that what they learn in your program will feel familiar, and when its time for them to sign up and do the work, they’re ready.

5. Choose your bonuses to melt the yeah-buts.

For example, let’s say you have a program on teaching people how to hold sales conversations. One common yeah-but you come across could be, “I don’t have a program to sell yet.” So a great bonus could be a simple training on how to create your first program.

Or, you could include a recipe book as a bonus in a healthy eating program to counter the “I don’t know how to cook” yeah-but.

Bonus tip: Make your bonuses specific and easy to consume.

6. Continually show them it’s possible.

Want to know the #1 yeah-but?

The #1 thing that stops people… hands down… across the board… no matter what niche you’re in?

It’s not money…

It’s not time…

It’s thinking it’s not possible. Or, more specifically, that it’s not possible for them.

So, show them that it’s possible. Showcase successes of your clients… and your own. In articles, emails, Facebook page… etc.

Yes, this is where those selfies of you on the beach sipping maui-tais come in handy. Or whatever “success” looks like for your people.

Clients need to know that they can do it. Because you’ve done it, and your clients have done it.

7. Give people small wins.

When your peeps make progress, they stay in the game.

Even small successes keep your clients engaged, inspired, and moving forward. So design your program to deliver small wins, and celebrate the small wins.

What’s an example of a small win, you ask? Just about any action step you would ask a client to take, and then they complete.

It’s a mini-miracle when clients take action. Why? Because they, like everyone else on the planet, is wired to resist change!!

So give people small milestones and celebrate those mini-miracles. All the time! Miracles beget more miracles. Big or small, celebrate them all.

***

So now you can see just how powerful the design of your program is to the RESULTS your clients achieve.  It’s true whether you have umpteen certifications or you’re just starting out.

We’ve barely scratched the surface here… but this is plenty to get you started.

It’s totally normal to have a little worry about really being able to help people – we all do… because we care.

By paying attention to these 7 things, you don’t have to let that “yeah-but” stand in your way any longer.