December 23, 2008

Web Coach Tip: Postcard Commitment Exercise = Easy Follow up!

Donna Payne the Web Coach SEO content developer
Written by Donna Payne

I’ve posted resourceful articles from Scott Ginsberg’ blog before… here’s another one:

13 Lessons My Customers Taught Me This Year

When I conduct workshops or training sessions, I like to finish up with a little exercise called “Postcard Commitment.” Here’s how it works:

  1. First, blank postcards are passed out to all attendees. They are instructed to self-address them.
  2. Then, they are given five minutes to write on the back ONE THING they learned during the program … that they are committed to practicing in the next six months.
  3. Next, the music starts. There is no talking. There is no sharing. It’s a private exercise. People are free to write as much or as little as they want.
  4. When five minutes is up, the music stops. Then, attendees are required to turn in their postcards in the back of the room when the program is complete.
  5. Finally, I take the postcards back to my office when I get home. I throw them in a box. Six to twelve months later, I pull the box out, stick a stamp on each postcard and mail it back to the attendee. Ultimately, the purpose of the exercise is to provide a check-up on how everyone’s practice is coming along.

It’s a pretty cool activity, even though I can’t exactly take credit for coming up with it. (I totally stole this little exercise from my friends @ Brains on Fire.)

Editors Note:  How can you adapt this exercise in your business?

  • Biz/Life Coach: ask people what “they are committed to doing in 6 months” when they opt-in via a form on your website.  Follow up as Scott did.
  • Financial Planner: ask “what’s your financial goal”
  • Health Professional: ask about “physical goals”
  • Marketing Guru: ask “what do you want your ROI to be”
  • Doesn’t matter what you do – you CAN do this too!

Anyway, what’s REALLY cool is when I actually get to READ the postcards. This happened last week…  read the full post.

Be EMPOWERED and Share the love! dp