Crime #004
Leaving people guessing whether they are buying coaching, a course or a community.
The explanation
“Join the programme.” “Get the support you need.” “Start your transformation.”
But what happens once someone pays?
Will they work with you one to one? Watch recorded lessons on their own? Join group calls? Get access to a community where an expert occasionally answers questions?
These are different services. They require different levels of independence, provide different kinds of support and suit different needs. Calling all of them a “programme” leaves the customer guessing about something fundamental.
Someone looking for personal advice might find a recorded course useful, but it will not provide the individual attention they expected. Someone who wants to learn privately at their own pace might have no interest in discussing their situation on a group call.
The delivery model is part of what they are choosing. It affects whether the service fits their schedule, how comfortable they feel participating and whether the price makes sense to them.
“Expert support” is particularly open to interpretation. It could mean a dedicated coach, a monthly group question session or permission to post in a forum. A visitor cannot judge its value without knowing what access they actually get.
You may feel you have explained this by listing calls, modules and community access further down the page. But if the overall arrangement remains unclear, the visitor still has to piece the service together.
Before someone can decide whether they want your help, they need to understand how they will receive it. The name of your programme cannot do that job alone.
How to fix it
Describe the engagement model in one plain sentence near the top of the service page.
For example:
- One-to-one coaching: “Six private coaching sessions with your coach, delivered online over three months.”
- Self-paced course: “A recorded online course you work through independently, with access for 12 months.”
- Community with expert support: “A membership community with peer discussion and a live group question session with an expert each month.”
If the service combines formats, explain how they fit together: “Work through the recorded lessons in your own time, then bring your questions to a weekly group coaching call.”
Be explicit about personal access. Who provides the support? Is it you, another coach or a community manager? Can customers discuss their individual circumstances privately, or are questions answered in a group?
Replace “ongoing support” with the actual arrangement. “Submit questions in the member forum and receive a response from a coach within two working days” gives someone something concrete to assess.
Explain whether calls are scheduled or booked individually, whether attendance is required and what happens if someone misses a session. State how long access lasts.
Keep these details together so the reader can understand the arrangement without searching through FAQs, pricing cards and checkout pages.
Finally, show the description to someone unfamiliar with the service. Ask: “If you paid for this, how would you expect to work with us?”
If their answer includes private coaching you do not provide, or misses the independent study you require, your description needs another pass.
Are you guilty of Crime #004?
Book a free 30 minute call with a senior Buyable conversion expert. We will talk through your website, your goals and where you are losing potential customers.