Why Coaching Management Software Will Make Your Life Easier

Are you ready to start your coaching program?  Be sure to consider coaching management software to make your life easier and give a better value to your clients.

What is the best coaching program?

Many people who want to become a coach start looking in the direction of getting coach training and becoming certified. There are many programs available.

There is no single best coaching program that will work for every coach out there. There are many things to consider. The final decision depends on many factors such as what kind of coach you want to be and the type of community you want to be a part of. You’ll need to think about things like the vibe and culture of your community and the types of clients you want to attract and serve.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredits some coaching programs. Many coaching programs focus specifically on certain skills. It’s always good to make sure the program you select is ICF accredited because of the high standards it must meet to receive accreditation.

Another route to becoming a coach is not getting trained and certified, but instead getting your own coach so you can experience what coaching is like and understand it, thus bringing out your own natural skills as a human being such as listening or questioning skills. Doing research, hiring your own coach, and gaining some specific skills but not necessarily going through the training and certification route is also an option.

Another option is to sign up for a coaching program that teaches specific skills or a methodology that you want to coach in and begin your career there.

 

How do you manage a coaching company?

Most coaching companies are small enough that “management” is not a pressing issue. Having an effective system in place regardless of the size of the company is critical to efficient and practical time management that prevents administrative tasks from taking time away from client services. This is where coaching management software comes in.

When most coaches start out, they don’t think about managing as something they have to do. At the beginning of setting up a coaching practice or coaching company, the key concern is usually client recruitment. Most coaches are concerned with getting enough recurring clients to generate sufficient revenue to allow them to move into practice full time.

However, as your practice begins to grow, efficient management becomes increasingly important so that it does not take over your life or interfere with client services. It is important to tend to all aspects of the coaching business such as scheduling, billing, and maintaining and tracking client relationships so you can follow up on the contacts you are making.

The more clients you see, the more time it takes to manage things like your schedule, clients, enrollment, onboarding, payment, etc. Once your company gets to a point you are starting to feel chaotic and disorganized, you need to make sure you bring in sufficient support. Effective practice management usually involves a combination of tools, software, and a Virtual Assistant or Online Business Manager. A Virtual Assistant (VA) understands all the facets of running a coaching business while an Online Business Manager (OBM) may have additional project management skills and can see the bigger picture for your business. An OBM may even be able to help develop a strategic plan for your business and make sure that your company is on track with your goals.

 

How can Coaching Genie help you manage a coaching company?

Coaching Genie, as a tool for managing a coaching company, is great for when you have moved beyond doing one-on-one coaching and you are actually building a business. It is ideal for when you are creating and developing your coaching content and resources, coaching tools, and coaching toolbox, so that you have a place to house all of those, and then have a way to easily share with clients or groups of clients. A big part of managing a coaching company is managing your intellectual property. That’s the biggest benefit of using the coaching management software, Coaching Genie, for managing a coaching company – managing your intellectual property.

 

How can the use of a coaching app help keep group coaching clients on track?

[bctt tweet=”If you run group coaching programs, using a coaching app becomes an important tool in your business.”]

The use of mobile devices is much higher right now than it has ever been before. People are constantly carrying their cell phone with them to check emails, take notes, record videos, take pictures, connect on social media, track physical activity, and so much more.

Having an app for your coaching programs that allow you to make sure clients are on track but also supports clients to stay connected to your coaching program is important because clients will have different time windows during the day that they’ll be able to work on their goals. Instead of having to wait until they are in their office or at their computer, they can catch up with their work in those little time windows. It helps them be more productive and use time efficiently on the go.

A mobile app keeps group coaching clients connected and accountable to one another between sessions and across all environments.

 

What should I consider when evaluating online coaching platforms as part of my coaching business?

Your business model is a large consideration when evaluating which online coaching platform to use. Some models will work well with a simple spreadsheet, while others will require a more sophisticated system or coaching management software.

You should also consider your coaching goals when selecting your coaching platform. What do you want your program or coaching delivery to look like? Your chosen platform needs to align with your coaching goals.

Another important aspect to think about are your coaching rates. Obviously, the higher your rates, the closer contact you’ll have with your clients and the more access you’ll give to yourself. Similarly, think about the amount of intimacy you want in a coach-to-client relationship. Consider how much contact you want with clients and how closely you’ll be working with them.

You’ll also need to consider what things are most time consuming for you. Look at where you’ve been spending the most amount of time, especially if those tasks are administrative related or non-coaching related. Are there things that someone else can do? Could some tasks be handled by an online coaching platform? You want to be sure to select an online coaching platform that can has the right features to address the key time consuming tasks for you personally.

Finally, evaluate the capacity to grow with your business. Some platforms are limiting and don’t have the features necessary to grow with your business. Others have enough capability to serve a small and large practice. For example, Coaching Genie allows you to start with 15 clients in your account and grow all the way to over 1000 clients, so it can grow with you. You also have the ability to build unlimited coaching programs, unlimited lessons or modules, and unlimited numbers of groups within the Coaching Genie account. You can really build out your coaching business and coaching library in an unrestricted way as your practice evolves and develops without being limited by your coaching platform.

 

How can I best integrate a mobile app into the effective coaching tools I use as part of my coaching process?

Keep in mind that using a mobile app or a coaching management software in your business should not take away from the relationship with your coaching clients or the effectiveness of the coaching process.

Use software when it adds value to the coaching process and supports your clients. For example, your chosen software should have options that allow for accountability, reminders, easy access, etc. It should always make serving clients easier rather than get in the way.

The easier an app is to use, the less difficult it will be to integrate into your coaching process.

 

What is the best way to balance online coaching sessions with in-person meetings with coaching clients for executive coaching?

Executive coaching clients are typically very busy and have a lot of commitments, meetings, and deadlines. It is best to accommodate their work schedule and their own preferences in order to best serve them.

Some executive coaching sessions may involve other team members, so it may be difficult to coordinate the logistics. Keep that in mind when choosing the meeting format.
An in-person meeting is very useful to have at the start of an executive coaching relationship, and occasionally throughout, as it’s easier to create a deeper relationship and more effective coaching transformation in person.

Online coaching sessions can be used as a follow-up tool and in-between coaching for accountability and short check-ins. Using an online format may also work better for busy executive coaching clients.

 

What are the benefits of using coaching practice management software for professional coaches?

Using coaching software can help you feel confident, organized, and well-prepared to work with your coaching clients. This will undoubtedly help you deliver higher quality services as well.

All client information can be at your fingertips, and if you’re using Coaching Genie, you can quickly and easily share your coaching tools and resources with clients and groups any time.

Of course, you really want to spend your time working with clients, developing new coaching resources and programs, as well as evolving your business. If you have a team, your time should also be spent working with them. You don’t want to have to invest large amounts of time on any kind of administrative tasks that take time away from client services or growing your practice. You want a business that lets you show up and coach. Having the right software should allow you to do that. That is one of the Coaching Genie’s goals for customers so they do not have to worry about preparation or delivery. Customers can set it up and it’s done – they can show up and coach. I suggest that should be your biggest criteria when choosing a platform – ease of implementation and use.

 

Can I still use coaching software if I don’t do online coaching?

Absolutely. You should use coaching software regardless of what type of coaching you do. It helps you keep your materials organized, track follow-up and check-ins, measure progress, build your coaching toolbox, manage details, and operate the back-end of your business.