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How to Scale Your Coaching Business

March 1, 2016 By Deborah Tutnauer

How to Scale your Coaching Business so you can grow financially beyond the constraints of hours per week and personal energy per day.

This we know to be true. There are only a certain number of hours in a day and a certain amount of energy an individual has with which they are able to function productively and at their best. The hours per day via the clock are the same for everyone. The energy varies from person to person, but there is a common average spread after subtracting sleep and time for activities other than work.  So how do you scale your coaching business beyond those two parameters?

coaching-business

Scale Your Coaching Business

Within the coaching industry (life coaching, business coaching, etc….) the prevailing winds have pointed to automated and group coaching programs. These programs enable coaches to teach and impact exponentially more people per hour and energy unit than can be done through one-on-one coaching. By creating video based education often combined with live group conference calls or webinars for questions and insight, a coach can work hard on the front end and reap ongoing rewards for years to come. She can enroll hundreds if not thousands of people into her programs and thus step outside of the confines of hours per week and energy per day.

The paradigm works. There is no question that stepping outside of the box of one-on-one coaching – modeled on the the 50 minute psychotherapy hour – expands the reach, impact and income of life coaches, business coaches, marketing coaches, etc…

A problem arises when one dives more deeply into the art of coaching itself and the actual manner in which change happens and people grow. A reader of mine commented on my previous blog post,

“In my daily interactions I have seen the power of crucial conversations in a coaching/mentoring relationship and I believe that through these conversations self discovery and learning takes place and through self discovery and learning comes sustainable growth and development…”

Much can be taught through video based education and group learning experiences. I fully support those formats when presented and utilized for the right reasons with an understanding of their power and challenges. You can teach so many things this way, as evidenced by the stellar success of websites ranging from Kahn Academy, to Udemy.  In many ways online and group coaching programs mimic a classroom experience, complete with lectures, group discussion and the opportunity for questions directed to the professor.

Coaching for deeper level change is a completely different animal from teaching. Coaching done well in many ways is more akin to psychotherapy than it is to education or training. Coaching teaches and trains, but before it does it meets a client in the exact place where that clients is stuck or confused or frustrated, and teases out the underlying stories and blocks to facilitate true shift and forward movement.

In a previous article I share the story of two clients, both immensely skilled in their craft and both for whom,  ” The work had to be done through dialogue – through questions and answers – through intimate, facilitated exploration of THEIR STORY and THEIR STUMBLING BLOCKS. Without that type of discovery and even challenge, there would have been surface changes but not the uncovering and recreating that was necessary to bring them and their business to the next level.”

What is a life coach or business coach then to do in order to scale your coaching business beyond the confines we discussed earlier? The answer lies within the realm of both value based fee structure and creativity. Just last week a client of mine shared how she was pricing her services. Within her industry (Corporate Executive Presentation Coaching) she was quite low and she knew it. As we explored the END VALUE of the services she provides to her clients, she had a light bulb moment. The coaching that she does leads consistently to increased sales and job satisfaction within the hundred plus employee organizations for which she works. The end value is something that can be measured years into the future!  With that knowledge, putting a vastly higher price tag on her services made perfect sense, and with that new fee structure she automatically scaled her business into a far greater yearly income for herself with FEWER HOURS of work.

Smart organization of  your coaching services in another way to scale your coaching business while still providing change oriented one-on-one coaching. There are times to offer your services by the hour, but those times are rare. In my years of work in the industry I have found it far better to create holistic individualized programs based on the particular needs of your client and include value added components. People like to see what they are getting for their money and they are more apt to pay for coaching wherein their particular goals and the objective steps to the goal are laid out beforehand. It is easier to justify spending money when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I bring my perspective clients through an intensive interview process and present them with an in depth outline of the work prior to their final decision to hire me. In this manner I am able to easily charge a higher fee commensurate with the END VALUE they will receive.

For coaches who specializes in the type of shift and change that occurs through dialogue and in depth exploration, there are many creative options for scaling your business beyond your one-on-one client contact time. A few examples include:

  • Mastermind groups for existing clients
  • Retreat weekends for existing clients or as a launch pad for ongoing work
  • Public Speaking
  • Authoring Books
  • Online “how to” courses for specific educational curriculum
  • Follow up groups on specific training topics
  • Intro courses

The list is virtually endless, limited only by your own creativity. In the world of sales – which is nothing more than the presentation of a good solution to a customer’s problem – the ideal is to create a flow of movement through your business offerings. By developing a menu of options to connect with your knowledge and expertise, you can bring clients into your coaching business in a variety of ways and naturally lead them through your offerings in a manner relevant to their particular needs. It is this practice of defining and then creating your overall coaching business structure, that is often the work I do with my own clients. The goal is to provide enduring value to customers in clients in a manner that is financially sustainable and give  your joy in the process.

You can now see how simple it is to Scale your Coaching Business so you can grow financially beyond the constraints of hours per week and personal energy per day, without compromising on the inherent power of one-on-one conversation and  personalized change oriented dialogue.

 

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Deborah Tutnauer
Entrepreneur Business Success Coach at Deborah Tutnauer, LLC
Inspiring change in people for over 25 years, Deborah Tutnauer, MEd, MSWdigs deep to help authentic entrepreneurs move away from the stories that no longer serve them while clarifying and solidifying those that really do! Deborah helps frustrated entrepreneurs get exquisitely clear about meaning, purpose and expertise, then facilitates the creation of a financially sustainable and joyfully structured framework in which business and business people thrive.

Coaching both privately and in groups, Deborah is also a speaker, author, event leader and consultant. Creator of the Foundation and Framework Intensive, Question Master and Leader of the Entrepreneur Business Success Club, Deborah has been called an “Architect of Magical Business and Soul Structure”by her clients because she has a powerful ability to perform alchemy, changing passions and dreams into money and time by design.

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Comments

  1. Coenraad says

    March 2, 2016 at 1:08 pm

    Deborah, Hi!… I could not agree more with your observation “In my years of work in the industry I have found it far better to create holistic individualized programs based on the particular needs of your client and include value added components.”
    In my dealings with large, small, start-up businesses or even individual clients I have always pride myself never to follow the “copy & paste” or the “one size fits all” approach but to thru Crucial Conversations co-create an individualized holistic approach for each client that not only speaks to and meet the needs of my client but also facilitates self-development that leads to sustainable growth and development.
    By applying the economies of scale to Crucial Conversations you are no longer just focussing on meeting a specific need from one or a small group of clients (giving them the fish) but imparting the knowledge and skills to your clients to have the same powerful Crucial Conversations within their own circle of influence (teaching them to fish) and hence creating exponential growth and development and sustainable transformation.
    This might not seem like the most financially rewarding business model – “giving away” your speciality – but it creates a value add of immeasurable value to your client that in itself thru the power of conversation, outside your original circle of influence, identifies other opportunities for you to assist your clients as your circle of influence now has grown exponentially.

    Reply
    • Deborah Tutnauer says

      March 8, 2016 at 10:32 am

      I love this Coenraad! You are so right. Like a pebble in a pond, the rings continue outward impacting in ways you may never know. That way of viewing economies of scale is one that resonates so deeply with those who do our work in order to facilitate positive change in not only our direct clients, but in the world!
      Deborah Tutnauer recently posted…How You Do Something is How You Do EverythingMy Profile

      Reply
  2. Don Purdum says

    April 6, 2016 at 6:16 am

    Hi Deborah,

    Long-time my friend since we’ve connected and I love your message in this article!!!!

    First, I think that someone has to decide why they want to coach and they have to love it! I think many who enter this field do it more out of necessity and skill than out of passion and love for helping people.

    That ultimately leads them to not making as much money as they could or should and then turn to the automated systems of income.

    Personally, I’m working on employing both. There are those who see the value and have the right need and will pay appropriately for it. There are those who don’t but see value in lower price points… so to me it is about scaling.

    But my first and true love is working with people… I have the passion and skills to do both and love them both for their strengths and weaknesses.

    Fantastic article Deborah! Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. You are skilled, talented and passionate – all ingredients that I admire in you!

    Have an awesome week Deborah.

    ~ Don Purdum
    Don Purdum recently posted…How to Stop Looking Successful and Become Successful!My Profile

    Reply
    • Deborah Tutnauer says

      May 11, 2016 at 11:56 am

      Hi Don!

      I can’t believe I missed this comment from you a few weeks ago! Goodness! Thank you for your thoughts. There is so much value in your comment regarding the purpose/passion behind good coaching and the resonance with providing a skilled service for a solid fee. I agree that for many vocation there is a disparity between people who love what they do and people who are looking for an income path but don’t necessarily have their passion in it.

      Sorry for the delayed response Don! Hope you and yours are well.

      ~Deborah
      Deborah Tutnauer recently posted…Elevated Entrepreneur Business Coaching – There is a Bee in my BonnetMy Profile

      Reply
  3. Aubrey @ Self Thrive says

    July 17, 2016 at 8:27 pm

    Thank you for this post! I think it can be hard to wrap one’s brain around how to scale a business that is so dependent on personal interaction and helping, but you’ve provided some great, actionable tips that I will take to heart and share with my colleagues. Public speaking is something that doesn’t come naturally to me, but the value of reaching more people with my message makes it a mountain that I need to tackle. Great post; thank you again.
    Aubrey recently posted…9 Best T Harv Eker QuotesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Deborah Tutnauer says

      July 18, 2016 at 1:15 pm

      I appreciate your thoughtful comment Aubrey. There are so many ways to “scale” a coaching business that keep it authentic and personal as opposed to shoving perspective clients into a mold. I’m glad I was able to give you some worthwhile ideas. Stay in touch and let me know how it unfolds.

      Best,
      Deborah
      Deborah Tutnauer recently posted…Elevated Entrepreneur Business Coaching – There is a Bee in my BonnetMy Profile

      Reply
  4. Donna Merrill says

    October 11, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    Hi Deborah,

    As always an interesting read. I agree with your points as I have personally tried this & I appreciate your efforts that you have selected this topic to write an article.

    By the way, It’s always pleasure to read your posts and comment.

    ~ Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted…Top 15 Best Ping Pong Paddle Reviews & Buying Guide 2017My Profile

    Reply
    • Deborah Tutnauer says

      October 30, 2017 at 5:07 pm

      Hi Donna,

      Thanks for commenting. It’s always a pleasure to connect with you in one way or another.
      ~Deborah
      Deborah Tutnauer recently posted…Wow! Just Wow.My Profile

      Reply

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