You want to grow your coaching business, but you’re unsure how and wonder if it’s even worth the investment. It can be tough to figure out who to work with and where to start.  

When it comes to business coaching, there are a lot of different options to choose from. And with so many different coaches and consultants out there, it can be tough to determine which one is right for you.

I’ve personally invested over $100,000.00 with coaches since starting my business in 2008 and have experienced first hand the good, the bad and the ugly. That’s why I’ve put together five ways to help you figure out which coach can help you grow your business online. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking for ways to take your business to the next level, these tips will point you in the right direction!

1) Determine What You Need Help With Right Now

The first step is to determine what you need help with in your business right now to maximize your time and resources. A few questions to ask yourself are:

• Have you done research to determine who your ideal client is?
• Have you established an online presence and are clear with your value statement?
• Do you know what your offers are and how you will package them?
• Do you need someone to help you create a marketing plan and social strategy?
• Do you need help with systems and processes?
• What’s your comfort level with tech?

Too often, I see newer coaches put the cart before the horse, so they hire someone to build a website but haven’t done the foundational work and it ends up costing them time and money. I know this because I did this exact thing in 2008 when launching my business.

Be clear on what you need help with so that you can find a coach who specializes in those areas. And if you don’t know what you should be focusing on right now, then all the more reason to find a coach who can help you.

2) Find a Coach Who Sells You What You Need and NOT What They Offer

If a coach is trying to sell you their services instead of what you truly need in your business now then keep looking. I’ve been in the coaching industry for over 10 years and the one thing I know is that we are not a fit for everyone. will take time to understand your business before they say yes to working with you.

• Do your research by visiting their website and seeing how they present themselves online. Do they practice what they preach?
• Is their website up-to-date and aligned with their message?
• Look at their social media presence and see if it’s consistent with what they’re saying on their website. Are they active?
• Do they engage with their audience? What kind of content do they share?

This is where you may discover that the coach went through similar struggles and that’s why they coach in this niche today. If they are truly in the business of serving, they should be able to help you determine what your next steps should be and how they can help you get there.

3) Ask Questions

All too often, I see coaches and consultants struggling but they don’t take the next step to schedule a call to get their questions answered because they are afraid of being on the receiving end of a sales pitch. As one who’s had a variety of consult calls over the years with both good and negative experiences, I understand your hesitation.

Many times, it’s difficult to know what questions to ask a potential business coach. But that’s exactly why you should ask questions! Not only will this help you determine if the coach is a good fit for you, but it will also help you get a better understanding of what they can offer you.

Some questions you may want to ask are:

• How long have you been coaching?
• What are your areas of expertise?
• Do you offer a free consultation?
• How do you work with clients? 1:1 coaching, group programs?
• How do we communicate (via phone, Skype, or in-person)?
• Investment and payment options
• What is your onboarding process like?

You can also ask if they offer a free workshop to get an idea of what it’s like to work with them because you’ll see how they are in action.

4) Do They Invest in Their Own Business?

As mentioned earlier, I’ve invested over 6-figures in coaching programs along with countless digital offers because I recognized the value of working with an expert who can help me get to my end result faster. Unfortunately, last year I discovered after the fact that a coach with an 8-figure business thought her program was the end all be all. Four months in, she and her team were in breach of contract. Unfortunately, I had signed a no-refund clause, so even though she didn’t deliver what she said, I couldn’t get any money back. It was a nightmare and soon learned there were a lot of other coaches like myself who had the same experience with her.

I took the leap and decided to invest with someone else. My current coach is a highly regarded expert but not only does she invest with other coaches, she shares all of that wisdom in great detail with the rest of her coaching clients and me.

The best coaches are always learning and keeping up with the latest trends in their industry. They should also be well-connected and have a network of experts they can reach out to when needed. A great coach will also have a process and system in place that they continually refine as they work with more clients.

The best athletes in the world recognize the value of working with a coach, so that’s why I recommend finding a coach who believes in continually educating themselves by investing in their own business.

5) Chemistry & Gut Feeling

At the end of the day, you need to go with your gut feeling when hiring a business coach. When you’re considering hiring a business coach, you need to go with your gut feeling. You should trust your instincts when it comes to working with someone new, and if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably best to move on.

Coaching is a very personal experience, and you need to be sure that you feel comfortable with your coach and that you have a good chemistry. This is someone you’ll be spending a lot of time with, so it’s important that you click.

Trust your instincts when it comes to working with a business coach – if something feels off with the person, it’s probably best to move on. But, and this is a big but….if this is a comfort zone moment and you’re simply resisting because you’re afraid of taking that next step then I would encourage you to push through because the best things in life happen outside of your comfort zone.

When it comes to finding the right business coach, it’s important to ask questions, listen to your gut feeling, and consider whether or not the coach is continually educating themselves. A great coach should have a process and system in place that they refine as they work with more clients. Chemistry and gut feeling are also important factors to consider when making this decision. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably best to move on. But if you’re resisting because of fear, push through and hire someone who can help you take your business to the next level.

P.S. Actions speak louder than words, and with that if you want to take advantage of a 1-Action Call to help you get intentional with your time on one action that will move your business forward. Schedule that call here.

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