online coaching business plan template

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How To Write A Life Coaching Business Plan: 5 Templates

If you’re passionate about helping others fulfill their potential and reach new heights, life coaching could be a truly rewarding career for you.

This guide will show you how to create a coaching business plan that will help you turn your ideas into reality, so that you can start creating value and deliver real results to your life coaching clients.

5 Tips For Starting Your Life Coaching Business

Starting out as a life coach can seem like a big move, and there’s plenty to consider. For many experienced life coaches, it’s balancing the support, guidance, and coaching theory side of things business admin that can be a little tricky.

Maybe you see yourself more as a development professional than an entrepreneur, or perhaps you’ve helped others professionally but never quite had your own practice.

Regardless of where you are in the coaching game, here are some tips that can help you get started building a life coaching business of your own: [1]

• Decide on a clear, unique value offer. Life coaching is incredibly popular, and that’s not changing anytime soon. To distinguish yourself as a coach, think about the unique value you’ll create for your clients – what’s original about the results you can help them achieve, or how you help them get from A to B?
• Consider accreditation. The right life coaching certification can arm you with useful skills and knowledge in your field while boosting your credibility as a coach. There are plenty of qualifications available online for coaches, and you may find one that goes a long way to enhance your marketability.
• Set your business up, practically. Various states, regions, and countries have different systems for registering and starting an online coaching business. Make sure you allow time to collect or create all the coaching forms you’ll need to enroll and manage your clients.
• Develop or curate your coaching resources. To practice, you’ll need tools such as life coaching worksheets , lessons, exercises, videos (if you’re using them), and more. Create a database of all the coaching tools you’ll need so you know just where to find them when you land your first client!
• Create an online presence. Think about how you’ll reach out to clients, and prepare the things that will help you be discovered online. Some examples include a coaching website , social media profile, or listings in online coaching directories. A strategic way to approach this is by developing a marketing strategy, which covers all the ins and outs of how you’ll grow your visibility.

How To Write A Coaching Business Plan: 2 Examples

A coaching business plan should help you clarify why and how you’ll start and run your coaching practice, as well as the tools you’ll need to help others.

Creating a life coaching business plan might sound terrifying, don’t be put off. You can go into more detail if you prefer a comprehensive organizational roadmap, but your business plan should quite simply help you:

• Clarify your “Why” – What is the ultimate purpose of your business? What is your desired future vision for your practice and clients?
• Solidify your “How” – What are your coaching objectives/your mission? What approaches will you use to achieve them?
• Determine your “What” – Understand the interventions, tools, lessons, or solutions that will help you on your mission.

Depending on the depth of detail you’d like to go into, you can break your plan up into more or fewer sections.

The following two coaching business plan examples illustrate this.

Example 1: Lean Life Coaching Business Plan

A lean business plan is ideal for explaining your coaching practice succinctly, or if you’re planning a small coaching business.

Using this USA Small Business Administration sample as a guide, your lean coaching plan might include the following headings: [2]

• Business identity
• Target client
• Client pain points
• Your solution
• Your competition
• Revenue streams
• Marketing activities
• Team and their key roles, and

Lean coaching business plans can be particularly helpful if you’re keen to refine and enhance your business plan as you learn and gain experience.

Example 2: Life Coaching Business Plan Template

This life coaching business plan template from Profitable Venture is a more comprehensive example, starting with an executive summary and ending with a startup expenditure budget. [3]

SWOT and market analyses are used for an in-depth assessment of potential opportunities, threats, and rivals in the coaching industry.

3 Helpful Templates and Samples For Your Plan

Here are a few good examples of coaching business plans, including some extra sections you might want to include:

• 9 Steps to a Lean Life Coaching Business Plan from Coaching Online – this covers a few more sections such as your competition, marketing, and finances [4]
• Traditional Business Plan from the USA Small Business Administration – a traditional business plan that may work well for larger coaching practices [5]
• Business Plan Template for a Startup from Score.org – a 9-step template for new business owners. [6]

Creating A Business Plan For Your Online Coaching Business

Once you’ve decided on the most relevant format for your business plan, you’ll want to formalize it by writing it all down.

You will most likely be referring to it regularly, as you structure, run, manage, and grow your coaching practice, so it’s critical to keep your plan along with the rest of your business documents.

A quick, straightforward solution for most coaches is to create a digital business plan, as we’ve started to do below using Quenza:

Using Quenza’s Activity Builder , you can create custom sections for each element in your plan, as well as text boxes for all the information that will go into your tool.

This helps you store your plan in your coaching portal alongside your Client profiles, activities, and other coaching tools, so your plan is always near at hand as you start to build your business.

To create your own coaching business plan using Quenza’s Activity Builder, simply:

• Open and title a new Activity
• Create sections for each header of your plan, and
• Save your Activity to your Library when it’s done!

You can also print your plan as a PDF, or access and edit at any time on Quenza’s client app, as shown below:

There’s no right or wrong way to create a coaching business plan template, so don’t be afraid to add in headers or sections as your plan grows. As long as your plan takes you through each milestone of building and running your business, you’re on the right path to creating a successful, growing practice.

Best App and Software For Your Coaching Business

Quenza is a state-of-the-art solution for coaching professionals, regardless of where you are in the process of running your business.

Not only can you plan out your business as a first-time coach, but Quenza’s tools can help you deliver solutions, stay in touch with clients, and even market your business as you gain traction.

With Quenza’s features, for example, you can:

• Design, build, and deliver personal and group life coaching solutions
• Craft coaching programs, curricula, or entire e-courses from your existing tools
• Drip feed your solutions to coaching clients automatically, on a schedule
• Create and customize all your coaching contracts , coaching agreements, and feedback forms
• Collect and securely store all your clients’ data with Quenza’s HIPAA-compliant app and coaching platform
• Offer clients a centralized online coaching portal
• Stay in touch with and engage your clients throughout the course of your programs, using notifications, reminders, and multimedia,
• Track, monitor, and evaluate your clients’ progress in real-time, and
• Document your sessions with Quenza’s Client notes.

5 Unique Features Included in Quenza

We’ve already seen how important it is to carve out your niche as a life coach – and of course, you’re most efficient when you decide on your own workflow, processes, and style.

With Quenza’s custom features, you have all the flexibility you need to get creative with solutions and market yourself in a way that suits you.

For instance, you can make use of Quenza’s:

• Multilingual client app – to translate your own or your clients’ Quenza app into 16 different languages, and custom brand colors
• Group or private chat – to share feedback, reminders, or encouragement
• White label feature – to promote your brand by adding your logo to tools, forms, and programs
• Wheel of Life feature – to design personalized life Wheel of Life assessments , and
• Expansion Library – for customizing popular and evidence-based coaching exercises without starting from scratch!

Final Thoughts

These tips, templates, formats, and examples will help you craft a strategic business plan that can get your coaching practice up and running – even if you’ve never started a business in your life.

If you have a template of your own to share with your fellow coaches, do let us know in the comments below.

We hope this article was helpful. Don’t forget to start your 30-day, 1 dollar Quenza trial for all the tools you need to bring your business plan to life!

Quenza’s practitioner tools will help you craft and deliver powerful online coaching solutions from any connected device, and contains everything you need to run your life coaching practice digitally for brilliant client outcomes.

• ^ Truex, L. (2021). How to start a home-based coaching business. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-start-a-coaching-business-1794520
• ^ SBA.gov. (2021). Sample Lean Business Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2017-12/Sample%20Lean%20Business%20Plan%20-%20Wooden%20Grain%20Toy%20Company.doc
• ^ Profitable Venture. (2021). Life Coaching Business Plan Template. Retrieved from https://www.profitableventure.com/life-coaching-business-plan/
• ^ Coaching-Online.org. (2021). 9 Steps to a Lean Life Coaching Business Plan. Retrieved from https://www.coaching-online.org/life-coach-business-plan/
• ^ SBA.gov. (2021). Write Your Business Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan
• ^ Score.org. (2020). Business Plan Template for a Startup Business. Retrieved from https://www.score.org/resource/business-plan-template-startup-business

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How to Craft your coaching business plan in 7 simple Steps (+ FREE Template)

May 8, 2024

Are you eager to launch your coaching business but feeling overwhelmed about where to start?

You’re not alone! 

In this article, I’ll help you understand what a coaching business plan involves. I’ll provide you with a coaching business plan template and also teach you how to shape it so that it mirrors your vision and goals. I’ll walk you through every step to ensure you create a successful coaching business plan tailored to your niche.

Let’s dive into the world of business planning, where clarity meets strategy.

In Brief : How to Craft your coaching business plan in 7 simple Steps

• Step 1: 📝 Executive Summary – Craft a compelling summary that encapsulates your business vision, mission, and core elements like the business name, owner, and location, setting the stage for what follows.
• Step 2: 🗂️ Business Description – Detail your coaching services, niche, and operational mechanics. Explain how these elements work together to meet the needs of your clientele.
• Step 3: 🔍 Market Analysis – Conduct a thorough analysis of your target market and competition. Use this data to tailor your services and pinpoint market opportunities.
• Step 4: 📈 Create a Marketing Strategy – Develop a comprehensive marketing plan that includes digital and traditional methods to attract and retain clients, ensuring your brand stands out.
• Step 5: ⚙️ Operations Plan – Outline your business’s operational structure, including the logistics of daily operations and the roles of your team members.
• Step 6: 💰 Financial Planning – Forecast your business’s financial health with detailed budgeting, pricing strategies, and expected financial outcomes.
• Step 7: 🚀 Review and Implement – Regularly review and refine your business plan to ensure it remains relevant and effective

Do You Need a Coaching Business Plan?

A few years ago, I was just like you—excited yet baffled about the right steps to take in starting my coaching business. I dabbled in social media, attended conferences, tried podcasting, and explored various other avenues. 

Despite my efforts, the results were far from what I needed. It felt like I was constantly moving, but not in the right direction.

Then it clicked. I realized that diving headfirst into business without a well-thought-out plan was like sailing without a compass. 

So, I took a step back and started from scratch, this time with a clear strategy in mind. I laid out a business plan that not only guided my business to success but also continues to guide me today.

Starting a coaching business can be an exciting venture , but without a clear plan, it’s easy to lose direction and focus. A business plan helps you outline your business objectives and also provides a roadmap to achieve them. 

Here’s why a business plan is vital for a coaching business:

• Clarity and Direction : A business plan defines your coaching business’s purpose and sets clear goals. This clarity guides your decisions and keeps you focused on long-term goals.
• Understanding Your Market : Who are your potential clients? What are their needs and how can your coaching services meet those needs? Analyzing the market helps you tailor your offerings. It also helps you stand out from competitors. This ensures your services are in demand.
• Attracting Investors and Funding : Investors want to know that their money is going into a venture. The venture must have a clear plan to make a profit. This will give potential investors the confidence to back your business.
• Measuring Progress and Success : A business plan sets a baseline for measuring your progress. Setting clear goals and milestones helps you track progress and adjust strategies as needed. This ongoing review keeps you on track and informs smart decisions that drive your business forward.
• Risk Management : All businesses, including coaching ones, face risks. A business plan helps predict and manage these risks, making it easier to handle challenges. It prepares you for economic downturns, shifts in consumer behavior, and new competitors. This proactive approach protects against unexpected problems.

How To Create Your Coaching Business Plan

A well-structured business plan outlines every critical component of your operation, from your business identity and client demographics to your financial management and growth strategy.

Before we jump straight into the coaching business template , let’s understand the structure of your coaching business plan:

• Step 1: Craft your Executive Summary
• Step 2: Business Description
• Step 3: Market Analysis
• Step 4: Create a Marketing and Sales Strategy
• Step 5: Operations Plan
• Step 6: Financial Planning
• Step 7: Review and Implement

1. Crafting Your Executive Summary

To start your coaching business, begin with a powerful executive summary in your business plan. This section is like the front cover of a book—it needs to captivate and inform.

Here’s how to craft an executive summary that sets the stage for a compelling business plan:

• Business Name and Location : Clearly state the name of your coaching business and where you are based. This basic info introduces your business.
• Services Offered : Describe the types of coaching you provide. You might specialize in life coaching, career coaching, or another niche. Give a snapshot of what you offer.
• Mission Statement : Your mission statement should reflect the core values and purpose of your business. It tells your audience what your business stands for and what you aim to achieve.
• Vision Statement : This is about the future. Where do you see your coaching business going? What impact do you want to make? Your vision statement paints a picture of the future you are working towards.
• Goals and Objectives : Jot down your short-term and long-term objectives for your coaching business using the SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound . Short-term goals might include reaching a certain number of clients. Or, they might include achieving a set income within the first year. Long-term goals could involve expanding your services nationally. Or, they could involve developing a franchise model.

2. Business Description

Here, you explain what your business does, how it operates, and what it aims to achieve.

This section gives context for the rest of the business plan. It helps stakeholders understand your business at a detailed level.

Choose Your Niche

Choosing a coaching niche and specifying your services are key . This sets your business apart.

Detail your target market. Whether you focus on life, executive, or health coaching, each meets unique client needs. Focus on demographics like age, profession, or specific challenges. Your coaching addresses those challenges.

Explain how your services are tailored to meet these needs, and discuss your business’s competitive edge. List your services in this field. Include personal coaching, group workshops, and online courses.

Also, showcase what makes you unique. For example, you might have a special coaching method. Or, you could be highly skilled in a popular coaching area.

Business Structure

The structure of your coaching business can greatly impact its operations and growth. You may operate as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation. Each type has its own implications.

A sole proprietorship is easy to start and gives you full control. But it also leaves you fully liable for debts. On the other hand, a corporation shields you from debt and can attract investors. It does this through its structure and ability to sell shares. However, corporations face more rules and taxes.

Choose the structure that fits your business goals. Consider how it affects liability, taxation, and investment.

Business Model

Your coaching business can adopt various models to deliver its services, depending on your target market and your expertise:

• One-on-One Coaching: Tailored specifically to individual clients to address personal or professional goals. This model allows for deep, personalized work and can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing.
• Group Sessions: These sessions bring together multiple clients who share similar goals or challenges. Group coaching is effective for workshops, seminars, and regular meetings, offering the added benefit of peer learning and support.
• Online Courses: Providing digital courses allows clients to engage with your coaching material at their own pace. This model can include video lectures, downloadable resources, and interactive elements like quizzes or forums.

Value Proposition

What sets your coaching services apart is your unique value proposition.

For instance, your approach might integrate cutting-edge psychological research, or perhaps you offer a unique blend of strategies drawn from various disciplines such as mindfulness, behavioral science, and leadership training.

Maybe your services are particularly tailored to a niche market, such as startup entrepreneurs or corporate executives facing burnout.

Highlighting this uniqueness in your business plan helps potential clients and investors understand why your coaching services are not just necessary but highly desirable.

3. Market Analysis

A thorough market analysis is crucial. It helps you understand your environment. You can identify opportunities and challenges. Then, you can make strategies. These strategies use your strengths to meet market demands.

This part of your business plan will show the whole market. It will offer key insights. These insights will help you set real goals and grow in a lasting way.

Identify your Target Market

Identifying your target market involves defining the specific group of people who are most likely to benefit from your coaching services. Key aspects to consider include:

• Demographics: Age, gender, profession, income level, and educational background. For instance, your services might cater primarily to mid-level professionals aged 30–50.
• Psychographics: Values, interests, lifestyle, and personality traits. For example, this might include people who value personal development, are career-focused, and seek work-life balance.
• Location: Whether your target market is local, regional, national, or global. Online coaching services can broaden your geographical reach compared to traditional in-person sessions.

Market Need

This section details the specific needs your coaching services address.

Are your clients looking for career advancement, personal growth, better stress management, or improved leadership skills?

Understanding these needs allows you to tailor your offerings effectively.

For example, if there is a high demand for stress management techniques among corporate workers in your area, your coaching could focus on mindfulness and resilience training.

Analyze your Competition

Analyzing your competitors helps you understand the current market landscape and identify what sets your coaching apart. Consider the following:

• Who are your main competitors? Look at other coaching services in your niche.
• What services do they offer? Understanding their offerings helps you spot gaps in the market.
• What are their strengths and weaknesses? This can help you learn from their successes and capitalize on areas where they may fall short.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis is a strategic method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Use it to analyze your coaching business:

• Strengths: What advantages does your coaching business have? This could be a unique coaching methodology, a strong personal brand, or deep expertise in a niche area.
• Weaknesses: What areas need improvement? This might include limited market presence or lack of full-time coaching staff.
• Opportunities: Look for external factors that could be advantageous for your business. This could include increasing demand for mental health services or expanding into online coaching.
• Threats: Identify potential challenges that could hinder your business’s success. These might include new competitors entering the market or changes in regulatory laws affecting coaching services.

4. Marketing and Sales Strategies

An effective marketing and sales strategy is critical for the success of any coaching business. This part of your business plan outlines how you will attract and keep clients.

It details your approaches to reaching your target market and turning leads into paying customers. The right strategy boosts visibility. It also improves client engagement and loyalty.

A well-crafted marketing plan is essential. It sets clear goals and identifies the best tactics to reach them. It ensures your marketing is consistent, targeted, and effective. They help build brand recognition and trust.

Developing your coaching brand involves creating a distinctive identity that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from competitors.

Key elements include:

• Brand Message: What are the core messages you want to convey? This could be your commitment to helping clients achieve specific goals, like improving leadership skills or finding work-life balance.
• Visual Identity: Includes your logo, color scheme, and overall visual style. These should reflect the tone and ethos of your coaching practice.
• Brand Voice: How you communicate in written and spoken words, which should consistently reflect your values and appeal to your target audience.

Marketing Channels

To reach your potential clients effectively, utilize a mix of marketing channels tailored to where your audience spends their time:

• Social Media: Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook can help build community and engagement. Tailor your content strategy to each platform to maximize reach and engagement.
• Speaking Engagements: Presenting at conferences or local events can establish you as an expert in your field and attract clients looking for proven guidance.
• Networking: Building relationships through industry groups or local business events can lead to referrals and new client opportunities.
• SEO: Optimize your website and content for search engines to attract organic traffic. Focus on keywords that potential clients might use to find coaching services.

Effective marketing can significantly boost your coaching business, attracting a steady stream of clients. It not only draws attention but also captures and retains interest

Sales Strategy

Converting potential clients into paying clients requires a clear sales process:

• Initial Consultation: Offer a free or discounted initial consultation to introduce potential clients to your coaching style and the benefits of your services.
• Follow-Up: After the consultation, follow up with a personalized message that summarizes how you can help them achieve their goals.
• Special Offers: Consider time-limited offers or package deals to encourage sign-ups.

Set up a sales funnel. A sales funnel is a process that guides potential clients from their first interaction with your brand through various stages of engagement until they make a purchase.

It starts with awareness, often through your marketing efforts, and progresses to interest (engaging with content), decision (attending a consultation), and finally action (purchasing a coaching package). 

5. Operations Plan

The Operational Plan section of your business plan provides a detailed look at how your coaching business works. This section outlines the day-to-day operations that support your coaching business.

This includes preparing for client sessions, both scheduled and ad-hoc and follow-up activities for each session, client communication, and administrative tasks like scheduling, billing, and client records management. 

It’s important to specify how these tasks are handled and by whom, as well as any business hours or response time commitments you make to your clients.

Business Location

Where you operate your business significantly shapes how it runs. Specify whether you offer your coaching services online, offline , or in a hybrid model:

Technology Used

Technology is crucial in running a modern coaching business efficiently. List the specific technologies and software you utilize for various business functions:

• Client Management Systems : Software for scheduling , session notes, and client progress tracking.
• Communication Tools : Tools used for client communication, such as email platforms, video conferencing tools, and instant messaging apps.
• Marketing and Sales Software : CRM systems for managing leads, marketing automation tools, and analytics platforms.

Staff and Resources

Finally, detail any staff or additional resources needed to operate your business effectively. This includes any administrative support, marketing personnel, or additional coaches. 

If you handle most operations solo, discuss any outsourced services you might need, such as virtual assistants, accountants, or IT support.

6. Financial Planning

The Financial Plan is a critical section of your business plan. It is crucial for both potential investors and for you as the owner.

It shows that your coaching business is financially viable. It gives a roadmap for financial success.

This section is crucial for securing funding. It shows you understand your business’s finances.

Startup Costs

Outline all initial costs required to start your coaching business. This includes any licensing fees, initial marketing expenses, technology setup costs, office equipment, and any other expenditures necessary to launch your business.

Pricing Strategy

Set your prices for your coaching services based on the value you provide, the demands of your target market, and your competitors’ pricing. You can also offer different pricing tiers based on the length and depth of the coaching provided or discounts for upfront payments for a series of sessions.

Revenue Projections

Project your revenues over the next three to five years. Base these estimates on your market analysis, including expected client numbers, session pricing, and any additional revenue streams like workshops or online courses.

Break-even Analysis:

Calculate when the business expects to break even. This analysis should consider all fixed costs (like rent and salaries) and variable costs (such as session materials or payment processing fees) against expected revenue streams. The break-even point is the moment when total revenues equal total costs, indicating when the business starts to generate profit beyond recovering its initial and operational costs.

Think of it like this: if you have a lemonade stand, you need to know how many cups of lemonade you have to sell to pay for all your supplies and costs. The moment you’ve sold enough cups to cover all your expenses, you hit your “break-even point.” That means you’re not losing money anymore, and any more lemonade you sell after that starts to make you profit.

7. Review and Implement

Once you’ve finalized your coaching business plan, the next steps are critical: reviewing the plan carefully and implementing it effectively.

This ensures that your business is built on a solid foundation and is ready to adapt to challenges and opportunities. Here’s how to approach these important phases:

Reviewing Your Business Plan

• Thorough Read-through: Start by reading your business plan thoroughly from start to finish. This helps you ensure that the plan is cohesive and all parts align well with each other.
• Seek External Feedback: It’s invaluable to get perspectives from trusted mentors, industry peers, or potential investors. They can provide insights that you might have missed and suggest improvements. Consider feedback from people who understand the coaching industry as well as those who might be part of your target audience.
• Revise for Clarity and Accuracy: Based on the feedback and your own assessments, make necessary revisions. This could involve clarifying certain sections, adding missing details, or correcting any inaccuracies. Ensure your financial forecasts and market analysis are realistic and based on the latest available data.
• Finalize the Document: Once revisions are made, finalize the formatting, proofread for grammatical errors, and ensure that the document is professionally presented.

Implementing Your Business Plan

Now that your business plan is meticulously crafted, it’s time to bring it to life. This step might seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s essential for growing your coaching business.

The great news is, you’re not in this alone. We’re here not just to support you but to actively participate in your journey.

Our role extends beyond mere guidance; we’re here to help build your business. While you concentrate on what you do best—coaching and transforming lives—we’ll handle the operational details. From identifying your niche to marketing execution, we’ve got you covered .

As we wrap up, I hope the insights shared here have empowered you to create a structured and effective business plan for your coaching venture.

Crafting a solid plan is crucial, not just for guiding your business but for adapting as your enterprise grows.

If you have any questions about the business planning process or wish to share your own experiences and insights, feel free to leave a comment below.

Resources for your Coaching Business Plan

As a coach, it’s crucial to have the right resources at your fingertips.

We’ve put together a curated list to support your journey to craft your custom coaching business plan.

Your Custom Template

To get your FREE custom Coaching Business Plan Template, click on the “Download Your Coaching Business Plan” Button

Other resources

Financial planning and management tools.

• QuickBooks : An accounting software ideal for small businesses to manage accounts with ease.
• Mint : Helps with personal and business financial planning and budgeting.
• Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets – Spreadsheet tools that are essential for financial analysis, including creating detailed financial projections and budgets.

Software and Online Platforms

• LivePlan : This is an intuitive, user-friendly business plan software that guides you through the process of creating a detailed, investor-ready business plan. It offers templates, financial forecasts, and performance tracking tools.
• Bizplan : Bizplan makes the process of writing a business plan more efficient through step-by-step guidance, templates, and a modern, user-friendly interface that simplifies financial forecasting and business modeling.
• Enloop : This tool automatically writes and formats your business plan as you input information. It offers features like auto-generated financial reports and a real-time performance score to improve your plan.
• SMART Goals – A framework for setting objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, ensuring well-defined and attainable goals.
• SWOT Analysis – A strategic planning tool used to identify and understand the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to business competition or project planning.
• PEST Analysis – A framework for analyzing and monitoring the macro-environmental factors that may have a profound impact on an organization’s performance.
• Business Model Canvas – A strategic management template for developing new or documenting existing business models across nine key components.
• Value Proposition Canvas – A tool that helps businesses ensure that a product or service is positioned around what the customer values and needs.
• “ Co-Active Coaching: Changing Business, Transforming Lives ” by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl, and Laura Whitworth – This book provides a foundational philosophy for professional coaching.
• “ Business Model Generation ” by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur – A book that introduces practical tools for creating, analyzing, and reinventing business models, with visual methods for brainstorming.
• “ The Lean Startup ” by Eric Ries – A book that introduces methodologies for developing businesses and products in an efficient way by managing and directing startup activities toward the markets.

Legal Resources for Small Businesses

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) : Information on business registration, legal structures, and licenses.
• Gov.uk (for UK based businesses) : Guidance on starting and running a business in the UK, including legal obligations.

Each resource was chosen based on its practical utility, ease of access, and the most current information available.

From established industry platforms to cutting-edge tools and insightful publications, our editorial team has researched, fact-checked, and curated a diverse mix of resources to cater to various learning styles and needs.

This ensures you have access to the best tools and knowledge, helping you build a solid coaching business plan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the steps of a business plan.

A coaching business plan includes the following steps – making a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the company, moving on to a SWOT analysis, outlining a short-term and long-term strategy, creating project benchmarks, and defining the key success factors. Another additional step is how to price the business and launch a new product.

What Must An Entrepreneur Do After Creating their Coaching Business Plan?

A list of tasks that entrepreneurs should complete after setting up their coaching business plan includes: obtaining startup capital, researching trade laws, reviewing business licenses, and choosing a company name.

What Is the Purpose of Writing a Business Plan Before Entering the Market?

Creating a coaching business plan before entering the market can prove beneficial because it allows entrepreneurs to look at the big picture of the company, from the way it will be run to its goals and general purposes. It also gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to look at what they need to do in order to successfully and efficiently run their business.

What Should I Include In A Business Plan?

Every business plan needs to include the questions and answers of these three fundamental issues: what do you want your company to accomplish, why should people buy what you sell, and how will you make it happen? It is important to take this opportunity to be very thorough with your business plan.

How to Make a Business Plan?

To make a business plan, you must know what kind of business you want it to be. You will need to research your market, competition, and finances. If you don’t, then you run the risk of running out of money or building a business that is unable to make a profit.

How Do You Draft A Coaching Plan?

You can draft a coaching plan through plenty of documents and templates that can be used as a guide to help you brainstorm and organize your own thoughts. One great resource is the Coaching Business Plan Workbook and Guide by Mary Baldwin and Amy Levin-Epstein.

How To Write A Business Plan Step By Step?

The precise step-by-step guide on how to write a business starts with first outlining what your business will be and what your long-term goal is. Next, it’s important to start with developing your company’s mission statement, detailing who your customer is and what they want. This is followed by conducting market research and researching your competition.

ABOUT SAI BLACKBYRN

I’m Sai Blackbyrn, better known as “The Coach’s Mentor.” I help Coaches like you establish their business online. My system is simple: close more clients at higher fees. You can take advantage of technology, and use it as a catalyst to grow your coaching business in a matter of weeks; not months, not years. It’s easier than you think.

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This article was very simple and easy to follow. Extremely helpful. Just starting out so needed this kinda help.

Hi J Dawn, I’m glad you got great value from this piece. And since you are just starting out, the webinar would be extremely helpful to you so do register

Thank you so much, very insightful especially as I’m starting my coaching business.

Keep up the great work!

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How to Start Your Life Coaching Business Plan & Template

Perhaps like many of us, you’re unsure where to start. Maybe you’re disillusioned by the lack of clear, actionable information available and have shelved your plans – for the moment, at least.

But don’t give in. Help is at hand.

This article introduces many of the answers to the question, “How do I start a life coaching business?”

In doing so, we borrow heavily from a book written by one of our founders at PositivePsychology.com, Seph Fontane Pennock, The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice . It is a great read and highly recommended; however, this article offers a powerful starting point regardless, with actionable points, a business plan, and a free template.

This Article Contains

How to start your life coaching business, 3 requirements for setting up your practice, crafting your business model plan: a template, how to market and advertise your coaching business, 10 best names for coaching practices, building and promoting an online coaching business.

• 10+ Software & Forms to Use in Your Practice

A Take-Home Message

Life coaching can have far-reaching and diverse positive impacts on clients’ lives (Clutterbuck et al., 2016).

Many of us have toyed with the idea of starting a life coaching business, helping people change health-related behavior, improve wellness, boost their careers, and strive for personal goals (Karmali et al., 2020; Mann et al., 2022).

You most likely feel you have something to give: highly transferable skills learned from harsh life lessons and/or expertise in psychology, learning, leadership, self-development, and communication.

Or perhaps you are simply great at making people feel so empowered that they stop being “stuck” and take the bold steps to overcome obstacles holding them back.

Whatever your reason and motivation, we will help you get there, and the best place to begin is right here.

Begin at the beginning!

We start by recognizing our barriers.

What’s stopping us? Most likely, it’s our mindset rather than something physical. The following beliefs are potential obstacles, blocking us before we even start:

• Fear of failure : We are afraid we will not succeed.
• Not enough time: “I would give it a try, but I simply don’t have enough time.”
• Self-doubt: Our lack of confidence sabotages our entrepreneurial journey.

It’s not about ignoring the fear or letting it determine how we act; it’s about accepting it as an inherent part of our journey.

Accept fear as part of your journey.

Next, evaluate your existing time commitments. Prioritize your current tasks, dropping some of the nonessentials, and plan to set aside time to start your life coaching business. This is something you’ve dreamed of doing and aligns with your bigger life goals.

There will always be things to do, but by changing your mindset and prioritizing this dream, you will find the time to make it a reality.

Everyone has 24 hours in a day. What will you accomplish with yours?

Finally, recognize your feelings of self-doubt but don’t let them control you. Reflect on some of your past successes and reach out to those closest to you for their support, encouragement, and practical advice.

We’d like to share a great article with you that can help, as it includes tips for increasing your self-confidence. Have a look at What Is Self-Confidence? (+9 Proven Ways to Increase It) .

To build confidence, you have to practice confidence.

If we don’t start, we will never know

Now that we have faced our barriers and established a healthier relationship with them, it’s time to step outside our comfort zone and start the journey.

Who is our dream client?

We can’t be great at everything, so we need to narrow our focus and reach and find an authentic niche.

For example, perhaps you enjoy helping people in the workplace . So, maybe your dream client has worked for several years but now feels stuck in their career. They need help to reevaluate where they are, where they want to go, and how to change their mindset to move toward a more fulfilling career.

Once we’ve defined our ideal client, we can consider each of Seph’s seven pillars for starting and growing a coaching practice sustainably:

• Pillar #1 – Promise We need to be able to make a pledge to our dream client. The five Ps will help: People : Who are we helping? Place : Where are we helping them? Problem : What are we helping them solve? Product : What will we use to do this? Price : What will we charge to do it?
• Pillar #2 – Leads We need to attract more of the right sort of clients (ideally, they will contact us). We must think about how our dream client will find us, perhaps via YouTube, a blog post, a personal website, or social media (think LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, etc.).
• Pillar #3 – Clients How will we convert leads into clients? It may involve screening out those who are not a good fit for our services (depending on our coaching philosophy ) and following up quickly with compatible ones.
• Pillar #4 – Traffic Reducing the legwork associated with finding leads is crucial; ultimately, it gives us more time to help others.
• Pillar #5 – Retention Attracting and converting new leads is vital, yet so is holding on to existing clients. What potential offers can we share with existing clients to maintain (or boost) engagement?
• Pillar #6 – Products How can we generate more income without spending extra time? It might include offering group coaching sessions or additional training, downloadable PDFs, podcasts, or webinars.
• Pillar #7 – Team We can’t achieve everything alone. Over time, a successful coaching business may expand and include dedicated staff performing those administrative activities that take our time away from coaching.

What is the best platform for a life coaching business?

Traditionally, life coaching was practiced face to face and involved a great deal of manual administration behind the scenes.

Thankfully, new technology and online platforms mean we can perform coaching remotely through video calls and set up meetings, share activities, and exercises, and take notes online (Ribbers & Waringa, 2015; Kanatouri, 2020).

Our very own Quenza has been designed by and for coaches, counselors, and therapists, and that is why we believe it is the best coaching platform out there. It allows life coaches to focus on client needs, goals, and overcoming challenges and is a scalable solution for a growing business.

Do you need a business license?

You do not need specific qualifications to set up as a life coach, but accreditation can boost potential clients’ confidence in your abilities.

However, obtaining a business license is required in some locations to provide life coaching services legally. If you’re unsure whether you need a license, check with your local government agencies or consult a lawyer or accountant familiar with your jurisdiction (Lumia, 2022; Blackbyrn, 2023).

3 Best life coaching certification programs

There are many life coaching courses available. However, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world’s best-known and respected coaching program certifier.

We list three of our favorite life coaching certification programs, but many others exist.

Spend time researching the one that best matches your coaching plans, availability, and budget.

• Coaching Out of the Box This fast track to ICF certification can help turn your dream of starting a life coaching business into a reality. It includes group and one-to-one coaching and certification and supports individuals as they obtain documented coaching experience.
• Barefoot Coaching This ICF and university-accredited coach training offers online coaching expertise to develop the coaching skills required as a life coach, HR professional, or business leader.
• Life Purpose Institute The institute offers the coaching tools and marketing expertise to build a life coaching practice plus the training hours required to get ICF credentials. The number of students in online courses is limited, and students can learn the skills needed to coach individuals, groups, and workshops.

For further training opportunities, see our articles, 19 Best Coaching Training Institutes and Programs and 8 Best ICF Coaching Certification Programs and Courses .

A life coaching business plan doesn’t need to be complicated and must remain current, capturing the key actions and challenges.

Use the Life Coaching Business Model Plan or one of our templates from our How to Write a Life Coaching Business Plan: 5 Templates article to create an initial plan.

In this example, we target people who feel stuck in their career or their life (or both).

Business identity

What is the business called? “Clarity Life Coaching”

Target client

Our target clients are individuals who feel stuck, lost, or uncertain in their personal or professional lives. We focus on mid-career individuals or those experiencing significant life changes, such as divorce or career transitions.

Client pain points

Our clients struggle with a lack of direction, feel overwhelmed, and lack clarity about their goals and values. They may feel stuck in unfulfilling jobs or relationships and experience high stress or anxiety.

Your solution

Clarity Life Coaching provides personalized coaching services to help individuals clarify their values, goals, and priorities. Our coaching process helps clients identify their strengths and areas for improvement, develop a plan to achieve their goals, and overcome obstacles that may stand in their way. We use various coaching techniques , including goal setting, visualization, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Your competition

Several life coaching businesses in the local area provide similar services, but our unique approach and personalized coaching services set us apart from the competition. We focus on a highly customized coaching experience tailored to each client’s needs.

Revenue streams

Our revenue streams include one-on-one coaching sessions, group coaching sessions, and workshops on topics such as goal setting and stress management.

Marketing activities

We use online advertising, social media marketing, and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations. We will also attend local events and conferences to promote our services and network with potential clients.

Existing and future expenses include rent for our coaching space, coaching materials, advertising and marketing costs, and attending events and conferences.

Team and their key roles

The team will consist of one life coach responsible for providing coaching services, managing client relationships, and handling administrative tasks such as scheduling and billing.

Initial thoughts on milestones include:

• Launching the business and securing our first clients within the first three months
• Expanding our client base by 25% within the first year
• Increasing revenue by 35% within the first year
• Hosting a successful workshop or seminar within the first six months of operation

Help mid-career individuals gain clarity and direction and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Your plan will evolve and should be revisited regularly to grow and manage your life coaching practice.

For many of us, marketing and advertising can fill us with fear – an unknown and confusing process.

So here are a few valuable pointers drawn from Seph’s The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice and Steve Chandler’s book How to Get Clients: New Pathways to Coaching Prosperity .

Your coaching website should be like a funnel

• When your visitor arrives on your website, they should:
• Know which problem you can help them solve or which goal you can help them achieve.
• Find clear evidence of your successful track record.
• Be confident in your abilities and experience.
• Be provided with some upfront value (perhaps a free e-book).
• Do not overcomplicate the website. Consider removing unnecessary content. The goal is for traffic to arrive as visitors and leave as leads (or sales).
• Make use of a call-to-action, either:
• Offer a giveaway in exchange for their name and email.
• Allow them to sign up for their first (complimentary) coaching session.

Productive conversations

Productive conversations and creating relationships lead to new clients.

• Make sure that you follow up on discussions promptly.
• After an initial chat, ask the potential client to complete a prequalification survey.
• Don’t leave them wondering. Tell them when they will receive a follow-up email.
• Don’t be needy (even if you would like their business).
• Be aware that the client will remember how you made them feel rather than precisely what you said.
• Talk less about yourself and your coaching and listen more to their problems.

Online writing

Writing for a personal blog or elsewhere can increase your reach, get you in front of clients, and help others take you seriously. But remember:

• Aim for quality over quantity – you are targeting the right kind of traffic.
• Change your mindset from “How do I find more clients?” to “How do my dream clients find me?”
• Know what people are looking for and create resources on that topic.
• Earned reach is the organic attention that you receive. Perhaps you got a mention in a podcast or on a news website. Paid reach has a cost, such as Facebook and Instagram ads or using the Google Ads Platform. Consider both.
• If you post on your website, consider your owned reach. You should appear in the search results, so get to know which keywords people are searching for when they look for help.

In The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice , Seph covers in more detail how to rank for keywords and create a content marketing plan that includes platforms with active audiences, such as:

• The Huffington Post
• Entrepreneur

Ultimately, your goal is for people with problems to find you so that you can help meet their needs.

Finding the right name for your coaching business is not easy. Too obvious, and it is either likely to be already taken or so bland that it will not be memorable.

One approach involves using AI to create life coaching business names . Use it or your own research to consider and evolve potential names, thinking about:

• The customers’ first impression
• The identity and brand of your business
• The type of customer you wish to attract
• How memorable the name is (and for the right reasons)
• Whether the name is already being used

Here are 10 names to start you off:

• Coaching for Success
• The Successful Living Academy
• Evolve Coaching
• Courage Coaching
• The Breakthrough Coach
• The Change Academy
• Coaching for Vitality
• Abundant Life Coaching
• Positive Change Coaching
• The Courage Academy

The following articles offer more suggestions regarding how to build and promote an online coaching business.

• How to Get Clients for Life Coaching [5 Strategies] provides more information and guidance on nailing your business’s value proposition, marketing funnel, and online and offline strategies.
• How to Start an Online Coaching Business: Step-by-Step Plan is a practical guide for building a successful and profitable business.
• How to Start a Life Coaching Business From Scratch explores what you will need and your first moves to becoming an online coach.

10+ Software & Forms to Use in Your Practice

There are several online platforms for coaching, many of which are introduced in the article 12 Best Online Coaching Platforms & Tools .

PositivePsychology.com’s dedicated coaching software Quenza is compelling and unique because it:

• Is extraordinarily user friendly and intuitive
• Uses the latest SSL encryption to store client results to ensure HIPAA and GDPR compliance
• Is highly scalable, growing with your business
• Stores forms as customizable templates
• Securely delivers exercises and forms to clients
• Enables form completion on mobile, tablet, or desktop
• Nudges clients when they need a reminder to do something

In How to Send & Build Counseling Client Intake Forms Digitally , we explore how to create and share online forms using the Quenza platform.

Next, our two articles, Coaching Forms Toolbox: 17 Templates for Your Sessions and How to Create Feedback Forms: 3 Templates + Best Online Tool , explain how forms can be created from scratch, copied, or modified within the tool.

We suggest using the following forms:

• Pre-coaching questionnaire
• A self-contract to encourage client accountability
• Life domain satisfaction questionnaire
• Strength interview form
• Session rating scale
• Coach evaluation form
• End of therapy evaluation

Many other templates exist, including ones for visualization, mindfulness, goal setting, and benefit finding.

Fear, time constraints, and self-doubt can hold us back from starting a life coaching business. Learning to accept our barriers and shift our focus from ourselves to our clients can dramatically improve our chances of success.

Learning from the experiences of successful business owners like Seph Fontane Pennock can provide valuable insights and help us create a profitable and impactful practice.

You most likely feel like you have something to give to your dream clients. You wish to create an opportunity for positive change in their lives while delivering on a personal vision for a life coaching practice.

Creating a clear and achievable business plan can be simple and will help you find your ideal clients and offer them a path to setting and striving toward their goals.

Having read this article and been inspired to start your life coaching business, why not look at The 7 Pillars of a Profitable Practice and use the many lessons Seph learned along his journey to inform your business plans and give your clients their best chance of success?

• Blackbyrn, S. (2023, February 17). Does a life coach need a business license? Coach Foundation. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://coachfoundation.com/blog/life-coach-business-license/.
• Clutterbuck, D., David, S. A., & Megginson, D. (Eds.). (2016). Beyond goals: Effective strategies for coaching and mentoring.  Routledge.
• Lumia. (2022, August 4). Does a life coach need a business license and insurance? Lumia. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.lumiacoaching.com/blog/does-a-life-coach-need-a-business-license.
• Kanatouri, S. (2020). The digital coach . Routledge.
• Karmali, S., Battram, D. S., Burke, S. M., Cramp, A., Mantler, T., Morrow, D., Ng, V., Pearson, E. S., Petrella, R., Tucker, P., & Irwin, J. D. (2020). Clients’ and coaches’ perspectives of a life coaching intervention for parents with overweight/obesity. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring , 18 (2), 115–132.
• Mann, A., Leigh Fainstad, T., Shah, P., Dieujuste, N., & Jones, C. D. (2022). “It’s nice to know I’m not alone”: The impact of an online life coaching program on wellness in graduate medical education: A qualitative analysis. A cademic Medicine , 97 (11S), S166–S166.
• Ribbers, A., & Waringa, A. (2015). E-coaching: Theory and practice for a new online approach to coaching . Routledge.

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Free Masterclass! 4 Simple Steps To Start Your Coaching Business Today

The ultimate guide to mapping out a rock-solid coaching business plan.

The 5-Step Roadmap To Create A Highly Profitable Coaching Business Plan Even If You're A New Coach

What's the first word that comes to mind when you see the word "coach" or "coaching"?

If you're a coach - and it doesn't matter whether you're just starting out or whether you've been coaching for decades - there's a high possibility that the words coach or coaching brings to mind things like:

These are all amazing elements of coaching and they're a big part of what you do as a coach and why you're a coach, but there's a word that's missing from that list...

It's the one word that's the difference between a successful coach who can create a ripple effect of positive transformation for hundreds - maybe even thousands or millions - of people and a coach who remains unknown, unseen, and unheard.

So, what's this mysterious word?

The word is BUSINESS.

There's a popular viewpoint in the coaching industry that when you serve with passion, and when you serve from the heart, clients will appear and your business will magically start to grow.

It's like that famous line from the movie Field of Dreams , "Build it and they will come..."

That sounds great in a movie but when it comes to the real world, it's a total lie!

Thinking you can become a successful coach if you put enough heart and passion into your work is one of the most dangerous and flawed beliefs out there...

And it's time to bury that belief for good.

The truth is the fastest, smartest way to become a successful, profitable coach is to create a strategic path for your practice with an awesome coaching business plan.

This Guide will take you through the exact steps you need to map out a rock-solid plan for your coaching business.

The best part? It works no matter where you are in your journey as a coach and unlike traditional business plans that can feel super intimidating and complicated unless you have a degree in business, this one is incredibly simple and absolutely effective.

Remember...

Coaching is a business.

The sooner you understand this fundamental truth, the faster you'll rise up along a profitable, purposeful path that allows you to serve more people and change more lives.

Ready to get started? Let's roll!

The 5-Step Coaching Business Plan

Creating your rock-solid coaching business plan , how to build a successful coaching business.

Ever heard of "Shiny Object Syndrome?" It's something a lot of smart, gifted entrepreneurs struggle with...

It's when you're distracted and sidetracked by countless creative ideas or exciting opportunities that you just can't seem to ignore.

Imagine this...

You have a great idea for an online coaching course around your niche or area of expertise as a coach and you start brainstorming and writing content for the course.

You're deep into your work and just as you're gaining momentum, a great coach you know - maybe someone you met in an online community or live networking event - reaches out to you.

Turns out, they have a great partnership or affiliation opportunity and they think it's perfect for you.

You're instantly struck by Shiny Object Syndrome. You abandon your course creation path and start chasing down this new opportunity with this coach.

A few days - or maybe even hours - later, you're hit with another idea. So you drop everything and start going at that new idea. And then, another idea pops up. And another and another... 

What if you start an online coaching membership ? Maybe you should write a book ? Maybe you should build out a year-long mastermind program? Or start organizing retreats and seminars?

And on and on it goes.

Pretty soon, you've raced down a hundred different rabbit holes, but you have zero results to show for it in your business!

So, let's get one thing straight right here, right now...

Shiny Object Syndrome is a fast-track to failure. A great business plan is the exact  opposite.

A coaching business plan gives you immunity. It protects you from having to chase one good idea after the next because  you already know what your business needs and you'll instantly reduce the uncertainty of how you're going to create revenue.

Think about it...

When you've mapped out a solid business plan and you know how you're going to make money in your coaching practice, you can actually start to predict how much money you're going to make each week, each month and each year.

You can even do this exercise in reverse and create a business plan based on your financial goals and how much income you want to make. So, you set the goal first and then reverse plan to meet that number.

With an awesome business plan in place, you'll be able to direct your energy to the tasks, projects, ideas, opportunities that will work to grow a thriving, sustainable coaching business that brings you satisfaction and a reliable income.

It will give you a clear roadmap of what you need to focus on and how to manage your time better. It will also give you a sense of security to know you will reach your financial goals if you stick to the plan.

Throughout the rest of this Guide, you'll learn the 5 steps to building an awesome coaching business plan that works for you to achieve the goals you desire.

The 5 steps or 5 Cs are:

Conversation

Before we get started on step 1 in the next chapter, let's kickoff with "secret step 0" in the Take Action section below to set the stage.

This is where you identify distractions and take an honest look at your mindset so you can easily create laser focus around building an awesome business plan and an extraordinary coaching business that stands the test of time.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

That's an old Chinese proverb.

Your  single step  right now is to do a personal mindset check in and tune up.

Answer the following questions with 100% honesty so you'll be all set to take action and start creating a kicka$$ business plan as you move through upcoming chapters in this Guide.

Question #1

What are your current ideas around growing your coaching business ? This could be things like starting a membership site, building out a group program or anything else that comes to mind.

Note: Writing down your ideas will get them out of your head and help you pick a path that feels good to you as you start to create your business plan in the following chapters.

Question #2

Write down the names of people or places (online and offline) that have the power to distract you from tasks and projects in your business. This could be a good friend who loves to spontaneously invite you out for coffee, it could be endlessly scrolling through Facebook or Instagram or any other social media platform. List as many as you need to. 

Note: This helps you identify your weak spots or triggers to "Shiny Object Syndrome" that take you away from the focus and energy you need to build your business based on a clear plan.

Question #3

What are your minimum, mid-range, and "out-of-this-world-awesome" financial goals for your coaching business each month and each year, for the next 3 years? You should also list out 1 to 3 dream gifts you will give yourself - travel around the world, purchase your fantasy home, make a generous donation to your favorite charity - when you hit each of your financial milestones.

Note: These milestone numbers will give you in depth clarity and unshakeable motivation to build a successful coaching business that lets you live the life you want while doing the work you love.

Coaching Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Coaching Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Coaching business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Coaching businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Coaching business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Premier Health Coaching Services Is a startup health coaching company located in Seattle, Washington. The company is founded by Tracy Hoffman, a health coach who holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a certified health coach in the state of Washington, and has successfully counseled over 300 clients during the past six years as a health coach employed by a corporate medical health plan provider. Her expertise has brought her “celebrity” status. Her blog and podcasts have brought over 20,000 followers as she speaks about nutrition and health matters. Her client base of over 300 clients has already committed to follow her when she makes this professional move to start her own company, Premier Health Coaching Services.

Premier Health Coaching Services will provide a comprehensive array of health-related products and services, including holistic care, skeletal and muscular alignments, sports nutrition, nutrition and diet support, balanced lifestyle counseling and other health services. This will be a broad-based service, meeting the needs of individuals from all walks of life and in all health-conditional lifestyles. Premier Health Coaching Services will be the top-performing health coaching company within the Seattle, Washington regional area.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Premier Health Coaching Services will provide:

• Individual and group health coaching services
• Nutritional and physiological body assessments
• Skeletal and muscular alignments
• Holistic healing: aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage
• Physical therapist services
• Weight assessment and counseling
• Work-life balance alignments
• Balanced lifestyle counseling
• Product sales: nutritional supplements; health-related products

Customer Focus

Premier Health Coaching Services will target everyone in the Seattle, Washington regional area, including Bellingham and other outlying areas. In particular, they will target those individuals who seek assistance with physically therapeutic and lifestyle balance services. They will also target those individuals who are sports professionals and those who are dedicated to a sports lifestyle. Adults of all ages, including seniors, will be targeted as customers and Premier Health Coaching Services will address the needs and serve each individual with the best possible service and support team.

Management Team

Premier Health Coaching Services will be owned and operated by Tracy Hoffman. She has recruited her former associates, John Blackwell and Melissa Rodriquez, to become associates in leading her team.

Tracy Hoffman holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a certified health coach in the state of Washington and has successfully counseled over 300 clients during the past six years as a health coach employed by a corporate medical health plan provider. Her expertise has brought her “celebrity” status, and her blog and podcasts have brought over 20,000 followers as she speaks about nutrition and health matters. Her client base of over 300 clients has already committed to follow her when she makes this professional move to start her own company, Premier Health Coaching Services.

John Blackwell is a well-known and much-admired health coach, overseeing 100 clients on a regular basis. He specializes in sports nutrition and already has the commitment from each client to follow him as he makes this professional move to Premier Health Coaching Services.

Melissa Rodriquez is much-beloved by her weight management and nutritional balance clients and is known for her emphasis on holistic solutions to health problems. Her client base of over 100 clients has committed to follow her as she makes this professional move to Premier Health Coaching Services.

Success Factors

Premier Health Coaching Services will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of professional health coaches, counselors, nutritional experts, and holistic care providers.
• A comprehensive menu of services available during daytime and evening hours, including health coaching, lifestyle and nutritional coaching, holistic care, physical therapy and natural health and healing products.
• Premier Health Coaching Services offers modest pricing, setting a price structure that best meets the health insurance plans of all individuals. Comparatively, the service is a lower-cost option than competitors.
• Products offered, including nutritional supplements and natural health products, are priced lower than retail health food stores.

Financial Highlights

Premier Health Coaching Services is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its Premier Health Coaching Services. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the location space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the marketing campaigns. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office space build-out: $20,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph outlines the pro forma financial projections for Premier Health Coaching Services.

Company Overview

Who is premier health coaching services.

Premier Health Coaching Services is a newly established full-service coaching and health management company in Seattle, Washington. Premier Health Coaching Services will be the most reliable, total health-directed, and effective choice for clients throughout Seattle and the surrounding communities. Premier Health Coaching Services will provide a comprehensive slate of coaching services, natural health treatments, and natural products for all clients to utilize. Their full-service approach includes an extensive list of health and holistic-related services and products.

  Premier Health Coaching Services will be able to manage and service up to 50 clients at any time, with the ability to increase hours of operation to add more clients. The team of professionals are highly qualified, certified, and experienced in coaching, life-balance counseling and nutritional health. Premier Health Coaching Services removes all the headaches and issues of searching for and finding the right fit for the services of various coaches in multiple locations, as all services are now offered under one roof. In addition, Premier Health Coaching Services will be known for delivering the best customer service.

Premier Health Coaching Services History

Since incorporation, Premier Health Coaching Services has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Premier Health Coaching Services, Inc. to transact business in the state of Washington.
• Has over 50 client contracts already in place with Premier Health Coaching Services. Has natural health providers in acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy, and physical therapy under long-term contracts.
• Began recruiting a staff of assistants and office personnel at Premier Health Coaching Services.

Premier Health Coaching Services

The following will be the services Premier Health Coaching Services will provide:

Industry Analysis

The health coaching and related services industry is currently at $15,653M, and is expected to grow over the next five years to over $23,587M in 2028, with a CAGR of over 7% during the forecast years. This substantial increase will be due to clients who are increasingly aware and in need of better performance in physical activity, nutrition and eating habits, weight management, diabetes prevention, and medication adherence.

These specific areas are all covered under health coaching, group coaching and lifestyle coaching, which are increasingly in step with the continued growth and concern regarding these health-condition specific issues.

The growth will be driven by key players in the industry, such as major health insurance companies, governmental oversight and other agencies, who will adopt effective strategies to combat continuing health conditions. As they do; the industry sector is expected to expand further, presenting numerous opportunities for advancement.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Premier Health Coaching Services will target those individuals requiring health coaching, nutritional counseling, holistic care and other natural services in Seattle, Washington. They will target former clients who may choose to contract for services with this new all-inclusive slate of services, those who are personal contacts through years of professional experience, corporations with employee health services under expiring contracts, and individuals who are referred by professionals throughout the region.

The precise demographics for Premier Health Coaching Services are:

Customer Segmentation

Premier Health Coaching Services will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Individuals seeking contracted health coaching and life counseling services
• Insurance companies seeking expanded services for insured clients
• Corporations seeking health service contracts on behalf of employees
• Individuals seeking natural health and healing products

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Premier Health Coaching Services will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Pacific Health & Physical Therapy Group

Pacific Health and Physical Therapy Group provides muscular, skeletal and physical therapy for individuals who are referred to the service by employers under contract with the group. Contracts are yearly, endorsed by the corporate human resources managers. The group provides a variety of services for clients, including a therapy spa, physical therapy services, muscular and skeletal exercise routines, and other kinesiology-related services.

The promise by Pacific Health & Physical Therapy Group is to provide accurate, detailed plans to better the lives of their clients through muscular and physically therapeutic services. The emphasis is on corrective treatments, including exercise. The Pacific Health & Physical Therapy Group provides a 4-Step Treatment Plan that covers diagnosis; analysis of treatment; care routine; extended therapy. This is a plan that is personally designed for each client and care providers follow the plan during each client visit.

Seattle Physical Therapy Associates

Seattle Physical Therapy Associates is composed of ten physical therapists, each with a roster of clients who routinely book a minimum of twenty therapy visits each. This solidifies the basis for revenue for Seattle Physical Therapy Associates and creates an on-going program of increased health properties for clients as visits continue.

Seattle Physical Therapy Associates is focused on providing physical therapy; as such, the pricing for services is higher than other full-service centers. The motto is: Creating the Best Environment for Our Clients’ Best Results. Clients are treated at least twice a week, as physical therapy continues. As the favorite physical therapy group in Seattle, the company can demand higher pricing levels, and those levels are paid by primarily corporate clients, as a result.

Ballard Holistic Health Company

Ballard Holistic Health Company is headquartered in Ballard, located in northwest Seattle. The region is a mixed-population of older university students, young couples with children, and senior residents with longevity in the region. Housing is a mixture of condos converted to apartments, older single home dwellings and multi-use leased homes. The clientele for the Ballard Holistic Health Company is generally seeking holistic treatments as curative or preventative alternatives to western medicine. The company is housed in a former home, large enough to showcase natural health and healing products. Weekly classes directed to nutrition, healthy living styles, and vegan/vegetarian living topics are discussed in group sessions. Merchandise for sale includes books, tapes, vegan foods and protein alternatives, such as plant-based foods. Also offered are a wide array of natural health products and nutritional supplements.

Competitive Advantage

Premier Health Coaching Services will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• A comprehensive, all-inclusive menu of services available during daytime and evening hours, including health coaching, lifestyle and nutritional coaching, holistic care, physical therapy and natural health and healing products.
• Products offered, including nutritional supplements and natural health products, are priced lower than direct competitors.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Premier Health Coaching Services will offer the following unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of certified professionals who are able to provide a comprehensive slate of services and products to meet consumer demand for solutions for medical conditions, lifestyle choices, and other physical or mind-body needs.
• Substantial number of long-term contracted clients, as well as corporate clients who utilize services for employees.
• Reliable natural health and healing products sold below retail costs at competitive natural product stores.
• Pricing structure for corporate and individual clients is modest and reasonable.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Premier Health Coaching Services is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Premier Health Coaching Services has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and skilled expertise for clients. They have communicated to Premier Health Coaching Services that they will continue renewing their contracts because they are highly-satisfied with the services provided at the former place of business. Once advised by the professionals that they were leaving the former company, the clients were eager to sign new contracts to continue coaching services with Premier Health Coaching Services. Former and current clients were also willing to offer referrals and spread the word of the new company starting comprehensive services just ahead.

Professional Associations and Networking

Tracy Hoffman, John Blackwell and Melissa Rodriquez are each well-established within their chosen fields and will spread the word of the new startup within their professional associations. Networking among corporations within the region will also begin, as corporate clients can offer large, long-term contracts for employees who require multiple visits or treatments.

Social Media Marketing

With the high number of followers who track Tracy Hoffman, the use of social media marketing will be pivotal to the startup. Multiple social media marketing campaigns will be launched, identifying the professionals who are starting the company and inviting new followers to engage with each via posts and comments. Former and current clients will also be included in short video reels, offering testimonials regarding the service received by these professionals. A social media marketing manager will be hired for three months to cover the costs of startup campaigns.

Website/SEO Marketing

Premier Health Coaching Services will utilize the services of the social media marketing manager to create website content and images to announce the opening of the company. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all services that Premier Health Coaching Services is able to provide. The website will also list their contact information and link to an easy reservation site for clients to book appointments online. The social media marketing manager will also oversee SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Seattle health coaching” or “natural health or holistic services”, Premier Health Coaching Services will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Premier Health Coaching Services will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Premier Health Coaching Services. Operation Functions:

• Tracy Hoffman will be the Owner and President of the company. She will oversee all staff and manage client relations. She has spent several months recruiting the executive staff: members:
• John Blackwell, a well-known, certified, and much-admired health coach, will be the Vice President, overseeing 100 clients on a regular basis. He specializes in sports nutrition.
• Melissa Rodriquez, a professional counselor in weight management and nutritional balance, will be the Strategic Manager. Her client base of over 100 clients has committed to follow her as she makes this professional move to Premier Health Coaching Services.
• Gary Ragan, an accountant with ten years of experience, will become the Staff Accountant, providing all client accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.

Milestones:

Premier Health Coaching Services will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

• 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease company staff, client and workroom space
• 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Premier Health Coaching Services
• 6/1/202X – Finalize contracts for Premier Health Coaching Services corporate clients
• 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
• 6/22/202X – Begin moving into the Premier Health Coaching Services building location
• 7/1/202X – Premier Health Coaching Services opens its office for business

Tracy Hoffman holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a certified health coach in the state of Washington, who has successfully counseled over 300 clients during the past six years as a health coach employed by a corporate medical health plan provider. Her expertise has brought her “celebrity” status, as her blog and podcasts have brought over 20,000 followers. She is dedicated to nutrition and health-balance matters. Her client base of over 300 clients has already committed to follow her when she makes this professional move to start her own company, Premier Health Coaching Services.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Premier Health Coaching Services are the fees they will charge to the clients for their services. Secondary revenue drivers will include the natural health and nutritional supplement products sold at the company location.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to properly staff Premier Health Coaching Services. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Premier Health Coaching Services is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its health coaching and natural health service company. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the location space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the social media marketing and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Contracted Clients Per Month: 1,200
• Average Fees per Month: $50,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, coaching business plan faqs, what is a coaching business plan.

A coaching business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your coaching   business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Coaching  business plan using our Coaching Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Coaching Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of coaching businesses , some examples include: Business coaching, Career coaching, Life coaching, Performance coaching, and Wellness coaching.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Coaching Business Plan?

Coaching businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Coaching Business?

Starting a coaching business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Coaching Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed coaching business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your coaching business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your coaching business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Coaching   Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your coaching business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your coaching business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Coaching   Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your coaching business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your coaching business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

Learn more about how to start a successful coaching business:

• How to Start a Coaching Business

Profi Contributor

6 tips for writing your coaching business plan (with templates).

You're getting into the coaching business because you know your stuff. But of course, expertise is only part of the equation. You need the right business structure and plan to back you up, as well.

In other words, you need a business plan for your coaching business. Ideally, that plan includes the structure of your coaching company, an overview of your audience, a plan for your website and coaching content, and an outline of how you'll market and sell your coaching services. These six tips can help you write your business coaching plan.

Why Do I Need a Business Coaching Plan?

As the founder of BPlans, Tim Berry, shares in a survey he did of thousands of business plan pro users , "Simply put, those who finished their business plans were about twice as likely to successfully grow their business, get investment, or land a loan than those who didn’t. You can see the numbers on the chart."

He breaks down the numbers behind the chart as follows:

A business plan for your online coaching business has two purposes: external and internal.

Externally , it's crucial for any stakeholders in your business. For example, if you're looking for investors in your business, they'll need to know you have a specific coaching business model and plan for how you'll grow your business to get their investment back. Anyone you want to serve in a leadership or board oversight role will probably want to know the same thing.

Internally , your business coaching plan is an important benchmark and guide post for all major decisions, from adding staff to building community . Use it to make sure that every strategic and budget decision you make aligns with your broader goal, context, and audience to stay on track and avoid getting sidetracked.

Coaching business plan templates any business can use

Rather than starting your document from scratch, consider using a coaching business plan template. This ensures that all the basic elements are included, and in the right format for your audience.

Some free coaching business plan templates include:

• Life Coach Business Plan Template from BusinessPlanTemplate.com
• Health Coaching Business Plan Template from MindBodyOnline.com
• Health Coaching Business Plan Template from EverythingHealthCoach.com
• General Coaching Business Plan Template from GrowThink.com
• General Coaching Business Plan Template from EverCoach.com

You can use a general coaching business plan template, or one specific to your niche. For example, health coaching business plans may need more nuanced information about the industry and working with a health coaching business plan template can ensure that some of this information is already included in the template.

How Do You Structure A Coaching Company? 

Before you start writing your plan, it's crucial to understand the best possible structure to outline in the business plan for your coaching business. This is where you define your niche, and how you plan to serve your clients in the best possible way.

When working within Profi, you can build and operationalize any number of business structures:

•  Use the Profi Team plan to support teams of 2+ unlimited centralized B2B or B2C coaches in the same department and company, or servicing your client's team or company under the same business model. ‍
• Use our Corporate plan to curate a marketplace of coaches doing specialized work in a centralized B2B or B2C structure, as our client Innovation Experts has done. Or use our Corporate plan to manage an entire coaching organization, including 2+ coaches and multiple teams of coaches, all managed on a custom, white-labelled domain working across your client's departments, teams, or companies.
• Use our Network plan for anywhere from two to hundreds of independent coaches, trainers or consultants who buy subscribe to your platform (powered behind the scenes by Profi) and use it independently in their coaching businesses, as our client Ikigai Consulting has done .

The truth is that there is no single best coaching business structure because it all depends on your niche, abilities, and target audience. That said, at least a basic idea of how you want to build that structure can help with every tip mentioned below.

How do you structure a business plan for online coaching?

Business plans for online coaching should be structured differently than any other business coaching plans. However, some of the information included when specifically looking to write your business plan for online coaching might be unique, like focusing your industry analysis exclusively on virtual competitors. 

Tip #1: Start With the Background

The first full section of your business plan should include all the basics an internal or external stakeholder might want to know about you. That includes:

• A name and a short description of your company
• Your company's mission, vision, and values
• Your value proposition—a one-sentence summary of why your clients should want to engage your services
• A short description of the coaching niche you serve 
• An outline of the business structure for your company
• Any other background that stakeholders might find valuable.

No judgment or opinion needed in this section. Keep it straightforward and to the point to make sure any reader walks away with a clear idea of what they can expect from your coaching business.

Tip #2: Include an Industry Analysis

Next, it's time to start looking outward. What's the context in which your coaching business exists? Most business plans for coaching businesses include a comprehensive industry analysis that includes some of the key direct and indirect competitors within your coaching niche.

Direct competitors are other coaching businesses offering the same services as you to the same audience. Indirect competitors are alternatives your potential clients might have to hiring a business coach, like self-service learning solutions or internal training. 

When listing competitors, include their exact value propositions and price. The more detail included here, the more specifically you can set your own coaching services apart when looking to sell yourself.

Tip #3: Outline Your Target Customer

Any business coaching plan needs to include a clear outline of who your business is trying to reach. An in-depth audience profile, using templates like a buyer persona or ideal customer profile , can solve two goals in your business plan at the same time. 

First, it ensures that any stakeholder reading your coaching business plan can get a better understanding of your core focus. Second, it can help you answer a few important questions about how to create content, build your website, and market your coaching business.

Tip #4: Create Your Marketing Plan

Next, it's time to build your marketing and promotional outreach efforts. This section of your coaching business plan should answer the following questions:

• What should be included in your coaching website? Your website should clearly highlight your expertise to build credibility, include thought leadership content, outline your services, and make it easy to demo your services or sign up for a session.
• How do you create content for coaching? Define where you'll post content and use examples of good coaching content as inspiration for your own content marketing strategy. Utilize a paraphrasing tool strategically to identify synonyms and refine your unique voice for a powerful content marketing strategy.
• How do you market your coaching business? Outline the promotional channels you'll use that align with your audience profile, your core messaging, and any branding information you have. 

Together, these three components can help you self yourself as a coach, building on the audience definition and industry analysis to stand out and grow your customer base.

Tip #5: Define Your Operations and Financial Plan

Your operations plan includes a clear outline of the daily operations that will help your business succeed. This is your chance to outline how you'll implement your business model. Include information like daily responsibilities for core staff, how clients can book sessions and what happens once they book, how you'll collect payments, and the coaching software that can help you streamline those operations.

Your financial plan can either be part of your operations or its own section. It should include your income statement, cash-flow statement, and balance sheet . Clearly outline your fixed and variable costs, and what revenue you'll need to cover them and be profitable.

Tip #6: Write the Executive Summary

It might be counterintuitive to end with what, in most business coaching plan templates, will be the first section of the plan. But it pays to leave the executive summary for last, after you've filled in all the details in the other sections.

For the executive summary of the business plan for online coaching, include 1-2 sentences covering the gist of each section. Keep the whole thing to a single page if possible. That way, you can make sure that even if someone only reads the first page of the business plan, they'll still come away with the core of everything they need to know.

Of course, the business plan is only the beginning of a successful coaching business. You'll also need to execute all the strategies outlined within it—the operational piece of it all. That's where Profi comes in.

Profi is a platform that's as simple as it is powerful, helping you streamline all of the operational processes that come with running a successful coaching business. Book a Demo with one of our Product Coaches today to learn how you can successfully execute your business plan by organizing coach bookings with your ideal customers, recording and sharing sessions, managing your team, co-hosting services, courses and programs, and simplifying your billing.

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How to write a coaching business plan template for beginners

Table of contents

Life coaching is a promising and lucrative industry, and many coaches are now earning a significant amount of money with their tailored coaching business plans. If you, too, can help someone with your knowledge and life experiences, then it is the right time for you to start your own coaching business.

It is a smart idea to start your own coaching business, and there are several people out there who may need your help and can benefit from your experience. This guide will help you learn how to devise a business plan and make your mark in the coaching industry. Let's get right to it!

Note: If you are a coach, try Bonsai's full-suite of tools you can use to run your business. From task management, to time tracking, and tax, Bonsai's software has everything you need to manage your business. In fact, we have a whole library of pre-made templates to send coaching invoices , contracts and proposals. Try a 7-day free trial here .

What is a Coaching Business Plan?

If you want to create a coaching business, the first thing you need to do is to put together a business plan. Without a plan for your coaching business, you won't know what to do and in which order.

This is why it is absolutely necessary to have a foolproof life coaching business plan for a successful coaching business. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started on the right track.

Steps To Write A Life Coaching Business Plan

Here are all the steps you can use for a successful life coaching business.

Decide Your Vision

To tell your potential customers what you believe in and what your motive is, it is important to write down a vision and what motivated you to start this business.

This will help your customers understand why you want to deliver these services. Many customers consider coaches who are not just focused on their professional goals but also care for their students.

When writing the vision you need to add details such as what is the purpose behind your business and why should others care about it.

Work On Your Mission Statement

Every traditional business plan contains a mission statement and so should yours. A mission statement outlines what your business does. It can be described as the mission of your business.

The mission statement is not just important for your career coaching but it is also essential for your personal life. However, it is very important for you to be very transparent and crystal clear with your mission statement so your potential customers don't get mislead.

It can be difficult to write the mission statement on your own so it is best if you focus on answering things such as what are you hoping to accomplish at present and the future

Outline Your Coaching Services

Your business plan should include all the details of your business coaching details. Describe all your services in detail.

The details can include several things such as who are the recipients of your services. Each service may have a different recipient so it is essential for you to list all of them down. For instance, you can mention that a particular service is for middle-class parents or so on.

Other important details to include can be the pain points you will be catering to in your services. It is best to talk about the most powerful pain point right away so you have the attention of your customer segments instantly.

Your biggest aim should be to talk about something personal your audience is worried about and present your coaching as a solution.

Next, it is wise to include key features of your service. Doing this will help you attract customer attention and they will be interested to learn the exact steps that you will take to help the customers solve the problems they face.

Narrow Down Your Target Market

Now that you are done with the basics, let's move on to the next most important step. Identify your target audience using market research.

Knowing who your audience is very important and can help you come up with a very effective marketing plan. Without knowing who actually wants your service it can be difficult to appeal to the right kind of audience.

To understand what demographic needs your coaching you can use different research methods such as surveys, use reports and more.

This will help you identify all those people who suffer from the problems you are providing a solution for.

For instance, if you are providing coaching services to battle debt then your potential audience is a group of people who are in debt and can't seem to get out.

There are many advantages of identifying your customer base. Once you know who you are speaking to, you will know how to change or modify your coaching sessions to appeal to the audience in a better way.

Furthermore, it will also help you devise an effective marketing strategy designed exclusively for the target market.

Therefore, an in depth market analysis is essential to learn where your customers live, what their ages are and even what gender they fall under. The more detail you have the better it is as that can help you come up with a targeted marketing plan and coaching services.No

Note: if you are a coach, try Bonsai's full-suite of business tools to help you streamline your business. From invoice, tax, task, time tracking, to proposal templates for coaching , Bonsai has it all. Try a 7-day free trial here .

Design A Marketing Strategy

To get the attention of your audience and to market your coaching business it is important that you formulate a marketing strategy that will effectively help people notice your brand.

There are several marketing techniques you can use in your strategy but you need to make sure you choose the one that fits your coaching business the best.

Here are some of the common marketing techniques you can use to build your marketing strategy:

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization is one of the most effective marketing strategies. Here, you can use different keywords and key phrases that will help your customers locate your website or services easily.

For instance, if you are providing coaching services for debt then you can smartly use different words in your content such as 'debt group coaching sessions' and every time a user searches for the term your content will pop up automatically.

Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms are the best place for you to talk about your coaching services. Most of us already have social media accounts and are very active on these platforms.

You do not need to go the audience to market your services, all you need to do is create a social media page and the audience will come to you.

However, you need to have an active presence there and share valuable content so your audience stays engaged. There are several social media platforms , choose the platforms where you can find most of your target audience.

For instance, if you are catering to the younger demographic then you can go for platforms such as Instagram and TikTok as these platforms have a higher population of the younger users.

Advertising

If you want immediate results and go for a more direct solution then it is better if you opt for paid advertising.

If you pay for ads your services will reach your audience much quicker than they would otherwise. More importantly, paid advertising will only show the ads to the potential customers rather than random people. This means that you will have better outcomes and and can expand your growth plan.

However, paid advertising can be expensive and you may need help from experts. You can hire professionals to handle paid advertising on your behalf and make sure they do it effectively.

Blogging is one of the most common ways to create awareness in your audience. There are multiple ways you can blog about your coaching business. You can either get another blog to feature your business or you can start a blog of your own.

Blogs are a great way to deliver content to your audience and you can incorporate your coaching services in these blogs. These blogs should have valuable content that must link with your subject and help your audience in the longer run. It is a smart decision to make blogging an important part of your coaching practice.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an effective marketing strategy as any. You can build a mailing list and then send regular emails about your coaching sessions.

You can also give your audience a brief overview of your services so you can grab their attention so they are interested in coaching and sign up for more.

In the future you can also use this list to introduce more product and services to your audience. Make sure you follow up on your emails for the best results.

Include Financial Projections

Other coaches in the business may tell you how important it is to think about financial planning . The coaching business needs money to fuel it and it is essential for you to be clear on how much of it you need.

List Down Coaching Resources Needed

You may need lots of resources when providing coaching and instead of learning about them as you go, make a list of the needed resources beforehand. This will help you be a great coach and be as effective as possible.

Why Is A Coaching Business Plan Important For You?

Without a coaching business plan, it can be very difficult for you to be on the right track, and you may end up making mistakes that could have been avoided easily.

It is better to enter the field with a plan rather than just diving into it right away! With the best business coaching plan, you can get your first client in no time.

Coaching Business Plan Template

If you are having difficulty coming up with a coaching business plan on your own, then you can also use a template and fill it according to your needs and the needs of the business.

There are lots of coaching business plan templates online for you to choose from. Just make sure you fill them out properly. Templates offer you a competitive advantage so you can get more customers.

Try Bonsai's Suite Of Coaching Tools

Bonsai is the best coaching tool on the market to run your business. With our software, you could easily edit pre-made templates to send coaching contracts , proposals, intake forms, invoices, and more. Not to mention we have time tracking and task management tools you could use to better organize your day-to-day duties.

Claim your 7-day free trial here .

Those who keep these tips and tricks in mind can have great coaching businesses and meet all professional goals. Just make sure you do not skip out on anything important, as that can affect your business model in the future. Good luck with your venture!

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Coaching Business Plan

Discover how a Coaching Business Plan can drive success in your coaching practice. Define the vision, identify the target audience, and strategize growth.

By Joshua Napilay on May 15, 2024.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

What is a Coaching Business Plan?

A coaching business plan is a comprehensive strategic blueprint that outlines the key goals, strategies, and tactics of a coaching business. This indispensable tool is crucial for anyone who intends to start or expand their coaching practice. The primary function of this plan is to serve as a detailed roadmap, directing the business toward its desired objectives while precisely delineating the steps required to achieve these goals.

The plan is typically divided into various sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the business. The first of these is the business description, which outlines the nature of the coaching practice, identifies the intended target audience, and articulates the unique value proposition that sets the business apart.

Next comes the market analysis. This involves an in-depth study of the potential clientele, a thorough examination of competitors, and a keen understanding of prevailing industry trends. This section provides valuable insights that inform the strategic direction of the coaching practice.

The organizational structure section provides a clear picture of the management hierarchy and staff roles, ensuring everyone understands their responsibilities and role in the larger business framework.

Following this is the product line or services section. This part describes the coaching services offered, helping potential clients understand what they stand to gain from engaging with the business.

The marketing and sales strategies section then outlines the comprehensive plans on how the business intends to attract, engage, and retain clients. This could include everything from digital marketing campaigns to referral programs.

The financial projections section estimates the business's income, expenditure, and profitability over a specific period. This vital component helps stakeholders understand the financial health and viability of the business.

Understanding and creating a coaching business plan can be a complex process, but luckily, resources like are available to guide you along the way.

If you want to improve the strategies at your Life Coaching business, check out this video:

Printable coaching business plan.

Download this Coaching Business Plan to create a thorough and detailed plan.

How does it work?

A coaching business plan provides a clear and structured blueprint for your coaching practice . It helps you define your vision, identify your goals, and devise strategies. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use and fill out a coaching business plan:

Step 1: Executive Summary 

Start with an executive summary that provides an overview of your coaching business. This should include your business name, location, the services you offer, and your unique value proposition. Include keywords relevant to your business for SEO purposes.

Step 2: Business Description 

In this section, describe your coaching business in detail. Explain what type of coaching you provide (life coaching, business coaching, etc.), who your target audience is, and how your services will benefit them. Mention "Printable Coaching Business Plans" if your plan is intended to be printed and used offline.

Step 3: Market Analysis 

Carry out a market analysis to understand your competition and potential clients. Identify the needs and preferences of your target clients and how your services can meet these needs. Analyze your competitors and identify ways to differentiate your services.

Step 4: Organization Structure 

Outline the structure of your business. If you have employees, detail their roles and responsibilities. This step helps ensure everyone understands their part in your organization.

Step 5: Services 

Describe the coaching services you offer. Be clear and detailed so potential clients know exactly what they're getting.

Step 6: Marketing and Sales Strategies 

Devise a plan for attracting and retaining clients. This could involve social media marketing, content marketing, networking events, referral programs, etc.

Step 7: Financial Projections 

Finally, make financial projections for your coaching business. Estimate your income, expenses, and profitability over a specific period. This step is vital for understanding the financial viability of your business.

Coaching Business Plans Example (sample)

A coaching business plan is crucial for any aspiring or established coach. It outlines the blueprint for your coaching practice, detailing the strategies and tactics required to achieve your business objectives. Several examples of such plans can be found online in PDF format, providing a comprehensive view of a well-crafted coaching business plan.

For instance, a sample life coach business plan may include an executive summary, a detailed description of the business, market analysis, organizational structure, a list of services, marketing and sales strategies, and financial projections. Each section is meticulously laid out, offering a step-by-step guide to starting and growing a successful life coaching business.

A coaching business plan also often includes a SWOT analysis, outlining the business's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It may also detail the coaching service's unique selling proposition (USP) and pricing strategy.

Coaching Business Plans PDF can be downloaded, printed, and used as a reference or template for creating your business plan. They offer valuable insights into the intricacies of running a coaching business, making the process less daunting for newcomers and more streamlined for experienced coaches.

Download this Coaching Business Plan Example:

When would you use this Template?

The Coaching Business Plan template is an invaluable resource that can be used in various scenarios by different practitioners in the coaching industry. Its comprehensive structure and detailed sections make it appropriate for various uses. Here are some instances when you might find this template particularly useful:

• Starting a New Coaching Business: If you're launching a new coaching practice, this template can serve as your roadmap. It helps you define your business vision, identify your target audience, map out your services, and create a marketing strategy. It also aids in financial planning and forecasting.
• Expanding an Existing Business: For coaches looking to grow their existing businesses, this template can guide you through the process. It can help you assess your current position, identify growth opportunities, plan new services, and develop strategies for attracting more clients.
• Securing Funding or Investment: A well-prepared Coaching Business Plan is essential if you're seeking funding from investors or applying for a business loan. It gives potential investors a clear picture of your business, its profitability, and its growth potential.
• Re-evaluating Business Strategy: The business environment is dynamic, and things can change rapidly. If you need to reassess your business strategy due to changes in market trends, competition, or client needs, this template can help. It allows you to systematically evaluate each aspect of your business and devise new strategies accordingly.
• Educational Purposes: For students studying business or coaching, this template can serve as a practical tool for understanding how a coaching business operates. It provides insights into the planning and strategic thinking of running a successful coaching practice.

Streamlines Your Vision 

A Coaching Business Plan template helps to streamline your vision and goals. It provides a structure that guides you in detailing your business's mission, vision, and objectives, making it easier to communicate what you aim to achieve.

Enhances Strategic Planning 

The template aids in strategic planning. With sections for market analysis, marketing strategies, and financial projections, it ensures that you consider all crucial aspects when planning for your coaching business.

Saves Time and Effort 

A free coaching business plan template saves you the time and effort of starting from scratch. The pre-defined sections make filling easy, allowing you to focus more on the content and less on the format.

Facilitates Funding Acquisition 

A well-prepared business plan is vital when seeking investment or applying for loans. The template helps you present your business professionally and organization, increasing your chances of securing funding.

Promotes Accountability and Evaluation 

You can set clear goals and objectives for your coaching business with a business plan. This promotes accountability and allows regular evaluation of your business's performance against set targets.

Encourages Comprehensive Market Analysis 

The template encourages a comprehensive market analysis, including understanding your competition and identifying your target audience. This analysis is critical for making informed business decisions and strategizing effectively

Why use Carepatron as your Coaching Business Plan app?

Carepatron stands out as a premier Coaching Business Plan app for several compelling reasons. As a platform designed with the needs of coaches in mind, it offers a broad range of features that streamline creating, managing, and implementing a strategic business plan.

• User-Friendly Interface: The interface of Carepatron is designed to be straightforward and intuitive, making it accessible to users of all levels of tech-savvy. The platform guides you through drafting your business plan with clear instructions and prompts, making it easy to input your information and develop a comprehensive strategy.
• Powerful Collaboration Tools: Carepatron's robust collaboration features set it apart from other Coaching Business Plan Software. These tools enable real-time collaboration, allowing multiple stakeholders to simultaneously contribute to the business plan. This feature benefits coaching businesses with teams or partnerships, ensuring everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
• Flexible Customization Options: With Carepatron, you're not confined to a one-size-fits-all template. The platform allows for extensive customization, enabling you to tailor your business plan to your coaching business's specific needs and goals. Whether you specialize in personal life coaching, corporate executive coaching, or health and wellness coaching, you can create a plan that accurately reflects your unique services and target market.
• Uncompromising Data Security: Carepatron places a high priority on data security. The platform employs stringent security measures to protect your business plan and any other sensitive data against unauthorized access and breaches. You can have peace of mind knowing your information is secure.
• Cloud-Based Accessibility: As a cloud-based platform, Carepatron allows you to access your business plan from any device, at any time, and from anywhere with an internet connection. This level of accessibility ensures you can work on your plan, review it, or share it with stakeholders whenever you need to.
• Seamless Integration: Carepatron integrates seamlessly with various other tools and platforms, enhancing your productivity by streamlining your workflow. Whether you need to pull data from another system or want to connect your calendar for better planning, Carepatron makes it possible.

Blackbyrn, S. (2023, July 3). Coaching Business Plan In 10 Steps [Guide For 2023]. Coach Foundation . https://coachfoundation.com/blog/coaching-business-plan/

Lavinsky, D. (2023a). Coaching Business Plan Template. Growthink . https://www.growthink.com/businessplan/help-center/coaching-business-plan

Lavinsky, D. (2023b). Coaching Business Plan Template. PlanBuildr Business Plan Software . https://planbuildr.com/coaching-business-plan/

Lavinsky, D. (2023c). Life Coach Business Plan Template [Updated 2023]. BusinessPlanTemplate.com . https://www.businessplantemplate.com/life-coach-business-plan-template/

Procopio, J. (2023). How To Write a Business Plan for a Life Coaching Business + Free One-Page Life Coaching Business Plan - Bplans. Bplans: Free Business Planning Resources and Templates . https://www.bplans.com/business-planning/industries/how-to-write-a-business-plan-for-a-life-coaching-business-free-one-page-life-coaching-business-plan/

Sutton, J., PhD. (2023). How to start your life coaching Business Plan & template. PositivePsychology.com . https://positivepsychology.com/life-coaching-business/

Upmetrics. (2023, April 20). Coaching Business Plan Template (2023) . https://upmetrics.co/template/coaching-business-plan

Zhou, L. (2023, April 24). How to create a simple life coaching business Plan (2023). Luisa Zhou . https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/coaching-business-plan/

Commonly asked questions

Professional coaches across various fields, such as life, wellness, and executive coaching, primarily use a Coaching Business Plan. Additionally, partners, investors, and the executive team associated with a coaching business utilize this plan to gain clarity and focus on the business's vision, mission, and growth strategy.

A Coaching Business Plan is typically used at the startup phase of a coaching business to define its vision, mission, and strategy. However, it is also used during the expansion phase of the business, for regular business reviews, and when seeking investments or partnerships.

The Coaching Business Plan serves as a comprehensive roadmap for a coaching business. It helps define the business vision, identify the target audience, map out services, craft a marketing strategy, and plan finances. Additionally, it provides a snapshot of the business today and lays out the growth plan for the next few years.

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How to Create a Simple Business Plan for Your Coaching Business

So… you’ve decided to start a coaching business? Or maybe to get more clarity within your current coaching business? Either way… congrats! The brainstorming phase is now over and it’s time to develop a plan of action. That’s right, it’s time to create your business plan!

Now before you freak out, take a deep breath. We are going to make this process as simple as possible for you. Unless you are applying for a loan, you do not need a traditional business plan. Do you know those crazy 300 page documents with all those charts? Yeah… those. We’re not going to make you do that! Together, we are going to create a short, sweet, but powerful mini-coaching business plan.

Inside this blog post you’ll learn:

✔️ Why you need a coaching business plan.

✔️ What to do before you start writing your plan.

✔️ What to include in your coaching business plan.

Why you need a coaching business plan.

A coaching business plan is really about clarity and focus for you, your partners, your investors, and your executive team. This plan will help you build a business that will support you financially, have an impact on those around you, and leave a lasting legacy you can be proud of.

The research you have to conduct to finalize a coaching business plan will help you peer into the future and predict different outcomes. Though it’s certainly not perfect, it helps you map out where you currently are and where you’re headed.

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Specifically, a business plan helps you…

• Estimate total startup costs
• Understand your target audience
• Compete from the start
• Anticipate challenges

Bottom line? A business plan helps keep you on track. It ensures that you focus your attention on the right things and helps you avoid mistakes that could sink you.

Ready? We’re going to walk you step-by-step through the process of creating a solid business plan.

What you need to know before you start writing a business plan.

At Lovely Impact, we are all about dreaming big. Have you seen our tagline? “Launch your coaching website. IMPACT THE WORLD.”

We truly believe truly in that mission. However, every coaching business has to start somewhere. Unfortunately, many business plans are wildly unrealistic. The initial excitement of starting the business often causes coaches to massively overestimate how successful they’ll be and underestimate the challenges they’ll encounter.

In order to be effective, a coaching business plan needs to be realistic. Before you launch, you want to be relatively confident that you have a good chance of succeeding.

In many ways, a business plan should help you decide whether your coaching niche and business idea will pan out. It’s possible that you may put together your business plan and then realize that the potential outcome isn’t as bright as you initially thought. That’s okay. It forces you to go back to the drawing board.

This is why taking the necessary time to do the market research, analyze your financial needs, and map out your strategy for the future is super important. Don’t look at being realistic as the thing that’s preventing you from dreaming big. View it as building a foundation for a successful, long-lasting business.

What to include in your coaching business plan

We want you to put a lot of thought into each section of your coaching business plan. To help, we’ve not only included a free download in our Free Resource Library , but we’ve also broken each part down for you:

Section 1: Mission Statement: Keep your mission statement concise and specific but make sure anyone reading it will have a full understanding of your business. Your mission statement should include what you do, how you do it, who you do it for, and what value or need you are serving.

Section 2: Executive Summary: In this section, you should describe your business in more detail. What type of business is it? Why did you start this business? What does it mean to you and your customers? What industries do you service?

Section 3: Products and Services: Here you’ll want to list out and describe all of the products and services your business will offer. But we want you to dig a little deeper by including pricing and materials needed to provide them to your customers.

Section 4: Targeted Audience: Now it’s time to describe your ideal customer. Include demographics, influencers, trends, where they are online, and more. Don’t get too obsessed with this. In chapter 3 we’ll be doing a deeper dive on marketing research.

Section 5: Customer Needs: What need is your business fulfilling? Here you’ll need to discuss the pain points and frustrations of your potential customers, and how your business will solve those problems.

Section 6: Customer Acquisition: In this part of the plan, you’ll discuss where your customers are and how you will reach them. Include social media platforms, forums, magazines they read, activities they frequent, etc. Explain how you will use these mediums to promote your business and reach your customers.

Section 7: Competitive Advantage: What makes your business so unique? This is where you explain why you are better than your competition, how your products and services stand out, and what make you different.

Section 8: Owner Passion: Here’s a section that many don’t add to their business plans, but that’s the point of this course right? Describing why you are personally passionate about this business is important to keep you motivated. Be sure also to include your three top qualities that you will put into your business.

Section 9: Finances: Here we go! Don’t panic. For this part, we will keep it very simple. What are your financial goals? How will you fund this business? Finally, what is the cost to start this business?

Section 10: Business Goals: For this part, list what goals you plan to accomplish in 6 months, one year, and five years from now.

Download our free the coaching business plan worksheet

Ready to get started writing your coaching business plan? Head on over to our free resource library and look for the “MINI COACHING BUSINESS PLAN”. This guided workbook goes along with this blog post and was developed to help you create a short, sweet, but powerful mini-coaching business plan.

Sign up here: https://lovelyimpact.com/free-resource-library-for-coaches >>

About The Author

Hey! I’m Tee, a brand and marketing coach and the Co-Founder & CMO at Lovely Impact, a website template shop for coaches. I help coaches grow their coaching businesses digitally. Here on our blog, my content focuses on web design, marketing, business, and social media strategy.

Tee, thank you so much for this article! I’m planning to download the mini coaching business plan because I love how you laid it out here!

Hi Laura! I’m so glad this helped 🙂 The mini coaching business plan is laid out exactly like this, so if the article helped the download will follow the same process.

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Coaching Business Plan

Low startup costs, high earning potential, diverse clientele, and professional growth make coaching a rewarding career for new entrepreneurs. However, entering the marketplace without proper planning can put you and your business at risk.

Are you looking to start writing a business plan for your coaching business? Creating a business plan is essential to starting, growing, and securing funding for your business. So we have prepared a coaching business plan template to help you start writing yours.

Free Business Plan Template

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• Fill in the blanks – Outline
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How to Write a Coaching business plan?

Writing a coaching business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section of the business plan intended to provide an overview of the whole business plan. Generally, it is written after the entire business plan is ready. Here are some components to add to your summary:

Start with a brief introduction:

Market opportunity:, mention your services:, marketing strategy:, financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure you keep your executive summary concise and clear, use simple language, and avoid jargon.

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2. Business Overview

Depending on your business’s details, you’ll need different elements in your business overview. Still, there are some foundational elements like business name, legal structure, location, history, and mission statement that every business overview should include:

About the business:

Provide all the basic information about your business in this section like:

• The name and type of your coaching center: mention whether you are a coaching center focusing on personal, corporate, executive, or life coaching. Maybe, you offer online coaching services —so mention that.
• Company structure of your coaching business, whether it is a sole proprietorship, partnership firm, or something else.
• Location of your coaching center and why you selected that place.

Mission statement:

Business history:, future goals:.

This section should provide an in-depth understanding of your coaching business. Also, the business overview section should be engaging and precise.

3. Market Analysis

Market analysis provides a clear understanding of the market your coaching center will run, the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. Your market analysis should contain the following essential components:

Target market:

Market size and growth potential:, competitive analysis:, market trends:, regulatory environment:.

Some additional tips for writing the market analysis section of your business plan:

• Use various sources to gather data, including industry reports, market research studies, and surveys.
• Be specific and provide detailed information wherever possible.
• Include charts and graphs to help illustrate your key points.
• Keep your target audience in mind while writing the business plan.

4. Products And Services

A coaching business plan’s product and services section should describe the specific services offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

List the services:

• Create a list of the services your coaching business will offer, including educational coaching, corporate training, business consulting, executive coaching, etc.
• Describe each service: Provide a detailed description of what it entails, the time required, and the qualifications of the professionals who will provide it. For example, coaches are responsible for providing coaching services to students or clients.

Coaching Methodology:

Overall, a business plan’s product and services section should be detailed, informative, and customer-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Develop your unique selling proposition (USP):

Determine your pricing strategy:, marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, the sales and marketing strategies section of your business plan should outline your plans to attract and retain customers and generate revenue. Be specific, realistic, and data-driven in your approach, and be prepared to adjust your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

When writing the operations plan section, it’s important to consider the various aspects of your business processes and procedures involved in operating a business. Here are the components to include in an operations plan:

Hiring Plan:

Operational process:, facilities and technology:.

By including these key elements in your operations plan section, you can create a comprehensive plan that outlines how you will run your coaching center.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of the individuals responsible for running the coaching business. This section should provide a detailed description of the experience and qualifications of each manager, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Key managers:

Organizational structure:, compensation plan:, board of advisors:.

Describe your business’s key personnel and highlight why your business has the fittest team.

8. Financial Plan

When writing the financial plan section of a business plan, it’s important to provide a comprehensive overview of your financial projections for the first few years of your business.

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:, financing needs:.

Remember to be realistic with your financial projections and provide supporting evidence for your estimates.

9. Appendix

When writing the appendix section, you should include any additional information supporting your plan’s main content. This may include financial statements, market research data, legal documents, and other relevant information.

• Include a table of contents for the appendix section to make it easy for readers to find specific information.
• Include financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. These should be up-to-date and show your financial projections for at least the first three years of your business.
• Provide market research data, such as statistics on the size of the coaching industry, consumer demographics, and trends in the industry.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Provide any additional documentation related to your business plans, such as marketing materials, product brochures, and operational procedures.
• Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the information they need.

Remember, the appendix section of your coaching business should only include relevant and essential information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This coaching business plan sample will provide an idea for writing a successful coaching plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready coaching business plan to impress your audience, download our coaching business plan pdf .

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Components of Business Planning

Frequently asked questions, why do you need a coaching business plan.

A business plan is essential for anyone looking to start or run a successful coaching center. It helps to clarify your business, secure funding, and identify potential challenges while starting and growing your coaching business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your coaching business.

How to get funding for your coaching business?

There are several ways to get funding for your coaching business, but one of the most efficient and speedy funding options is self-funding. Other options for funding are:

Small Business Administration (SBA) loan

Crowdfunding, angel investors, venture capital.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your coaching business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and idea better than you, so we recommend you write your coaching business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your coaching business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any coaching business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Life Coaching Business Plan

Start your own life coaching business plan

SummitRise Coaching

Value proposition.

SummitRise Coaching helps mid-career professionals find their purpose and navigate career transitions. Our tailored coaching programs provide the insights, confidence, and strategies to transform your life and open doors to new experiences.

The Problem

Mid-career professionals often feel unfulfilled or stuck but lack support to make a successful life transition. 

The Solution

SummitRise Coaching empowers mid-career professionals to navigate life transitions through customized guidance. Our tailored programs help clients discover purpose, build confidence, overcome obstacles, and reinvent their lives in a fulfilling new direction.

Target Market

• Mid-career professionals, ages 30-50, earning $75K-$200K seeking life transition support. 5M prospects spending $3K-$10K/year.
• Executives and managers interested in leadership and work-life balance. 3M prospects earning $125K-$300K, spending $5K-$15K/year.  
• Entrepreneurs starting or advancing businesses. 500K prospects earning $75K-$150K, spending $2K-$7K/year.
• Couples navigating life or relationship transitions together. 2M prospects with $100K-$250K combined income, spending $5K-$12K/year.

Competitors & Differentiation

Current alternatives.

• Traditional counseling: Provides mental health benefits but lacks life transition support. SummitRise offers tailored strategies and accountability.
• Outplacement firms: Focused on job search, not purpose reinvention. Generic, not customized services. SummitRise provides personalized solutions based on individual goals.
• Free/low-cost life coaching: Impact may be limited. Fewer credentialed coaches and services. SummitRise has certified, experienced coaches and high-touch programs.
• Online courses: Impersonal with little motivation or accountability. SummitRise combines digital learning with dedicated coach guidance focused on clients’ unique situations. Superior experience.

SummitRise Coaching stands apart through customized solutions and support for purposeful life reinvention.

• Certified, experienced coaches with proven success guiding life transitions.
• Personalized programs tailored to individual needs and goals.
• Practical strategies and accountability for sustainable change.
• Ongoing partnership through challenges and wins.

Our caring professionals provide guidance and motivation customized to your priorities so you can gain clarity, build confidence, and forge a fulfilling new direction.

Funding Needs

Here are funding needs, sales channels, marketing activities, financial projections, and milestones for SummitRise Coaching:

• $10,000 for website, marketing materials, certification and training
• $5,000 buffer for unforeseen initial costs   

Sales Channels   

• Website and email newsletter  
• Referral partners like therapists, career counselors, and mentors  
• Media exposure and contributions to build authority  
• Networking and live events  

Marketing Activities  

• Search engine optimization for website  
• Paid media (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn) targeting personas
• Blog posts and email newsletter to share advice and resources  
• Organic social media profiles and engagement, especially LinkedIn  
• Public speaking at live and virtual events   
• Strategic partnerships and networking  

Financial Projections  

With a focus on gaining initial clients through our proven introductory  offer and word-of-mouth referrals, SummitRise Coaching anticipates:

2022 $99,000       

2023 $138,873            

2024 $170,858

Expenses/Costs

2022 $74,400 

2023 $103,400   

2024 $130,000

2022 $24,600                 

2023 $35,473               

2024 $40,858  

• Earn life coaching certification (3 months)  
• Build company website (2 months)           
• Create marketing materials and brand identity (1 month)   
• Set up business legal structure and insurance (1 month)
• Define services and coaching program offerings (1 month)  
• Build email list and following on social media (6 months)  
• Continuously network, search for strategic partners (ongoing) 
• Gain first private coaching clients (4-6 months)                
• Run initial 6-week group program (8 months)         
• Line up speaking engagements and media interviews (10 months)   
• Reassess, gain feedback and adjust programs/offerings (12 months)       
• Meet with a business advisor to plan growth (18 months) 
• Consider bringing on additional coach(es) or admin support (24 months)     
• Review progress and set next 3-year business goals (24 months)

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What Are The Types of Business Plans?

There are two primary business plan categories: traditional business plans and lean start-up business plans . Traditional business plans are lengthy, detailed, and more common. In this post, we will focus on the traditional business plan.

A lean start-up business plan is a quick summary of all your business ideas and often covers only one page. It is usually presented in the form of illustrations, such as charts, graphs, and tables, for easy perusal. In addition, lean business plans are easier to amend because of their brief nature.

Neither business plan is superior to the other. In deciding which to use, you’ll have to examine your business needs first. Whichever one you choose to go with, what matters is ensuring your business plan is concise, easy to understand, and fact-based. 

What Do You Do Before Writing a Business Plan for Life Coaches?

The answer? RESEARCH.

You would hear from business coaches about the importance of research to assess possible strengths and opportunities as well as weaknesses and threats (SWOT) before embarking on a business venture, and they would be right. 

Your coaching business may be similar to another. However, it would still require its SWOT analysis to identify what sets your coaching products and services apart from others, create strategies for business growth, and avoid hassles later down the line.

I recommend that the outcome of your research addresses and answers the following questions:

• What type of coaching practice do I want? Your coaching practice is a business, so you should run it as one. Therefore, setting up a legal structure for your company is essential. It is also crucial to pinpoint the right coaching style for your new business to make planning smoother.
• What is my niche? Knowing my target niche clarifies the path I’d follow toward business success. It also sets the stage for determining my business and marketing strategy. 
• What solutions am I offering? The products and services you offer should solve your ideal client's problems. That’s the only surefire way to get new clients and build a solid portfolio.
• What steps must I follow to grow the business?  Your research must help determine the steps you’d take to expand your life coaching practice.
• Is my coaching business client-focused? It’s common to have a business plan focusing on the owner and what it plans to accomplish. However, it is better to create a business plan focusing more on the client and the benefits they would be getting. Your clients become return clients who cost less to keep, spend more and market your business better on your behalf.
• How will I finance my coaching business? If, like many others, you’re starting your business with limited funds, you’d have to clearly state how you intend to finance your business, especially during the early stages until it begins to profit. 

Ok, so we’ve done our research, and we’ve been able to detect what we can excel at, where we thought wrong, and areas we can improve upon based on our initial guesses. We can now decide if we can proceed with the business or return to the drawing board.

If we’re ready to roll, it’s time to write our business plan.

Life Coach Business Plan Template

If you’re just starting, you could make a simple business plan using the template below. Then, as time goes by, you could expand each section to make it more robust. This template outlines every vital aspect of your coaching business. 

• Mission statement
• Overview of business
• Business contact information
• Target market
• Coaching niche
• Unique selling point
• Short-term and Long-term goals
•  Strategic objectives
• Tactical plans
• Products and services you offer 
• Product differentiation
•  Benefits to your clients
• SWOT analysis
• Target market valuation
• Market trends
• Profile of competitors
• Competitive advantage      
• Pricing model
• Marketing Strategy
• Marketing platforms
• Advertising and promotion
• Sales strategy
• Distribution channels
• Organizational charts
• Training and development
• Procurement
• General operations
• Source of funding
• Key assumptions
• Profit and loss accounts
• Balance sheet
• Cashflow projections

With this template, you can remain focused on building your business rather than chasing every shiny object you see or hear about, as is the case with entrepreneurs without proper business plans.

Now, let’s take each section at a time.

How To Write a Life Coach Business Plan (Step-By-Step)

1.      Executive Summary

Think of the executive summary as a way of introducing your business to a potential client, lender, or the general public. Therefore, it should include what you do as a business, how you do it, who you do it for, and what value you provide. You should try to keep your executive summary concise at one to two pages maximum. 

It may be easier for you to write the executive summary after completing other sections because you would have highlighted notable points throughout the plan.

2.      Company description

As the section already states, I would describe my coaching business in detail and include the following:

• My registered business name
• Address and contact information
• Legal business structure
• Executives or directors (if any)
• My coaching niche 
• Who my target market is
• My unique selling point

I would also be sure to point out what sets my coaching business apart from the competition and how my company maximizes its opportunities.

3.      Goals and Objectives

What are your business goals? 

This section will state my short-term and long-term goals and the tactical steps my coaching business will take to reach those goals. For instance, if I plan to make X amount in annual revenue by a specified year, I would provide a realistic, research-based breakdown of how I’d reach that goal.

By providing a breakdown of how I’d accomplish my goals, I’d also be generating trust and confidence in the minds of potential investors or lenders about my business if I intend to seek funding.

4.      Products and Services

In this section, you’ll describe your business's products or services to your target market. These would not be limited to coaching packages, coaching subscriptions, masterclasses, courses, books , etc.

Give a detailed description of each product or service you will offer. Explain how your goods and services are different from or better than your competitors’ offers on the market, and don’t forget to include your pricing model. You would also clearly state the benefits your target market gains by using your products and services.

5.      Market Analysis

Here, you would analyze the coaching industry in which you plan to do business during your research phase before writing the business plan. A comprehensive analysis of the industry would provide valuable information such as:

a.         Results from SWOT analysis

b.         Target market valuation

c.         Market trends

d.         Profile of your competitors

e.         Competitive advantage for your coaching business

f.          Benefits your clients stand to gain

Explain in-depth what prompted your decision to set up your coaching business within that sector and what your competitors are doing. You should also explain how you can improve upon what they aren’t doing well enough to enhance your bottom line but, more importantly, deliver value to your clients.

6.      Marketing and Sales Strategy

Having a fantastic product that creates admirable transformations in clients is one thing. It’s another thing to publicize enough to reach those clients. Your marketing and sales strategy is supposed to convince your clients that your products will provide the solutions they seek.

First, you´ll develop a marketing budget to meet your spending needs. You’d also write a detailed plan for marketing and advertising your products and services to your target market. Which channels would you use?

• E-mail marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Social media marketing
• Search Engine Marketing
• Print materials
• Networking,  e.t.c.

Earlier, I mentioned the importance of having repeat clients because they are some of the best and cheapest marketing tools for your business, so it is crucial to know how to sell your coaching services . In this section, you’ll explain your strategy for turning your clients into repeat clients and building customer loyalty. Be sure also to include your sales strategies. For example, which sales distribution channels will you use?

• Direct sales
• Sales representatives
• E-commerce channels

7.      Operations

In this section, I will discuss the day-to-day running of my coaching business. I will explain how I’d operate the business through employees, freelance workers, and business partnerships. I would include an organizational chart to illustrate the internal structure of my coaching business and how employees would contribute to the growth and success of the company.

I’d discuss in detail how I plan to staff my company and what salaries or wages I would pay my staff. I’d then enumerate the freelance workers I may hire, their roles, and their remuneration. I would then discuss my plans for staff and training development.

Finally, I’d give a clear plan for other general operations like procurement of materials and equipment required for the start-up of my coaching business. Such equipment may include video conferencing equipment, software, and personal computers. I would also note essential information about all suppliers and vendors with whom I work.

8.      Financial analysis and projections

As a new coaching business, I don’t expect you to be able to pluck out figures from past performance. However, I hope you would have done your research based on the coaching niche you plan to set up shop in. 

When you’ve done this, you should make financial plans and projections for a five-year periodhttps://costhack.com/business-plan-cost to begin with. Five-year plans give you enough room to meet and exceed SMART goals . You may refresh any goals you don’t meet in your five-year plan, if need be, and insert them into the following timeline until you achieve them.

It is important to note that this is the section every lender and investor is particularly interested in, so you must take extra care to be factual in your illustrations and realistic in your projections. If you’re seeking start-up funding, this is where you state it. Explain how you’ll use the investment and communicate the expected returns.

Don’t blow up figures to entice them because what you’d do is leave a wrong impression because they’d probably see through it. Instead, make your projections align with what your competitors are also achieving, and if you surpass those goals, great.

For an existing coaching business, you’ll want to include: 

• Financial statements
• Profit margins

I’ll advise you to speak to an accountant who will guide you better in putting all the required information together.

9.      Appendix

The appendix is where you put in any other necessary information that may not have fit anywhere else in the different sections of the business plan. These may be documents such as: 

1.    Certifications

2.    Your resume 

3.    Resumes of key team members

4.    Licenses

5.    Contracts

6.    Marketing materials e.t.c.

7.    Market research report

With the above guide, you’d have a well-written yet concise report to keep you on track and direct your business toward success.

You may wonder how long it’ll take to write a business plan. Ideally, it shouldn’t take more than a few months to complete the research and write the business plan. However, if you take longer than a few months may disrupt other vital activities in the start-up process.

Can I Hire Someone To Write My Life Coach Business Plan?

Ok, I get it. Life can get hectic. You’re being pulled from every angle and can’t find the time to write your business plan.

Fortunately, you can hire a professional business plan writer or consulting firm to provide the service. Professional business plan writers cost from $2,000 to upward of $20,000 to write a business plan for a small to medium size business. If hiring a writer instead of a firm, verify all credentials and portfolios to ensure they meet your needs.

If you decide to hire a consulting firm, it’ll cost you more. However, the upside is the breadth of expertise they offer. Other factors that may affect the plan's cost are the length, turn-around time, editing, review, and any additional support service.

I would advise putting together as much information as you can on your own before approaching a professional because you would have a better idea about how the plan is woven together. A professional would then develop a foolproof plan, especially one that captures investments if you’re seeking start-up funding. 

Common Business Plan Mistakes Life Coaches Must Avoid

Although I’ve mentioned some mistakes to avoid, I figured it was best to state them clearly. If you make mistakes while developing a business plan, they could jeopardize your business. Some of these mistakes to avoid are:

Inadequate research: Avoiding research or doing insufficient research before writing your business plan is a dangerous mistake you don’t want to make. If you still go ahead to write the plan, you may not identify all the risks involved. As a result, your coaching business plan may be based on non-factual information and lead to inaccurate projections, which you may never meet.

Overestimating your financial projections: Avoid padding up figures in your business plan to impress lenders and investors. Lenders and investors are experts and analyze financial information for a living, so injecting false estimates into your plan may make you lose those opportunities altogether.

Ignoring the competition: Knowing what your competition is doing gives you insight into exploiting areas they may be neglecting, thereby giving you a competitive advantage.

Not setting a target niche: This is a common mistake. Many new life coaches attempt to get any and every client and end up losing focus. Without setting a target niche, your business will have no direction. 

When your business has no direction, you can’t establish workable goals. In other words, you’d be everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. As a result, your business will not be operating optimally and may remain stagnant after a little while.

Ignoring future trends: Times change and economies evolve. Imagine you started your coaching business pre-internet and remained stuck in paper-based marketing after the arrival of the internet, social media, and email marketing. 

What do you think would happen?

That’s right. Your business won’t be able to keep up and will fold up in no time.

Creating unrealistic goals: This is also a mistake many people make. If you create unrealistic goals, there won’t be measurable targets to track your progress, and soon enough, you’ll stop taking action.

Establishing a rigid plan : A business plan that isn’t flexible enough to accommodate changes can also negatively impact the business. No life coach can predict the future of their business. There’ll be ups and downs. A flexible plan gives room for unforeseen changes without disrupting the long-term goal.

Download your free life coachng business plan template

Ok ready to get started? Download a free business plan template here .

This is exactly what I needed. I found you through Bing because Google is only showing results for PAID templates that take me through complicated funnels. Thank you for what you have provided!!

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How to Create a Coaching Plan for a New Client +Templates & Samples

October 24, 2023

The Coach Factory Team

Great coaching requires time, dedication, and structure . Clients don’t experience a transformation by chance , instead, these periods of radical growth are the product of a coach’s deliberate design. 

To get things started on the right foot and to continue through lasting change, a coach needs a cohesive coaching plan that maps out the client journey. Like a skilled instructor crafts a course of study to include lectures, valuable videos, insightful reading passages, and meaningful homework assignments, a coach also maps out the coaching plan with a variety of resources, all customized for the particular client.

What are the key elements of a coaching plan?

A coaching plan includes four key components:

• Laying the groundwork by understanding your client.
• Setting goals.
• Devising a specific plan to achieve those goals.
• Assessing and reconfiguring as needed.

In this article, you’ll learn more about the steps for creating a successful coaching plan. You’ll see how to effectively use this coaching action plan to nudge your clients toward their ultimate success. Even better, this eight-step plan is available in a free PDF coaching plan template — with two samples to show you how to use the template in your own practice.

What is a good coaching plan?

A good coaching plan goes far beyond this eight-step template. A solid coaching action plan is always created with the specific client in mind and is responsive to the client’s needs and unfolding environment. This means that the ideal coaching plan is not only unique and tailored to the client, but it also flexes as the coach-coachee relationship evolves and as new obstacles present themselves. 

• Step 1: Getting to Know Your Client

The onboarding and intake session is more than just a meet and greet. It’s a coach’s first opportunity to gain insights to build an action plan. In this session, you get to truly see your clients, acknowledge where they’re coming from, and grasp which areas of life they want to transform.

You have two key tools at this stage:

• Open ended coaching questions .
• Assessments .

Both of these tools help your client, and you , to get clarity about their needs and biggest challenges. 

Motivation Code for Understanding Your Clients 

The MCode assessment is ideal for the first stages of coaching. It attaches useful labels and categories to the inner drives that motivate your client. Being able to name and prioritize these inner values can provide a guiding north star for the path of your coaching. 

Other types of assessments measure strengths, interests, emotional intelligence, etc. Those all have value, but a motivations assessment truly supersedes them all since motivation is the propelling force underlying all of the other components of our personhood . 

Knowing your client’s motivations can inform so many aspects of the coaching plan:

• The way you talk to your client.
• The types of homework assignments you give (or don’t).
• The way you apply incentives and track progress.
• Step 2: Set Objectives

Some clients come to coaching knowing exactly what their goals are. But many will need your outside perspective to help them voice their goals in a way that’s tangible, for example with the SMART framework: 

• M easurable
• A chievable
• T ime-bound

What are coaching goals?

Coaching goals are the objectives that your client longs to achieve. These are the impetus that drove your client to seek coaching and to hire your expertise. If you can help your client achieve these goals, you will win your client’s appreciation and raving testimonials . Ultimately, these goals are your reason for coaching.

During your coaching intake or onboarding session, the information you’ve gathered from your client and their assessments will be your reference point for setting objectives. 

All coaching goals should align with your client’s values and core motivations . As you make the coaching development plan, be sure to limit your coachee to just 1-3 goals at a time. You can always generate new goals once the first set is achieved. 

Wins inspire more wins! So to ensure your client is consistently experiencing progress throughout their journey, opt for a mix of short-term and long-term goals. Success in short-term goals offers an immediate sense of gratification that fuels the harder won long-term goals. 

• Step 3: Prepare for Obstacles

A rewarding coaching plan identifies the end goal and articulates the rationale behind the objective. But remember, life will throw curveballs, and the only way to combat these inconveniences is by recognizing and addressing potential obstacles, like behavioral patterns, belief systems, or external challenges. 

In your coaching action plan, be proactive about the challenges your client faces by providing strategies, resilience frameworks, and adaptive models to address them ahead of time:

• SWOT Analysis
• Root Cause Analysis
• Bias Discovery Tools
• Fear Assessment
• Decision Matrix

• Step 4: Set Milestones on a Timeline

Measurable, unambiguous outcomes are the tangible indications that your client is advancing. They provide both motivation and a clear snapshot of their progress. Best coaching practice is to intertwine both quantitative and qualitative metrics, valuing emotional shifts just as much as number of steps walked or business targets reached. 

Attaching these milestones to a tentative timeline is helpful for accountability. In the name of flexibility, some coaches are hesitant to define specific timeframes. But your timeline can always be adjusted during Step 6 below. 

• Step 5: Develop a Strategy with Resources

This is the longest part of the coaching plan template for a reason! Strategy is how you will help your client move from where they are to where they want to be. Within the strategy development process, your role as a coach extends into facilitating a space where clients feel seen, heard, and confidently engaged in their transformative journey. You provide the tools, frameworks, vocabulary, cheerleading, and troubleshooting that your client needs. 

All of your sessions are based on what are you doing in between to achieve these goals, to meet these outcomes — “How can I support you? What are the tools that I can give you to continue to improve along those lines?” And coaching can be therapeutic, but it’s not therapy. It’s very structured and very goal oriented. Rebecca Ward on the Coach Factory Podcast

This part of the coaching plan should be fully customized for your niche and your client. While every coach has their go-to diagrams (like the Wheel of Life ) or handy acronyms (like the SOAR method), an experienced coach will realize that different people will respond better to different homework assignments or reading passages. 

The coaching strategy should be easy to communicate, and your client should feel challenged yet confident about what’s required. 

• Step 6: Assess Progress

Part of the coaching action plan template is to evaluate progress, listen to feedback, and make adjustments where needed. 

• Decide when you’ll do these periodic check-ins and what signals will indicate success. Add those to your coaching plan. 
• When should you push a client to work harder and when should you adjust the timeline? These kinds of decisions are hard to make, and you’ll have to rely on your intuition and past experience. 
• Implement a system for tracking progress as your client moves through your coaching program. This will help you recognize any patterns or inconsistencies along the way. For your client, seeing their progress serves as motivation to keep them moving forward. 

Be Open to Feedback

In coaching, feedback is a two-way street. You should be as open to your client’s needs and concerns as you expect them to be about yours. The feedback you give each other is how you keep your client motivated. If something in their plans needs tweaking, you must address it to avoid any unnecessary friction in achieving their goals.

Set up a main line of communication to keep the feedback flowing freely. Choose a messaging app or devote time during your sessions to garner critique. 

• Step 7: Make Revisions

Flexibility ensures the coaching plan remains relevant, adaptive, and genuinely supportive as the client navigates through their journey. Recognize that as the coaching process unfolds, new insights, challenges, and opportunities will emerge, requiring adjustments to the plan. A flexible plan accommodates growth and keeps the coaching methodology dynamic.

If a particular strategy or milestone consistently falls short, don’t hesitate to revisit and redefine it to align with learned experiences. It’s helpful to schedule client sessions dedicated to discussing any necessary changes and redirect the strategy. 

You should also discourage overcommitment from your client. New clients sometimes are eager to take on as much as possible to accelerate their growth. Gently remind them that smaller steps lead to bigger achievements and there’s no need to rush their transformation. 

• Step 8: Celebrate

The power of acknowledgment and celebration is extremely important. Every milestone, whether it be the realization of a goal or the manifestation of growth and learning, deserves to be celebrated. Recognizing and honoring these moments fuels motivation, affirms the client’s efforts and achievements, and fosters a positive and appreciative coaching dynamic . Knowing what motivates your client will help you celebrate in ways that deeply resonate with them. 

Collaborate with your client to create celebratory moments for each milestone. Allow them to dictate how they would like to reward themselves. As they approach the end of their program, acknowledge their hard work and accomplishments.

If your client fails to meet a milestone, it is still important to promote positive thinking and offer support. Turn the failure into a teachable moment by allowing your client to reflect on what went wrong and how they can bounce back from it. This encourages them to practice resilience and aids in helping your client complete the plan. 

• Coaching Plan Template with Samples

Each step of the coaching plan, from the initial onboarding to the triumphant celebration of milestones, forms a chapter in the client’s journey. The magic of effective coaching resides in your deliberate, thoughtful approach to facilitating your client’s growth and achievement. This should manifest in each coaching plan you’ve created for a client. 

Download this free coaching plan template (with two samples) today and put the eight-steps of a coaching action plan into use for your clients right now. 

Even though transformation is the end goal, affirming the process is just as valuable as the outcome. A well-developed coaching plan shows your clients how each step works in harmony to get them where they need to be in their lives. The more effort and time you put into constructing solid plans, the better the results you’ll yield for your clients. 

Written by The Coach Factory Team

We're a team of coaching enthusiasts who hire and work with coaches. Members of our team run businesses in the coaching industry or provide services that support coaches, and several of us are coaches ourselves.

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How to Plan a Productive Coaching Session (Templates and Examples)

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Ever felt like navigating a coaching session was akin to steering a canoe without a paddle? Fear not! We’re diving into the art and science of orchestrating coaching sessions that don’t just float but soar.

A well-planned coaching session ensures that you’re equipped to address the client’s specific needs and goals. It also provides a clear framework within which the client can explore, reflect, and take action.

This article explores the key elements and strategies that underpin successful coaching sessions, empowering you to deliver sessions that are not only productive but also transformative.

Key Elements of Effective Coaching Sessions

We’ll delve into the key elements that form the foundation of effective coaching sessions.  By incorporating these elements into your planning process, you can ensure your sessions are focused and impactful, and leave your clients feeling empowered and ready to take action.

Here’s a breakdown of the crucial elements to consider:

• Establishing rapport : Create a safe and welcoming space where your client feels comfortable sharing openly
• Holding the client accountable for action steps from previous sessions : Review progress made on action items from previous sessions and discuss any challenges encountered
• Identifying and focusing on client-specific issues and outcomes : Refocus on the client’s specific goals and desired outcomes for the session
• Reframing challenges and analyzing emotional responses : Help clients reframe challenges into opportunities and explore the emotions surrounding them
• Developing solutions and strategies : Work collaboratively with the client to develop actionable solutions and strategies aligned with their goals
• Creating and committing to an action plan : Craft a clear and achievable action plan for the client to implement after the session
• Reflections and breakthroughs : Dedicate time for reflection, celebrate breakthroughs, and identify areas for continued focus in future sessions

Alright, you’ve got the groundwork laid out for an impactful coaching session. Now, let’s turn those plans into action with practical strategies and tools that’ll make your sessions unforgettable. 

How to Plan a Productive Coaching Session

Here are six important strategies you can use to create a coaching session that conveys your teachings the best:

1. Define the Objective for the Session

Every coaching session should have a clear and specific objective. 

This objective could be linked to a larger coaching goal, or it could be a specific issue the client wants to address in this particular session.  

To do so, you can work together with your client to determine the focus of the session. This ensures the objective aligns with their current needs and goals.

Also, ensure that you craft an objective that is clear, actionable, and measurable. 

For example, instead of “Improve communication skills,” a more focused objective could be “Develop two assertive communication techniques to utilize in the upcoming client meeting.”

2. Structuring Your Session 

A well-defined structure provides a sense of comfort and direction for both you and your client. It ensures the session stays focused on the objective while allowing for flexibility to address unforeseen topics.

Divide the session into distinct segments:

• Introduction : Set the tone, establish rapport, and briefly review the agenda
• Review : Discuss progress on action steps from the previous session and any new developments
• Main Discussion : Address the session’s objective, exploring challenges, solutions, and strategies
• Action Plan : Develop a clear set of actionable steps for the client to work on before the next session
• Conclusion : Summarize key points, confirm the action plan, and express support and encouragement

Read: How to Structure a Business Coaching Session for Success

3. Adapting Your Approach

While a basic structure provides a framework, your coaching approach should be flexible and adaptable to maximize the impact of the session.

You can tailor your approach based on:

• Client relationship history (a new client or a returning one)
• How responsive is the client to your coaching style
• Client’s personality
• Learning style
• Specific situation

Additionally, don’t just provide answers; empower your client to find solutions on their own. For instance, you can ask thought-provoking questions that encourage self-reflection and problem-solving skills. 

This fosters long-term growth and empowers them to navigate future challenges independently. 

4. Key Questions for a Fruitful Session

Powerful questions are your most valuable tool. And having a list of well-crafted questions prepared can help guide the conversation, stimulate reflection, and propel your client toward breakthroughs. 

Here are some effective question types to consider for your coaching toolbox:

Kickstart Questions : These questions aim to get the conversation flowing and help you understand the client’s current state

Examples include:

• What’s been on your mind since our last session?
• What would you like to focus on today?

AWE Questions : These questions stand for “Awareness, Wisdom, and Experience.” They help clients explore their current situation from multiple perspectives

• What are you aware of now that you weren’t before?
• What wisdom can you glean from this experience?

Focus Questions : These questions help narrow down the client’s goals and desired outcomes for the session

• What’s the ideal outcome you’d like to achieve today?
• If you could overcome one challenge right now, what would it be?

Foundation Questions : These questions delve deeper into the “why” behind the client’s goals and motivations

• What truly matters to you about achieving this goal?
• What underlying beliefs might be holding you back?

Strategic Questions : These questions help clients brainstorm solutions and develop action plans

Examples include

• What are some specific steps you could take to move forward?
• If you had a magic wand, what would you do to achieve your goal?

Learning Questions : These questions encourage reflection and help clients solidify their learnings from the session

• What key takeaways will you carry with you from today?
• How will you measure your progress towards your goals?

5. Preparation and Follow-up

Pre-session preparation is essential for a productive coaching session. 

Here’s how to approach it for both new and returning clients:

• New Clients : Review the client’s intake form and any other relevant information beforehand. This allows you to personalize the session and address their specific needs from the get-go
• Returning Clients : Briefly review notes from the previous session to refresh your memory on past discussions and progress made

Similarly, post-session self-reflection and client follow-up solidify the learnings from the session and demonstrate your commitment to your client’s success:

• Self-reflection : After each session, take some time to reflect on your own performance. Consider areas where you excelled and areas for improvement to continuously refine your coaching skills
• Client Follow-up : Send a brief email summarizing key takeaways, action steps, and any additional resources discussed during the session. This reinforces the coaching conversation and demonstrates your ongoing support. You can also use this opportunity to identify any areas where the client might need additional support and adjust your approach for future sessions

Read: The Role of Data & Feedback in Coaching Journeys

6. Leveraging Technology

Coaching apps, scheduling tools, and online collaboration platforms can streamline your workflow and enhance the coaching experience. 

For instance, coaching apps assist in tasks such as :

• Scheduling appointments
• Sending appointment reminders
• Managing client invoices
• Creating and selling online coaching programs

This frees up valuable time for you to focus on delivering high-quality coaching sessions.

Consider using coaching management platforms like Simply.Coach. 

Simply.Coach is a digital platform that integrates scheduling, goal tracking, and resource sharing, freeing up more time for you to focus on what you do best—coaching!

Coaching Session Templates and Examples

Coaching session templates provide a valuable framework to structure your sessions.

The key benefits include:

• Clarity : Templates define the structure of the session, ensuring that you and your client are aligned on the objectives and the flow of the conversation
• Progress : By consistently using a template, you can easily track the client’s progress over time, making it easier to identify areas of improvement or success
• Signature Experiences : You can customize templates to suit your coaching style to create a unique and memorable experience for your clients and set yourself apart as a coach

Let’s look at a sample template to structure your coaching session:

A. Warm-up (5-10 minutes)

Greet your client, establish rapport, and briefly review the objective for the session. 

You can also use this time to reflect on any progress made since the last session, creating a sense of continuity and motivation.

B. Goal-setting (10-15 minutes)

Refine the objective for the session, ensuring it aligns with the client’s current needs and desired outcomes. This might involve brainstorming specific goals they want to achieve by the end of the session.

C. The Actual Coaching (30-40 minutes)

This is the heart of the session where you delve into the coaching objective. Utilize different techniques like open-ended questions, active listening, and brainstorming to facilitate discussion. 

Here, focused listening is crucial. Pay close attention to both the verbal and nonverbal cues your client communicates.

D. Defining Commitments (10-15 minutes)

Work with your client to develop a clear action plan with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) steps they can take outside the session. Ownership of these commitments is key to progress.

E. Reflection (5-10 minutes)

Summarize key takeaways from the session, acknowledge client progress, and celebrate any breakthroughs. This also sets the stage for the next session by identifying areas for continued focus

Other examples of templates include:

• Goal Visualization : This template helps clients visualize their goals in a clear and concise manner. It can include sections for defining the goal, identifying obstacles, and outlining the steps needed to achieve the goal
• Self-Contract Template : A self-contract template is a powerful tool for accountability. It allows clients to commit to their goals in writing, specifying the actions they will take and the timeline for achieving their objectives
• Goal Planning and Achievement Tracker : This template is designed to help clients plan their goals in detail and track their achievements over time. It can include sections for setting SMART goals, identifying key milestones, and reflecting on progress made

Read: 10 Effective Strategies for Tracking Progress in Coaching Sessions 

Additionally, there are numerous free resources available online that can help you structure productive coaching sessions. 

Simply.Coach – an all-in-one online coaching platform offers a variety of coaching features, templates and digital tools that you can adapt to your needs.

Planning a productive coaching session requires a blend of structure, adaptability, and insightful questioning. 

By defining clear objectives, structuring the session effectively, and adapting your approach to meet the client’s needs, you can create a conducive environment for growth. 

Moreover, using coaching tools and templates can streamline the process, allowing you to focus on the client’s development. 

Sign up for the free trial today and skyrocket the productivity of your sessions!

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Health Coaching Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Health Coaching Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their health coaching companies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a health coaching business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a health coaching business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Health Coaching Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your health coaching business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Health Coaching Business

If you’re looking to start a health coaching business or grow your existing health coaching company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your health coaching business to improve your chances of success. Your health coaching business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Health Coaching Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a health coaching business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for health coaching companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a health coaching business.

If you want to start a health coaching business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your health coaching business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of health coaching business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a health coaching business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of health coaching businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the health coaching industry.
• Discuss the type of health coaching business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of health coaching business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of health coaching businesses:

• Fitness health coaching : Fitness health coaches work with clients to improve overall health by eating balanced meals and creating a comprehensive fitness plan.
• Holistic health coaching: Coaches offer plant-based diets, along with integrated mind and body health platforms.
• Wellness health coaching: Wellness health coaches concentrate on clients’ behavioral and mind-body integration.
• Nutritional health coaching : Primarily focused on nutritional balance and performance in the body, nutritional health coaches work to reduce food allergies and other irritants to good health via selective eating plans.

In addition to explaining the type of health coaching business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of cases with positive outcomes, reaching X number of successful clients, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the health coaching industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the health coaching industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your health coaching business plan:

• How big is the health coaching industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your health coaching business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your health coaching business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, families, and HR personnel in corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of health coaching business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than HR personnel in corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Health Coaching Business Plan in 1 Day!

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With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other health coaching businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes medical clinics, alternative healers, and fitness gyms. You need to mention direct competition, as well.

For each direct competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of health coaching business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide options for the uninsured?
• Will you offer health products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a health coaching business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of health coaching company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide holistic health coaching with a balanced program of all components: mind, body, and spirit?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your health coaching company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your health coaching business located in a busy retail district, a business district, or in a standalone office? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your health coaching marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in health and natural wellness magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your health coaching business, including answering calls, planning and providing coaching sessions, billing clients,  etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth session, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your health coaching business to a new city.

Management Team

To demonstrate your health coaching business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing health coaching businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a health coaching business or successfully running a small natural health store.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you see 10 clients per day, and/or offer packaged sessions? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your health coaching business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a health coaching business:

• Cost of equipment and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a list of insurance plans you accept.

Writing a business plan for your health coaching business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert and understand how to start a health coaching business. You will understand the health coaching industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful health coaching business.

Health Coaching Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my health coaching business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your health coaching business plan.

How Do You Start a Health Coaching Business?

Starting a Health Coaching business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Health Coaching Business
• Create Your Health Coaching Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Health Coaching Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Health Coaching Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Health Coaching Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Health Coaching Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Health Coaching Business Equipment
• Develop Your Health Coaching Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Health Coaching Business
• Open for Business

Where Can I Download a Free Business Plan Template PDF?

Click here to download the pdf version of our basic business plan template.

Our free business plan template pdf allows you to see the key sections to complete in your plan and the key questions that each must answer. The business plan pdf will definitely get you started in the right direction.

We do offer a premium version of our business plan template. Click here to learn more about it. The premium version includes numerous features allowing you to quickly and easily create a professional business plan. Its most touted feature is its financial projections template which allows you to simply enter your estimated sales and growth rates, and it automatically calculates your complete five-year financial projections including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Here’s the link to our Ultimate Business Plan Template.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Health Coaching business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to hire someone to write a business plan for you from Growthink’s team.

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How to Build a Tailored Coaching Plan for Maximum Impact

Allison kirschbaum.

• May 15, 2024

Table of Contents

Crafting a solid coaching plan is vital for steering your clients toward success. In this guide, we’ll dive into the key elements and process of creating impactful life coach lesson plans, providing you with practical tips and a coaching plan template to streamline your coaching process. Let’s get started!

A coaching plan is like a tailor-made roadmap crafted by a life coach to help their clients hit their goals, whether it’s scoring a dream job, leveling up in life, or finding zen in their relationships. We’re talking specific goals, actionable steps, and a dose of motivation and accountability to keep things on track.

Importance of Having Life Coach Lesson Plans

In the competitive world of life coaching, just calling yourself a life coach and creating a business and marketing plan isn’t enough. You need a solid coaching plan to make sure both you and your clients succeed and here’s why.

• For coaches , lesson plans are like roadmaps for each session – they outline what you want to achieve and how you’ll help clients get there. With a clear plan, you can keep sessions focused and effective while guiding clients toward their goals. 
• For clients , having proper life coach lesson plans in place provides structure and accountability. With a plan set, clients have a better grasp on the purpose of each session and set clear goals to work toward. Plus, with a blueprint of their coaching journey, clients can track their success, see how far they’ve come, and keep themselves motivated. It’s all about staying on track and moving forward.

7 Key Elements of a Coaching Plan

A well-structured coaching plan offers guidance and direction for both coach and client. Here’s a breakdown of key elements to include:

1. Coaching Details

Let’s start with the basics: your coaching setup. We’re talking about how often you’ll meet, how you’ll connect (in-person, phone, video), and how long you’ll be partners. Clearing these upfront helps both the client and the coach stay focused and crush those goals together.

2. Goal-Setting

The next key element is setting clear and realistic goals that match the client’s values. To create effective and personalized life coach lesson plans, it’s important to explicitly pinpoint the relationship goal and the type of coaching needed. 

3. Challenges

Spotting the roadblocks and hurdles that could hinder your clients’ progress is another key component of developing a solid coaching plan. As a coach, you’ll guide your clients in recognizing and overcoming these obstacles, whether they stem from internal doubts or external constraints like time or resources. 

By addressing these challenges directly, your clients will be better equipped to push past them and achieve their objectives.

4. Action Steps

After pinpointing the client’s goals and hurdles, the next step is outlining clear action steps to advance toward those goals. Work with them to break down goals into manageable steps, set deadlines, and ensure they stay committed. Consistency is key to their success.

5. Personal Development

When you’re sketching out life coach lesson plans, keep in mind the power of personal growth. As a coach, your job is to help your clients spot areas where they can level up, make the most of what they’re already great at, and pick up fresh skills to ace their goals. Putting personal development front and center ensures they hit their targets and adapt as they go.

6. Accountability

In your coaching plan, setting accountability systems is a must. As a coach, you’ve got to make sure your clients stick to their goals, follow through with their plans, and keep moving forward. Keep in touch with them, track their progress, and keep that motivation strong!

7. Flexibility

Finally, flexibility is a crucial element in your coaching plan. Life throws curveballs, and as a coach, you’ve got to be ready to pivot when needed. Stay open to adjusting goals and action steps as situations change, keeping your coaching plan on track and effective for your client’s success.

How to Create a Tailored Coaching Plan

Whether you’re a seasoned coach or a beginner still figuring out how to become a life coach , it’s crucial to nail the right steps to ensure the plan is effective and personalized.

1. Fill-In General Information

To kick things off, gather some basic info about your client—like their background, lifestyle, and anything else that might affect how they approach coaching. Knowing their context will help you customize your coaching approach to fit their needs perfectly. 

Make sure to include the following:

• Name and details
• Frequency of sessions
• Communication methods
• Additional information

2. Establish Clear Goals

Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to set some goals with your client. Ensure these goals are clear, measurable, and within a certain timeframe. With these goals in place, you can track progress and stay laser-focused on what needs to be done.

• Goal : Develop leadership skills to qualify for a managerial position within 12 months.
• Objective : Attend leadership training workshops and complete relevant online courses.
• Timeline : Complete the first workshop within three months and enroll in online courses thereafter.

3. Assess Strengths and Weaknesses

The next thing to do is to help your clients recognize what they’re great at and where they need a little boost. Get them thinking about their skills, past experiences, and areas where they want to grow. This self-awareness will be the thing that shapes the perfect plan just for them.

• Strengths : Strong communication skills, strategic thinking
• Areas for Growth : Time management, delegation skills

4. Develop Actionable Steps

Once you’ve pinpointed your client’s strengths and weaknesses, it’s time to come up with practical steps they can take to reach their goals.

Life Coaching Tools & Worksheets

Using life coaching skills , along with tools and worksheets can make a big difference in crafting personalized life coach lesson plans. These handy resources let you and your client see how far you’ve come, keep tabs on your goals, and think about what’s working and what’s not. Vision boards, goal-setting sheets, and journal prompts are some cool options to explore.

• Vision Board : Create a visual representation of career goals and aspirations.
• Goal-Setting Template : Develop SMART goals for each coaching session.
• Journal Prompts : Reflect on progress, challenges, and successes after each session.

Providing Accountability, Support, and Feedback

Keeping your client on track requires ongoing support, feedback, and accountability. Think regular catch-ups, progress check-ins, and open chats – adding these accountability systems to your coaching plan is key to keeping them motivated and heading toward their goals.

• Weekly Check-Ins : Schedule brief phone calls to discuss progress and address any challenges. 
• Feedback Sessions : Encourage open dialogue to gather feedback on coaching sessions and adjust the approach accordingly.
• Milestones : By Week 4 of the coaching program, the client will establish and maintain a consistent exercise routine, exercising at least three times per week for a duration of 30 minutes each session.

5. Adjust and Adapt

And finally, as you journey through coaching, stay open to tweaking the plan as you go. No coaching plan is set in stone, so be ready to pivot based on what’s working and what isn’t. Keep in touch with your client regularly to ensure the plan stays relevant and keeps kicking goals.

• Suggestions to improve the current coaching plan : Increase the frequency of coaching sessions during busy periods to maintain momentum, focus less on time management, and more on meditation.

5 Tips for Effective Coaching Plan Implementation

Here are five tips to help you effectively implement your coaching plan.

Tip 1: Have Consistent Communication

Stay connected with your clients. Regular communication keeps them up-to-date on progress, offers guidance, and tackles any hurdles they encounter. It’s all about building trust and a solid connection for coaching success.

Tip 2: Set Milestones

Keep your clients motivated by setting clear and achievable milestones. Break the plan into smaller goals they can hit in a set time. Celebrate each win to keep them pumped up and pushing forward toward their big goal.

Tip 3: Encourage Self-Reflection

Urge your clients to take a moment to look inward. It’s a powerful way for them to learn about themselves and figure out what’s holding them back. By reflecting on their thoughts and actions, they can grow and make some real positive changes in their lives.

Tip 4: Keep Learning

Keep on learning, coach! Read life coaching books , attend workshops and conferences, and get feedback from fellow coaches. Staying sharp and improving your game is an essential requirement for coaches to continuously give your clients the best support possible.

Tip 5: Have a Feedback Loop

Keep the conversation flowing with your clients. Ask for their feedback on what’s working and what needs tweaking in your coaching sessions. Use their input to fine-tune your approach and give them the best support possible on their journey to success.

Sample Coaching Plan Template

Don’t worry if you’re still unsure about creating your own life coach lesson plans— we’ve got a free coaching plan template right here for you. Feel free to modify and adjust as you go!

Coaching Plan Template

General Information

• Name and Details: [Client’s name, contact info, address, age, etc.]
• Frequency of Sessions: [Specify how often coaching sessions will occur]
• Communication Methods: [How will you communicate with the client? In-person, phone, video, etc.]
• Additional Information: [Any other relevant details about the client]

Coaching Goals

• [List the client’s goals here]
• General Assessment: [Describe how you’ll assess the client’s current situation]
• Strengths: [Identify the client’s strengths]
• Weaknesses: [Identify areas where the client needs improvement]

Action Steps

• Timeline: [Specify the timeframe for achieving this goal]
• Life coaching strategies, tools, and/or worksheets: [Detail specific strategies, tools, or worksheets to be used]
• Milestones: [Set milestones to track progress]

Accountability and Support Systems

• Relevant Tools, Software, and Resources: [List any tools, software, or resources that will aid in accountability and support]
• How Systems Will Be Used: [Specify how these systems will be used to monitor the client’s progress]

Feedback Sessions

• [Add information about how feedback sessions will be conducted]

Adjustments and Adaptations

• [List down suggestions for adjustments or adaptations to the coaching plan to address any changes or lapses]

FAQs on Life Coach Lesson Plans

How do i determine the appropriate length of a coaching plan for my clients.

The length of a coaching plan varies based on each client’s goals and situation. Assess their needs before deciding how long it should be. Some may need just a few sessions, while others need ongoing support. Regularly check in to make sure the plan still fits their goals.

What if My Client’s Goals Change During the Coaching Process?

Don’t panic; clients often change their goals as life moves forward. As a coach, stay flexible and open to these shifts. Talk openly with your client to understand their new goals and update the coaching plan as needed. This might mean tweaking goals, timelines, or action steps to keep things on track.

What if I Encounter Resistance or Lack of Engagement From My Clients During the Coaching Process?

Sometimes, clients might not fully engage or resist the coaching process. It’s okay – everyone moves at their own pace. As a coach, create a supportive space for them to explore their goals. Listen carefully, ask questions, and offer feedback to keep them motivated. If you hit a roadblock, review the plan together to ensure it’s still on track with their needs.

Insure Your Life Coaching Business Today!

As we wrap up, keep this in mind: a well-built plan isn’t just a map—it’s the key to unlocking your client’s full potential and guiding them to their goals. With the practical tips and ready-to-use coaching plan template provided here, you’re all set to make your coaching journey smoother and achieve real results for your clients.

Now, it’s time to put your plan into action and start changing lives. Ready to level up your coaching game? Take the next step in your success journey by safeguarding your business with life coach insurance. Get your policy today !

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