If you’ve found your way to this article, it means one thing: you’re finally ready to tackle the often-dreaded task of packaging your coaching services.
While one-off sessions and hourly rates are necessary to your practice, they aren’t sustainable in the long run. Coaching requires a lot of time and energy, especially at the start of any relationship.
It’s also not a path where clients will see instant success, but rather something that builds over time. So, you want to ensure that when you engage with clients, you have enough time to actually impact their goals.
✨ Enter coaching packages ✨
With predefined packages, you can present your services through a more holistic lens, while ensuring each client receives the attention and support they need to thrive.
It's a win-win situation—clients get clarity on what to expect, and you gain a steady income.
So, you know that you need to repackage your services to land more clients. But, do you know the full extent of the benefits these packages provide you? Let's walk through some that come to mind!
|
👀 Looking for even less stress? See how scheduling software helps coach Sheri Gazitt handle her busy schedule and client load with ease. |
If you've taken a business or marketing class throughout your time in the education system, you've likely learned about the "4 Ps". Let's get a refresher on these:
|
💡Pro-tip: Don’t underestimate the power of steady branding! Every piece of your brand, whether it’s your website, coaching packages, emails, social media posts, or booking page, should reflect your unique brand identity. Consistency is key here—make sure your logo, color scheme, tone of voice, and messaging are cohesive across all platforms. Check out real-world booking page examples from coaches and other professionals to see how it’s done. |
Think of this as the "à la carte" option for coaching. Just like choosing dishes from a menu based on what you're in the mood for, individual coaching sessions offer flexibility for clients to address specific challenges or goals as they arise.
A one-off session is perfect for those who prefer a more spontaneous approach or may not be ready to commit to a longer-term coaching journey just yet. It’s a handy option to keep in your offering, as you never know when a one-off session could lead to a steady client or referral.
This type of package offers clients a structured approach to coaching by committing to a set number of sessions. For example, a package may include 6, 8, or 12 sessions, depending on the client's needs and goals.
By committing to multiple sessions, your clients can delve deeper into their personal or professional development journey and experience more significant and lasting results.
Imagine this as a subscription service for self-improvement. Whether weekly meetings for a few months or monthly sessions spread out over a year, time-based commitment packages offer ongoing support and accountability.
They are particularly beneficial for clients seeking long-term transformation and continuous development in various aspects of their lives. With a time-based commitment, you’re essentially a mentor who accompanies your clients on their journey, providing support, encouragement, and structure along the way.
First step—it’s time to do some market research!
Before you can set your own prices, you’ll need to do a deep dive into the competitors in your coaching niche. Find out what they charge and how they bundle their services.
While it’s critical not to undersell yourself, it’s just as important not to charge 3x as much as your competitors do without solid reasoning and proof.
|
“Packages can be tricky depending on the coaching service you provide. Prospective clients must perceive value, so careful and meticulous consideration need to be placed in planning this out. I would suggest looking at what others offer within the industry and tailor your packages accordingly—that includes pricing, duration, deliverability." - Corine La Font, PR and Communications Consultant at LaFont and Associates |
Second step—consider charging hourly vs. packaged rates.
Over 1.5 million searches are conducted monthly online by individuals looking for coaches (life coaches, business coaches, and executive coaches). That’s great news!
It’s solid proof that the demand for coaches is alive and well.
When looking through Google Trends data, you can even see that searches around certain types of coaches have increased over the past 5 years gradually too, like business coaches.
Your task is to lock these individuals in by creating compelling coaching packages that ensure potential clients see value in your services and sign on. Let’s go over how you can do just that.
If you’re selling to everyone, you’re selling to no one. It’s unbelievably crucial to do the work to discover who your ideal client is. Some questions you can ask yourself to start this journey:
These are just a few prompting questions to help you reflect on who you’re best equipped to help, as well as what types of clients you’re most excited to work with.
Bottom line: you can’t sell your offerings if you don’t know who you’re selling them to!
|
⚡ Lightning fast guide to building your ICA (ideal client avatar) ⚡ 1. Do a deep dive to understand your ideal clients’ pain points, demographics, and needs. Who are they? What do they struggle with? What do they want to achieve?2. Create detailed buyer personas that summarize those clients' goals, challenges, and preferences. 3. Address these specific needs and pain points in your coaching packages to ensure your offer resonates with them on a deeper level. |
This is all about taking point #3 in the ICA guide above and putting it into action. You’ll need to customize your coaching packages to directly address your ideal clients' specific goals, challenges, and aspirations, showing them that your offer is exactly what they’ve been searching for. Consider offering a couple of different options, ensuring your offer is flexible to various time and budget constraints.
As we mentioned in the pricing strategies section above, it’s vital that you research industry standards and benchmarks to ensure your pricing is competitive and reflective of your value. You’ll need to consider your level of expertise, the results you deliver, and the market demand for your services.
If you offer in-person services, then it’s important to narrow your market search to coaches in your area. This is similar to how many companies compensate employees based on their seniority and geographic location.
When possible, be as transparent as you can about your pricing and clearly explain what clients will receive for their investment.
It’s time to get down to the details! Clearly outline the features, benefits, and deliverables in each coaching package. You’ll need to provide detailed descriptions of your coaching process, session formats, communications channels, and any additional support offered.
|
“When crafting your coaching packages, try to stick to creating 3 options for clients. Keep your offerings simple, affordable, and something you can put your reputation on because, after all, that’s what’s at stake.” - Corine La Font, PR and Communications Consultant at LaFont and Associates |
When possible, add testimonials, case studies, or success stories from past clients (with their permission) to demonstrate the effectiveness of your coaching packages. Social proof builds credibility and trust, making your offers more compelling to potential clients!
Reach out to other coaches, friends, or peers with experience in similar coaching niches or target markets for feedback. If you don't yet have a community of like-minded peers, consider joining a coaching or networking group to exchange ideas, share experiences, and receive constructive feedback!
Another invaluable source of feedback will be your customers. Regularly ask them for insights and opinions, and tailor your services to better suit their needs.
|
💡 Pro-tip: Tell your story. To build strong relationships with your clients, share your personal journey, expertise, and experiences on your website. Clearly communicating your passion, commitment, and belief in the power of your coaching services will do wonders to deeply connect with potential clients. |
Kathy of Athena Wellness offers a 3-month coaching package specifically targeted to middle-aged individuals looking to transition out of a corporate career. As you’ll see in the image below, Kathy clearly explains how her program works, why it works, and how her clients will benefit.
|
💡 Pro-tip: Whether you run group, individual, in-person, or virtual coaching sessions, an online scheduling tool will let you seamlessly control your availability, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free booking flow for both you and your clients. |
As evident from the executive coaching package above, it targets an entirely different client than the first example! Great Transitions Strategies is focused solely on individuals who want to advance their corporate career (as opposed to transition out of it). The difference between these two packages is a perfect example of why it’s so important to identify your ideal client and tailor your offering to address their specific needs.
My Daily Business offers a 6-month business coaching package catering to business owners who want to unpack their problems and challenges. This quick summary includes the pricing, time frame, rundown of the sessions, and who the coaching is for. As you may have noticed, Fiona’s packages have sold out!
Maya offers an interesting approach that you may want to consider for clients who have a limited budget or would like to grow their professional community/network. Take a look at the screenshot below to see how Maya zeroes in on three specific pain points that affect her ideal client.
Instead of a blanket discount like Maya offers, you can also choose to implement promo codes tailored to specific clients, special events, or limited-time promotions. These codes are a great incentive to offer after a one-off coaching session, enticing your client to sign up for more extensive coaching.
|
💡 Pro-tip: Opt for a scheduling app for coaches that combines multiple essential features that streamline your coaching. Consider YouCanBookMe—this tool not only gives your customers an easy-to-use booking platform, but allows you to create bespoke discount codes. You can tailor the promo codes to your needs, such as setting expiration dates, redemption limits, and minimum order values. Your clients can then easily apply these codes when booking to enjoy immediate discounts on your services. |
There you have it—the key ingredients of sold-out coaching packages are yours. Armed with this blueprint, you have the power to attract your ideal clients and optimize your income.
As you start creating your own coaching packages, remember that practice makes perfect. Your offer won’t be ideal immediately, but with this guide, a bit of trial and error, and lots of feedback, you’ll create valuable and in-demand packages in no time.
There is no set amount you should pay for coaching, as the answer depends on many factors. These include the coach's experience level, expertise, and the services' complexity. It's essential to consider your budget and the value you expect to gain from the sessions. While some coaches offer hourly rates, others prefer package deals, which may offer better value if you seek long-term support. Ultimately, your coaching investment should align with your goals and the level of support you require to achieve them.
Coaching packages can include a wide range of services depending on the packages’ pricing, duration, goals, and the coach's specialization and approach. A few examples are a set number of one-on-one coaching sessions, personalized guidance tailored to address specific challenges or goals, access to resources or materials such as worksheets, assessments, or reading materials, ongoing email support between sessions for additional accountability and guidance, and sometimes additional bonuses or perks such as access to group coaching calls, workshops, or exclusive community forums.