Maybe a fellow coach mentioned it in a Facebook group. Or perhaps you saw an ad promising warm referrals and local business connections. Either way, you’re here because you want to know: 

Is Alignable actually worth your time and money as a coach?

The short answer? It depends on your coaching niche and how you prefer to build relationships.

The longer answer? That’s what we’re diving into today.

I’ll walk you through:

• What Alignable is
• How coaches are using Alignable
• Whether Alignable a good fit for your coaching business
• What Alignable alternatives might serve you better

What is Alignable?

Alignable is a professional networking platform designed specifically for referrals. You can think of it as LinkedIn’s local-focused cousin. 

The platform connects over what Alignable claims is 10 million business owners who are looking to:

• Network
• Find referral partners
• Discover new customers

Alignable takes a more targeted approach compared to LinkedIn. It focuses on connecting you with business owners in your area or within specific industries.

Alignable’s Pricing Structure

The base plan for Alignable is free. However, that free tier won’t get you that far.

Here’s how it breaks down:

• Free Plan: Basic profile, group access, networking events, and 5 connection requests per month
• Member Plan ($29/month): Daily curated opportunities and 15 connection requests per month
• Premium Plan ($49/month): Profile analytics, boosted visibility, “Ask About Services” button, and 25 connection requests per month
• Premium+ Plan ($89/month): Host events and groups, plus 75 connection requests per month

Note that you have to go through the entire account creation process to access the pricing plans above.

Five connections per month is very few. And according to some reviews, acceptance rates are quite low, averaging 20% or less.

But let’s move on.

When you set up your profile, Alignable asks specific questions about your business. 

You’ll specify:

• Who you typically sell to (businesses, consumers, or both)
• What types of customers you serve (sub-categories of the above)
• Where they’re located in relation to you

This helps the platform connect you with relevant opportunities.

The platform also offers industry-specific categories. If you search “coaching,” you’ll find options like:

• Audition coaching
• Behavior coaching
• Corporate coaching
• And more

So yes, they definitely have coaches in mind.

How Do Coaches Use Alignable?

Coaches on Alignable typically fall into two camps: 

• Those targeting local business owners
• Those hoping to build referral partnerships

For local business coaching

If you work primarily with small business owners in your area as a business coach, leadership coach, or executive coach, Alignable can connect you directly with your ideal clients. You can:

• Join local business groups
• participate in discussions about common challenges
• Position yourself as the go-to expert for business growth

For building referral networks

Some coaches use Alignable to connect with complementary service providers. 

For example, a career coach might partner with:

• Resume writers
• LinkedIn consultants
• Personal branding photographers

When these partners encounter clients who need coaching, they can refer them your way. You can specify the type of businesses you want to partner with in your profile.

Below, you can see the profile sections in Alignable that allow you to define your ideal customers as well as your ideal partners:

Is Alignable Worth It For Coaches?

Let’s be honest about what Alignable can and can’t do for your coaching business.

Alignable works best if:

• You’re a business or executive coach whose ideal clients are local small business owners. The platform literally exists to connect small business owners with each other. So, if that’s your target market, it could work for you.
• You’re willing to invest time in relationship building. Like any networking platform, Alignable rewards consistency. Show up regularly, engage authentically, and build real relationships over months, not days.
• You prefer local, community-based networking. If you thrive on supporting your local business community and building a reputation in your area, Alignable’s local focus could be a good fit.

Alignable probably isn’t worth it if:

• You’re a life coach, wellness coach, or mindset coach serving individual consumers. While you can specify that you serve “Businesses & Consumers” in your profile, the platform is fundamentally designed for B2B connections. Most users are looking for business services, not personal development coaching.
• You expect immediate results using the free plan. Multiple users report low acceptance rates for connection requests and slow progress in building their networks. One user mentioned averaging just one new network member per month.
• You’re not comfortable with potential privacy concerns. Several reviewers expressed frustration about Alignable’s contact import process. They claim the platform spammed their entire contact list with invitations. While Alignable representatives say this is optional and can be skipped, the complaints are common enough to warrant caution.

After checking out the platform myself and reading several dozen reviews, here’s my take on Alignable:

The privacy concerns are real. When you create an account, Alignable asks you twice to share the platform with your network. 

They’re quite insistent about it, which validates the complaints I’ve seen in multiple reviews. If you do sign up, be careful during the onboarding process and skip those steps.

What about compared to LinkedIn?

This is the crucial question. According to Alignable’s website, they have 10 million users. But that’s total users, not active users.

Compare that to LinkedIn: 1.2 billion active users worldwide, and still growing.

The difference is staggering. 

Now, LinkedIn’s free tier is incredibly powerful. You can:

• Create authority-building content
• Build your network strategically
• Connect with potential clients without ever paying a dime. 

If you’re willing to send out 25-100 strategic connection requests per week and focus on content marketing, you don’t need a paid LinkedIn plan.

The paid plans on both platforms are really designed for cold outreach. And here’s the thing: cold outreach can be super effective for certain services like agency work, high-ticket SaaS products, or copywriting. I’ve personally landed copywriting clients through cold outreach on LinkedIn.

But coaching is completely different. People don’t hire coaches because of a cold message. They hire coaches they trust. 

That trust gets built through content, referrals, and seeing your expertise demonstrated over time. Personally, all my coaching clients have come from referrals, content marketing, and Facebook ads. Never from cold outreach.

Long story short, you can use LinkedIn to get clients without paying a dime.

My recommendation?

If you serve local business owners and want to be active in your local business community:

• Try Alignable’s free plan for three months.
• Post weekly, engage authentically, and use your limited connection requests strategically.
• If you’re seeing real conversations and potential interest after those three months, great! If not, don’t feel bad about moving on.

For everyone else? Focus on LinkedIn instead if your audience is on there. 

The free version gives you access to a vastly larger pool of potential clients and much better tools for content marketing. 

Use other social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram if that’s where your audience is. Regardless, the concept remains the same:

• Build your presence through valuable content
• Engage with your ideal clients’ posts
• Let people come to you

Honestly, for most coaches, putting your energy into one platform where you can build a real content presence will serve you better than spreading yourself thin across multiple networking sites.

How to Cancel Alignable

If you’ve tried Alignable and decided it’s not for you, canceling is straightforward.

To cancel a paid membership:

1. Click the “My Business” dropdown in the top-right corner and select “Account.” 

2. Navigate to “My Membership” in the top navigation bar. 
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your membership controls.
4. Click “Cancel Subscription.” You’ll see two options: “Keep Benefits” or “Cancel Benefits.” Choose “Cancel Benefits” to stop future charges.

Your paid benefits will remain active until the end of your current billing period. After that, your account automatically downgrades to the free tier.

To permanently delete your free account:

Before you start, note that account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. You’ll also need to cancel any paid memberships first.

1. Log in to Alignable and open the “My Business” dropdown, then click “Account.” 
2. Click “I want to permanently deactivate my business account” at the bottom of the page. 

3. Complete the steps that follow, including explaining why you’re leaving and entering your password for security verification. 
4. Finally, click “Deactivate Business Account” to finish.

The process is more involved than simply clicking “delete,” which seems designed to make you reconsider. But if you’ve made up your mind, just work through each step.

What Works Better Than Alignable for Most Coaches

Here’s what I’ve seen work consistently for coaches who want to grow their businesses online.

1. Build your own platform first. 

Instead of relying entirely on third-party networking sites, create a home base you control. 

This means having your own website with clear information about: 

• Your coaching services
• Who you help
• How to work with you

Paperbell makes this incredibly simple, even for coaches who hate tech and drag-and-drop site builders. You get a professional coaching website that automatically creates a website, including unique landing pages for each of your offers. 

Your clients can: 

• Purchase your coaching packages
• Book sessions into your calendar
• Make payments and sign up for ongoing subscriptions
• Answer surveys and intake forms
• Access resources and digital downloads

They can do all of that from a single, easy-to-use client portal that’s accessible directly from your coaching website:

No need to piece together multiple tools or worry about tech complications.

Having this single, easy-to-share link makes it so much easier to drive traffic to your coaching business from your marketing platform of choice. You can:

• Share valuable content consistently
• Engage in real conversations
• When people are ready to work with you, send them to your Paperbell site where they can easily take the next step

Focus on one or two channels at first, not five. You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be present and consistent where your people are. 

For most B2B coaches, that’s LinkedIn. For many life and wellness coaches, that’s Instagram. Pick your platform, commit to it for at least six months, and actually show up.

2. Build your email list

On top of having a website, I also suggest building your email list. 

This is the one marketing asset you truly own. Social platforms can change their algorithms or even shut down. Your email list stays with you. 

Start by:

• Offering a valuable lead magnet to grow your list
• Displaying your lead magnet/newsletter opt-in on your Paperbell site

• Nurturing your subscribers with helpful and/or entertaining content
• Making relevant offers when it makes sense

The coaches who succeed aren’t necessarily the ones on every platform. They’re the ones who build real relationships, demonstrate their expertise consistently, and make it easy for people to work with them.

Grow Your Coaching Network, Your Way

Alignable can work for some coaches, particularly those serving local business owners who enjoy community-based networking. But for most coaches, there are more effective ways to invest your time and energy.

Rather than hoping a networking platform will deliver clients to you, focus on building your own platform and driving your ideal clients there. 

With Paperbell, you can create a professional coaching site in minutes and have everything you need to land and coach clients in one place. Try Paperbell free today and see how simple growing your coaching business can be.

FAQs About Alignable

What is Alignable?

Alignable is a professional networking platform connecting over 10 million small business owners. It focuses on local and industry-specific connections to help business owners find clients, partners, and referrals through groups, events, and direct networking.

Is Alignable legit?

Yes, Alignable is a legitimate networking platform owned by a real company. However, user experiences vary widely. Some find valuable connections while others report low engagement and concerns about contact privacy during signup.

How does Alignable work?

After creating a profile with your business details, Alignable suggests relevant connections based on location and industry. You can join groups, attend events, and send connection requests (limited by your plan type) to network with other business owners.

Is Alignable good for coaches to get clients?

It depends on your niche. Business and executive coaches serving local small business owners may find it useful. Life coaches and wellness coaches serving individual consumers will likely get better results from platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram.

What is an alternative to Alignable?

LinkedIn offers a much larger network with better content marketing features. For coaches, creating your own professional website with Paperbell lets you showcase your services and make it easy for clients to book and pay in one place.

Most coaches don’t. Yet, these “repetitive” emails are essential for running a smooth coaching business. But writing them manually for every single client? That’s a recipe for burnout.

The good news is that you can automate most of your coaching emails without sounding like a robot. And when done right, automation actually improves your client experience because people get the right information at exactly the right time.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to automate emails for coaches, including:

• Types of emails coaches send (and should automate)
• How to automate emails for coaches
• How to use Paperbell to automate all your coaching emails
• Best practices for automating emails

10 Types of Emails Coaches Send (And Should Automate)

Before we get into the how, let’s talk about the what. Here are the essential emails every coach should have running on autopilot.

1. Client onboarding emails

Your onboarding email sets the tone for your entire coaching relationship. 

It’s the first thing clients see after they’ve paid for coaching programs. As such, it should make them feel excited and confident about their decision to work with you.

A great onboarding email includes:

• A warm welcome
• Clear next steps
• Any important information they need to get started

Maybe you want them to complete an intake form, or maybe you need them to book their first session. 

Whatever it is, spell it out clearly. In the sample email below, I specify how to book a first session, get their first resource, and get additional support.

2. Appointment confirmation emails

Once someone books a session with you, they should get an immediate confirmation. This reassures them that everything went through correctly and gives them all the details they need.

Your confirmation email should include:

• The date and time of the appointment
• The video call link
• Any prep work you want them to do beforehand
• What to do if they need to reschedule

Make it obvious in your subject line that this email is a confirmation of an appointment, like in this example below:

3. Appointment reminder emails

Even the most organized clients forget about appointments sometimes. A reminder email sent a day or two before your session helps reduce no-shows and keeps your calendar running smoothly.

Keep these short and sweet. Include the basics: 

• When you’re meeting
• Where (the video link)
• Optional: one sentence about what you’ll be covering

If there’s any homework they should complete before the call, mention that too.

4. Appointment cancellation emails

Life happens. Clients get sick, emergencies come up, and sometimes they just need to reschedule. 

Having an automated cancellation email takes the awkwardness out of the situation.

This email should:

• Acknowledge the cancellation
• Remind them how to rebook
• Let them know you’re looking forward to connecting when the time is right

5. Appointment rescheduling emails

Similar to cancellations, rescheduling should be frictionless. 

When a client moves their appointment, they should get an automated email confirming the new time and date.

This eliminates the back-and-forth confusion of “Wait, did we land on Tuesday or Wednesday?”

6. Reminder to book the next appointment

Let’s say a client finishes a coaching session. You both agree to meet again in two weeks, and then… crickets. 

They get busy, you get busy, and suddenly it’s been a month.

An automated reminder that goes out when a client hasn’t booked in 30 days can save these relationships. Keep it friendly and low-pressure, like a gentle nudge rather than a scolding.

7. Final appointment notification

When a client is on their last session in a coaching package, they should know it. 

This email gives them a heads-up that they’re approaching the end. But it also opens the door for them to purchase more sessions if they want to continue.

8. Post-package debrief emails

After you’ve completed a coaching package with someone, send a debrief email that celebrates their progress. This is your chance to find out:

• What worked
• What didn’t work
• How you can improve

It also plants the seed for continuing to work together or trying another one of your offerings.

9. Asking for testimonials

If you’ve done great work with a client and they’ve had amazing results, ask them for a testimonial! 

But don’t just send this request randomly. Time it strategically, either right after a big win or at the end of a successful package.

Make it easy for them by asking specific questions about their experience. For example: 

“What was your biggest challenge before we worked together?” 

Or: 

“What would you tell someone considering coaching with me?”

10. Upsell and cross-sell emails

Once existing clients have completed a program with you, they’re your best target audience for your next coaching services.

An automated email sequence that introduces them to other ways you can work together can turn one-time clients into long-term relationships. Feel free to share success stories for those upsell opportunities to properly showcase the opportunity.

How to Automate Emails for Coaches

Okay, so you know what emails you need. Now let’s talk about how to actually set up email automation without pulling your hair out.

There are a few different approaches. The right one depends on your current tech stack and how much complexity you want to deal with.

Option 1: Use an email marketing platform with automation

If you’re already using an email marketing platform, you might be able to set up basic automated email triggers there.

Dedicated tools like ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, or Mailerlite let you create automated sequences based on tags or actions. 

For example, when someone fills out a form or makes a purchase, they get added to a specific sequence.

The challenge with this approach is that you’ll need to connect your email platform to:

• Your scheduling software
• Your payment processor
• Whatever else you use to manage clients. 

Every integration is one more thing that can break. And not all platforms integrate with everything else natively.

Option 2: Connect tools with Zapier

Zapier is a powerful automation tool that lets you connect different apps without knowing how to code.

You can create “Zaps” that say things like:

“When someone books an appointment in Calendly, send them an email through Gmail.”

This works, but it gets complicated fast. You’ll be managing multiple Zaps for different scenarios, and troubleshooting when something goes wrong can be a nightmare. 

Plus, the more Zaps you need, the more expensive it gets.

Option 3: Use an all-in-one platform built for coaches

This is where things get a lot simpler. When you use a platform designed specifically for coaches, the email automation is already built in. It’s also already connected to everything else you need to run your business.

This means:

• No duct-taping multiple integrations together
• No paying for Zapier
• No hoping that your scheduling tool plays nice with your email platform

Paperbell is the best all-in-one platform to automate your emails along with the rest of your coaching business. Let’s get into the step-by-step.

How to Use Paperbell to Automate All Your Coaching Emails

Paperbell was built specifically to make life easier for coaches. That includes automating every email you need to send.

When you create a coaching package, you can set up all the automated emails right there in the same place. No integrations needed.

You can trigger automated emails based on:

• Purchase triggers: Send emails immediately after someone buys or at any point up to 12 weeks after purchase. This is huge for creating nurture sequences that keep coaching clients engaged for a full three months after they start working with you.
• Appointment triggers: Send emails from three days before an appointment up to 12 weeks after. Perfect for reminders, follow-ups, and checking in on how they’re implementing what you covered.
• Group session triggers: Same as appointment triggers, but specifically for group coaching sessions or live classes.
• Reminder to book: This email automatically goes out if a client hasn’t booked an appointment in the last 30 days. No more manually tracking who’s gone quiet.
• Final appointment trigger: Automatically send an email after the final appointment of a package. Great for asking for testimonials, offering an upsell, or just celebrating what you accomplished together.

The fact that Paperbell now lets you set automated email triggers for up to 12 weeks after purchase makes all of this so much easier. You can create a comprehensive onboarding and nurture sequence that guides coaching clients through their entire journey with you.

For example, you could set up:

• An upsell email for potential clients following a discovery call
• A welcome email immediately after purchase
• A “how to prepare for your first session” email one week after purchase, including helpful free resources such as blog posts or social media posts
• A progress check-in at week 4
• A mid-program encouragement email at week 6
• A “you’re halfway through!” celebration at week 8
• A reminder about the final sessions at week 10
• A package completion and next steps email at week 12

All of this marketing automation runs in the background while you focus on actually coaching your clients. And because it’s all in one platform, you don’t have to worry about whether your calendar syncs with your email tool or if Zapier is going to randomly stop working.

Here’s how to automate any email inside Paperbell for your coaching practice:

First, create your free Paperbell account.

Next, create your first coaching package. You’ll manage EVERYTHING from your packages, including:

• Number of appointments (and appointment length)
• Payments (processed through Stripe or PayPal, no invoices needed) and payment plan options
• Contracts
• Intake forms
• Digital downloads and other resources

And, of course, your automated emails.

Once you’ve got your package, navigate to the Emails tab:

That’s where you’ll add your automated emails.

Simply click the + Add button, pick from the triggers, and draft the email you want to add.

That’s it! Now, every time a client hits the trigger you picked, they’ll receive your email. And you get to spend fewer hours in your inbox.

Oh, and did you know that your brand-new coaching package gets displayed on a beautiful, branded coaching site? You can even add:

• Testimonials and success stories
• FAQs
• Opt-in forms and lead magnets
• A call to action to book a free discovery session
• Additional offers, such as online courses or coaching memberships

This gives you an additional marketing channel to find more clients.

Best Practices for Automating Emails

Automation is a powerful piece of email marketing for coaches. However, it’s not a “set it and forget it” situation. 

Here’s how to make sure your automated emails actually help your coaching clients instead of annoying them.

1. Write like a human, not a robot

Just because an email is automated doesn’t mean it should sound automated. Write your emails the way you’d write to a friend:

• Use contractions
• Tell stories (if relevant)
• Let your personality shine through

Avoid phrases like “Dear new client” or “We hope this email finds you well.” Instead, try “Hey Sarah!” or “I’m so excited to work with you!”

2. Personalize whenever possible

Most email automation tools, including Paperbell, let you insert personalization tokens like first names or package names. Use them! 

An email that says, “Hey Vicky, looking forward to our session tomorrow” feels infinitely more personal than “Looking forward to our session tomorrow.”

3. Test your emails before they go live

Send yourself test emails to make sure they look good and all the links work. Check them on both desktop and mobile. 

Nothing kills trust faster than a broken Zoom link or a button that doesn’t do anything.

4. Don’t overdo it

Yes, automation is great. No, you shouldn’t send 47 emails in the first week someone works with you. 

Be strategic about what actually needs to be automated and what can wait.

A good rule of thumb: 

Only send an email if it provides real value or necessary information. If you’re just emailing for the sake of staying top of mind, reconsider.

5. Review and update regularly

Your automated emails shouldn’t stay the same forever. As you learn what works and what doesn’t, update your templates. 

Maybe you notice everyone asks the same question that you forgot to address in your onboarding email. Add it!

Set a reminder to review your automated emails every few months. Then, make improvements based on what you’re learning from your coaching clients.

6. Keep the important stuff non-automated

Some emails should always be personal. Big celebrations, handling sensitive situations, or addressing specific client concerns shouldn’t come from an automated sequence. 

Know when to step in and write something from scratch.

Stop Spending All Day in Your Inbox

Email automation, when done right, can keep your clients informed, engaged, and excited about working with you. This can allow you to focus on being the best coach you can be and spend more time on relationship building where it counts.

Ready to simplify your entire client workflow? Get started with Paperbell to launch your coaching website and automate your online coaching business.

FAQs About Automating Emails for Coaches

How do I automate my coaching business?

Start by identifying repetitive admin tasks like scheduling, invoicing, and client communication. Use tools like Paperbell to automate emails, payments, and bookings in one platform without needing multiple integrations.

What is the 60-40 rule in email?

The 60-40 rule suggests your email marketing strategy should be 60% value and 40% promotion. Focus more on helping your audience than selling to them, which builds trust and keeps people engaged with your email marketing.

Is there a way to automate emails?

Yes! You can automate your email marketing efforts using email marketing software, Zapier integrations, or all-in-one coaching platforms like Paperbell that have email automation built in and connected to your scheduling and payments.

In this article, we’ll break down what these training programs look like and how students feel about them.

What Is New Skills Academy?

New Skills Academy is an online learning platform that offers courses across various subjects you can take at your own pace, from finance to lifestyle. If you dig deeper, you can even find niche topics like dog-related courses or an international massage diploma.

Its goal is to make picking up skills for your dream job accessible and affordable through flexible courses that include certificates of completion. Most include short video lessons (2-15 hours total) and written materials designed to teach foundational skills or introduce new career paths.

While not as well-known as major platforms like Udemy or Coursera, New Skills Academy has earned recognition for its rapid growth, enrolling over a million students. However, these awards focus more on the company’s success than the depth or quality of its courses.

All programs are CPD-accredited and primarily aimed at students or entry-level professionals looking to gain knowledge in new fields. Individual courses typically cost between $110–$290, or you can access the entire library with an annual membership for $119.

The company’s website highlights mentions in major publications, but independent coverage rarely reviews the courses in depth. Most media attention focuses on the founder, Chris Morgan. The Guardian, for example, covered his personal transformation from gambling addiction to building the New Skills Academy brand.

Pro tip: If you want to turn your coaching skills into a real business, you need a system that keeps clients organized from day one. Paperbell gives you built-in scheduling, contracts, payments, and a fill-in-the-blank website optimized for coaches. Try all features with your first client for free.

New Skills Academy Courses for Life Coaches 

Life coaching certifications have become widely accessible, with a wide range of programs delivered online at a self-paced, affordable price point. New Skills Academy follows a similar model.

You can purchase an individual coaching certificate course for about $120, or you can access the full course library for a year through their premium membership at the same cost.

The platform describes its courses as “expertly designed,” but it provides very little information about who actually creates or teaches them. The About page lists only first names and illustrated avatars for the New Skills Academy team, so it’s difficult to evaluate instructor credentials.

Here’s a closer look at what the coaching course curriculum includes at New Skills Academy.

Life Coaching Certificate Course

New Skills Academy offers a foundational life coaching certificate that takes about 13 hours to complete and costs £100.

If you’re brand new to coaching, this gives you a broad overview of core principles and practical tips to begin working with clients. It covers the GROW model, basic questioning techniques, ethical guidelines, and different coaching styles. The final modules touch on how to find early clients and price your services.

As with all courses on the platform, it’s fully self-paced with no live instruction or peer practice for practical knowledge. You won’t be able to ask questions or apply the tools in real time, but the video lessons provide a basic understanding of coaching in general.

Mindfulness Diploma

New Skills Academy also offers a Mindfulness Diploma at £100 with 11 hours to complete all the modules. This course introduces the core principles of mindfulness and how it supports emotional and physical well-being.

It covers mindfulness meditation, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and practical ways to apply these approaches. You’ll also explore how mindfulness influences everyday habits, emotional regulation, parenting, leadership, and management.

Professional Body Healing Coach Certificate Course

This course is only 3.5 hours long and costs £100. It takes a holistic approach and discusses the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of well-being.

It includes training videos on nutrition, diet, exercise, and natural remedies. Some lectures also discuss meditation, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and stress management techniques. Additionally, you’ll learn about how the immune system works and what autoimmune disorders are.

The curriculum promises to prepare you to assess and change negative beliefs and habits in clients and to help them become more resilient to stress. It’s an ambitious undertaking for a 3.5-hour course, but it might give you a taster if you’re interested in health coaching.

Spirituality Coach Certificate

The spiritual coach course on New Skills Academy costs £100, and the whole course takes five hours to complete, at your own time.

It focuses on helping people reconnect with their true selves and improving their well-being through spirituality.

The lectures don’t follow a particular religion or spiritual system; instead, they teach different spiritual philosophies and concepts, such as:

• Self-acceptance
• Releasing negativity
• Connecting with the universe
• The purpose of life

Some lectures also discuss practical tools like meditation, breathing techniques, and systems like the chakras and karmic ties.

These foundational modules will help you work with clients to manage stress, transition through life changes, and feel more fulfilled.

Other Certificates for Life Coaches

Besides courses tied to niches, others on New Skills Academy focus on key skills coaches require across specialties. These include:

• Coaching and mentoring skills
• Success habits
• Marketing courses
• Mindful listening
• The science of happiness
• Anxiety awareness

There are also courses related to therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Remember, these classes can provide insights into various healing practices, but they don’t qualify you to diagnose and treat people with mental and physical health issues.If you’d like to compare other, more comprehensive and eye-opening course options, explore our full list of free and paid coaching certification programs.

New Skills Academy Reviews

Curated Testimonials

You can find several testimonials curated by the site listed under each course. The ones given by students of the life coaching certificate course highlight that the lectures are easy to follow and well-structured.

Some appreciate the step-by-step structure of the content that suits beginners and the additional modules that discuss business concepts.

Online education is a highly competitive business. New emerging sites in this industry typically gain traction by offering an incentive or encouraging students to write positive reviews. Then these testimonials can be curated on course pages and duplicated on independent review sites.

Let’s dig deeper to see what independent reviewers say about the platform.

Trustpilot: A Mixed Bag

If you look up New Skills Academy on Trustpilot, you can find thousands of 5-star reviews, many praising the ease of accessing courses and the freedom to learn without any time limit.

Some students also highlighted that the content allowed them to explore new career paths. As mentioned, most people taking courses on New Skills Academy are university students and entry-level professionals.

Additionally, a student mentioned that being able to read and watch the modules made it easy to navigate the content.

In contrast, there are some reviews on Trustpilot about the site from students who weren’t so impressed. Several of them mentioned that they expected more from the curriculum based on how it was promoted, and that they could’ve easily found the same information through Google or helpful videos on YouTube.

Beyond the course content, several students raised that the information in the lectures isn’t designed by real-life experts and is read by a computerized voice, making it hard to absorb.

Some made the important point that tangible tools like healing modalities can’t be learned effectively through such a platform. The courses lack practical explanations, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises for proper application.

In addition, more experienced students raised concerns about the accuracy and language of subjects related to human behavior. Here’s a review from a student who took the ADHD course.

TThe lack of neuro-informed language and inaccurate claims here are especially concerning because New Skills Academy attracts thousands of entry-level professionals.

These students are starting new careers in fields where they are expected to work with people who may have deep-seated emotional trauma or special needs. Going into these fields unprepared or misinformed, they may do more harm instead of helping their clients.

While a basic management or Excel course doesn’t carry much risk if poorly designed, the same isn’t true for subjects rooted in social sciences or therapeutic work. Many of the reviews mentioning accuracy issues or confusing language come from students who enrolled in these therapy-adjacent modules.

Another concern is how the platform markets some of these programs as “comprehensive” training that prepares students to practice in these fields. But can a few hours of info dump narrated by a computer-generated voice realistically equip someone to work with clients?

With AI becoming part of everyday life and language models improving rapidly, it’s even harder to justify paying for outdated, surface-level lessons that simply recite information.

Current AI tools can already explain concepts more clearly, adapt to your learning style, and answer follow-up questions in real time. If a course can’t offer more depth, human guidance, or practical experience than what AI now provides for free (and more engagingly), it’s difficult to see the value.

New Skills Academy Courses in the Media

According to a feature published in Schools Week, New Skills Academy has previously used misleading advertising about its classes. It positioned a 15-hour course as training equivalent to an undergraduate degree and suggested that it was a requirement to start a career as a special educational needs teacher.

The piece has also investigated the accuracy of the content and language used in these online courses.

Sara Alston, a special educational needs and disability (SEND) expert with 30 years of experience, has reviewed the teacher assistant courses on the platform. She said they were “written in a way that makes no sense at all and feels deliberately written to make it sound academic,” echoing the disappointed reviews on Trustpilot.

Alston also highlighted that the description of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) was inaccurate in these courses. Additionally, the content had out-of-date details and referred to people with learning difficulties with inappropriate terms such as “emotional disturbance.”Besides content accuracy, there were also some ethical concerns raised. The courses on New Skills Academy are accredited by an independent appraisal service called IVCAS. However, as the article pointed out, this organization is owned by the same person as the online academy, creating a conflict of interest.

New Skills Academy: Is It Legit?

New Skills Academy has gained quick popularity for its short online courses, but has also received widespread criticism from both its students and the media.

The curated testimonials on the site paint a positive picture of the courses, highlighting the structured lectures, beginner-friendly content, and business modules.

However, independent reviews on sites like Trustpilot raised concerns that the content is superficial, inaccurate, and could easily be replaced with a quick online search.

Many of the issues were raised about the courses related to working with people, such as those about ADHD, special educational needs, and reflexology. Some experts reported instances of inappropriate language and inaccuracies.The coaching-related courses on New Skills Academy may provide an introduction to fundamental coaching concepts, but they aren’t equivalent to hands-on, expert-taught training delivered in comprehensive coaching certification programs.

Scale Your Professional Coaching Business

Mastering core competencies is vital in getting your coaching practice off the ground. However, if you want to run your business efficiently, you also need a way to streamline your client management.

Paperbell does exactly that.

It’s an all-in-one website and client management tool specifically designed for coaches. It handles your contracts, schedules, payments, landing pages, and more, so you can automate your admin and focus more on making a difference in people’s lives.

Try Paperbell for free with your first client.

FAQ

Is New Skills Academy Legit?

New Skills Academy is an e-learning platform with CPD-accredited online courses. However, several independent reviewers and experts have pointed out accuracy and presentation issues in its quick lectures.

Do You Get a Certificate From New Skills Academy?

Yes. Every completed course comes with a digital certificate, and you can order a printed version for an extra fee.

How Do I Cancel New Skills Academy?

You can cancel your membership by logging into your account and turning off auto-renewal under “My Subscriptions,” or by contacting their customer support team directly.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2024 and has since been updated for accuracy.

Without a record of your coaching process, you may feel uncertain and unprepared in your session. As a result, you fail to deliver the tangible results your client is looking for.

A simple way to prevent that is by keeping a coaching log. It keeps your practice organized and focused while tracking your clients’ progress and accountability.

Let’s explore how an effective coaching log template is made and what makes it so powerful, including:

• How to keep track of your coaching sessions
• What a coaching log is
• The benefits of keeping a log of your coaching sessions
• How to create a coaching log
• Free coaching log templates

What is a Coaching Log?

A coaching log is a record-keeping coaching tool you can use to document session details. These include the client’s:

• Progress
• Goals
• Action items

A coaching log keeps you organized and makes your sessions more impactful by keeping your coaching process focused and your client accountable.

Pro tip: Automate your coaching log (and the rest of your admin) by trying Paperbell for free and launching your all-in-one coaching site.

The Benefits of Keeping a Log of Your Coaching Sessions

Writing coaching logs may seem like additional paperwork, but they can help make your coaching practice much more efficient. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Staying Organized

Many coaches understand the sheer panic of digging through email threads to determine how many sessions they’ve delivered to a client. 

A coaching log helps you consistently document your sessions and organize your work:

• You’ll see where you are in a particular coaching program or process.
• You can tell whether your client is on track to reach their goals.
• Keeping your coaching logs in a central location will also require less time preparing for your next session.

Paperbell makes this easy by keeping all your coaching information organized by client, including:

• Your notes
• Session materials
• Your contracts
• Intake forms

2. Keeping Your Coaching Session Focused

When you sit with clients, you have limited time to move them forward on their coaching journey. Your coaching conversations need an impactful flow, requiring you to always know your next step.

With a coaching log in front of you, you’re always aware of the focus areas and key topics you need to cover with a client. It reminds you of: 

• The issues you discussed in the past
• Coaching techniques you wanted to go through but didn’t have time for in your previous session
• Your client’s progress and what milestone they are heading towards

[ Read: Use This 6-Step Template to Deliver a Powerful Life Coaching Session ]

Plus, you’ll quickly catch patterns in their thinking and behavior. This can make your coaching approach more transformative.

3. Sharing Notes With Your Clients

Although your coaching log isn’t something you typically share with your client, it makes it easier to create a session summary later. Sharing notes with your clients about their key insights and commitments makes your coaching process more effective and valuable.

Excellent communication with clients is the foundation of a positive coaching relationship. Keeping a consistent coaching log can contribute to that.

4. Keeping Your Clients Accountable

Taking notes of your sessions will help you refer back to topics you’ve discussed with your coachee earlier and any repeating themes in your conversations. This step enables you to keep them accountable for habit or behavioral changes.

Additionally, a coaching log: 

• Allows you to record your client’s action items
• Makes it easier to follow up on them in your next session
• Helps strengthen your clients’ sense of responsibility and commitment to their progress

No matter your coaching style, monitoring follow-through is key to guiding your clients in their desired direction.

5. Fulfilling Your Certification Requirements

If you’re applying for credentials through the International Coach Federation (ICF), you must submit a coaching log that records your paid and pro bono coaching hours. 

This document should contain: 

• Your clients’ names
• The sessions’ dates
• Session duration

Our previous guide covered how to prepare and submit your coaching log as part of your ICF credential application. This article also contains a free template with the specific details the organization requires as evidence of your coaching experience.

[ Read: The Simplest Way To Complete Your ICF Coaching Log (+ Free Template) ]

In this guide, we’ll explore a more detailed coaching log template and how you can use it for purposes other than fulfilling credentialing criteria.

6. Keeping a Written Reference of Your Sessions

Documenting your coaching process also comes in handy when facing a dispute with a client. It provides a historical record of what you’ve discussed in your sessions and how many hours you’ve worked together. 

Depending on your policy, you can refer to it if your client requests a refund.

How Do I Create a Coaching Log?

Let’s break down a coaching log’s key elements and their purpose.

1. Note Down the Basics.

First, write down the essential details of your session:

• Your client’s name
• The date of your coaching session
• The session number in a particular coaching process or program
• The duration of your session

This will help you find the notes you’re looking for at a glance for later. 

Noting the session number also clarifies how deep you are in the coaching process with the client. You’ll see how much time you still have left to guide them to their desired outcome.

2. Create a Rough Agenda.

If your coaching style is more laissez-faire and you prefer to keep your sessions fluid, you might not want to lock yourself into a set agenda. 

However, it’s still important to note down the key topics you must discuss with your client.

For example, you may:

• Have issues at the end of your session that you don’t have enough time to go into
• Want to do a longer coaching exercise with a client
• Connect the dots about their situation after your session is finished

Defining the key topics and desired outcomes for your coaching session in advance will make it more focused and time-efficient.

3. Review Progress.

Most coaching sessions (other than the first one) will start with checking in on the action items your client has committed to previously and their current reality about their overarching objective. 

You can ask them:

• Why they missed specific action steps
• How they felt doing the ones they succeeded in
• How they feel about their progress overall

This will all inform your session, highlighting where your client stands right now and how far they are from reaching their goals. It will also draw attention to obstacles that need to be tackled that you might not have included in your session agenda.

4. Note Observations.

This is when you dive into the agenda of your session. It may not be exactly what you have planned, but that’s okay.

While you’re in conversation with your client, make a quick note about the following:

• Any topics you still want to discover in this current session
• Key insights your client has arrived at
• Observations about your client’s journey (that you don’t necessarily share with them right away)
• The main challenges they are facing
• Any new objectives that arise
• Coaching exercises and frameworks you’re leading your client through in this session
• Coaching exercises and frameworks you want to make space for in your upcoming session

This is not the time to make detailed notes since you should focus on facilitating the conversation and actively listening to your client. You can complete these notes later after the session is finished.

5. Define the Next Steps.

Note the exact steps your client will take before your next session. Make sure you read it back to them and ask whether they agree.

Adjust these actions and their time frame so they can commit to them fully. They should:

• Challenge your client
• Move them toward their desired direction
• Not overwhelm them

If you see the slightest sign of resistance, discuss it before you close your session.

This is also where you note down your own action steps. For example, sharing an assessment or additional resource as a homework assignment with your client.

6. Make Additional Notes.

Once your session is complete, you can make additional observations here and note any coaching tools you want to incorporate in your next session. 

You don’t have to write an essay; you can even leave this section blank if you have nothing to add to your coaching log.

As long as you are clear on your coaching process (and what your brief remarks mean in your log), you can use the template as you see fit. remarks mean in your log), you can use the template as you see fit.

How To Track Coaching Logs Using Paperbell

Need to track your coaching logs to get certified with the ICF?

Paperbell automatically generates a log of every paid and pro-bono hour spent coaching your clients.

The process is simple:

• Use Paperbell to schedule your coaching sessions
• Keep your client notes inside Paperbell
• Go to your ICF Client Coaching Log and click the “Export CSV” button

Doing this will automatically download all the required info from your coaching hours inside Paperbell.

That’s it! Get your free account to start tracking your coaching log automatically.

Free Coaching Log Templates

If you’re ready to make the most of your sessions, we have just the perfect coaching log template for you.

If you need to log your coaching hours according to ICF guidelines, head to our ICF coaching log guide.

If you want to use your coaching log for more than just keeping track of your hours, you can use our free coaching log template.

And if you’re looking for more tools to get your coaching business up and running, you might want to look at our free templates pack. It will help you set up a stunning website and coaching package quickly.

How Do You Keep Track of Your Coaching Sessions?

To sum it up, here are the key elements of your coaching sessions you should keep track of:

Client progress: Fill out your coaching log with your agenda, observations, and the client’s action steps, and review your notes before you jump into your next session with them.rking hours, buffer time between sessions, and their duration so clients can book your calendar without making it crowded.

Coaching hours: Log your hours manually, or create a Paperbell account and get it automatically tracked for you. You can download your Paperbell coaching log anytime to submit it for your ICF application.

Number of sessions: Instead of getting lost in a maze of email threads, track how many sessions you’ve delivered from a particular contract. Better yet, have Paperbell do it for you.

Keep Your Coaching Practice Organized With Paperbell

Writing a coaching log for each session is a simple way to make them more impactful. However, keeping the rest of your business organized is just as important.

To streamline the admin side of your coaching practice, we recommend Paperbell.

It’s an all-in-one client management tool specifically designed for coaches by coaches. It handles your contracts, schedule, payments, and even generates a beautiful coaching website to help you sell your services easily.

Try Paperbell for free to start tracking your coaching log the simple way.

FAQs About Coaching Log Template

How to create a coaching log?

Start by noting basic session details like client name, date, and duration. Create a rough agenda with key topics, review progress on action items, note observations during the session, define next steps with your client, and add any additional notes after the session ends.

Are there tools to help me create a coaching log?

Yes, Paperbell automatically tracks your coaching sessions and generates logs for you. It organizes client notes, schedules sessions, and can export your coaching hours in CSV format for ICF certification requirements, eliminating manual tracking.

Where can I get coaching log templates?

You can download free coaching log templates from this article. There’s a detailed template for comprehensive session tracking and an ICF-specific template for certification applications. Paperbell also offers a free templates pack for your coaching business.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2024 and has since been updated for accuracy.

However, breaking into this fast-growing field can be challenging. There are many ways to become a life coach, but there are some requirements you can’t skip. Pursuing life coach training and developing your own personal coaching presence are essential steps.

In this guide, we’ll explore the step-by-step process of becoming a successful life coach:

• Expand your business
• Acquire core coaching skills
• Build your methodology
• Gain coaching experience
• Set up a business
• Choose a niche
• Set up the admin side of your business
• Establish a brand

1. Acquire Core Coaching Skills

Whether you have formal training in coaching or not, there are a few essential skills that you need to work on with clients. 

Here are the most important ones:

• Active listening: The ability to remain present in the conversation, listen to what your client is expressing (including their non-verbal cues), and reflect back to them what they’re saying. This communication skill guides their reflection and leads them to new insights.
• Powerful questioning: Skillfully asking open-ended and closed-ended coaching questions that encourage reflection, ideation, and deeper understanding. Through this process, life coaches identify obstacles that may be holding clients back.
• Demonstrating empathy: Genuine understanding and compassion for your client’s feelings, experiences, and perspectives will create a supportive and non-judgmental coaching environment for them.
• Goal setting: Collaboratively establish clear, specific, and achievable coaching goals with the client in their focus areas to set the direction for the coaching process.
• Feedback and reflection: Offering constructive feedback and facilitating reflective practices to help the client gain awareness, learn from experiences, and make meaningful progress towards their goals.

Besides these fundamental coaching skills and core competencies, you’ll also need to be able to run your own coaching practice. This may involve running marketing campaigns or hiring and managing the right people for you.

Many life coaches find that mastering these skills is just as important as the coaching itself.

Aspiring coaches flourish when they develop both their technical abilities and their business acumen. Remember that clients expect you to demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of your work.

2. Build Your Methodology

The more coaching models, exercises, and questions you have in your toolbelt, the more effectively you can coach your clients. Here are the five most commonly known coaching models:

• GROW: Stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Will or Way Forward. It helps clients reach their goals by defining the objective, assessing the current situation, exploring their options, and determining the action steps to move forward.
• TGROW: An extension of the GROW model, with the additional step to determine the Topic or Theme of the coaching process at the beginning.
• OSKAR: Stands for Outcome, Scaling, Know-how, Affirm and Action, and Review. It helps clients achieve their goals by clarifying the outcome, scaling the current situation, identifying know-how and resources, affirming strengths, taking action, and reviewing progress.
• CLEAR: Stands for Contracting, Listening, Exploring, Action, and Review. It starts with establishing a coaching contract, then actively listening to the client, exploring options, defining action steps, and reviewing progress toward goals.
• CIGAR: It generally consists of Current reality, Ideal, Gaps, Action, and Review steps.

Understanding other coaching concepts beyond these frameworks will help you serve clients more effectively. The International Coach Federation (ICF) recognizes these core competencies as foundational to quality coaching.

But those aren’t the complete picture. Here are other coaching tools you can use to help your clients:

• The Wheel of Life: A visual assessment tool that helps clients evaluate and balance different areas of their lives.
• The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): A personality assessment tool classifies individuals into one of 16 personality types. This is based on preferences in four key areas: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving.
• Coaching workbooks: When combined with your coaching sessions, workbooks can help your clients achieve deeper insights and results.

Mastering one tool is better than knowing several in theory. Depending on your coaching style, you can build a signature coaching program that best suits you and the type of clients you work with.

Pro tip: Once you’ve created your methodology and program, try Paperbell for free to launch your coaching packages and website. You can run your entire business, from payments to bookings and automations, from this single platform.

3. Gain Coaching Experience

Your first paid client shouldn’t be the first practice client you work with. Putting in the hours to gain experience will make you more confident and prepared to deliver the transformation your clients invest in. 

Working with a practice client also helps you refine your own personal coaching presence.

You can gain more coaching experience by:

• Signing up for coaching training or coaching certifications that include practice hours
• Pairing up with another beginner coach for regular peer coaching hours
• Offering coaching pro bono to a few initial clients (and being transparent about your current qualifications)

[ Read: 4 Free Life Coach Certification Programs You Can Take Online ]

You don’t have to get certified to get coaching experience. That being said, 73% of coaches believe their clients expect them to have a credential or certification.

As you gain experience, focus on establishing coaching relationships that feel authentic and supportive. A dynamic coaching process requires you to meet clients on a deeply personal level, whether you’re addressing their personal or professional life goals. 

Relationship building is at the heart of effective coaching. This means learning to provide constructive and positive feedback will set you apart as a certified professional coach.

You also have another option if you currently work at a company and have a team to manage. In this case, you can also start incorporating coaching skills and tools into your regular one-on-one meetings with your team. 

In this case, it’s important to let them know when you’re coaching versus managing and that you only coach them on themes related to their job scope.

4. Set up a Business

To be able to offer services legally, you’ll need to register a business.

If you’re not planning to hire people, you can set up a sole proprietorship under your name or an alternative business name (“doing business as”).

If you plan to hire employees (people you pay a part-time or full-time salary to, not contractors), you can register a limited liability company (LLC).

An LLC also has the added benefit that you won’t be personally liable for the charges if your business ever faces a legal dispute. In either case, it’s wise to invest in life coach insurance to protect your business from unforeseen legal issues.

You don’t officially need a business license to get started. That being said, it can help to become certified to build credibility.

Working toward becoming a certified professional life coach can enhance your credibility as you build your business. If you want to become a certified life coach through an accredited program, research options that align with your goals and budget.

Once you officially have a business, make sure you sort out your taxation. We always recommend working with an accountant unless you’re already highly experienced in doing your own bookkeeping. 

Here’s a cheat sheet you can use to deduct taxes as a coach.

Last but not least, you need a business plan. This is important so you can strategically plan your coaching business’s financial and business goals periodically. 

By taking this step, you’ll ensure your goals align with your revenue and lifestyle expectations..

5. Choose a Niche

To establish yourself as an expert, choose a coaching niche that suits your professional interests and skills. Here are the most common coaching niches and what they focus on:

Once you choose your coaching specialty, you can narrow it down to an area of life or a coaching scenario you’re most interested in helping clients with.

For example, as a life coach, you can specialize in mindfulness or managing midlife crises. As a health coach, focus on improving the physical health of people with a sedentary lifestyle or helping busy parents create a healthy meal plan for their families.

6. Set up the Admin Side of Your Business

Many new coaches underestimate the work it takes to manage their practice. Even with the simplest business model, they need to do the following:

• Have each of their clients sign a contract digitally and keep a record of it (this formal coaching agreement establishes clear expectations and protects both you and your client throughout the creative partnership).
• Manage bookings for their coaching sessions while blocking out time for the rest of their business activities.
• Take secure payments for their coaching packages and/or digital products.
• Keep track of how many sessions they’ve offered and delivered to each client in order not to under- or overcharge them.
• Store coaching logs and coaching materials for each client.

Here’s the good news: Paperbell automates all of this for you. It saves you several hours a week that you can spend on coaching or growing your business.

It’s an all-in-one client management tool specifically designed for coaches, and it comes with a fully functional website.

7. Establish a Brand

You can coach without a brand, but growing your business without it is hard. A clear brand identity communicates at a glance who you are to your target audience, makes it easier for the media and other businesses to feature your work, and helps you You can coach without a brand, but growing your business without it is hard. A clear brand identity:

• Communicates at a glance who you are to your target audience
• Makes it easier for the media and other businesses to feature your work
• Helps you attract potential clients more efficiently

Here are the fundamental steps to establish your coaching brand in the industry:

1. Make Your Business Recognizable.

First off, choose a name for your business. It can be your own name if you want to build your coaching business around your personal brand. 

On the other hand, you can also give it a different name tailored to your audience.

[ Read: 3 Tips to Make Your Life Coaching Business Name Stand Out ]

For example, seeing BeWell as your business name, your health coaching clients will immediately think:

“This is for me!” 

On the other hand, the name Illumin8 would draw attention to your core value of finding clarity and inspiration and attract clients seeking more of these in their lives.

Optionally, you can also create a logo for your life coaching business. From choosing an elegant font for your name to designing a full-blown logo with complex symbolism, you can take this as far as you’d like.

[ Read: How to Create a Life Coaching Logo From Vision to Reality ]

As long as all your brand elements align with your business values and vision, it will position you as the coach your ideal clients need.

2. Create a Coaching Website.

Your coaching website is your digital blueprint that shares essential information about:

• Who you are
• What you offer
• Your unique coaching philosophy
• How potential clients can work with you

Additionally, you can feature testimonials from past clients on your website and use lead magnets to grow your email list. 

Paperbell creates a website for you automatically so you can start taking bookings in a flash. It’ll also display your testimonials, opt-in forms, and so much more.

3. Design a Coaching Package.

Charging per session or hour makes it hard to scale your coaching business. A better way to deliver a focused impact to your clients is to structure your services into well-defined packages.

These might include:

• A number of sessions with a set frequency
• Additional group coaching sessions with similar clients
• Courses or educational materials
• Assessments and additional exercises
• Support or accountability through a voice chat app in between sessions

Your coaching package doesn’t need to have too many elements. It can be a series of sessions focused on a clear objective and a few journaling prompts to help your client achieve change. 

Consider what life coaches charge in your niche and price accordingly while delivering exceptional value.

When designing your offering, think about your coaching mindset and how you want clients to experience working with you. A strong personal coaching presence combined with clear deliverables will help you attract the right clients.

If you need help designing your website and packages, check out our free template pack for coaches.

4. Set up Your Communication Channels.

When reaching your audience, the trick is finding out where they will most likely hang out. This could be:

• Facebook: Best for targeted ads, interest-based groups, and events
• Instagram: Great for visual content that showcases your expertise while inspiring your audience to change
• TikTok: The best place to share short and engaging reels with a younger demographic
• LinkedIn: Your place to be as a career, executive, leadership, or business coach

Besides social media, you can also benefit from setting up your communication channels, such as:

• Your blog where you can share expert advice for the queries your clients Google; and
• Your email list, where you can warm up your audience with a regular newsletter

If you coach in person, don’t forget to explore the offline community spaces your clients visit in your area. A good old printed brochure can still work like a charm to attract local clients to your office, especially in more rural areas.

As you create content, remember that clients expect authenticity and expertise. Share insights about personal development, the importance of a coaching mindset, and how you approach personal growth with your clients.

Marketing for coaches can be overwhelming without a team. Don’t jump into creating regular content for five different channels. Instead, start with one first and build from there as your business experience grows.

5. Get Featured.

You can leverage other people’s networks with a solid website that communicates your brand essence and story.

Look for YouTube channels, podcasts, and magazines that your audience follows and that feature professionals similar to you. Pitch your unique coaching approach, philosophy, or mission to them and see if they are willing to get you on their show or interview you.

If writing is your thing, you can also pitch guest post topics to relevant blogs and magazines to get attention to your bio. In both cases, you must do your research on content creators and media that accept pitches and get familiar with their guidelines.

8. Expand Your Business

Finally, craft a vision for sustaining and growing your coaching business in the coming years. If you want to save time on your day-to-day business activities, you can consider hiring a:

• Virtual assistant
• Project manager
• Copywriter
• Designer
• SEO manager
• Course curriculum designer
• Outreach and sales specialist

To increase your business revenue, you can also expand your products and services either:

• Horizontally, by creating new coaching packages and offers for different audiences within your niche; or
• Vertically, by adding courses, books, memberships, events, and other types of products to your portfolio

Think about where you want to take your coaching business in the long run, and write a business plan that supports your objectives.

As you grow, you might also consider how emerging fields relate to your work. Understanding the job outlook for life coaching can help you plan strategically, and the outlook for life coaches remains positive as more people invest in personal development. 

Some coaches expand into adjacent areas like peer specialist support or professional recovery coaches, though these may require additional training.

It’s also worth noting that while most life coaches don’t need advanced degrees, pursuing master’s and doctorate studies in psychology or related fields can open additional opportunities. 

However, remember that coaching is distinct from therapy and shouldn’t address mental health disorders. If a client needs mental health support beyond coaching, refer them to appropriate professionals.

When considering expansion, reflect on your client’s past experiences with your services and what they’ve valued most. This feedback will guide you in creating offerings that truly serve your audience.

Build the Coaching Practice of Your Dreams 

Following the steps in this article will help you build a stable and fulfilling successful coaching business one day at a time. Developing your skills as a certified professional life coach and creating authentic coaching relationships will be the foundation of your success.

But if you want to build your coaching business sustainably, you need solid systems in place to stay efficient and organized. That’s what we designed Paperbell to do. 

Paperbell can streamline the admin side of your business so you can focus on building your dreams. It’s an all-in-one client management tool that handles your bookings, contracts, payments, and more, all managed from a stunning, branded coaching website. Try it for free to launch your coaching site today.

FAQs About Life Coach Requirements

What Credentials Are Needed to Be a Life Coach?

Legally, no specific credentials are required; you can work with clients without being a certified professional coach. However, credentials from a reputable coaching organization like the International Coaching Federation (ICF) can build credibility and help you prove your expertise. 

What Do I Need to Start Life Coaching?

To start coaching, you need to establish a clear niche, develop coaching skills (ideally, through a life coach course or certification programs), create a business plan, and develop a solid online presence to get clients. You should also know what life coaches charge so you can charge accordingly.

What Background Do You Need to Be a Life Coach?

While no specific background is required, studying counseling, psychology, human resources, or related fields can benefit coaches. Many successful life coaches come from diverse professional backgrounds centered around the human experience.

Is It Worth Getting Life Coach Certification?

Earning a life coach certification can be valuable for building your credibility, enhancing your skills, and gaining confidence. Still, it’s essential to research and choose reputable certification programs that align with your goals and values before investing time and money.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2024 and has since been updated for accuracy.

That’s where mental health coaching can help. While it’s not the same as therapy, it gives people practical tools to manage stress, build resilience, and take better care of their well-being. As a coach, it’s important to know exactly what you can (and can’t) offer clients, and how to use evidence-based methods to make a real difference.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to become a certified mental health coach and build a fulfilling career helping people improve their quality of life.

What Do Mental Health Coaches Do?

Mental health coaches help clients improve their emotional well-being, manage stress, and build resilience. They focus on non-clinical challenges, like anxiety, overwhelm, or burnout, without diagnosing or treating mental illness.

Unlike general life coaches, they draw on evidence-based approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), breathwork, and structured coaching frameworks to help clients identify stressors and develop practical coping strategies.

Mental health coaching gives clients concrete tools to manage emotions and improve daily functioning, such as:

• Asking reflective questions that encourage self-awareness
• Offering new perspectives to handle obstacles and emotions
• Building self-compassion by recognizing personal strengths
• Teaching communication and relationship skills
• Creating personalized action steps and keeping clients accountable

Over time, these methods help clients become more self-reliant and confident in managing difficult emotions or situations. Coaching provides both structure and perspective, guiding clients toward long-term habits that support their mental and emotional health.

Pro tip: As your coaching practice grows, Paperbell takes care of your bookings, payments, contracts, website, client surveys, and more. Try it for free with your first client.ne’s life and keep clients accountable for long-term behavior changes supporting their mental health. Clients learn to apply new strategies to their daily lives through personalized assignments and insightful sessions for lasting transformation.

What’s the Difference Between a Mental Health Coach and a Therapist?

Mental health coaches and therapists both support clients in improving their well-being, but they work in different ways.

One of the most significant differences between the two is that therapists can diagnose mental illness, while coaches cannot.

Therapists make these assessments using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. This standardized system helps them:

• Identify symptoms
• Confirm diagnoses
• Create treatment plans based on recognized clinical criteria

In everyday language, terms like anxiety or depression are often used casually, which can blur the line between normal emotional responses and diagnosable conditions.

For example, feeling anxious before a big event is normal, but Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves persistent, excessive worry that disrupts daily life. Similarly, feeling low for a few days is not the same as developing Major Depressive Disorder, which includes prolonged sadness, loss of interest, and impaired functioning.

As a coach, if you notice that a client’s symptoms are affecting their ability to function day to day (struggling to work, care for themselves, or maintain relationships), it’s important to refer them to a licensed mental health professional.

How to Become a Mental Health Coach

If you want to start a career as a mental health coach, you’ll need both specialized training and the right personal qualities.

A background in psychology, counseling, or another mental health-related field can give you a head start, but it’s not required. Many successful coaches build their expertise through accredited coaching programs that focus on mental well-being.

However, strong communication, empathy, and active listening are must-haves for anyone entering this field, as well as staying current on mental health research and best practices.

Here are the three most crucial steps to starting a career in mental health coaching.

1. Get Trained

Most mental health coaches go through specialized training that goes beyond general coaching principles. They learn how to apply evidence-based practices and understand the psychology behind behavior change. Ethical guidelines are also a key part of training, including how to maintain professional boundaries and protect client confidentiality.

Choosing a niche within mental health coaching, such as mindfulness, trauma recovery, or neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), will help you find the right training program and tailor your services to your ideal clients.

Some well-known mental health certification options include:

• Mental Health Coach Certification Training by NLP
• Integrative Mental Health Coach Training Program by the Nickerson Institute
• Master Wellness Certification by Transformation Academy
• Integrative Trauma Practitioner Certification by the Aura Institute

To strengthen your credibility, look for programs accredited by respected organizations such as:

• American Association of Drugless Practitioners
• The Health Coach Alliance
• International Coaching Federation (ICF)

Accredited, specialized training doesn’t just build your skills; it also reassures clients that you’re qualified to support their mental well-being safely and effectively.

2. Gain Experience

If you have a background in social work or fields related to human psychology, you can leverage that experience in your coaching work. However, you should also practice conducting coaching sessions and applying the tools you’ve learned in your training in different coaching scenarios.

If you plan to earn credentials through the ICF, you’ll be required to log a specific number of paid and unpaid coaching hours. Most accredited programs also incorporate practice sessions so you can gain experience before working with real clients.

Alternatively, you can pick up skills by joining peer-coaching groups or practice communities to:

• Exchange feedback
• Refine your coaching style
• Build confidence
• Experience the process from the client’s point of view

Another great way to gain experience is by offering a few pro bono sessions to friends, family, or people in your network. These can help you gain testimonials, refine your process, and even attract future paying clients. Just be sure to set clear expectations and timeframes, treating these sessions as professionally as you would paid ones.

3. Establish Your Practice

Once you’ve completed your training, it’s time to turn your skills into a real business. Start by defining your ideal clients, designing your coaching packages, and setting your rates. Make sure your business is registered so you can handle taxes and contracts properly.

Here are a few ways to start attracting new clients:

• Build a professional online presence with a simple website and active social media profiles.
• Network within your community or industry to build relationships and referrals.
• Share free resources like worksheets or webinars to showcase your expertise.
• Use content marketing (blog posts, newsletters, or videos) to bring in organic leads.
• Partner with complementary businesses (like wellness centers or therapists) to reach more people.
• Experiment with paid ads once you have a clear offer and audience.

As clients start coming in, you’ll also need to manage scheduling, contracts, and payments. Paperbell can take care of your admin and website on a single platform built for coaches.

You can use it to sell packages, run surveys, and automate your email communication. Meanwhile, clients get their dedicated portal to review and manage their contracts, payments, bookings, and the materials you share with them. Try Paperbell for free with your first client.

Can Life Coaches Become Mental Health Coaches?

Yes, life coaches can absolutely transition into health and wellness coaching, including mental health coaching, though it usually requires additional training.

Life coaches are trained to help clients clarify goals, stay accountable, and make meaningful changes in their personal or professional lives.

Mental health coaches, on the other hand, receive specialized education in areas like emotional regulation and stress management. Many also hold degrees or certifications in psychology or mental health coaching to deepen their understanding of human behavior.

While life coaches focus on personal growth, mental health coaches work with clients to manage stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges within a non-clinical scope. They combine core coaching principles with evidence-based strategies to support overall emotional well-being, without diagnosing or treating mental illness.

In short, if you’re already a life coach, becoming a mental health coach can be a natural next step to specialize your services.

How Much Do Mental Health Coaches Charge

Mental health coaching rates vary widely depending on the coach’s credentials, experience, niche, and location. On average, sessions range from $75 to $250 per hour, though established coaches may charge more for specialized support or extended programs.

Many coaches also offer package deals or sliding scale options to make their services more accessible. For example, Jes Baker, a somatic coach, charges $275 for a 90-minute Spirit Team Session and $300 a month for her year-long program, with occasional sliding scale spots.

[ Read: Your Dream Health Coach Website Template Is In This List ]

Your pricing can be just as flexible. The best approach is to research what other coaches in your niche charge, consider your qualifications, and align your rates with what your ideal clients can realistically invest.

How to Get Clients as a Mental Health Coach

Building a successful mental health coaching practice takes visibility, credibility, and consistency. Here are several effective ways to attract clients:

• Create a stunning website: Develop a professional coaching website that shows your expertise, services, and testimonials from past clients. Here’s an example from Gail Turner‑Cooper, Holistic Health Coach.
• Build an online presence: Use social media platforms where your clients will most likely hang out. See how Kim Murray engages her audience on Instagram with mental health-related content.
• Host workshops: Events related to your expertise allow you to reach multiple clients and demonstrate the value of your services. Here’s an example of a workplace mental health program for employees and managers.
• Offer free resources: Blog posts, e-books, and workbooks relevant to mental health can attract potential clients who resonate with your approach. Here’s an example of a Detox Toolbox offered by Joe Roe, Mental Health Coach.

• Network within your industry: Connect with company reps who value employee well-being and potential clients within mental health-related communities. For example, check out the Wellbeing at Work Summit.
• Use online directories: List your profile and coaching services on online directories like CoachCompare to increase your visibility so potential clients can easily find you online.
• Ask for referrals: Encourage satisfied clients to refer their friends or colleagues to you and offer incentives to motivate them to recommend your services.

Ultimately, the best way to grow your practice is to deliver real transformation. When clients experience meaningful progress, they naturally become your strongest advocates.

[ Read: How to Get Coaching Clients: 19 Strategies That Actually Work ]

How to Use Paperbell as a Mental Health Coach

Running a mental health coaching practice takes more than facilitating sessions. Paperbell automates your admin so you can focus on supporting your clients, not managing logistics. Here’s how:

• Speed up client onboarding: Share intake forms, get contracts signed, and collect payments automatically.
• Get bookings while you sleep: Clients can easily book sessions based on your availability, with no back-and-forth emails.
• Track packages and progress: See how many sessions each client has left and keep all session notes in one secure dashboard.
• Offer flexible payment options: Choose between subscriptions, payment plans, or one-time payments.
• Give clients a dedicated portal: Allow clients to manage their bookings, payments, contracts, surveys, and homework on their own.
• Set up a coaching website in minutes: Create a brand-aligned home page and checkout-ready landing pages for your packages.

Try Paperbell free with your first client and see how effortless running your practice can be.

FAQ

What Is the Role of a Mental Health Coach?

A mental health coach helps clients reduce stress, build resilience, and improve overall well-being through goal setting, accountability, and personalized support.

What Is the Difference Between a Therapist and a Mental Health Coach?

Therapists diagnose and treat mental health disorders, while mental health coaches focus on personal growth and emotional wellness without providing clinical treatment.

Can I Call Myself a Mental Health Coach?

Coaching isn’t regulated, so technically, you can call yourself anything you like, but completing accredited mental health coach training helps you gain credibility and ensures you follow ethical best practices.

Who Can I Talk to About My Mental Health for Free?

You can reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. or look for local mental health organizations and community helplines offering free support.

What Tools Do Mental Health Coaches Use?

Common tools for mental health challenges include mindfulness exercises, journaling prompts, intake forms, and progress trackers to help clients reflect, grow, and stay accountable.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2024 and has since been updated for accuracy.

The truth is, business coach certifications can open doors. But it’s not always necessary, which is why I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about business coach certifications, including:

• The difference between certification and courses
• 5 popular business coaching certification programs
• How to choose the right certification for you
• How to set up your business coaching business once you’re certified

Business Coach Certification vs. Business Coach Courses: What’s the Difference?

Before we get into specific programs, it’s important to understand what you’re actually signing up for. 

Not all training programs are created equal. The terms “certification” and “course” often get used interchangeably when they shouldn’t be.

Certification

A certification is a formal credential you earn from an accredited body. It’s a stamp of approval that says you’ve met specific standards in business coaching.

The most recognized accrediting bodies in the coaching world are the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC). These organizations set the standards for what quality coaching looks like and which programs meet those standards.

When you complete an ICF or WABC-accredited program, you’re gaining a credential that’s recognized globally. This demonstrates to potential clients that you’ve been trained to a specific level of coaching skills.

Courses

Business coaching courses are educational training programs that may or may not lead to certification. They’re designed to get you what you need to start performing small business coaching, including:  

• Essential coaching skills
• Coaching principles
• Coaching frameworks
• Business methodologies

Some courses are incredibly valuable and comprehensive to help you achieve coaching excellence. Others are more basic. 

The key difference is that completing a course doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll earn a formal credential recognized by a major coaching body. That being said, several courses do earn you a certification in addition to your new business coaching skills. 

Why This Distinction Matters for Your Career

Let’s say your goal is to build credibility with corporate clients or land coaching contracts with larger organizations. In this case, a coaching certification from a recognized body like ICF or WABC will likely serve you better throughout your coaching journey.

On the other hand, let’s say you’re planning to coach entrepreneurs or small business owners who care more about results than credentials. A high-quality course that teaches you practical business coaching skills might be all you need to get started.

Neither path is inherently better than the other. Both should help you become a great business coach. The best choice depends on your goals, your ideal clients, and how you want to position yourself in the market.

With that being said, let’s jump into the top 5 business coaching certifications available today.

UC Davis Professional Coaching for Life and Work Certificate Program

The UC Davis Professional Coaching for Life and Work Certificate Program is a comprehensive ICF-accredited program that prepares you to coach in both life and business contexts. It’ll also help you learn executive coaching principles.

This program stands out for its academic rigor and the credibility that comes with the UC Davis name. You’ll learn from Master Certified Coach (MCC) and Professional Certified Coach (PCC)-credentialed coaches who bring real-world experience to their teaching.

ICF Accreditation: This program is ICF-accredited and serves as a pathway to both the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and PCC credentials. It includes 150 academic credit hours of coach-specific education and 10 mentor coaching hours.

Cost and Duration: The program fee is $9,500 (payment plans available) and runs for 5 months. Classes take place every other week on Fridays and Saturdays via Zoom.

Best For: Coaches who want the credibility of a university-backed program and value structured, academic-style learning. This program works well for people balancing coaching training with full-time work. It’s also VA benefits eligible.

Transformation Academy Master Entrepreneurship Coach Certification

Transformation Academy’s Master Entrepreneurship Coach Certification is designed for coaches who want to specialize in working with entrepreneurs and startup founders.

What makes this program unique is its focus on entrepreneurship-specific challenges. You’ll learn how to help clients: 

• Gain clarity on their business vision
• Master productivity without burnout
• Build strong business foundations

The program bundles 4 full-length courses together that you can take at your own pace:

• Entrepreneurship Coach
• Business Fundamentals Startup Life Coach
• Productivity Coach
• Your choice of either Resilience Coach or Sales Coach

ICF Accreditation: This program is accredited by the Continuing Professional Development Standards Agency, not ICF.

Cost and Duration: The entire master certification costs $497 with lifetime access to all 4 courses. This is a self-paced online program.

Best For: Coaches on a budget who want to specialize in entrepreneurship coaching and prefer self-paced learning. Perfect for coaches just starting out who want comprehensive training without a major financial commitment.

Mindvalley Certified Business Coach

Mindvalley’s Certified Business Coach program is a 16-week certification that focuses on transformational business coaching and consulting.

What sets Mindvalley apart is its hybrid approach. On top of learning how to coach, you’re also learning consulting skills that enable you to advise on business strategy, operations, and transformation.

The program includes:

• Weekly training on demand to access all the tools you need to learn business coaching skills
• Live Q&A sessions with master coaches
• Hands-on practice sessions
• Access to real coaching demonstrations

ICF Accreditation: This program is ICF-accredited and provides 39 Continuous Coaching Education (CCE) units.

Cost and Duration: After a $200 refundable deposit, the cost is $4,799 for non-Mindvalley members (or $909 monthly on a 6-month plan). For members, it’s $4,299 (or $819 monthly). The program runs 16 weeks with approximately 3 hours per week required.

Best For: Coaches who want to blend coaching with consulting will do well as Mindvalley coaches. It’s also suitable for those who want to work with companies and business leaders on transformational change during times of rapid shifts.

WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™)

The WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) is a globally recognized credential specifically designed for advanced business coaches.

WABC focuses exclusively on business coaching rather than general life coaching. This means every aspect of the training is tailored to coaching in business and organizational contexts.

ICF Accreditation: WABC is its own accrediting body focused specifically on business coaching. The CBC credential is separate from ICF but highly respected in the business coaching community.

Cost and Duration: Cost and duration vary depending on which WABC Accredited program you choose. Programs typically range from 6 to 18 months.

Best For: Coaches with at least 3 years of business coaching experience and 7 years of business and organizational experience who want to formalize their expertise. Also strong for internal coaches working within organizations.

World Coach Institute Certified Business Coach (CBC)

World Coach Institute (WCI) offers multiple paths to becoming a Certified Business Coach. This gives you flexibility based on your learning preferences and experience level.

The most comprehensive pathway for ICF accreditation combines the Certified Professional Coach (CPC) Teleclass with a CBC Self-Study Niche Add-on. This route includes:

• Methodology training
• A coaching practicum
• Buddy coaching
• Business-building mentoring

ICF Accreditation: The CPC Teleclass pathway is ICF-accredited and provides 60 ICF ACSTH-approved coach training hours toward the ACC credential. The complete pathway provides 82 total training hours.

Cost and Duration: Costs range from approximately $2,000 to $5,000 depending on which option you choose. The teleclass meets twice per week for 8 weeks, with each class lasting 3 hours.

Best For: Coaches who want ICF accreditation at a more affordable price point while still getting access to live instruction and peer practice. The buddy coaching component makes this ideal for people who learn best through practice and feedback.

How to Choose the Best Business Coach Certification

With so many business coaching certification programs available, here are the key factors to consider when making your decision.

Consider Your Current Experience Level

If you’re brand new to coaching, look for programs that start with fundamentals like UC Davis and WCI. 

If you already have coaching experience but want to formalize it, you might benefit from a program like WABC’s Portfolio Pathway that validates skills you’ve already developed.

ICF vs. Non-ICF Accreditation

ICF is the gold standard in coaching accreditation. It’s recognized globally across industries. 

If you plan to coach executives or work with large organizations, ICF accreditation gives you instant credibility.

However, not all successful business coaches have ICF credentials. If your ideal clients are entrepreneurs and small business owners who care more about results than credentials, a non-ICF program might serve you just as well while saving you money.

Budget Considerations

Business coaching certification programs range from around $500 to well over $10,000.

• Budget-friendly options ($500-$1,000): Transformation Academy
• Mid-range programs ($2,000-$5,000): World Coach Institute
• Premium programs ($5,000-$10,000+): UC Davis, Mindvalley

Consider not just the upfront cost but also the value you’re getting in terms of mentoring, practice opportunities, and ongoing support.

Time Commitment

Certification programs require anywhere from 3 months to 12+ months to complete. Consider your current schedule realistically. 

If you’re working full-time, a program that meets every other week or offers self-paced learning might be more manageable.

Learning Format Preferences

Some people thrive in live, interactive environments. Others prefer self-paced learning. 

Most programs now offer online or hybrid formats, but the structure varies. Think about how you learn best and choose accordingly.

Your Specific Coaching Niche

If you know you want to work with entrepreneurs and startups, Transformation Academy’s entrepreneurship focus might be perfect. 

For broader business coaching covering everything from individual leaders to organizational transformation, programs like UC Davis, WABC, or WCI offer comprehensive training.

Community and Ongoing Support

The best programs give you access to a community of fellow coaches where you can continue to learn, get referrals, and find support. 

Look for programs that include alumni networks or ongoing professional development opportunities.

How to Set Up Your Business Coaching Business

Getting certified is only the first step. Once you have your credentials, you need to start your coaching business to start working with clients.

Creating Your Coaching Packages and Pricing Structure

Most business coaches offer some combination of:

• One-on-one coaching (typically 3, 6, or 12-month engagements)
• VIP intensive days
• Group coaching programs
• Retainer arrangements

When setting your prices, consider your experience level, credentials, coaching niche, and the transformation you’re helping clients achieve. 

Many new business coaches start around $150 to $300 per session and increase their rates as they gain experience and results.

Setting Up Your Professional Website

Your business coach website needs to clearly communicate:

• Who you help
• How do you help them
• Why they should work with you

At minimum, include: 

• Your coaching packages
• Social proof (such as testimonials or case studies) 
• Your new credentials
• A way to book a discovery call

How Paperbell Streamlines the Business Side

Instead of cobbling together multiple tools for your website, scheduling, payments, contracts, and client management, Paperbell gives you everything in one place.

When you sign up for Paperbell, you get a beautifully designed coaching website that’s ready to go in minutes. 

Your coaching packages are automatically set up with their own landing pages. These Paperbell pages include:

• Built-in scheduling that lets clients book based on your availability
• Payment processing with flexible options (payment plans, pay-in-full discounts, deposits)
• E-signature functionality for contracts built into the booking process
• Automated client communications throughout the client journey
• Client management with all information in one place

You get back the time and mental energy you’d spend managing admin work, so you can focus on what you actually got certified to do: coach clients.

Ready to Get Certified and Start Coaching?

Business coach certifications can absolutely accelerate your coaching career when you choose a program that aligns with your goals, learning style, and ideal clients.

Once you’re certified, setting up your business in a way that lets you actually coach instead of drowning in admin is crucial. That’s exactly what Paperbell does! You’ll get a professional coaching website, client management system, and business automation tools all in one place.

Ready to see how Paperbell can simplify your business coaching practice? Get your free coaching website and start building your business today.

FAQs About Business Coach Certifications

Do I need a business coach certification to start coaching?

No, coaching is unregulated. However, certification builds credibility and demonstrates you’ve been trained to professional standards recognized by bodies like ICF or WABC.

How much does business coach certification cost?

Programs range from around $500 for self-paced online courses to over $10,000 for comprehensive university programs. Most fall in the $2,000 to $5,000 range.

Can I get a business coach certification online?

Yes, nearly all business coaching certification programs are now available fully online or in hybrid formats.

Are there free business coach certification options?

Legitimate certification programs require investment. While you may find free introductory courses, comprehensive programs that meet ICF or WABC standards require payment.

What’s the difference between business coaching and life coaching certification?

Business coaching focuses on helping clients with business goals and challenges (such as blogging for business). Life coaching addresses broader personal development. Business coaching certifications include training on business contexts that general life coaching programs don’t cover.

Some promise instant credibility. Others tout their big-name founders. And plenty of them come with price tags that’ll make your eyes water.

But not all business coaching certification programs are created equal. And the most expensive option isn’t always the best one for your specific situation.

I’ve researched the top business coaching courses available in 2025, checked International Coaching Federation (ICF) accreditation status, and what makes each program unique. By the end of this post, you’ll know about:

• Overview of the top business coaching courses
• How to choose the best business coaching course
• How to set up your business coaching business

Flow Coaching Institute – Business Leadership Coaching Certification

Flow Coaching Institute offers a business leadership coaching certification that combines ICF-accredited training with neuroscience-based flow state methodology. 

What makes Flow stand out is their science-backed approach. You’ll learn how to help clients achieve peak performance states using techniques grounded in neuroscience research. 

The curriculum covers both strategic business coaching and personal transformation work.

Cost and duration: The program runs between 3 weeks and 3.5 months depending on which track you choose. Tuition costs $1,999 for the business program.

ICF accreditation status: Yes, Flow Coaching Institute is ICF-accredited, meaning your certification will be recognized internationally.

Format: The program is delivered online with live virtual training sessions available from anywhere while getting real-time interaction with instructors.

Best for: Professionals who want to work with established business leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs.

Coach Transformation Academy – Business Coaching Certification

Coach Transformation Academy has trained coaches in over 70 countries, making them one of the most globally recognized coaching institutes around. Their business coaching certification is specifically designed for coaching business leaders and organizations, not just individual professionals.

One standout feature is the optional Business Builder module. This addresses something most coaching programs ignore completely: how to actually build a sustainable coaching business.

Cost and duration: The full program includes 125 hours of coach-specific training when starting from scratch. If you’ve already completed 60 hours of ICF coaching training or hold an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential, the program can be shortened to 65 hours. Contact them directly for pricing.

ICF accreditation status: Yes, this program is ICF-accredited for 125 hours of coach-specific training.

Format: Coach Transformation Academy offers incredible flexibility with multiple options: 

• Fast-track intensive sessions
• Weekend workshops
• Weekly classes
• Online virtual training
• In-person workshops in Dubai and Singapore

Best for: Professionals who need scheduling flexibility and want internationally recognized credentials.

Small Business Coach Training – Small Business Coaching Foundations Course

Small Business Coach Training, as the name suggests, takes a radically different approach by focusing exclusively on one market: small business owners. 

This is an 8-week program that teaches core coaching skills while earning you 30 ICF CCEUs. What makes this program unique is its laser focus on small businesses. You’ll learn to coach specifically in this context by learning about:

• Leadership
• Operations
• Financial management
• Team building
• Marketing strategy

After completing the foundations course, you can pursue deeper certification through multiple pathways. This includes programs that qualify you for ICF ACC and Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentials.

Cost and duration: The foundations course runs for 8 weeks. The self-paced program costs $597, but the instructor-led classes, which are needed for the ICF accreditation, costs $797.

ICF accreditation status: The foundations course provides 30 ICF CCEUs. The full certification pathways are ICF-accredited at Level 1 (ACC) and Level 2 (PCC) depending on which track you choose.

Format: All programs are delivered online. Each class lasts 90 minutes.

Best for: Consultants, economic development officers, marketing professionals, accountants, bookkeepers, and anyone who already works with small business owners. If you want to specialize in helping businesses under 100 employees succeed, Systems Business Coach provides the most targeted training available.

Transformation Academy – Master Entrepreneurship Coach Certification

Transformation Academy takes a bundled approach that combines four full-length courses into one comprehensive, low-cost certification program. 

The Master Entrepreneurship Coach Certification includes: 

• Entrepreneurship Coach Certification (a step-by-step process for helping clients find clarity about the business they want to create)
• Business Fundamentals Startup Life Coach course (covering business plans, structure, taxation, funding, and marketing)
• Productivity Coach Certification (helping clients achieve more without burnout)
• Your choice of either Resilience Coach Certification or Sales Coach Certification

Cost and duration: The complete bundle costs $497 with lifetime access. The program is self-paced, so you can complete it as quickly or slowly as your schedule allows. Transformation Academy backs the program with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ICF accreditation status: Transformation Academy’s program is accredited by the Continuing Professional Development Standards Agency (CPD) rather than ICF. While this means you won’t earn ICF credentials directly through this program, the CPD accreditation still adds credibility to your coaching practice.

Format: The program is 100% online and self-paced. You can access all course materials immediately upon enrollment.

Best for: Coaches who want to specialize in helping entrepreneurs and startups, especially if you’re budget-conscious or want lifetime access to materials. It’s also ideal if you want a comprehensive business coaching certification that covers multiple specialties in one package.

Alison – Becoming a Professional Business Coach

Alison, which is partially government-supported, offers a completely free course called “Becoming a Professional Business Coach” that provides an accessible entry point into the coaching profession. This CPD-accredited course covers essential business coaching fundamentals including:

• Effective communication skills (active listening and constructive feedback)
• Proven coaching models like GROW and CLEAR
• How to assess client needs and set achievable goals

Cost and duration: The course is completely free and requires 1.5 to 3 hours to complete. You can upgrade to receive a physical certificate for a small fee.

ICF accreditation status: This course is not ICF-accredited. However, it is CPD-accredited, which demonstrates to potential employers or clients that you’ve invested time developing your coaching capabilities.

Format: The course is 100% online and self-paced, available in both English and Spanish.

Best for: Complete beginners who want to explore business coaching before committing to more expensive certification programs. 

How to Choose the Best Business Coaching Course

Now that you know what’s out there, how do you actually choose the right business coaching course for your situation?

Consider your budget and time commitment

Be realistic about what you can afford and how much time you have available. Business coaching courses range from completely free (Alison) to several thousand dollars for comprehensive certification programs. 

Time commitment varies dramatically too. You can complete Alison’s course in an afternoon, while comprehensive programs like Coach Transformation Academy or Systems Business Coach require several months of study and practice.

ICF accreditation vs non-accredited programs

ICF accreditation isn’t absolutely required to call yourself a business coach or build a successful practice. However, it does provide several advantages:

• ICF-accredited programs are recognized globally.
• It signals to potential clients that you’ve met rigorous professional standards.
• If you plan to work with corporate clients or want to pursue advanced ICF credentials, you’ll need ICF-accredited training hours.

Online vs in-person learning preferences

Think about how you learn best. Most business coaching courses in 2025 are delivered online, which makes sense given how many coaches work virtually with clients anyway. 

But you may be someone who learns better in person or via synchronous online learning. Some courses on this list only offer self-paced programs.

Your specific coaching niche goals

Different programs prepare you for different types of coaching niches, even within the business coaching niche. 

Before choosing a course, get clear on who you want to serve:

• Small businesses
• Startups
• Large corporations
• Non-profits
• Local businesses, etc.

Check reviews and alumni success stories

Before investing in any business coaching program, look for evidence that graduates are actually building successful practices:

• Check for testimonials on the program website
• Search independently for reviews from past students
• Look for specific success stories (not just generic praise)

How to Set Up Your Business Coaching Business

Getting certified is just the first step. Once you’ve completed your training, you need to actually build a coaching business that attracts clients and generates income.

Creating your coaching packages

Most new coaches make the mistake of offering single sessions instead of packages. The problem with single sessions is that coaching requires time to create real transformation. 

Instead, create packages that give you time to make a genuine impact. A typical coaching package might include:

• Six sessions over three months
• Twelve sessions over six months
• Four sessions over one month
• Any other combination that makes sense for your business

Setting your rates

Pricing your coaching can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re just starting out. 

New coaches often start between $100 and $300 per session, bundled into packages. As you gain experience and results, you can increase your rates. 

Experienced business coaches with strong track records often charge $500 to $1,000+ per session.

Don’t undervalue your services just because you’re new. Remember that even fresh out of certification, you have valuable business experience plus professional coaching training.

Using Paperbell to streamline client management, payments, and scheduling

Once you start attracting clients, you need systems to manage the business side of coaching. This is where many coaches get bogged down in administrative chaos.

Paperbell solves this problem by putting everything you need in one platform, including your coaching website. Instead of fighting against a drag-and-drop tool or learning HTML to create a website, Paperbell creates a beautiful, branded site for you.

But it’s not just a website. It’s a fully functional business management tool. You can:

• Create your coaching packages (they’ll automatically appear on your website).
• Send your package links to potential clients (and allow them to purchase or book themselves into your calendar, no invoices needed).
• Integrate contracts, intake forms, automated email reminders, and digital downloads for your clients.

Your clients also get their own portal where they can access session notes, resources you’ve shared, and upcoming appointments. For business coaches offering group programs, Paperbell handles that too.

Try it for free today to get your website and coaching tool up and running in minutes.

Building your website and online presence

Once you’ve got your website up and running (like your Paperbell site), it’s time to build visibility where your ideal clients spend time. 

If you’re coaching entrepreneurs, you probably want an active presence on LinkedIn and Instagram. If you’re coaching corporate executives, LinkedIn becomes even more important.

Start Building Your Coaching Business Today

The business coaching industry is growing rapidly, and there’s never been a better time to get certified and launch your practice. 

The right business coaching course gives you more than credentials. It gives you the skills, confidence, and methodology to genuinely help business owners and leaders solve complex challenges. 

Ready to get started? Explore these business coaching programs, book consultation calls where needed, and choose the certification that aligns with your goals. Then set up your free Paperbell account to create your coaching website, packages, and client management system. 

FAQs About Business Coaching Courses

Are business coaching courses worth it?

Yes, if you choose the right program. Quality business coaching courses give you proven methodologies, practical skills, and credentials that help you attract clients. The investment typically pays for itself within your first few clients.

How much do business coaching courses cost?

Business coaching courses range from free (Alison) to several thousand dollars for comprehensive ICF-accredited programs. 

Can I take business coaching courses online?

Absolutely. Most business coaching courses in 2025 are available online, giving you flexibility to learn from anywhere. Programs like Flow Coaching Institute, Small Business Coach Training, and Transformation Academy are all delivered virtually.

Do I need ICF accreditation to be a business coach?

No, ICF accreditation isn’t legally required to call yourself a business coach. However, it does provide credibility, especially with corporate clients, and it’s necessary if you want to pursue professional ICF credentials like ACC or PCC.

What’s the difference between business coaching and life coaching?

Business coaching focuses specifically on business outcomes like revenue growth, leadership development, and operational improvement. Life coaching addresses broader personal goals. Many coaches blend both approaches in their practice.

ChatGPT can help you overcome writer’s block and generate endless ideas for your marketing campaigns, but only if you give it the right prompts.

In this guide, we’ll break down the secret to crafting effective ChatGPT prompts for your marketing strategy and lead you through 90 concrete examples, including:

• 90 best ChatGPT prompts for marketing your coaching business
• What are ChatGPT prompts?
• The benefits and downsides of using ChatGPT prompts for marketing your coaching business
• How to create effective ChatGPT marketing prompts

What Are ChatGPT Prompts?

ChatGPT prompts are specific instructions or input provided to the ChatGPT AI tool to generate responses for you. These prompts might be:

• Questions you’re seeking answers to
• Requests for pro-con lists to ease decision-making
• Generating a list of content ideas, channels, or an entire marketing strategy
• Getting outlines for copywriting and long-form writing
• Receiving inputs for planning your marketing campaigns

If you want your ChatGPT prompts to work, you must:

• Clearly communicate your intent
• Ask specific questions
• Provide as much context as possible 
• Detail your current marketing strategy if applicable

The more detailed and concrete your prompt is, the more tailored and relevant the generated output will be.

For instance, if you want ChatGPT to help you write a marketing email for your coaching services, your prompt might include: 

• Your target audience (and potentially, an entire avatar description) 
• Your coaching niche
• The tone of voice you want to speak in
• Examples of successful emails you’ve written before (or email swipes from other coaches)
• An email or copywriting framework (or template) to use
• All the specific details you want to highlight in your email

ChatGPT then generates a response based on your input and the data it was trained on.

So, how to use ChatGPT for marketing your coaching business? You can ask it to:

• Generate ideas for your marketing campaigns
• Craft draft emails for your coaching clients
• Get a list of subject line options for your email campaigns
• Come up with new names for your coaching packages
• Generate texts for a Facebook ad
• Create outlines for your blog articles
• Write social media captions for your social media marketing
• Come up with new taglines for your website
• Create a new structure for your website or digital marketing deck
• Get new suggestions for workshop ideas, webinar topics, or other content creation ideas
• Run research on topics that don’t require real-time data
• Seek advice on solving specific problems in your marketing strategy
• Generate new coaching questions to use in specific scenarios
• Develop coaching exercises to use with your clients
• Figure out how to price your coaching services

Pro tip: Want to save even more time running your coaching business? Try Paperbell for free to launch a beautiful coaching website, manage scheduling and payments, share your offers, and manage your clients from a single platform.

The Benefits of Using ChatGPT Prompts for Marketing Your Coaching Business

1. It Saves You Time (When Used Right)

Once you get the hang of it, ChatGPT can save you time by generating a long list of ideas or completing marketing tasks in seconds. It can also:

• Lay out the data and insights you need to make marketing decisions
• Get you started with your copywriting process or campaign planning
• Run a competitor analysis
• Help you get work done hands-free (via speech recognition)

It takes some time to learn how to use AI tools to automate marketing tasks, but by the time you get through this article, you’ll be armed with the know-how to do just that.

[ Read: How To Leverage AI for Coaches (Without Losing What Makes You Unique) ]

2. It Helps You Overcome Writer’s Block

There’s nothing worse than sitting in front of a blank page, not knowing where to start. A strong structure and outline for your posts and web pages can get you unstuck and make writing easier. 

ChatGPT can help you brainstorm that structure. Instead of creating content ideas or an article outline from scratch (which takes up a lot of brain space), you can ask your AI buddy to do it for you.

3. It’s a Free (or Low-Cost) Solution

ChatGPT has a free plan where you can get limited access to the most up-to-date model. As of October 2025, that is GPT-5. If you want extended usage as well as access to voice mode and the ability to create your own custom GPT (like to create an AI coach version of yourself), you’ll need to upgrade to the $20/month or $200/month plans:

The Downsides of Using ChatGPT Prompts for Marketing Your Coaching Business

1. It’s Not Error-Free

ChatGPT isn’t perfect. You still need to run the texts it generates through a tool like Grammarly to avoid spelling mistakes and other errors. 

You also need to fact-check what it suggests using reliable sources and make sure you cite proprietary concepts and ideas properly to avoid legal trouble. This is because, like other AI models, ChatGPT is known to “hallucinate” false events or facts.

ChatGPT also often warns its users about the fact that it doesn’t read real-time data. Every new model gets a knowledge update, but currently, even its most up-to-date model has a knowledge cutoff (at the time of writing this article) of October 2024.

So basically, not much help with timely content pieces.

2. It Doesn’t Think Like a Human

ChatGPT is great at churning out data but lacks contextual thinking and emotional intelligence, which are crucial for great marketing. 

If you don’t edit what it suggests and think through your campaigns critically, AI-generated content can seriously damage your brand image.

Here’s another way to think about it: OpenAI and other large language model (LLM) creators may call their products “AI”, but in reality, they are not a “true” artificial intelligence. The way they work is more closely related to a much more powerful version of the text predictor on your smartphone.

This means these models are incapable of producing unique ideas. And unique ideas are what will help you stand out from other coaches.

3. Low Ranking for Your SEO Campaigns

In the last few years, Google has become increasingly adamant about ranking content with the E-E-A-T factors in mind:

• Experience
• Expertise
• Authoritativeness
• Trustworthiness

In the article linked above, Google mentions that Trustworthiness is the most important factor. How trustworthy can an article be if it relies on a machine that has a knowledge cutoff in 2024 and is known to hallucinate false facts?

This is especially true for legal and medical content, where misinformation can create a lot of damage (business and health coaches beware). So, while we all wish ChatGPT could write articles like this for us while chilling on a beach, those margaritas have to wait.

How to Create Effective ChatGPT Marketing Prompts

Whereas, if you specify the topic you want to write about, your caption will be tailored accordingly.

1. Involve It in Your Thought Process

Thinking in a vacuum, without anyone to bounce ideas with, is tiring. Luckily, ChatGPT is always there to brainstorm with you. 

You can ask it to:

• Break down marketing processes for you
• Spill out new content ideas
• Evaluate the pros and cons of a particular marketing initiative
• Analyze a piece of copy that performed well and explain why it thinks it worked (and how you can apply that to your marketing)

You do need to take everything ChatGPT says with a pinch of salt, but it can give you an overview of things that will help you refine your marketing efforts.

Here’s an example of an output ChatGPT gave me once I used this prompt:

“You are an expert email marketing strategist. Analyze the following marketing email and tell me: 

1. What makes this email effective? 

2. Give me ideas to apply this email framework in an email to promote my coaching services

[insert the successful email here]”

Newer models such as GPT-5 go into a lot of detail with a prompt like the above. As you can see below, the model spits out several lines to break down the email and how to apply it:

2. Get Specific

One of the secret ingredients of engaging and impactful content is specificity. Generic and vague marketing messages are a turn-off for your target audience because they make it sound like you’re not speaking to them. 

The more specific your queries are, the better the ideas and texts will be in ChatGPT’s responses. For example, if you’re just asking for a generic post for your social media, it will be nothing short of blah.

Whereas if you specify the topic you want to write about, your caption will be tailored accordingly.

We’re still not winning a Pulitzer prize for this, but at least our caption stayed on the story, and we have a few more tricks up our sleeves to make it better. Keep reading.

3. Share All Relevant Details

The more ChatGPT knows about your campaign, the better it will be able to tailor its suggestions to it. You can let the AI model know about:

• Format: Define whether it’s a social media post, article outline, tagline, or email template you need.
• Length: How many words should your email be? How many title suggestions do you need?
• Other successful examples: The more ChatGPT can see what an ideal output looks like, the better YOUR output will be.
• Target audience: Who is your campaign addressing? What pain points does your product solve for them?
• Your brand and services: What’s your specialization as a coach and what services do you offer? What product does your current campaign revolve around?
• Your actual knowledge: Don’t get ChatGPT to come up with the actual expertise for you. Braindump what you know about the topic you want it to write about instead of asking it to do that work.

These details are worth laying out beforehand for your campaign anyway. If you do, it will help ChatGPT give you better responses.

In the past, you had to worry about ChatGPT running out of “context”. An LLM’s context window is how much data it can retain at once before beginning to “forget” the earliest parts of the conversation.

Today’s models have a much larger context window than the first models, which means you can insert a lot more input data into your prompts than before. Make the most of it.

4. Train it on Your Brand Voice

Tonality isn’t really relevant for generating ideas and getting some perspective for planning, but it is for your copy. In most cases, the problem isn’t with the factual information ChatGPT suggests but with the tone in which it communicates. 

You can give it inputs on your tone of voice to describe its characteristics:

• Is your brand voice humorous or serious?
• Is it formal or casual?
• Irreverent or respectful?
• Matter-of-fact or enthusiastic?

Tonality and personal writing style are the hardest for ChatGPT to learn, but the model is constantly improving. It’s always worth giving it instructions on how it should phrase things.

Besides describing your brand voice, you can also give ChatGPT examples of your previous writing (or your competitor’s) that best resemble what you’re looking for.

5. Revise

Working with ChatGPT is a lot about trial and error. While the below prompts will give you a huge head start, you probably still need to tweak them here and there to get the results you’re looking for.

The AI tool generates unique real-time responses, meaning it never gives the same answer to you or me. If you feel like its output is not quite it, you can:

1. Edit your prompt to be more specific about what you want.
2. Ask ChatGPT to regenerate its response, meaning have it say the same thing differently.
3. Type “continue” to ask for more details on the subject that hasn’t been shared before.

But you can also use the output as a starting point and revise yourself to really get it right.

90 Best ChatGPT Prompts for Marketing Your Coaching Business

How To Use These Prompts For Maximum Efficiency

The prompts below aren’t meant to be copy and pasted. Instead, use them as a starting point to help ChatGPT think like you do.

To get the most of them:

• Follow our above guidelines to create effective prompts: Don’t just use the single line as a prompt. Layer in all of your context to give it more info about you and your coaching business.
• Ask for variations: Today’s AI models are great at giving you options. Don’t settle for a single version of a marketing asset. Instead, ask for multiple options and choose the one you prefer.
• Turn ideas into systems: Rather than treating each prompt as a one-off, think in terms of frameworks. For example, use one content prompt to build a 30-day social media calendar or an entire email sequence, not just a single post.
• Refine iteratively: Don’t settle for the first draft. Give feedback, tighten, and build layered prompts that improve with each round.
• Layer in your personality: Even the most advanced AI can’t replace your unique story, experience, or voice. Once you generate the first draft, add your personal examples, favorite metaphors, or stories from real clients.

15 ChatGPT Prompts for Defining the Brand Identity of Your Coaching Business

1. Brand name: Generate a list of unique brand names for a coaching business focused on [specific niche].
2. Target audience persona: Describe the characteristics and interests of the typical target audience for my [niche] coaching business.
3. Mission statement: Give me suggestions for a mission statement that communicates [purpose and values] for my coaching business.
4. Tagline: Craft a memorable tagline that encapsulates the essence of my coaching business and its impact. [insert specialization and the types of services you offer]
5. Origin story: Develop a narrative from the following details that tell the story of how my coaching business came into existence and its journey so far.
6. Brand voice: Define the tone and style of communication that a coaching brand should use across all platforms.
7. Brand personality: Define the personality traits (e.g., friendly, professional, innovative) commonly associated with coaching brands.
8. Color palette: Suggest a brand color palette that reflects trust, growth, and positivity for my coaching brand.
9. Logo design: Describe a logo design that combines [symbol/element] with [symbol/element] to represent my coaching business.
10. Visual language: Suggest visual elements (icons, patterns, etc.) that can be used consistently across the branding materials of a coaching business.
11. Design elements: Recommend design ideas for business cards, letterheads, and other branding collateral.
12. Font styles: Recommend font styles for my coaching brand that convey [inset brand values].
13. Brand partnerships: Suggest potential brand partnerships or collaborations that align with [brand values] of my coaching brand.
14. Brand consistency: Outline a strategy for maintaining a consistent and engaging online presence for the coaching brand.
15. Brand evolution: Describe how the coaching brand could evolve its identity over time while maintaining core values.

15 Marketing Prompts for ChatGPT That Help Develop a Campaign for a Coaching Product

1. Campaign Objective: List possible campaign objectives to evaluate for [coaching product].
2. Marketing channels: What channels can I consider for selling a [coaching product]?
3. Marketing funnel: Describe a marketing funnel that converts free sign-ups into paying customers for [coaching product].
4. Timeline: What’s a reasonable timeline for a marketing campaign that involves [main campaign elements]?
5. Target Audience Definition: Describe the characteristics, interests, and pain points of the ideal audience for [coaching product].
6. Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Generate a compelling statement highlighting the unique benefits that set [coaching product] apart from similar products.
7. Content Strategy: Outline a content strategy for the campaign for [coaching product], including blog topics, social media posts, and video content.
8. Email Sequence: Create a storyboard for an email sequence selling [coaching product].
9. Landing Page Structure: Create the structure for a landing page that’s optimized for converting visitors into buyers for [coaching product].

10. Influencer Collaboration: Suggest potential influencers or thought leaders who could collaborate with the campaign to extend its reach.
11. Limited-Time Offer Copy: Write copy for a limited-time offer associated with the coaching product, creating a sense of urgency.
12. Interactive Campaign Element: Propose an interactive element, such as a quiz or poll, that engages the audience and encourages participation.
13. Ad campaign: Give me 10 short ad copy variations for a campaign selling [coaching product].
14. Free event ideas: Develop an idea for a webinar or workshop that can serve as a key component of the marketing campaign for [coaching product].
15. Analytics: Suggest KPIs and metrics to measure and analyze the effectiveness of my marketing campaign.

15 ChatGPT Prompts for Your Content Marketing Efforts

1. Social Media Hashtags: Create a list of relevant hashtags for social media posts related to [coaching brand/product].
2. Social Media Bio: Create a concise and engaging bio for the coaching business’s social media profiles.
3. LinkedIn content: Create a social media content plan for a [niche] coaching service on LinkedIn.
4. Video scripting: Craft an attention-grabbing script for a promotional video about personal development coaching.
5. X Content: Write a series of tweets to boost awareness of a [niche] coaching program.
6. Infographics: Develop an infographic on the benefits of hiring a business coach for entrepreneurs.
7. Email newsletters: Generate content for an email newsletter promoting a time management coaching workshop.
8. Podcast episodes: Write a podcast script discussing stress management tips for a mental health coaching business.
9. Instagram captions: Draft an Instagram caption for a motivational quote related to fitness coaching.
10. Webinars: Brainstorm ideas for a webinar promoting a leadership coaching program.
11. Pinterest: Craft a Pinterest description for an infographic on achieving work-life balance through coaching.
12. Facebook: Generate a Facebook post introducing a new coaching package for productivity improvement.
13. Ebooks: Develop an outline for a downloadable ebook on nutrition coaching tips for a healthier lifestyle.
14. Instagram stories: Craft a series of Instagram stories highlighting quick tips from a career coaching session.”
15. TikTok: Generate [X] content ideas for a TikTok video showcasing a day in the life of a fitness coaching client.

15 ChatGPT Prompts for Website and Blog Post Copy

1. Blog post ideas: Generate engaging blog post ideas for promoting a life coaching business.
2. Meta descriptions: Generate a catchy meta description for a life coaching website homepage.

3. Outlines: Create an outline for a blog post about the benefits of executive coaching for professionals.
4. Content generation: Write out the following section of this outline in an informal but matter-of-fact tone: [insert outline].
5. Blog post introduction: Write a short introduction for a blog post about the importance of stress management and how coaching can help you achieve it.
6. Revisions: Rewrite this excerpt from a blog post with more detail about [topic].
7. Expanding listicles: Suggest 10 more ways single moms can manage their time better for a listicle.
8. Reviews: Evaluate the pros and cons of using [software name].
9. Headlines: Give me 10 headline ideas for an article about the latest health and wellness trends that start with a number and are a maximum of 70 characters.
10. Website structure: Create an effective structure for a brand website of a health and wellness coach.
11. Hero section: Write three variations for the hero section on a website focusing on career coaching.
12. About page: Generate a narrative-style biography from the following resume [insert coaching resume].
13. Services section: Write short descriptions for the following career coaching services to be placed on a website: 1-on-1 coaching, group coaching, and 6-month intensive with accountability.
14. Website section copy: List 10 unique selling propositions for the website of a coaching program that focuses on self-love and confidence.
15. Testimonial template: Create a template for a concise but convincing testimonial I can share with past coaching clients to ask for recommendations.

15 ChatGPT Prompts for Email Communication & Email Marketing

1. Onboarding email: Write a short welcome email for a new client with a link where they can settle their payment and book their first session.
2. Follow-up email: Write a maximum 100-word follow-up email for a client who missed paying their coaching fees.
3. Session confirmation: Write a short email confirming the date and time of a coaching session booked with a client.
4. Firing a coaching client: Write a short email in a professional, matter-of-fact voice to fire a client who has been repeatedly breaking our contract terms.
5. Session outputs: Generate a maximum 300-word coaching session output that summarizes the following audio recording transcript: [insert transcript].
6. Session materials: Write a short email for a coaching client with a link where they can access the materials included in their coaching package.
7. Subject lines: Compose an engaging subject line for a coaching newsletter about setting and achieving goals.
8. Email funnel copy: Generate an opening paragraph for a welcome email to new subscribers of a life coaching blog.
9. Accountability emails: Write a follow-up email to a coaching client expressing encouragement and tracking progress.
10. Reminder email: Write a friendly reminder email to coaching clients about an upcoming group coaching session.
11. Sales email: Write an email reaching out to previous clients with a new coaching package.
12. Content promotion for an email list: Write a short email announcing a new blog post on productivity tips.
13. Email newsletters: Write an email to coaching clients sharing insights on overcoming common mindset challenges.
14. Signature ideas: Give me 10 friendly signature ideas I can use when sending emails to my health coaching clients.
15. Newsletter ideas: Generate 10 ideas for newsletters I can send to my email list about the abundance mindset.

15 ChatGPT Prompts for Public Relations

1. PR strategy: Share the pros and cons of common PR strategies coaches use.
2. Marketing events: Generate ideas for free events or webinars to promote my coaching brand and connect with my audience.
3. Elevator pitch: Create a PR pitch highlighting my unique coaching approach and success stories for media outreach based on the following bio: [insert coaching bio].
4. Press release: Draft a press release announcing the launch of a new coaching product and how it revolutionizes the market based on these points: [details in bullet points].
5. Media coverage: Suggest 10 long-standing coaching magazines that have featured interviews with coaches in the past.
6. Coaching bio: Create a concise and compelling bio for a relationship coach with 5 years of experience and a Level 2 ICF certification to be featured in an industry publication.

7. Case studies: Draft a social media announcement to share a recent client success story and its impact.
8. Awards announcement: Craft an announcement for winning an industry award or recognition as a business coach, focusing on gratitude and announcing new client intake.
9. Article submissions: Suggest ideas for article submissions I can pitch to leading coaching magazines.
10. Press outreach: Draft an email to connect with a journalist or reporter to establish an ongoing relationship for future coverage.
11. LinkedIn posts: Write a LinkedIn post showcasing my expertise in adoption coaching.
12. Partnerships: Compose an email pitch to invite a TikTok influencer to experience my coaching services free of charge.
13. Affiliate marketing: Write an email to a blog editor that proposes a potential collaboration to feature my coaching services in their newsletter.
14. Podcasting: Give me 10 ideas for new podcasts I can start as a spirituality coach in order to showcase my perspective and expertise.

Talking points: Generate talking points that I can use during a webinar interview about the impact of social media on children.

Automate Your Coaching Business with Paperbell

You’ve now got 90 powerful ChatGPT prompts to market your coaching business more efficiently. Why not take the next step and automate how you run your entire business?

Paperbell takes care of your contracts, scheduling, payments, and client onboarding so you can focus on coaching, not admin. Try Paperbell now for free to launch your beautiful, automated coaching website in minutes.

FAQs About ChatGPT Prompts for Marketing

What are the best ChatGPT prompts for marketing?

The best ChatGPT prompts for marketing are specific, detailed, and include context about your coaching niche, target audience, brand voice, and campaign goals. Effective prompts also share examples of successful content you’ve created before and clearly define the format and length you need. 

How to ask ChatGPT to create a marketing plan?

To ask ChatGPT to create a marketing plan, provide details about your coaching services, target audience pain points, current marketing channels, budget constraints, and timeline. Be specific about your goals and ask it to break down the plan into actionable steps with KPIs to measure success.

How to write AI prompts for marketing?

To write AI prompts for marketing, clearly communicate your intent, ask specific questions, and provide as much context as possible about your coaching business and target audience. Include details like tone of voice, successful examples, and relevant brand information.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2023 and has since been updated for accuracy.

Let’s explore how you can create a step-by-step plan for your coaching process to maximize the results you deliver, including:

• What a coaching plan is
• What to include in a coaching plan
• How to write a coaching plan
• A free coaching plan template

What is a Coaching Plan?

A coaching plan is a structured framework that outlines the goals and strategies of a coaching engagement. This strategic planning coaching tool does the following:

• Serves as a roadmap for the coaching process with a clear direction for both the coach and the client
• Defines the client’s desired outcomes
• Breaks goals down into key milestones to keep the sessions on track throughout the coaching journey
• Track tangible progress as you provide constructive feedback and offer ongoing support

Without these key benefits, both you and your client might float aimlessly, lack tangible results, and miss opportunities. But by coaching with a plan, you can track and evaluate your client’s progress at every step and keep them accountable to take action. 

Your plan should be: 

• Individualized to each client upon your initial assessment and tailored to their aspirations and challenges
• Clear enough to move the client’s steady progress in the desired direction as you provide client feedback
• Flexible enough to evolve as new insights emerge during the coaching relationship as you track progress

Pro tip: Want to keep your coaching plan in one place with your bookings, payments, contracts, digital resources, and more? Try Paperbell for free to start running your coaching business from a single platform.

What to Include in a Coaching Plan

The most important part of an effective coaching plan is the client’s desired outcome when working with you. This should be clearly defined in your very first session with them and inform other elements of your coaching plan, such as:

• Clear objectives that support that outcome
• The key measurable milestones that will signal progress
• The action plan required to reach them
• A specific timeline with practical steps
• The evaluation criteria for the client’s goals
• How you provided actionable feedback while guiding clients

The objectives you first define with your client might shift throughout their personal development. An “aha” moment could prompt them to refine their goals or head in a new direction.

For example, your client might come to you with a desire to build a million-dollar business. However, after digging deeper into their real motivations, they might discover that their true business goals are about wanting to feel seen and have a sense of purpose. These goals can be achieved in simpler ways.

[ Read: 12 Types Of Coaches and How They Win Clients In Their Niches ]

How to Write a Coaching Plan

Here’s how to write a clear plan that aligns your coaching framework with your client’s goals and leads to meaningful results.

1. Establish Clear Goals.

Begin by working with the client to clearly define their goals and desired outcomes for the coaching engagement. This is the time to dream. Remove any mental limitations and encourage your client to expand their frame of mind.

For example, you can ask them:

• If everything were possible, what would you want to achieve?
• What would you do if time and money weren’t an issue for you?
• What did you always wish you could’ve done but never had the chance to?

It’s also worth exploring their core motivations to achieve these coaching goals. A technique that helps do this is the five “whys.” By repeatedly asking your client why their objectives matter to them, you can get to the root of their desires and make sure they are aiming for what matters. 

Once you know your client’s goals, you can refine them with the SMART goals framework. Make sure their objectives are:

• Specific: Clarify the fine details of the goal, for example, by answering who, what, where, when, and why.
• Measurable: Make sure there’s a way to determine when the goal is achieved.
• Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic and attainable, given the resources available.
• Relevant: Align the goal with the client’s values, priorities, and ultimate vision.
• Time-bound: Make sure the goal can be completed within a set time frame (more about this later).

2. Break The Goals Down.

Big goals, even SMART goals, can feel overwhelming to act on. To make them more digestible, define some clear milestones for them. For example:

• Running research to gather new information
• Acquiring new skills to be able to work towards the goal
• Getting the resources necessary to move on
• Seeking out people who can help with their knowledge, advice, or support
• Carrying out a smaller version of the same project
• Developing a smaller version of the final outcome into something bigger

If your client wants to launch a new business, an actionable plan with key milestones for them could include:

• Identifying their target market and niche
• Registering their business
• Developing their first product
• Creating branding materials, such as a website and a professional biography
• Testing and refining their product with a focus group
• Launching marketing campaigns to build brand awareness and attract customers
• Monitoring their sales performance and developing new strategies

Provide guidance to your clients during this process. However, make sure they articulate their own objectives for themselves. Their goals and key milestones should be something they can wholeheartedly commit to.

3. Establish the Timeline.

Goals are only effective if they are tied to a specific timeline. While big goals and milestones can have a broader deadline (for example, buying a new property in 5-10 years), short-term and mid-term steps should be defined within a specific time frame.

Your coaching plan should ideally revolve around a key milestone of personal growth. For example, you may agree with your client to work towards overcoming their stage fright in the next 3 months. 

This way, they know what overarching objectives they are working towards while committing to a specific coaching process with you on a key target.

Writing down the exact date for a goal in your client notes can be extremely motivating. For example, “I’ll make my first sale by 31st March.” 

With Paperbell, you can store all your client notes and information in one place and refer back to them any time you need to. This makes it easier to review progress when providing feedback sessions.

4. Define Accountability Measures. 

Once a timeline is clear, define action steps at the end of each session with your client to move closer to their objective.

If your client has certain responsibilities, for example, sending you a check-in every week, include that in your coaching plan, too. For habits and action steps that need to be completed regularly, you can set up a digital progress tracker where your coachee can check off tasks they’ve completed.

5. List Relevant Coaching Tools.

Gather the exercises and tools that might help make your coaching process with the client more effective. These may be:

• Coaching questions
• Coaching models
• Exercises
• Assessments
• Digital planners
• Additional resources
• Online courses
• Referrals to support groups or other professionals

If you feel your client is hitting a roadblock or needs more clarity on a particular area, you can always return to this customized toolkit to help them reach their next step.

You should also:

• Define and agree on the frequency of sessions with the client that would be most effective in helping them reach their goals
• Decide on the communication channels and the frequency of check-ins for your contract with them
• Automate reminder and post-session emails to make sure your client always books their next session and never misses one (if you’re using Paperbell, you can set this once per coaching package and forget it)

6. Review and Revise.

Review your coaching plan regularly to ensure it still aligns with your client’s:

• Priorities
• Motivations
• Values
• Updated life situation (if it arises)

Be open to their feedback during coaching conversations. Make any necessary revisions or adjustments based on their input.

Remember, your coaching plan should be flexible to evolve as the coaching relationship progresses and your client gains new insights. At the same time, it should serve as a basis for your sessions that you can refer back to and use to keep your client accountable.

Coaching Plan Template

Here’s a simple coaching plan template that includes all the key elements that you can use with your clients.

Client Name:

Coaching Period:

1. Client overview: 

Describe the client’s profile, previous experience with coaching, and the main reason they approached you.

2. Client goals and milestones:

Define the client’s overarching goals and key milestones.

GOAL 1:

Key Milestones:

GOAL 2:

Key Milestones:

GOAL 3:

Key Milestones:

3. Timeline:

Establish a timeline and schedule for the coaching engagement with specific deadlines.

5. Accountability Measures:

Define how progress tracking will work and how you’ll evaluate personal growth throughout the coaching process, including regular check-ins, progress reviews, and assessments.

6. Coaching tools:

Identify the coaching tools and resources that might help make the coaching engagement and goal-setting more effective.

Build a Thriving Coaching Practice

A coaching plan helps maximize the results of your coaching programs. Creating lasting change in your clients’ lives will ultimately make you successful in the field, but only if your business doesn’t distract you from it.

To streamline the admin side of your coaching business, we recommend Paperbell.

It’s an all-in-one coaching business and client management tool specifically designed for coaches by coaches. It handles your contracts, schedule, payments, landing pages, and more.

Try Paperbell for free to get your coaching website launched and selling today.

Coaching Plan FAQs

How do you structure a coaching package?

Identify your target audience’s goals, then design a package with specific sessions (number, duration, frequency). Define client responsibilities, like check-ins. List coaching tools and exercises you’ll use throughout the process.

What makes a good coaching session plan?

A good coaching session plan starts with a clear agenda outlining topics and outcomes. Include reviewing past action steps, setting session focus, using coaching questions and frameworks, evaluating skill development, summarizing insights, and defining next steps. Adapt to your client’s needs and pace.

What are the 7 steps of coaching?

The 7 steps of coaching are: build rapport with the client, clarify goals and objectives, explore their current reality and challenges, discuss strategies for overcoming obstacles, explore patterns or limiting beliefs, develop an action plan, and provide accountability as you track progress.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2024 and has since been updated for accuracy.