How to Structure Your Private Coaching
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>> In this lecture,
we'll talk about how to structure
your private coaching programs.
Let's start with the basics,
things that are helpful to do
before working with clients.
One, create your program packages.
Decide on the private coaching packages
you want to offer.
Some questions to take into consideration
when creating these packages are,
how long is your program?
In the Health Coach Training Program,
we recommended that you meet with clients
for at least six months.
Some Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches
have found that shorter three-month programs
work better for themselves and their clients,
while others have discovered
that yearlong coaching programs
are ideal for their businesses.
How often do you want to meet?
Some health coaches
meet their clients weekly,
while others meet their clients
every other week.
How long will your calls be?
In the Health Coach Training Program,
we recommended that you keep calls
to 50 minutes per session.
Some health coaches
find that the shorter calls
are more beneficial for their clients,
while others have found that the longer,
more in-depth calls create
greater breakthroughs for their clients.
Experiment with each
and choose what works best
for you and your clients.
Where will you meet?
Health coaches usually meet their clients
in person, by phone, or by Skype.
You might choose one of these options
or you might choose a combination
of the three.
How much will you charge?
Will you offer a discount
for clients who pay in full
or will you simply charge
one monthly rate?
Include these details
in your program packages.
We've included, in this module,
a Program Package Template
to help get you started
in creating your own
private coaching packages.
Two, create your agreements.
We've talked before
about the importance of creating agreements
for your private coaching practice.
Some examples of agreements are,
what is your rescheduling
or cancellation policy?
Will you reschedule if a client gives you
24 to 48 hours notice?
If they cancel without giving you notice,
do they forfeit that session?
What are your boundaries with clients?
Can your clients text or email you
between sessions?
If so, how often can they do so
and what kind of response time
should they expect?
Make sure that these agreements
are clearly outlined
in your program agreement
and that your new coaching clients
understand them.
If you're already working with clients,
don't worry.
If you don't already have packages
and agreements in place,
you can always set them up now
before signing on your next client.
Now that we've talked about some measures
to lay the foundation for private coaching,
let's talk about actually working
with clients.
One, conduct the Health History.
Before signing on a new client,
you'll want to do a Health History
with them.
This ensures that the new client
will be a good fit for your coaching
and your coaching will be a good fit
for the client.
There are two ways
you can do the Health History.
One, send them
the Health History in advance.
This helps both of you
to prepare for the Health History.
You can have them fill out the Health History
online or email it to you.
This allows you to review
their Health History ahead of time
and make note of any questions
you want to ask them
during the Health History.
This is a great option
if you want to conduct
shorter Health Histories
and if you like to have some time
to prepare in advance.
Some coaches opt to fill out
the Health History form
during the Health History.
This is also a perfectly acceptable option.
If you choose to do this,
print out the Health History form
and bring it with you to the Health History.
Let your prospect know
that you'll be asking them some questions
about the history of their health
during your time together.
This is a great option
for coaches who don't want to go
through the whole Health History
with their clients
but would rather focus
on a piece of specific information
that will be valuable
in the health coaching process.
Two, give them a welcome packet.
When a new client first signs up
to work with you,
give them a welcome packet.
If you're working with them virtually,
send this packet by e-mail.
If you're meeting with clients in person,
you can opt to print out
this packet in advance
and hand it to your client
at the end of their Health History
after they've signed up to work with you.
The welcome packet
should include the following.
A program agreement,
which you both sign and date
before the first coaching session.
This is super important for legal purposes.
Information on sessions.
This would include the day
and time of sessions as well
as where you will meet for sessions
if coaching in person.
Or if you're coaching virtually,
the call in number
or your Skype handle for sessions.
A questionnaire.
This questionnaire should ask clients
where their health and wellness is currently
and what their goals are for coaching.
You will use this at the end of their program
to measure their progress and results.
Bonuses.
Perhaps, you have an audio,
ebook, or a workbook
that relates to your target market
that you could offer as a sign-on bonus
for new clients.
This helps clients to feel more confident
about their decision to work with you
as their Health Coach.
Three, don't sweat the structure.
During the Health Coach Training Program,
you were taught how to conduct
health coaching sessions.
As part of your 6-Month Program Resources,
you were given a session outline
and session tips.
Some of our students use these religiously
to structure their sessions.
However, if you're meeting with your clients
weekly or in a three-month program
instead of the traditional 6-Month Program,
don't worry.
As you are coaching clients,
you'll find that the sessions
don't always have to follow the exact format
you learned in school.
The most important thing
you can do as a Health Coach
is to support your clients and listen.
Some clients might take longer
with certain sessions than others.
Simply remain flexible
and let your client lead the sessions.
The same goes for handouts.
Some health coaches give their clients
every handout,
others find it more useful
just to give their clients handouts
that apply to the changes
that they're making.
Again, just go with the flow.
Not every client is the same
and not every session will be the same.
Listen to what your client is saying,
then based on what happens in the session,
offer them handouts accordingly.
You don't have to use them all
or use them in a certain order.
Just listen to your client
and offer them the handouts that make sense
for where they are at
on their health journey.
Trust that you have
all the information you need
to lead a client successfully
through a 6-Month Program with ease,
because you do.
Four,
what should you talk about in sessions?
What you talk about
in sessions with your client
will vary depending on the Health Coach
and the client.
You might stick
to the 6-Month Program structure
from the Health Coach Training Program,
or you may simply find
that when you start off a session
with what's new and good,
followed by a high-mileage coaching question,
your session takes on a life of its own
while your client explores
what's going on in their life
and how it relates to the current state
of their well being.
I want to assure you
that this is totally okay.
There is no right way
to lead coaching sessions
as long as you're staying within the bounds
of your health coaching scope of practice.
Lastly,
let's talk about what to do
after your private coaching program ends.
This is a crucial time
for your client and yourself.
This is also an opportunity
to continue working with your client
if it would benefit them
to continue working with you.
One, track their progress.
Once your client's program is over,
you'll want to send them
a questionnaire that asks them
about the changes they made
and the results they got
from working with you.
Once they fill this out,
you can compare it
to the questionnaire they filled out
when you first started working together.
This way, you can track their progress
and measure the improvements they've made
during your time together.
Two,
talk to your client about signing up
for another health coaching program.
Would your client benefit
from further health coaching?
If so, you might suggest to your client
that they extend
their health coaching program with you.
This could be as simple as saying,
"I really enjoyed working with you
and I'd love to keep working with you
on your health and wellness goals.
Would you be interested in continuing
our work together?"
Some incentives you might offer your client
for continuing to work with you are...
a month-to-month contract,
rather than asking them
to sign on for another
three to six months of coaching,
a discount on your monthly rate,
or if you've raised your rate
since you started working together,
continuing with them at the same rate
they initially signed up at.
Three, ask for feedback.
A great time to ask for feedback
is at the end
of their private coaching program.
Consider asking some of the questions
we've talked about
for soliciting feedback
such as, what did you enjoy
about working together?
How could I have supported you better
during our time together?
This feedback will help you to continue
growing and improving as a Health Coach.
Four, ask for a testimonial.
Testimonials are a great marketing tool
and there's no better time
to get a testimonial from a client
than when they're reviewing
their results that they've achieved
while working with you.
The best way to get testimonials
is by providing your client with a template
that guides them through
writing a good testimonial.
This ensures
that you're getting the information
you're looking for
instead of a testimonial that's vague
and doesn't talk about their results.
Another option is to use
your client's progress tracker
to write a testimonial for them,
then send it to them
for approval before using.
This is a great option
if your clients are getting great results
but forget to send you a testimonial.
This takes the pressure off them
to get something to you
while also giving you
the kind of testimonial you want.
Five, ask for referrals.
Asking for referrals from clients
who have experienced the value and results
of your health coaching
is a great way to sign on new clients.
To ask for referrals,
you can simply say to your client,
"I've really enjoyed working with you
and I'd love to work
with more clients like you.
Can you think of anyone who might benefit
from health coaching?"
If they say yes,
ask if they would be willing
to make a connection between
you and the referral
for a Health History.
To recap,
we've talked about two steps
to take before working with clients.
Then, we talked about how to best work
with private coaching clients.
Finally, we covered ways
you can continue building your business
even as the coaching relationship
with your client ends.
Have more questions about private coaching?
Post them in the Facebook group
so we can help you navigate
working with clients one on one.