Have you ever thought about becoming a coach?

Do you like talking to people?

Do people tend to ask you for help and for guidance?

If you could earn a living by talking with people, would you find that gratifying?

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When people begin the process of creating an online platform, they often ask questions about products and services they can offer. Products take a while to create, so if you're just starting, you can become an affiliate for the products others have created while you're in the process of creating books, courses, and things like that of your own.

And if you're looking to add a service to your online hub, coaching might be a great place to start. In fact, for many people, that's their entire aim. They may offer a blog, podcast, courses, and other forms of content over time, but coaching is what they really want to do.

The nature of coaching

Coaching isn't the same as counseling, but they're certainly related. When you make yourself available as a coach, people who trust you will often seek your direct help. I know people who have never written a book or created a course that have been able to earn their entire living through their coaching services.

A good coach asks good questions. He or she doesn't just tell you what to do. They help you understand the "what" and the "why" of your next steps, not just the "how." Does that sound like something you'd be good at?

How to add it to your platform

If you're already driving traffic to your website through the content you're giving away for free and the posts you're making on social media, you might want to add a "Services" tab to your main menu. In that tab, you can list the various services you offer like consultation, speaking, or coaching.

If you're going to offer coaching, I'd recommend having a page that describes what your coaching services look like. Do you focus on a specific topic? How have you helped people in the past? Do you have any testimonials you can post from people you've already helped?

How will you structure your sessions?

Some coaches are primarily there as a sounding board for their clients. They're good listeners that can help reframe unhealthy mindsets and point out blind spots. Maybe that's the kind of coaching you'd like to offer your clients.

In my case, I prefer to focus on an outcomes-based approach. While I address faulty thinking, my primary goal is to help people figure out a specific task. I'm walking them through a five-session blueprint that will help them gain clarity on how to build an online platform or refresh a platform that has become dormant. My goal is to meet with a client for five sessions over the course of a several month period where we'll walk through all the major aspects of platform development.

I also offer group coaching through a membership program. In fact, that's what I enjoy most because it's collaborative in nature and it allows for input from other members in addition to me.

How much should you charge?

For group coaching through our membership, I charge $49/month. For individual coaching, I charge $200/hour. Depending on your perspective, my price structure might seem cheap or it might seem expensive. In time, I'm certain it will be higher than it is right now, but this is what I'm offering at present. There is no set rule when it comes to how much to charge. Just understand that people tend to value what they're paying for, and in my case, I have definitely noticed that people who pay for coaching tend to take more action than those who receive it for free.

What kind of coaching do you want to offer?

Will you be offering coaching as a service inside your online platform? It might be something worth considering, and you might be surprised to see just how many people want to work with you and learn from you if you decide to eventually offer it.

-John