And just like that how we conduct business has changed. We all need to adjust to communicating with clients remotely. For some business coaches and advisers nothing has changed, it is business as usual due to the fact they have already been leveraging remote coaching solutions to deliver their services. For the majority however this is a whole new way of business. Unfortunately for some coaches it has been a rude wake-up call because their services have been labelled ‘discretionary’ and have therefore been cut by their client.

As coaches and mentors, we are passionate about helping clients succeed both in business and in life. We are driven to find the right solutions, messages, and recommendations that will make incremental positive change for our clients. We will happily go above and beyond to ensure our clients are planned and prepared to achieve success. It is all about the client’s success.

What about success for the coach

Most coaches neglect their own success and well-being. After investing countless hours, energy and commitment helping others, there is nothing left in the tank to help themselves. Since the pandemic hit, I have had a lot of business coaches and consultants contact me concerned that their business will now close. Schedule coaching and training sessions have all been cancelled because they cannot meet clients face to face.

These are the same people who for a large part have resisted delivering their services online because their clients have dictated it must be delivered face to face. Again, these are the same people who I instructed years earlier to commence integrating and leveraging remote coaching solutions to increase their own efficiency and profit per hour.

It is now time to ‘reset’ your coaching delivery model in terms of how to deliver consistent value and importantly remain ‘sticky’ to your client. While the majority of the world stands still this is a great time to reinvent your service offering that best suit you.  

Remote Coaching Solutions to enhance client value

It is my personal view, with over 20 years business coaching and consulting experience, what is needed now is a combination of coaching (asking questions and allowing the client to find the answer) and consulting (providing solutions and recommendations). This will also include in part an implementation element.

Right now your clients are in a spin having to juggle what seems like daily policy changes across HR and WHS, coupled with managing concerned customers and employees. On top of this is a fight for survival trying to control cash flow. What your clients will value and more importantly need now more than ever is for you to roll your sleeves up to help get things done.

So how to coach remotely?

We have identified the 5 key remote coaching solutions required to building a ‘sticky’ coaching business that will deliver value for you the coach, and for the client are:

1. Coaching Management Platform - Provide a secure online platform to share documents, deliver learning content, schedule meetings and record notes, track accountability, and benchmark both client and coach performance. Think about how to stay connected 24/7.

2. Access to Client Data - To make real time educated recommendations you require access to 'up to date' financial data, project productivity data, and marketing data. Think about removing 'silo data' that when viewed on its own will provide a miss-representation of the actual situation.

3. Client Processes - Through your coaching management platform provide access to systems and processes that will allow your client to assign to employees to implement and manage. This can be across budgeting, business development, 90 day action plans, and cash flow forecasting. Think about essential processes that makes you 'sticky'.

4. Build Online Community - This is essential. The power of a like-minded community that openly shares how they achieved success, as well as sharing concerns, builds trust and loyalty. Think about value driven by the community.

5. Accountability - Drive a culture of accountability throughout your clients business. It is critical that your processes and recommendations are implemented, tested, reviewed, and modified continuously to ensure your value is measurable. Think about ownership and empowerment.

I have not mentioned remote coaching solutions such as selecting video meeting software, having adequate internet speed, and an appropriate environment from where to conduct remote sessions. This is obviously the basic requirement to get started. However this will not build a loyal, sticky client base on its own.

Now is the time to 'reset' how you will deliver value. Start preparing for the new opportunities and remote coaching solutions that will present with new business models and new beginnings.

Cheers
Matthew Jones
TheCUBE Founder & CEO

TheCUBE is a powerful business coaching platform allowing coaches and clients to work together easily.

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