A lot of business owners are on the fence about whether they should work with a business coach. Each coach is as unique as any business owner, so finding the right one is important for the relationship to work. Before deciding on partnering with a coach, there are nine questions that you need to ask:
- What types of clients do you primarily work with? This will help you to see if they have experience working with businesses similar to yours in size and industry.
- What business challenges do you specialize in? You want to know that any coach you work with has experience in dealing with the challenges that you are facing right now.
- How long have you been a business coach? This will tell you if they are an experienced coach or if they are new to this role.
- What will you help me with? If the coach has asked you questions about your business and the challenges you are facing, he or she should be able to give you some examples of the issues they can help you with that relate to your business.
- What is your coaching philosophy? You want the coach’s philosophy to mesh well with your own. Are they spiritual? Analytical? Psychological? Each area has benefits but you need the person who can help you in the way that makes sense for you and your business.
- What is your coaching style? This is how they approach coaching business owners. Do they push, meaning they tell you what needs to be done and push you to do it? Do they inspire? Are they goal-oriented? Are they result-oriented?
- How do you customize your coaching to fit clients’ needs? All businesses are unique and benefit most from a system that can be shaped to fit each individual’s needs, not just a one-size-fits-all program.
- What do you charge? Know up front what you can expect to pay for the coach’s services. You don’t want to get a surprise bill later down the road with an amount higher than you expected. Find out how often you will meet for the cost. Avoid coaches who want to bill you per hour.
- What do you provide for that investment? You need to know how often you will be able to meet with your coach, how long the sessions are, what types of training modules they provide. You also want to know if you are able to contact them outside of your scheduled meeting times.
When you decide to work with a business coach, you may expect to sign an agreement for a term of 3 to 12 months or just month-to-month. This depends on the coach. Within a month, you will have a set number of coaching sessions with your coach, typically at least once a week throughout the month.
Finding the right coach means that you are doing the best for your business. You find someone who is making your success a priority and they are happy to share their time and expertise with you to see that your goals are achieved. Be ready to invest your own time to learn and be coached, and yes even some homework to help get you where you need to be to grow your business.