If you are running a successful 6 or 7-figure coaching business, the chances are, you’ve got the administration of it figured out – either by outsourcing or through automation via an online coaching platform.

But if you are just starting out and you aspire to be a 6 or 7-figure coach, having a solid, scalable admin system is a must so that new hires can come in and fit into the structure easily. So how can you prepare to scale your business in the future by getting it right from the very beginning? 

Whether you plan to get fully booked with 1:1 clients or simply run group sessions to leverage your time, the last thing you want to be focusing on is the admin side of your business. 

The answer is to leverage technology and build your coaching business on a reliable online coaching platform that automates your operations and allows you to upgrade and scale anytime.

What can a good online coaching software do for your coaching business?

Think of all the things you need to do in your business and whether you are currently doing them manually or on different IT platforms that don’t connect with one another. How much time are you spending on admin? Now triple that figure for a more accurate guesstimate.  

How are you booking appointments, hosting coaching sessions, sending client’s reminders (if at all), organising your coaching notes, delivering coaching information and worksheets, tracking client progress, onboarding new clients, getting contracts signed and invoicing, tracking and collecting payments? 

It sounds overwhelming for one coach to manage, and if you aren’t doing it all on a single digital coaching platform, it probably is. 

Coaches that switch to an all-in-one coaching platform would never go back to handling it all separately. They love the time freedom it gives, not to mention how organised they feel as a result. And to boot, they look and feel more professional to their clients because they are able to provide an organised space to allow clients to book their sessions, get reminders, access coaching notes and make timely payments without having to search through weeks of emails. 

What features should you look for in a coaching platform?

Essentially your online coaching software should manage for you everything we’ve just mentioned so that all you need to do is turn up and coach.

Here’s a handy checklist of features it should have to help you choose the right system:

> A comprehensive dashboard to give you a snapshot of your clients, coaching sessions, hours logged and payment due, all on one page

> A CRM system to manage the details of your clients or contacts, including their birthdays

> A coaching calendar you can sync with your existing calendars to make sure you’re never double-booked

> Scheduling to allow clients to book in with you when you are free at designated times and for you to determine what times you want to be available

> A place to create your different programs so clients know what they are signing up for and for you to manage their account all under one program

> Forms to allow you to survey your clients to get information and feedback 

> A place to create and file contracts and to send to new clients for digital signing

> A resource library to house additional learning content you can unlock for clients when they need extra support

> A system for invoices that allows you to schedule invoicing according to each client’s payment schedule and keep track of who has and has not paid

> Coaching logs so you can keep track of your coaching hours, who you have coached and where each client is on their learning journey

Setting up your online coaching platform

Once you’ve selected your coaching platform, take some time to map out your systems and how you will use the platform before you dive in.

Go to your business plan and get a clear overview of what you want your business to look like in the next few years. Then backtrack and map out what you need for the first 12 months. Map out what you need right now while keeping in mind what you need to grow into. 

Decide on your programs – which can you offer now and which do you need to build into? While most platforms like CoachVantage are flexible to allow you to adjust down the line, it’s best to start as you mean to go on and set your business up correctly at the start. 

Designing your business 

Your digital coaching platform should be able to guide you through setting up your business to a good and efficient design. It will help you design your business in the way that matters most to you so you can serve your clients in the way you have planned.

You’ll be able to set up your systems for discovery calls, session bookings, automate your onboarding process, invoicing systems and payment monitoring, as well as how to best deliver ongoing support. 

Make sure you design a process that delights your customers. It will become your automated, always ‘switched on’ sales team!

Your online coaching platform as a business measurement tool

You are running a business that needs to be measured to gauge its success. You need financial data that will allow you to adjust direction if needs be.

So make sure you are regularly reviewing your finances and evaluating how you’re doing financially. This can only be done if your online coaching software is collecting such data through the invoicing of your hours. 

The CoachVantage dashboard, for example, gives you a quick view of:

> your earned revenue in a chart so you can see your earnings month-to-month

> due and late payments so you can predict and manage your cashflow

> the time you spent coaching in your coaching log so you can put a value on your time

These features provide you with clear visibility of how your business is faring.

You’ll find that CoachVantage ticks all the boxes we outlined above about what makes a good coaching platform that will support your coaching business now and as it grows. 

Come take a test drive with our free trial and see what your coaching business could look like as an automated machine!