MM #93: How Do I Write My Coaching Agreement?

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2. FEATURE: How Do I Write a Coaching Agreement?

The CoachStart™ Manual includes a special bonus that you can use in your coaching business – an actual Coaching Agreement with my policies and procedures included! This is a great tool to get you started as you create your own personal coaching agreement. Below I have given you some ideas to craft your own Coaching Agreement. Please note that I am not an attorney, so I recommend that you get legal advice and not to rely on this agreement for legal protection. Let's begin.In your Coaching Agreement with each client, you'll want to specifically detail what your client will receive, what you expect of them, the fees, and what they can expect from you. The following sections are important:

Coaching Sessions

Here you should lay out how many sessions you will have each month and the type and length of each session. Identifying extra services including e-mail availability, extra check-in calls, referral opportunities, etc. These bonuses in the Coaching Agreement add value and let your clients know you are available to them when needed.

Expectations and Self-Coaching

I expect each of my clients to e-mail me a Self-Coaching Form before every session. In the Coaching Agreement, I detail the value and importance of this document. The Self-Coaching Form will make each session more productive, efficient, and will DOUBLE the value they receive from your coaching sessions! Basically the Self-Coaching Form includes what they learned this week, what actions they completed, what actions they didn't, etc. Think what questions you ask often in your coaching sessions and create your own form.

Rescheduling and Billing

Be very specific on whether or not sessions are cancellable and give them time-specific rescheduling options. Billing should always be in advance. It's a good idea to offer discounts for paying multiple months in advance, such as a 25% to purchase 3 months of coaching. After six months, I offer coaching options of just one session a month with e-mail support.

Termination and Non-Refundability

This is where you again remind them of the importance of their investment and that the agreement can be cancelled only at the end of a billing cycle. I prefer to allow cancellation at the end of a particular month - so they aren't thinking every session "should I keep going or not?"Some coaches don't give refunds - I certainly didn't. I want the client to have a huge stake in the relationship, and to MAKE the time worthwhile.

Liability

Again - you should seek legal advice on this section. I'll just raise a few of the issues that can come up in a worst case scenario:

- client changes career, new career doesn't work out, client sues you

- client takes action at work and gets fired, client sues you

- client turns out to have a history of mental illness and you were playing with fire, client harms self or others, client or family sues you

- client starts a new business which fails, client sues youFor more information on liability check with a lawyer. Also, see if you can get liability.

And

- International Coach Federation members can get professional insurance here. ***

This was drawn from The CoachStart™ Manual, which can be found together with hundreds of dollars in free bonuses here.

Action

1. Write out what your monthly coaching service will include.

2. Describe what you expect of your clients.

3. Describe what your clients can expect of you.

4. Share your thoughts and ask questions at the blog!

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Enjoy!

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