Group Coaching versus Coaching Individuals

Coaching doesn’t merely mean one on one. In the world of coaching there are several options to choose from when setting up your coaching program.

You can coach people in groups, offer private one-on-one sessions or even conduct seminars for large groups. The option you choose is completely up to you and your circumstances. As with any business, it’s always smart to diversify and give clients several options to choose from. A smart coach will include a variety of programs to encompass the needs of a large portion of future prospects.

Let's start with individual coaching. One of the “pros” here is that you can give your client your full attention and therefore get to know him or her better. It will be easier to build a connection with your client in a private session setting rather than a group. This means you can cater a program that specifically fits the needs of your client and progress should be made faster. It also means that your client will have a stronger connection and bond with you – if your services help them they will surely rave about you to their friends and family.

Now the obvious “con” to individual coaching is that you can only coach so many clients at one time. If you fill your schedule with individual coaching sessions, you won’t accomplish as much – both financially and professionally – as you may want. One way to overcome this is to offer your individual coaching services at a premium price. This way you give the clients a choice of group or private coaching sessions, and they understand that the private sessions will command a premium price.

Most people may initially think that individual coaching is best, but group coaching can provide many positives. One great benefit is that members of the coaching program can all learn from each other. This creates a great atmosphere for bouncing back ideas and strategies. Sometimes merely hearing another person's story can be very helpful and motivating.

Another obvious “pro” to group coaching is that you get more bang for your time. This means you can coach five or more people at a time versus one, and you suddenly have more time on your hands and earn more money.

As your business grows you’ll get a better idea of which option is right for you. One thing you do want to be careful of is simply trading your hours for money alone. This means that if you have ten individual or group coaching clients but get sick or need some time off, your income will suffer. A good way to avoid this is to set up supplemental programs and products that will keep you ticking over during slow times or times when you simply can’t work.

Putting your coaching experience into a book, or giving an online coaching program that offers pre-written information, are great ways to do this. Recording a previous telephone conference and selling the audio and transcripts can also provide good residual income.

The bottom line is that the more options your offer your customers, the faster your will grow your business and income.