The 6 Pitfalls of Business Coaching and How to Avoid Them

There’s a great deal to learn on your journey to becoming a business coach. To help you make the learning curve faster, here are the 6 main pitfalls new coaches fall into so you can avoid them.
 
Not Attracting the Right Clients
The goal of your marketing shouldn’t be to just get more clients. It should be to attract the right kind of clients. Your coaching services aren’t for everyone and you need to focus on those you can help the most.
What is the type of person who can benefit most from your coaching? What are your strengths or areas of expertise? What types of clients have you had success with? If you can focus on a certain type of businessperson who’s the right fit for you, you’ll get more good clients and enjoy better success with them.
 
Lack of Appropriate Screening
When you first start talking to a potential client, you need to assess whether they will benefit from coaching or not. Some people decide to hire a coach because they think the coach will do the work for them. They think you pay the money, and success is assured. In reality, the client themselves need to be ready to face challenges and grow, with the help of a coach.
When talking with a potential client, find out what their expectations are for your coaching. Explain to them exactly what you will do and what results they can expect to see, emphasizing the roles of each. Make this clear in the beginning to weed out bad-fit clients and set proper expectations.
 
Not Growing Your Coaching Skills
What sells your coaching and keeps clients is the quality of the service you offer. When a client starts seeing results, they’ll want to sign up for more and tell their friends. As a coach, you need to master these vital skills so that you can get these results for your clients.
You also need to continue developing your coaching skills. You need to keep growing and facing challenges just like your clients.
 
Doing the Work for Your Clients
Many new coaches make the mistake of doing too much and applying too much pressure. You can easily push your clients too quickly and cause them distress, rather than helping them reach their goals. You can forget that your role is to listen, ask questions, and hold them accountable.
There’s a tricky balance to strike where you’re pushing your clients to leave their comfort zones, but also taking a passive role where they move at the right pace. The last thing you want to do is be too pushy. The best way to prevent this is to keep everything focused on the client and their needs. Listen well and empathize, and you’ll understand where the line is.
 
Dwelling on the Past
One of the main reasons business get stuck is that they dwell on the past. Mistakes and failures are great teachers, but we need to let go and move on. When you’re coaching your clients, you will discuss the past, but you should focus on the future. Your role is to help them break free from the past so they can grow.
 
Business Coaches Never Stop Learning
Anyone can be a great business coach if they’re ready to learn the essential skills and maintain the right mindset. If you’re willing to put in the work, you can find success with a business coaching service.
 
As you embark on your journey to becoming a successful business coach, remember that the road is paved with continuous learning and self-improvement. Avoid the pitfalls mentioned, and you'll be on your way to creating meaningful, transformative experiences for your clients. Let's turn your coaching aspirations into reality, one step at a time.

Are you prepared to tackle challenges head-on and empower others to reach their full potential?
​
Enroll in our course today and unlock the secrets to becoming a highly effective business coach.

​About The Author  
 
Pat Simes is a Business Strategist, blogger and Founder of Innovative Business Solutions and Innovate Academy. She currently resides in the Midwest and is committed to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs to transform their vision to reality.  
​