In-Person vs Video-Based Coaching
When I first started out as a business coach almost twenty years ago, I worked with a significant number of clients in person. Now, I rarely do–largely because I work within a specific industry niche (business coaches) as opposed to a particular market area. All things being equal, which is better? In-person or video-based coaching?
The answer is both–with the majority of the coaching being done remotely via Skype or Zoom and periodic in-person interactions.
Why?
Simply put, video-based coaching works better and actually delivers MORE value to the client than face-to-face coaching does!
Whenever you go to a client’s place of business, you waste their time and yours with all the formalities: hand-shakes, small-talk, introductions, etc. By contrast, when you do a coaching session by video, you tend to get on and off quickly, because that’s what people expect from video conferences, right?
Face-to-face coaching sessions ALWAYS take longer than one hour; video-based coaching calls tend to be 30-45 minutes in length.
Why steal your clients’ time, their most precious commodity? Would a good coach do this to their clients? And what about YOUR time? You’re a busy, in-demand business coach! You certainly don’t have the luxury of weekly face-time! Not to mention that if you’re coaching within a specific industry niche, your clients might be scattered all around the world.
Make the Most of Your In-Person Interactions
However, this doesn’t mean you should never have in-person interaction with clients, particularly those paying you at the highest levels of service. Sometimes monthly, quarterly, or even annual visits with your top-tier clients can be a great way to add value, improve retention, and deepen your relationship.
Monthly, quarterly, or even annual visits with your top-tier clients can be a great way to add value, improve retention, and deepen your relationship.
Another fantastic way to leverage in-person interactions is to do periodic retreats with your most loyal clients all together in one place–like a bonus master mind group. It can be something you price into your high-value coaching contracts, or you can sell it separately. Either way, most coaching clients love to get to know one another. They agree that these mastermind events more than pay for their coaching program.
In a digital world, I suggest video-based coaching for the most part, interspersed with special in-person interactions to sweeten the pot and keep your client relationships fresh!
For more great rock star coaching tips like this, check out our free ebook, Secrets of a Business Coaching Rock Star.
