Should Certification Be Required To Be A Business Coach

May 23, 2009 by jcasmer · 1 Comment 

Business Coach

Business Coach

In most industries, to succeed formal training is required, and individuals who want to quickly get ahead are offered certification programs. Business coaching is no different.

There are over 200 websites offering business coaching certification, but is it really worth spending the hundreds to thousands of dollars asked by these schools to become a business coach?

If you asked this question two or three years ago you?d get a resounding no from a crowd of successful coaches. Some of the most successful coaches have never taken a business coaching certification program. Yet they still make hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, because most of their clients do not ask for credentials.

What about today, can you set up a successful coaching program without certification?

Yes. However unlike years ago when the subject of credentials was very rarely brought up, today more prospects are researching and becoming consumer savvy.

Still, consumers still don?t ask as often as perhaps they should. Because in all honesty, when a client is willing to spend the hundreds or thousands of dollars asked by coaches they?re more concerned about success rate then they are credentials.

Business coaching certification teaches you tools and techniques to help you become a coach. What they can?t guarantee is success. You may have the knowledge, but you may not be able to draw in clients and it?s not certain that you have innate skills to be an effective coach.

Consumers who are really interested in being coached are looking for more than credentials. They want someone with extensive business experience and a proven track record.

They want someone who meshes well with their learning style and personality. This is a working relationship after all and clients want to work cooperatively with their coach.

Having business coaching certification is good. You definitely have proof that you?ve been trained to help people and it is appeasing for the weary client to know that you are educated in the manner of providing effective business advice. It is less stressing to answer the question, ?can I see your credentials?? when you actually have credentials.

However, don?t be fooled into thinking your business will take off simply because you can prove your credentials. So far there has been little direct correlation between having a business coaching certification and being a successful business coach.

Many coaches today are void of certification and yet they have more clients than those that do. One could say that those with a business coach certification rely too heavily on it.

They assume consumers will be impressed by the fact they took some classes and will sign up for their service. Thus, they may not network or market their business enough.

Investing in an education is ultimately a good idea. You will at least have credentials that prove you are a business coach. However, as we know with any educational investment what you get in return is not always monetary. It is helpful to have business coaching certification but it won’t be the driving factor behind your success.

Should Certification Be Required To Be A Business Coach

May 19, 2009 by jcasmer · 1 Comment 

Niche Marketing Software Tools

Niche Marketing Software Tools

In most industries, to succeed formal training is required, and individuals who want to quickly get ahead are offered certification programs. Business coaching is no different.

There are over 200 websites offering business coaching certification, but is it really worth spending the hundreds to thousands of dollars asked by these schools to become a business coach?

If you asked this question two or three years ago you?d get a resounding no from a crowd of successful coaches. Some of the most successful coaches have never taken a business coaching certification program. Yet they still make hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, because most of their clients do not ask for credentials.

What about today, can you set up a successful coaching program without certification?

Yes. However unlike years ago when the subject of credentials was very rarely brought up, today more prospects are researching and becoming consumer savvy.

Still, consumers still don?t ask as often as perhaps they should. Because in all honesty, when a client is willing to spend the hundreds or thousands of dollars asked by coaches they?re more concerned about success rate then they are credentials.

Business coaching certification teaches you tools and techniques to help you become a coach. What they can?t guarantee is success. You may have the knowledge, but you may not be able to draw in clients and it?s not certain that you have innate skills to be an effective coach.

Consumers who are really interested in being coached are looking for more than credentials. They want someone with extensive business experience and a proven track record.

They want someone who meshes well with their learning style and personality. This is a working relationship after all and clients want to work cooperatively with their coach.

Having business coaching certification is good. You definitely have proof that you?ve been trained to help people and it is appeasing for the weary client to know that you are educated in the manner of providing effective business advice. It is less stressing to answer the question, ?can I see your credentials?? when you actually have credentials.

However, don?t be fooled into thinking your business will take off simply because you can prove your credentials. So far there has been little direct correlation between having a business coaching certification and being a successful business coach.

Many coaches today are void of certification and yet they have more clients than those that do. One could say that those with a business coach certification rely too heavily on it.

They assume consumers will be impressed by the fact they took some classes and will sign up for their service. Thus, they may not network or market their business enough.

Investing in an education is ultimately a good idea. You will at least have credentials that prove you are a business coach. However, as we know with any educational investment what you get in return is not always monetary. It is helpful to have business coaching certification but it won’t be the driving factor behind your success.

Business Coaching Statistics

February 5, 2009 by jschuman · 1 Comment 

logo jeffschuman1

Here are some interesting statistics to consider if you own a small business or internet business. Recent business coaching statistics reveals that applying the skills of a business coach is one of the best ways to stay ahead.

It is predicted that it will become more challenging for a small business owner to be able to work competitively on their own. During this recession especially, when the competition among companies is exhaustingly fierce, it becomes crucial to look for assistance to give you that competitive edge.

Business coaches give you an outside perspective on how your business is running. Because this is something most businesses do not bother to find out, this in itself gives you a lead over your competition.

A practice development research revealed that 42% of businesses don’t use a business coach. This same study though, found you can increase your profit margin by an average of 46% by using a business coach.

Thus 42% of businesses are missing out on a 46% profit increase. If you among that group you may want to carefully consider if you can afford to not use a business coach.

An article posted on affiliatedragon.com stated that having your own internet business was the last weapon against a recession. However, as we’ve seen more businesses both off and online negatively affected by this slow economy, having your own business isn’t a fool proof plan. However, hiring a business coach can be the difference between those that struggle and those that survive.

To help them develop plans to build profit-growing businesses even during a slow economy many business coaches show their clients how to navigate their way through changing economies. This gives them another advantage competitively.

A study conducted by the International Coach Federation surveyed 210 coaching clients for demographic data and feedback /opinions about the value and use of coaching. The study revealed that those who were coached had a positive change in personal work habits. This is instrumental to changing your business during a recession.

Here are some of the statistics this study shows us about business coaching.

62.4% smarter goal-setting

60.5% more balanced life

57.1% lower stress levels

52.4% more self-confidence

43.3% improvement in quality of life

25.7% more income

Those are just a few of the outcomes found through the study.

What we see is the number of people who are experiencing positive personal development skills to apply to their business. It’s not just about dollars and cents and most times companies who are struggling have a personal reason linked to their financial struggle.

Some more interesting business coaching statics were those that we don’t immediately link with business for example, 33.8% saw their health or fitness improve, 33.3% had improved family relationships and 25.7% stopped a bad habit.

Although we don’t immediately associated something like stopping a bad habit to having an effect on our business, the fact is something like being lethargic can affect your work habits. To find out what may be keeping them from advancing their business clients can turn to business coaching.

Sometimes it’s a simple as learning how to organize their office in a more effective and efficient manner.

The business coaching statistics found in this study prove that even during a recession businesses that use coaches can still thrive when they take advantage of the skills offered by a business coach.

Business Coaching Defined

January 22, 2009 by jschuman · Leave a Comment 

 In this article we will look at the role of the cliente and coach and define what business coaching is. One can define business coaching as the practice of providing support and advice to an individual or group to help them recognize ways to improve the effectiveness of their business.

Though this definition does get to the heart of what business coaching is about it seems too simple as compared to what business coaching really does for a client.

It actually involves rethinking the way the client approaches their organization in order to transform it. In many cases business coaches deal with the client’s personal lives as it may be impacting their professional life.

For the client to work cooperatively with their business coach they have to be willing to reinvent themselves and this means they need to be open to change. In addition to being open to change, they need to be open to learning and growth.

Therefore, it undermines the growth journey taken by the client to define business coaching as merely the working relationship of individuals improving their business.

Many clients have praised their coaches for helping them find or rediscover their passion in both their business and personal lives. Often we need to draw motivation and inspiration from our personal lives to move us in our professional lives.

Business coaches can help bring these things to spotlight. They also may intervene if they notice their client losing focus.

It is only natural for a business owner to drift from their goals from time to time. Because the client is not doing it on their own business coaches make it easier for clients to find their way back on track.

Business coaches reemphasize the future the client envisions. This is something we cannot always do for ourselves. When we are facing great challenges it’s hard to keep the vision in our heads and continue to work towards it.

But for business coaching clients they have someone who is committed to their success and will work with the client to help them face the challenge. Business coaches don’t take it upon themselves to build the business for their clients or do the work for them.

The ideal coach is committed to helping the client achieve their goals rather than forcing their personal ideas upon the client. Business coaches create an environment for the organization to help them see its potential.

They are not there to undermine the client or the organization’s mission but rather to uncover some of the elements restricting action and profit growth. 

By discovering these limitations they can then facilitate new ways of doing things that will produce positive results and help to eliminate some of the “unsatisfactory” areas.If a client and a business coach were to define business coaching they might say it is the extraordinary relationship between individuals committed to a common goal.

 
 

 

 

Business Coaching Statistics: Is it Worthwhile

January 20, 2009 by jschuman · Leave a Comment 

To be able to successfully work alone, in isolation, will become more difficult according to recent studies. The need for an external perspective becomes more necessary to help you through the challenging journey, as the market becomes more competitive and evolving

Statistics on business coaching have proved that using a business coach can increase your profit margin by an average of 46 percent, according to a practice development company.  However, further statistics show 42 percent of businesses of do not use a business coach.

The pros of using business coaching often outweigh the financial con. They give guidance and a structured plan.

They also give you an outside view of how your business is running. It causes them to fall behind their competition because this is something many business owners never learn.

To get a sense of how valuable coaching is for businesses, the International Coach Federation surveyed 210 coaching clients for demographic data and feedback /opinions about the value and use of coaching. Some of the statistics on business coaching they gathered are as follows.

70% believed business coaching is “very valuable.”

50% confide in their coach as much as their best friend, spouse or therapist, 12% confide in their coach more than anyone else.

Some of the outcomes were:

62.4% smarter goal-setting

60.5% more balanced life

57.1% lower stress levels

52.4% more self-confidence

43.3% improvement in quality of life

25.7% more income

It’s important to note with this study that of the respondents, 197 were employed professionals. All had a formal, on-going relationship with a coach with an average duration of 9 months. Over 80% of the respondents had undergraduate degrees and over a third had Master’s degrees or higher.

Business coaching isn’t just for people who have no grasp on what they are doing. It’s effective for anyone who wants to better manage their personal and professional life. Even those who think they have everything under control can learn something.

People don’t just use business coaching to make more money as the statistics on business coaching show. They use it to improve the overall quality of their life.

They learn time management skills, stress reduction techniques, acquire financial education and more. All of which help them to improve their business.

The 42 percent who are not using the guidance of a business coach are at risk of being left behind, regardless of how proficient they are in running a business. Their competition will increase their skill level by improving on their weaknesses and building on their strengths.

Thus, while those who are without coaches may feel as though they are operating at an acceptable level, it is only a matter of time before their competition outshines them.

A 46% profit increase is nothing to laugh at. If your business is struggling it helps you to survive and if you are already doing well then you simply thrive.

The statistics on business coaching reveal that those who do use coaches do improve their chances of success in one way or another. By allowing an external perceptive in you gain the opportunity to receive guidance and advice you may not have conceived to look for.

In this every changing, increasingly challenging market, having a business coach is a worthwhile investment.

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