A Guide To Choosing Life Coaching Software

This guide supports you to find the best life coaching software for your practice. It will help you find a product that has what you need and enhances the efficiency and processes of your life coaching business.

Why Invest In Life Coaching Software?

In the last few years, coaching software packages have become numerous and popular. They offer many great functions and opportunities for enhancing and simplifying both the coaching and admin side of your practice.

They also vary considerably in cost and the functions they offer so working out which one is best to invest in can be a time consuming challenge.

Basically, you want your coaching software system to be a "digital office" that handles the admin and logistics side of your business. This means that you can focus more on doing what you love most which is the actual coaching.

Of course, coaching software needs will vary from coach to coach and niche to niche depending on much do you need or want your software to offer and/or to be automated. 

The goal of this guide therefore, is to help you find one that is YOUR best investment now, and for the future.

What Do You Want Your Life Coaching Software To Include?

The first step is to clarify the features and benefits you want in a coaching software package. To help with this decision I have listed below the key elements you need to consider.

Use my list to do your own research through the jungle of coaching software packages now on offer. Some of the functions will be essentials, others you may be willing to compromise on, but you need to be aware of them all as you make your choice. 

What are important parts of life coaching software?

Easy software navigation

• Can you easily find what you are looking for in the system?
• If you have a problem, is there a contact form or email address you can use to ask questions and get support?

Ongoing user support  

• Will you receive ongoing tips and support about how to get the best from the software
• Are you able to contact someone directly with any questions where you can't find an automated FAQ?

Calendar and booking system

• Does the software allow you to set up your own availability for client bookings?
• If there is a booking system offered, can it be integrated with your other calendar systems so there is no doubling up?
• Are there automatic reminders to clients of their next coaching session?

Coaching package customization
Can you create and edit your own coaching packages including worksheets, etc? Some sophisticated systems allow you to create a coaching package that automatically delivers materials such as worksheets at the appropriate session time. 

Goal setting and planning templates
This can be an important inclusion to help keep your clients on track towards achievement of their goals. But make sure it is easy for the client to use and for you to keep track. 

Client payment and package management
Do you need software that allows for invoicing and payment of different types of packages (single, multiple or group sessions)?

• Are there options for charging for single sessions, whole packages or ongoing regular payments?
• Can you set up for a client to pay for a whole package in advance or staggered payments - with automatic reminders?
• Does the software help you track when payments are due and have been paid.
• Do you have to use the software's own payment portal (which may have hidden fees) or can you integrate another of your choice?

Intake process and document sharing with clients

• Do you want to automate the intake process by creating a flow that guides new clients through things like filling out intake questions, electronic signing of agreements/contracts and scheduling sessions?
• Are you able to create or customize templates then automatically upload these to the new client? These include items such as a welcome letters, invoices, worksheets, and session preparation forms?
• Do you need your software to support different types of resources, such as PDFs, video links, or downloadable files that you may want to send to clients.

Client management and session notes

• Does the software offer a system for tracking sessions, taking notes and progress?
• Do you want clients to be able to access these notes?  

Group and team coaching

Coaching groups can often involve lots of extra time consuming admin.

So if you offer group or team coaching in person or online, where you need to simultaneously communicate with several people, you may want to invest in a software system that can reduce this admin. 

Look for coaching software that enables you to offer sessions or courses that multiple clients can join and then be simultaneously sent notes, course materials and followups will be a great time saver.

Website and landing page support
Do you want to have design and content help for a website or landing page? Many programs include templates for one or both of these. It's worth clarifying exactly what help is offered.

Who owns your information on the site?
This can be a tricky one

• If you decide to stop using the software, are you able to copy and/or remove your client records and notes so you can still access them?
• Can you move a website or landing page created through the system to another host easily and without hassle?

Is there a free trail?
Most offer a free trail but make sure it is for at least a month. If they do, ensure they give you support during that trial about how to use the system. 

A final word on making the best life coaching software purchase
Finally, if you find a software you like that offers all but one of the features above that you need, it may be possible to find that feature sold separately and integrate it with your preferred system. I expect that you will find that Paperbell has pretty much all that you will need.

Also take into consideration how much it will cost you in time and money if the software doesn't have a particular function you  need and you have to outsource it separately. 

I hope the above will help you make the right life coaching software choice and if you have anything to add from your own experience I'd love to know via my contact form.

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