As a coach, it’s my goal to make sure that my clients walk away from every single session feeling educated and clear-headed. And after countless coaching calls over the last few months, I’ve developed my own session “rituals” to guarantee that outcome every time. 

If you’ve been coaching for a while now, too, you’ve probably gotten the hang of your own unique process for your client interactions. 

But for those who are still new and are terrified of any awkward silences and small talk, I’ve got you covered. Here are 5 fool-proof tactics to make sure you’re providing value to your client every time you speak. 

Tip 1: Come prepared

Before every call, you should look back at your notes for a quick review of the previous session. This way everything is fresh in your mind and your client will feel supported when you ask how their niece’s birthday went, or if they got the email they were hoping for. Remembering the small things makes a big impact, my friends! 

If you prescribed homework the session before, ask them how it went!
If you talked about implementing a new approach last session, follow up on it in this session!

Tip 2: Reference short term goals

Coaching is like therapy – one topic can lead to a million others and it’s hard to know what to focus on, especially in a single session. My tip for when the overwhelm creeps in is to refer back to the client’s short-term goals. 

What was on their initial list?
What can we prioritize now? 

Break the larger picture into smaller chunks and work through them, one by one, together. 

Tip 3: Repeat & Confirm

Your interpretation of what your client is saying is not always equal to the message your client was trying to get across. So it’s important to double check. Another benefit to taking notes on your calls is that you can repeat what was discussed to show the client you were actively listening and to confirm that you’ve understood them correctly.

Trust me, your future self will thank you for having everything neatly documented. 

Tip 4: Ask questions

Your calls with clients should be conversations, not lectures. When you’re educating your client on a topic, make sure you stop to ask if they have any questions. If they’re telling you that something isn’t working in their business, ask them what they think is not aligning. 

When in doubt, ask “why” until you get to the deeper reasons behind their actions. Turns out some therapy tactics can work for coaching as well 😉 

P.S make sure they know they can ask you anything – there are no stupid questions. 

Tip 5: Progress Check 

It’s always important to celebrate wins – big or small! Look back at your notes from previous sessions. 

What has your client accomplished? Be sure to congratulate them!
What have they learned in the time they’ve worked with you? Don’t forget to remind them!

Still need some coaching on how to coach your own clients? Book a session with me! You’ll see these tactics in action as we work through your unique situation and develop a strategy for success.