[admagic]

Originally Posted by suemaddock

I agree with admagic that ultimately you are looking to put money on the bottom line. However, this is not always the purpose of coaching. I have a number of clients who pull me in to determine if a member of staff is capable of taking on, say, a directorship, or if they should leave them in their current management position. Ultimately the result of this would increase their profits as they will get the right person for the job, but how do you measure this? I am a mathematician (M.Sc.) but with all of my years in business I realise that everything does not come down to numbers - it's perception that matters, not reality.

In these cases the way I do it is to set out with the client what they want out of the coaching and measure this against the improvement perceived by the important decision makers and the participant themselves.

The other problem for the coach is that the financial measures within a business are massive lag measurements. The customer perception, although still a lag measurement is not quite so "out-of-date". When you add in to this the time it takes a person to change the fundamentals of themselves then the whole process of measuring the added value to the bottom line becomes very complex.

If the client is not totally satisfied that you are delivering value for money according to the outcomes that they are looking for then I agree totally with a money back guarantee.

Sue

Sue, I entirely agree a coach does a lot more than short term impact

In fact one of the most valuable things a coach can do is take a lateral thing beyond present markets to find a bigger picture.. which is a conversation I have with small businesses

there is a BUT.

The easiest way you get the credibility to talk about big picture issues, is to make an immediate impact that works! - particularly to small businesses who tend to have an (enforced) shorter term view.

this is true in any discipline.

I have been asked a number of times, how to create advertising messages for new book-keepers. I suggest to them, the first thing they do is offer something of immediate impact eg credit control.

(a) A FREE five point "a unique system toreduce your creditors in less than a week guide" - to get people interested in talking to them

(just basic stuff, like ask them the week before money is due!!)

(b) An offer....I will do 3 days, and if I havent saved you more than my fee - then you dont pay a penny

Once they are in on the credit control front, they can offer services on everything else

Similar for a business coach

Earn your credibility with small things of IMMEDIATE impact, then the client will be all ears about bigger picture.