Education
Many students assume that their life coach certification program offers everything they need to pursue their dream of starting a successful life coaching business. However, they later find out that only a portion of the information needed is provided. Yes, they may learn a few tools such as active listening and questioning techniques, but they are never provided with evaluation forms, intake forms or confidentiality forms. I hear from students in other programs who want to know what forms to use. And, my first thought is why did their program fail to provide this to them. Here's my list of the top 5 mistakes that prospective life coach students make. Mistake #5: Students never ask to see a syllabus before starting their program. This is key so they know every detail they will learn in their program. Mistake #4: Students accept that their program does not teach marketing skills. This also is puzzling. Coaches need to have the knowledge of starting, operating and marketing their business. Otherwise, it is wasted money. And, telling students to create business cards and hand out to people in line at the grocery store is NOT marketing. Students should be well equipped with how to set up a website, Facebook ad campaign, funnel and Google adwords campaigns. This is the key to a successful business. Mistake #3: Students never ask about the credentials of their instructor. Having an instructor who has only been a life coach for two years and has never taught previously, could be a sign to stay away. However, if the instructor has an advanced degree in psychology or counseling and has been a life coach for 16 years and has taught graduate level courses for 13 years, this is a smarter choice. This is because they have been in the trenches and know what life is life as a life coach and instructor. This results in a richer experience when learning. Mistake #2: Students choose a program that does not offer support post certification. Having the support of a program after obtaining your certification is key in ensuring you will be successful. Students often feel overwhelmed with the amount of information learned and have anaysis paralysis. Having assistance along the way gives you the best chance you will make the right decisions in setting up and operating your life coaching business. The alternative is that students go into Facebook life coach groups and ask for help. This is similar to the blind leading the blind. Mistake #1: The number one mistake students make when selecting a program is to choose it solely on cost. They figure that they can save x number of dollars by going to a different school over another. However, what they actually did was waste a bunch of money because they never received the training they needed to be successful. So, paying extra to ensure you receive everything you need is a wise decision. Tim Laskis, Ph.D.