7 Benefits of Online Coaching You Cannot Overlook
Like any other industry, technology has had a tremendous impact on the coaching industry as well. But before we look into the impact of technology and the benefits of online coaching, let’s talk about the coaching industry itself.
According to MarketResearch, the coaching industry is expected to grow by 5.4% to 1.38 billion by 2022 in the US alone. In the past, coaching was a luxury for high-end clients or businesses but now millennials have changed the entire game.
Coaching tools and softwares have helped coaches in adapting to the moving times, shifting the focus from coaching in a physical environment to a virtual one.
Fun Fact: Did you know in 1830 Oxford University defined coach as a slang term for a tutor?
With a lot of the coaches adapting to digitalization, there are still some who wonder how it can be beneficial. So, we decided to answer your questions! Here are 7 benefits of online coaching.
1. Convenience
One of the leading benefits of online coaching is convenience. An online coaching session, whether one-on-one or in a group, is conducted in a virtual environment through any electronic device and an internet connection – it is that simple.
As a result, an online coaching session can be conducted from anywhere, and at any time feasible. For many professionals who work jobs from 9-5, this flexibility proves to be an amazing benefit of online coaching since they may not have to worry about travel times, rush hours, or being late to a session.
2. Unlimited Options
Before the internet, the idea of finding a good coach relied mainly on referrals, radio ads, and television, and anyone looking for coaching was only aware of coaches who could be part of these mass media platforms.
However, with the internet that all changed.
Today, more coaches have embraced the internet as one of the leading marketing tools, reaching more people, and in turn, individuals seeking coaches can choose from a pool of experts.
If you make a simple search like, “life coaches near me” or “best online business coaches” you are likely to get a lot more options than you could before the internet came around.
As online coaching continues to grow, you also have access to several online coaching platforms. Although many of them may be in niche sectors, others like Koachee give you access to multiple industries under one roof. This further minimizes your online journey to finding yourself the right coach.
3. Affordability & Time Saving
Along with other benefits, online coaching comes with financial benefits too. This may not necessarily mean that you will get lower rates per session compared to an in-person session, but it will save you time and money if you look at the broader picture.
If you were to take an in-person coaching session 7 miles from your current location, you would have expenses traveling to the location. As for coaches, especially those who travel to other states and cities to coach may find themselves having a larger expense compared to when they would conduct online coaching sessions.
Hence, affordability and saving time do become significant benefits when it comes to online coaching.
4. Comfortable Environment
As individuals, it is only natural that we find ourselves comfortable in certain environments. With online coaching, another benefit you get is to conduct or attend your online coaching sessions in environments you feel comfortable in.
In comfortable environments, you are likely to find yourself concentrating more, listening and understanding the advice being given, and remain anxious to ask as many questions as you potentially can without shying away from them.
More so, your comfortable environment comes with its own set of privacy, and you are less likely to be worried about the background noise or the loud teenagers on the next table at a Starbucks.
5. Flexibility & Freedom
Sometimes when we are planning our weekly meetings that involve traveling, we often keep rush hours in mind, hence, one would aim for meetings at times that entirely avoid that time slot. However, one of the benefits of online coaching is flexibility.
Knowing that you can conveniently conduct or attend an online coaching session during rush hour, you can easily utilize that time slot more productively.
With in-person coaching sessions, you are unable to find that and are often left to squeeze in sessions, racking up your weekly schedule.
6. Credibility
Online coaching has helped coaches build credibility, and simultaneously helped coachees rely on that credibility. With the way the internet has expanded over the years, with social media, search engines, and emails, it has become incredibly easy for everyone to find reviews and testimonials before hiring an online coach.
Before the internet, it was unlikely for anyone to go to every past client of a coach and learn about their strengths and weaknesses. However, if you are interested in hiring an online coach now, you will easily be able to find what past clients are saying about them.
This though is not only a benefit for coachees, good reviews, and testimonials from clients help coaches get more clients and increase their credibility.
For example, at Koachee, reviews play an important role in helping coachees make a decision, and as for coaches, it helps them rank higher in our search engine.
7. Bonus Benefit (for Coaches Only)
Although, online coaching as a trend is only expected to grow and in times to come, what the internet says about your coaching services will help individuals and businesses decide whether to hire you or not. Virtual coaching helps you in becoming accessible as a coach to individuals and businesses in other countries as well.
Social media platforms mixed with content marketing will help you gain more exposure in markets you are not available in. Such exposure is likely to open more opportunities for your coaching services.
Check out our marketing guide for coaches to get more insights.
Conclusion
By now, you can understand the benefits of online coaching whether you are a coach or looking to hire one. The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed us to reason with the need to virtually conduct our business. However, beyond these tough times, the coaching industry continues to grow in the direction of being online. Online coaching softwares and platforms allow you to find an expert in your industry from anywhere and at any time.
