Kim Avery Coaching

How to Quote Your Prices Without Flinching or Fear

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5 Confidence-Building Questions Every Coach Needs to Ask

Are you insecure about your coaching prices? When a potential client asks what you charge, have you ever…

  • Apologized even as the numbers left your mouth
  • Mentioned a price and then lowered it before your prospect even had a chance to speak
  • Worried and cringed as you awaited their response

I have. For years, a pit in my stomach accompanied my stammering voice whenever I quoted my fees. The aroma of fear would waft through the phone, and my potential clients could smell it from hundreds of miles away.

My fear fed their uncertainty, and turning prospects into clients was rare.

Who wants to work with a coach lacking confidence in what she does?

My calendar remained empty, and few people found help.

Desperate to find a better way, I asked myself five questions to clarify what I should charge and why.

It worked.

Today, I’m happy to report that when the phone rings, I can confidently quote my prices without flinching or fear.

You can too by simply working through the questions below.

1. Why did God call you to become a coach?

God led you into coaching as part of His greater plan. Does He want this to be your ministry? If so, your prices can reflect the needs of those He’s called you to serve.

But if coaching is your business, your primary means of support, then profitability must be top of mind.

And if God’s calling involves both giving and earning, you’ll need to take both into account.

sherpa2. Who is God calling you to serve?

All niches are valuable, but not all niches are equally profitable.

Out-of work, single moms can’t pay the same for coaching as jet-setting executives in Armani suits.

Remember, you can only charge what your target group is willing and able to pay.

3. How many clients do you want?

Christopher McCluskey, founder of the Professional Christian Coaching Institute, has said that new coaches would benefit more from having ten clients that pay $100 a month then from having four clients who pays $250 each.

Why? Because working with a larger number of people helps these coaches hone their skills, spreads the word about their businesses and allows them to accumulate hours towards certification.

Once a coach’s practice stays consistently full, he can begin increasing his fees as new clients enroll.

4. What are other coaches in your niche charging?

When I was struggling to set my coaching fees, it felt like driving a car with square tires on each side. Why was I trying to reinvent the wheel?

Experienced coaches had travelled this road and thought through the proper balance between profitable and fair. So, I interviewed colleagues who shared my niche to learn what they already knew.

If you are new to coaching, you can find godly, seasoned coaches in my Christian Coaches Community Facebook group. Look for it on Facebook, and request to join.

Adopting a proven pricing model just makes sense.

5. What does God want you to charge?

Even after asking myself the four questions above, a general uneasiness about my pricing dogged my steps.

I still needed to ask one last question to gain confidence and peace.

“God, what do You want me to charge?”

Once I knew that, my fears were stilled and the pit in my stomach went away.

How About You?

Unfortunately, there is no one-price-fits-all solution for every Christian coach. But prayerfully answering the five questions above should give your pricing process the firm foundation it needs.

Isn’t it time you had clarity, confidence and peace about what you charge?

It’s Your Turn

What factors go into the prices you charge?

12 Comments

  1. Daria

    I’m in Christian Life Coaching classes now. This topic is our weeks discussion. We are all in the dilemma of pricing. We are not sure of the prices we should charge or if we should charge certain clients being in a christian environment. This e-mail was in perfect timing. I also posted your information, so hopefully more students will sign up to view this webinar.

    God Bless….

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Daria – Thanks for sharing that. It seems as if setting and feeling good about our prices is a universal dilemma. I’m so glad you are surrounded by other coaches who that are willing to help one another with this “sticky” question. And thanks for passing on the information about the webinar. I really appreciate it!

  2. Daria

    I’m in Christian Life Coaching classes now. This topic is our weeks discussion. We are all in the dilemma of pricing. We are not sure of the prices we should charge or if we should charge certain clients being in a christian environment. This e-mail was in perfect timing. I also posted your information, so hopefully more students will sign up to view this webinar.

    God Bless….

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Daria – Thanks for sharing that. It seems as if setting and feeling good about our prices is a universal dilemma. I’m so glad you are surrounded by other coaches who that are willing to help one another with this “sticky” question. And thanks for passing on the information about the webinar. I really appreciate it!

  3. Cheryl

    Great post. We have to keep in mind WHO called us, WHY and be confident in Him working through us to do the work!

    • Kim Avery

      Isn’t wonderful to have a God who knows and cares about every detail of our lives? I’m so glad you are enjoying Him as you go through this life coaching journey.

  4. Cheryl

    Great post. We have to keep in mind WHO called us, WHY and be confident in Him working through us to do the work!

    • Kim Avery

      Isn’t wonderful to have a God who knows and cares about every detail of our lives? I’m so glad you are enjoying Him as you go through this life coaching journey.

    • Kim Avery

      Thanks for sharing this, Cheryl. I especially enjoyed reading through the comment section to learn what other coaches are thinking about self-promotion versus just letting people know how God has equipped us to serve in the world.

    • Kim Avery

      Thanks for sharing this, Cheryl. I especially enjoyed reading through the comment section to learn what other coaches are thinking about self-promotion versus just letting people know how God has equipped us to serve in the world.