How to price your coaching packages

Pricing is where many new coaches get stuck. Charge too little and you burn out. Charge without a plan and you'll have trouble explaining your price. Here's a simple way to work it out.

Start with your real hours

A one-hour session is never only one hour. Add the time you spend preparing, sending messages, checking progress and writing notes. Many coaches find each session hour needs another 30 to 60 minutes around it. Count all of it.

Work out the number you need

Write down what you want to earn in a year, add your yearly business costs (software, insurance, training, taxes), then divide by the number of client hours you can realistically deliver. That gives you a floor. Don't price below it.

Sell packages, not single sessions

Single sessions make clients think about price every week. A package keeps them focused on the result. Packages also make your income easier to predict.

• Name the outcome: "Sleep reset: 8 weeks" says more than "8 sessions."
• List what's included: sessions, check-ins between sessions, a program, access to an app.
• Set a clear start and end, with an option to continue.

Add a group option

Group programs let more people work with you at a lower price, while you earn more per hour. A small group challenge or workshop series also works as a first step for people who aren't ready for one-on-one coaching.

Include the tools in the price

If clients use an app for habits, challenges or tracking, build its cost into your package rather than charging for it separately. Clients see one price for everything, and you keep the margin.

Raise prices on a schedule

Review your prices every six months. Raise them for new clients first. Give current clients notice and a reason: more experience, more support or better results.

A quick check

1. Does the price cover all your hours, not just session time?
2. Can you explain what the client gets in one sentence?
3. Would you be glad to do the work at this price a year from now?