When someone is considering engaging with a coach for the first time, they often want more information about the benefits. Basically, the new client is wondering whether the time and money investment is worth it.
When coaches are offering their services through various marketing channels, the challenge is to both provide the research that proves the value of coaching (for example studies on the ROI) and at the same time refrain from promising a specific outcome.
Coaching ROI research: there are a number of studies that measure both qualitative and quantitative benefits of coaching. Sharing the results of the research provides valuable insight into coaching.
Additionally, information about the reason coaching works is significant. The bottom line is that coaching works because instead of a coach telling the client, the coach is empowering the client to discover their own answer. This is done through the coaching process and by using coaching techniques. Because of this, the solutions, actions, and results are owned by the client. This in turn means that there are no promises about the outcome because the outcome is dependent on what choices the client makes and what actions they take.
A coach is transparent about the research, the pros and cons of focusing on quantitative or qualitative measures, who actually owns the outcome, and how the coaching supports the client achieving their targeted ROI.