When it comes to online coaching, choosing the right platform is essential. Both to ensure the success of your business and to make your life as an entrepreneur easier. However, with the multitude of options available on the market, it is easy to make mistakes that can harm the growth of your business. This article discusses Common Mistakes When Choosing a Coaching Platform and offers practical tips to help you avoid them.
Not understanding their specific needs
One of the biggest mistakes when choosing a coaching platform is not taking the time to analyze your own needs. Many coaches rush to adopt a solution without having a clear vision of what they are looking for. You should not be influenced by the hype (the trendy tool) but rather understand your own needs.
Concrete example:
A wellness coach chooses a general platform that doesn't allow for audio tracks for his online meditation and yoga classes. As a result, he finds himself limited in his content, which hurts the customer experience.
Practical advice:
Before choosing a platform, list your specific needs. Ask yourself the following questions:
- • Does the platform allow the integration of podcasts and audio tracks, HD video?
- • Does the platform offer customer management tools (CRM) ?
- • Do you need modules for invoicing or payment automation?
By defining your needs upstream, you will considerably reduce the risks of opting for an unsuitable solution.
Ignoring ease of use
Ease of use is crucial for management daily life of your online business. An overly complex or poorly designed platform can not only frustrate you, but also deter your customers.
Concrete example:
A personal development coach chooses a platform that is rich in features, but its interface is complicated to use. He spends more time figuring out how to manage his sessions than focusing on his clients. His clients quickly give up because they find it difficult to access their sessions.
Practical advice:
When selecting a platform, opt for an intuitive user interface. Don’t hesitate to test the platform by requesting a demo or signing up for a free trial. If possible, also involve your customers in this phase to get their feedback.
Underestimating the importance of customer engagement tools
Customer engagement is essential to attract and retain customersr your clients. Many coaches focus only on the basic features of a platform (videos, course management) and neglect the tools that allow them to maintain the connection with their clients.
Concrete example:
A coach chooses a platform that does not offer automated tracking of interactions with his clients. He must then juggle between several software programs to organize his communications, which wastes his time.
Practical advice:
Look for a platform that can at least track customer engagement and automate some simple tasks, like session reminders. For example, MyKlub centralizes appointment management, session access, and replays, making it much easier to follow up with clients without the need for too much additional software. Learn more about MyKlub features that help you stay connected to your customers. For more complex needs, future integrations with advanced marketing tools could be considered.
Not anticipating the growth of your business
Choosing a platform that only fits your current situation can limit you in the future. Many coaches make the mistake of choosing a solution that won't be able to scale as your client base increases or your services expand.
Concrete example:
A leadership coach selects a platform that only allows for one-on-one sessions. After growing his client base, he wants to run group sessions, but the platform doesn't support this type of format. He is then forced to change solutions, which creates additional costs and disruptions for his clients.
Practical advice:
Choose a scalable platform that can support your business growth. Make sure it offers different formats (individual, group, webinar) and can handle a growing number of customers. Also check the options for updating and integrating new features.
Neglecting data security
Protecting personal data has become a priority in online coaching. By neglecting the security of your clients' information, you expose yourself to legal risks, and your reputation could be tarnished in the event of a breach.
Concrete example:
A coach chooses a platform that does not comply with data security standards, particularly in terms of GDPR. One day, he discovers that a flaw has allowed hackers to retrieve his clients' sensitive information. The trust of his customers is broken, and he loses several clients.
Practical advice:
Make sure the platform complies with security and privacy standards, such as GDPR. Also, check if it offers an automatic data backup system.
Opt for the cheapest solution without comparing options
Choosing a platform based solely on price is a common mistake. If not the most common one. It can be tempting to opt for a cheap solution to keep costs down, but this can quickly backfire.
Concrete example:
A coach selects a platform that is inexpensive but has regular malfunctions and non-existent customer support. Faced with recurring bugs, his clients lose patience and he ends up having to pay more to fix the problems.
Practical advice:
Compare the different platforms based on the features offered and the value for money. Don't sacrifice quality to save a few euros or dollars per month. Think about the long-term investment: a powerful and reliable platform will allow you to make your business more profitable.
Failing to check customer support and available resources
Another often overlooked aspect is customer support and the quality of educational resources made available by the platform. This is one of the biggest mistakes in choosing a coaching platform. When you encounter a technical problem or need help, it is crucial to be able to count on fast and efficient support.
Concrete example:
A coach chooses a reputable platform, but discovers that customer support is almost non-existent. When he encounters a technical issue that prevents his clients from participating in their sessions, it takes him several days to get a response, which impacts his reputation.
Practical advice:
Before making your choice, evaluate the support options available: live chat, phone, email, help forum, etc. Make sure that the platform also offers tutorials, FAQs, or webinars to help you use it.
Forget about mobile compatibility
With many customers using their phones or tablets to access online services, it is imperative to Choosing a mobile-friendly coaching platform. Forgetting this aspect can lead to a bad user experience.
Concrete example:
A nutrition coach chooses a platform that works very well on desktop, but the mobile interface is slow and not very user-friendly. His clients, who mainly use their smartphones, quickly abandon sessions because of frequent bugs on mobile.
Practical advice:
Make sure the platform provides a seamless user experience across all device types, including smartphones and tablets. Test the platform on multiple devices before making a decision.
Conclusion
Choosing a coaching platform is a crucial decision to help ensure the success of your online business. By avoiding the common mistakes in choosing a coaching platform mentioned above, you will be able to select a solution tailored to your specific needs, to the growth of your business and the satisfaction of your customers. Take the time to carefully evaluate your options and do not hesitate to do some tests before committing to the long term.
