What Is Virtual Coaching?

Find out what is virtual coaching, the benefits of virtual coaching, and discover 3 ways you can get started with virtual coaching.

So far, we have tried to cover all the tidbits regarding coaching and how can your coaching business flourish.

But in today’s era, where virtual reality is a thing, it becomes a necessity to pour some light on virtual coaching.

So what is virtual coaching?

In this article, we will be taking you through a series of do’s and the don’ts regarding virtual coaching. 

We will also be sharing some coaching benefits with you and how you can start your own virtual coaching business.

So without further ado, let’s get started! 

What Is Virtual Coaching?

Virtual coaching is a one-to-one conversation about certain things/topics, which is obviously, through video conferencing.

Analyzing the term, we can easily guess that it has something to do with the internet. 

So, the amalgamation of these two terms ‘virtual’ and ‘coaching, we know that it is the process and act of coaching via the internet, in other words, video conferencing.

You can also call it virtual counseling, as it also plays the vital role of counseling and guidance of the clients.

Well, in a nutshell, we call it counseling aswell because of the following reasons:

• It boosts their confidence
• It helps in changing their habits and behaviors for the better
• It aids them in reaching their personal or professional goals
• It continues helping them managing stress 

What Are The Benefits Of Virtual Coaching? 

Virtual coaching can be anyone’s best friend who wants to embrace virtual reality. 

So, to know more about virtual coaching, let’s discuss some of its benefits.

Some highlighted benefits of virtual coaching are that it’s highly effective and impactful, it removes geographical boundaries, it’s flexible, it can be personalized, it’s cost-friendly, and it creates a safe environment. 

1. Can Be As Effective As In-Person Coaching

Virtual coaching is no more different than the in-person meeting coaching programs/approach.

Because other than speaking to the clients online, there is not much difference in this approach. 

You can follow the same programs and run the same tasks.

The clients can also listen to their coach intently via video conferencing, the coach can guide the clients through any of their difficult tasks and goals and talk them through it completely.

Clients can even report back to him in time through emails or personal messages. 

If you think about it, perhaps, video conferencing is much easier than being present anywhere, on time.

You do not have to run to the places to meet each other, you can talk to each other easily while you sit back and relax.

Talk about your day and its goals.

Resting our point again that there is not much difference between both coaching approaches, other than connecting online in this approach.

Remember the fact, that how much the internet has made everything easy for us now, no matter wherever you are traveling or sitting tired at home, you can always contact each other easily, any time.

2. Removes Geographical Barriers

As we talked about the internet and it made everything easy for us in the previous point, we should know that its limit does not end here.

When we talk about getting clients or hiring the coach, who suits the client the most, we should keep in mind that due to the internet present everywhere, now anyone can choose and pick clients and coaches from anywhere in the world.

There are no geographical boundaries in this work.

And virtual coaching approach even makes it easier for us, because when one is already running a business via the internet, he can make this way most useful for him by taking clients overseas.

Vice versa, clients can pick any virtual coach that suits them the most by using the virtual approach.

Geographic limitations are not an issue with virtual coaching at all, which we think is the biggest selling point of this approach.

Both parties can choose each other based on the quality of work and coaching program.

Hence, connections can happen from anywhere in the world.

3. It’s Flexible To Fit According To Client’s Lifestyle

There is no doubt that everyone wants their life to be easy and convenient and the internet has somehow, fulfilled our wish to some extent.

Conditions, especially like nowadays, when people cannot get out of their houses and are not able to attend their work from their workplaces, they can control some part of their lives working from home, through the internet.

And coaches also find this solution to be very easy and comfortable.

There are so many people who cannot come to coaches and then there are some clients who live overseas, in situations like these virtual coaching is the easiest solution for all the problems.

Coaches can easily adapt their programs and time according to the demand of their clients.

They can fix their timings and level of tasks according to the demand of their client’s lifestyles.

It becomes easy for both parties to relate to each other via video conferencing and both of them can respect each other’s time relevance.

It is really quicker and cheaper, isn’t it?

On the other hand, virtual coaching does seem more suitable now.

4. More Impactful

The next million-dollar question which comes to mind is: what’s the thing which makes coaching most effective and impactful?

Trust and Rapport are the two things that make any kind of coaching most effective and impactful.

Without building rapport between the coach and his coachee, there can be no trust and without the building of a trustful relationship between both parties, there can be no effective rapport.

We should all be most careful about this point because, without a trustful relationship between both sides, there can be no coaching business to adhere to.

And if you are still confused about rapport and its building between both sides, please visit our other articles on coaching, where you will find details about it; what exactly it is, and how to build and maintain it through the course of time.

If there is a rapport between the coach and his coachee, the client can easily reveal his weaknesses and confusions about the problem he wants the guidance for, otherwise, there will be a communication-gap between both and results cannot be promising,

For effective results, there should be an impactful one-to-one relationship between both, where they can easily communicate with each other and act together to achieve the goals.

5. Can Be Individualized

Virtual coaching does not mean that you cannot customize or personalize your coaching program for any of your clients.

As we talked about it earlier, virtual coaching is just like an in-person coaching style.

As a good coach, you should know that there is always a 95% chance that you have to personalize your coaching program according to the needs and demands of your clients.

Each of your clients can ask for customized tasks.

By asking, we do not mean that he would ask you himself in words, to change the program for him. 

In fact, as a good counselor, you have to observe their behavior on your own and decide what changes and personalization they need in it.

What are their behavioral demands and what kind of results they require, what will satisfy them, and their behavior.

You can always alter the tasks for them and it does not mean that you would have to change your course entirely.

6. It’s Cost-Friendly

Virtual coaching is also cost-friendly and does not require much of your budget.

Well think about it, you do not have to go or travel to meet different clients, you do not have to personalize your time for them as much as there is an in-person coaching style.

And when you are not going anywhere or you are not traveling anywhere, obviously there is no budget required for this part of your job.

You do not have to buy a specific separate space for your office, your room or any of your sitting areas in your house can be your virtual office.

You just have to find a good peaceful corner to complete your daily job.

Even for video conferencing, you do not have to buy any expansive tools to start your business.

A simple laptop, whatever you have, and a simple phone will do it.

Your existing laptop and your phone are enough to start your business if you have the skills and determination for the coaching business.

You just have to feel interested in people and make their lives easy for them, make them feel motivated, and help them achieve their goals, whether annual or daily.

7. Easier To Create A Comfortable And Safe Environment

Rapport building always starts with some exercises of trust-building and it is developed when both parties are talking to each other.

Listening keenly and observing the behavior of the client is the foremost responsibility of the coach, whether he is sitting in front of you or it is a video conference.

While you are talking on video conferencing via your laptop or your phone, both of you should have some privacy, especially in the beginning, when your client is starting to put his trust in you.

And when you are talking to each other, sitting in a safe place, listening to each other, it creates a sense of a safe environment.

It should be kept this way.

By talking on videos, there are always fewer distractions, such as no ringing of office bells or other people barging on both parties.

You can maintain a safe space for both.

8. Will Keep You Relevant To Modern Work Practices

We all know that this world is a constantly changing place and every change, it requires a suitable adaptation.

Without adapting ourselves according to the demand of time and change, we cannot move forward and that is why our professions and all work areas need changes too.

They need to be polished again and again every now and then.

This change and adaptation keep us running throughout the walk of time, it keeps us updated and relevant to modern changes in every area of fields.

The same is the case with the profession of coaching, whether it is in-person or virtual.

You have to update your approach to stay relevant to all of your new clients.

With every client, obviously, you will learn new things and will be in need to search for new approaches.

This profession, especially, keeps you updated and relevant to the current changes in society, its goals, its traditions.

How To Get Started With Virtual Coaching

There are 3 ways through which you can start your virtual coaching, even if you are already running a coaching business then starting your business online or virtual coaching must be easier for you.

1. Ask Your Existing Clients If They’d Be Interested In Virtual Sessions

If you have your previous clients or any present ones that you are dealing with, you can ask them about how you can improve your approach towards the clients. 

Ask them about how they would be interested in your virtual coaching.

Show them that in-person coaching mostly includes physical tasks and all the focus is mostly on the completion of these physical goals. 

But with virtual coaching, you can focus more on psychological improvement and attaining emotional and psychological stages. 

2. Identify The Tools You Will Use

Do not forget to tell them that the only thing they would be needing the most for virtual coaching is their smartphones, tablets, or laptops, whatever they have or feel like using.

This will motivate them the most because restating the fact that they won’t be traveling much for this approach is really motivational.

Who does not want good motivational cheering merely by sitting in their beds!

The only travel they would be possibly doing is from one room to another, just for silence or a more comforting corner of their house.

Well, it sounds amazing to us!

3. Market Your New Service

To market for your new clients or even if you are initiating the business from zero levels, you need to have a strong social strategy.

By social strategy, we mean that you have to market your business on social media because we all know that most of the potential clients are available on social media sites.

There are so many people, in fact, everyone who uses social media for their marketing attracts their new clients from these sites.

They use Facebook and Instagram for all of their marketing strategies, whichever social media site is most in use and trend of people, marketers use that site to attract their potential audience.

And it works!

People have their business pages on these sites, which they keep updating and lure people to have a look at them. 

With catchy lines and motivational videos, they just get their new clients.

Conclusion

We hope that we were helpful for all of you, who want to start their virtual coaching business or those who are interested to know about it.

We wish that we have motivated you enough to believe in yourself and start your business because all it takes is a mixture of self-confidence and a bit of skill for the line you choose to adopt.

Good luck!

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