[Newsletter] The Smartest Coach in the Room

What a banana can teach you about pricing Every Saturday, The Smartest Coach in the Room delivers helpful takeaways on the hottest nutrition and health topics and the world’s most effective coaching techniques. (Did some amazing friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( “How much should I charge?” The above is a question we get a LOT from coaches. To answer it, I'm going to tell you a quick story (which won't seem related, but I promise I'll bring it home). Recently, on the leg home from a trip, I was stuck in an airport without good food options. While certain processed foods have their place in my heart (and my diet), that day, I just wanted something healthy and simple. In a wasteland of shelf-stable foods, I found a kiosk that sold bananas. For $3 USD each. (Now that’s bananas.) The difference between cost and value Three dollars is a truly outrageous price for a single banana. However, I was hungry, and it was exactly what I wanted. In proportion to what the banana gave me in terms of value, the cost was actually very reasonable. I bring this up because many coaches feel uncomfortable about the process of setting and raising prices. Part of the reason for this, I think, is that they focus too much on the cost of their services, and not enough on the value of their services. Whereas cost is the amount of money a client has to shell out for an appointment or package, value is what they get from this service—which may be a goal met, skills learned, a more positive life trajectory set in motion, or a better self actualized. When determining your rate, first get in the ballpark. When determining a fair price for your coaching, it’s helpful to start with a baseline. For that, the below chart may help. [A chart outlining hourly coaching rates based on a 2019 survey of over 1,000 coaches in our community. The median hourly rate for nutrition coaching was $65 USD per hour, with rates going up or down based on education, experience, and time dedicated to coaching.]( Figures taken from a 2019 survey of over 1,000 coaches in our community. The median hourly rate for nutrition coaching was $65 USD per hour, with rates going up or down based on education, experience, and time dedicated to coaching. If you set your prices years ago and are thinking of adjusting them, a good rule of thumb is to bump up prices by 3 percent once a year to cover inflation, plus additional increases to reflect new training or services. What value do you provide? Once you have a baseline rate, consider the trickier question of value. When clients come to see you, they’re not just paying for an hour of your time. They’re paying for the opportunity to have a different future—to be a better person, even. Take an honest look at your qualifications, your experience with other clients, and your level of investment in your clients’ results. And ask yourself: 🤔 What kinds of goals am I qualified to help my clients achieve? 🤔 Are those goals limited to one area of health (say, physical fitness) or am I also qualified to help clients with nutrition, mindset, sleep, body image, and more? 🤔 Is there work I do “behind the scenes” (i.e. not during client sessions) that benefits my clients (e.g. research, continuing education)? 🤔 How available am I in between sessions (texting, emails, phone calls), and is that time built into my rate? 🤔 If I could put a price on the results I can help my clients achieve, what would it be? Is that potential value reflected in my rate? There’s no “right” or “easy” answer. Pricing is personal, and the process of determining your rates can be surprisingly emotionally confronting. But asking yourself the above questions will help you consider your value, beyond a simple exchange for that hour you spent with a client during a session. A fair price will be high enough that you’re not feeling resentful of how little you’re being paid, or for the time you might spend behind the scenes. It also won’t be so high that you’re feeling dishonest about what you’re promising your clients. Be ambitious, but also be realistic. For a more thorough exploration of this topic, read: [How much should you charge? What it really takes to earn top-tier rates]( And, if you’re serious about leveling up your skills and credibility, check out our [Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification](. It combines the science of nutrition along with the art of coaching—so you can feel confident about helping clients achieve their goals, and growing your business. [Become a Certified Nutrition Coach - Join the presale list for the #1 rated PN Level 1 Nutrition Certification]( Take care, Alex :) --------------------------------------------------------------- Alex Picot-Annand, PN2, Holistic Nutritionist Editorial Director Precision Nutrition Home of the world’s top nutrition coaches --------------------------------------------------------------- What did you think of this email? Precision Nutrition Business Insider's #1 Choice for Nutrition Certifications in 2022 --- To view this email as a web page, click [here.]( Precision Nutrition Inc. 18 King Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, M5C 1C4, Canada Finally, nutrition makes sense. Visit us at [www.precisionnutrition.com]( today. Follow us on [Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences](