Written by TriciaBiz, Business Coach
TriciaBiz, the Business Fixer, is a global business growth expert and founder of The Business Lab Academy Africa, where she has empowered over 250,000 entrepreneurs across 20+ countries with business strategies for sustainable growth."
Coaching is a transformative experience, but delivering that transformation effectively requires more than just expertise. It’s not enough to know your stuff—you must know how to teach it. Whether you’re a life coach, business coach, or fitness coach, mastering the art of teaching can take your coaching practice to new heights.
Five essential tips to help you become a great coach and an excellent teacher
1. Create a clear curriculum
The first step in any teaching process is building a solid curriculum. As a coach, your role is guiding your clients toward specific results, which needs structure. Without a clear course outline or roadmap, it’s easy to veer off track and leave your clients feeling lost.
To create your curriculum, define the transformation you want your clients to achieve. For instance, if you're a health coach working with new moms, their goal might be to lose post-baby weight. Once the desired transformation is evident, break it down into smaller steps. What do they need to learn? It could be understanding weight loss myths, changing their mindset, or adjusting their diet.
Once you’ve listed the key areas, allocate time to each. For a one-hour session, you might spend 20 minutes on mindset, 20 minutes on nutrition, and 20 minutes on physical exercises. For a more extended program, break each area into modules. This structured approach ensures you stay focused and your clients know exactly what to expect at every stage.
2. Learn how to run a class
Teaching effectively is not just about content; it’s also about how you manage the process from start to finish. Running a class or coaching session means guiding your clients through a journey, not just dumping information on them.
Think of your sessions like a well-orchestrated event. Start by welcoming your clients and setting expectations. Engage them early by asking questions or getting them to share where they’re joining from. Next, introduce yourself and the topic. Even if your clients know you, a brief introduction helps set the stage and mentally prepares them for what’s ahead.
For online courses, record your modules with clear transitions. Link what was covered in the previous session to the new content and give them a sneak peek of what’s next. The goal is to make your coaching sessions as interactive and engaging as possible, whether they’re live or pre-recorded.
3. Read the energy in the room
One of the most critical yet overlooked aspects of coaching is understanding the energy in the room. You could teach vital information, but if your clients are disengaged or distracted, they won’t absorb it. Reading the energy means being in tune with your audience’s mood and engagement level.
This is especially challenging in online settings since you can’t physically see your clients. However, you can engage them by asking regular questions like, “Does this make sense?” or “Can you relate to this?” Asking for feedback keeps them involved and helps you assess whether they’re following along or need clarification.
For live classes, pay attention to body language. Are they nodding along, or do they look confused? Do they seem excited, or are they zoning out? Adjust your pace, tone, or content to keep the energy high. Remember, teaching isn’t just about delivering content—it’s about ensuring your audience is fully engaged and energized.
4. Master the use of your voice
Your voice is one of the most powerful teaching tools. How you use it can make or break your session. Many coaches fall into the trap of speaking in a monotone, which can cause clients to lose interest quickly. Vary your pitch, pace, and tone to keep the session dynamic and captivating.
For instance, raise your voice slightly to convey enthusiasm and urgency when making an important point. Slow down and speak more softly to encourage reflection. The goal is to use your voice to evoke emotions and maintain your clients’ attention.
Additionally, speak slowly and slowly. If you talk fast, consciously slow down to ensure everyone understands you. On the other hand, if you're slow, you avoid losing your audience's interest.
5. Look the part
Your appearance and the environment you create play a significant role in how well your coaching is received. Whether you're teaching online or in person, looking professional helps reduce distractions and keeps your audience focused on the content.
Your clients are human, and humans are naturally judgmental and easily distracted. If you show up to your session looking unprepared, with poor lighting or technical issues, your clients will focus on those distractions instead of what you teach. Always look the part—dress neatly, ensure good lighting, and minimize background noise or interruptions. This shows that you respect your clients and take your role seriously.
Additionally, don’t mention technical problems unless absolutely necessary. Avoid statements like, “The lighting isn’t great today,” or “Excuse my appearance; I didn’t have time to get ready.” These comments shift focus from your content to the distractions, causing your clients to lose engagement.
Conclusion
Coaching and teaching go hand in hand. No matter how knowledgeable you are as a coach, your ability to convey that knowledge sets you apart. By creating an explicit curriculum, structuring your sessions effectively, reading the energy in the room, mastering your voice, and looking the part, you can ensure that your clients learn from you and feel empowered and inspired.
So, go beyond coaching and learn how to teach. Your clients and your coaching practice will thank you for it.
Read more from TriciaBiz
TriciaBiz, Business Coach
TriciaBiz, known as the Business Fixer, is a leading business growth strategist with over 18 years of experience across diverse industries. As Founder of The Business Lab Academy Africa, she has trained over 250,000 entrepreneurs in 20+ countries, helping them scale with effective strategies and systems. Her partnerships with major brands like Visa, Meta etc have impacted millions of small business owners across Africa. TriciaBiz is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth and success." She believes that every small business has the potential to become a large-scale enterprise.
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