Your life coaching business is thriving. More clients are knocking on your door, and your calendar’s bursting at the seams.
However, this success brings its own set of challenges. Instead of solely focusing on coaching, you’re now juggling various projects, tasks, and looming deadlines. And this is especially true if you’re adding more layers to your coaching business model.
Feeling overwhelmed? Consider hiring a project manager to give you a helping hand!
In this guide, we will delve into:
- What is a project manager
- What does a project manager do
- What makes a good project manager
- When to hire a project manager
- More tips for hiring a project manager
What Is a Project Manager?
Put simply, a project manager makes sure every piece of your business is in sync.
A project manager is the person you hire when you want every part of your business humming together perfectly. They’re the ones with the plan, the oversight, and the knack for detail.
So, what is the importance of a project manager and how do they make everything come together?
1. Ensures clear communication among team members
A project manager helps maintain healthy lines of communication with everyone involved in their project.
They’re the go-to person to ensure everyone’s informed and aligned. This prevents hiccups and keeps projects flowing without a hitch.
2. Anticipating and addressing challenges
Life’s not without its surprises, and neither is a coaching business. Project managers are experts at spotting potential issues before they become big problems.
They assess, analyze, and take action by setting up plans to dodge disruptions and keep everything on course.
For instance, let’s say you’re planning to launch a new coaching offer. Several things can go wrong in a launch, such as:
- Links for a webinar not working
- Your sales page not being optimized for mobile
- Facebook ads not getting approved quickly enough to go live before the launch starts
- And so much more!
But if you have a talented project manager on board, they can proactively think of these issues and plan some time around each task to make up for it.
3. Optimizing team talents for success
If your coaching business has other team members, a good project manager makes sure that every person is in the right place – doing what they’re best at.
They gauge skills, consider workloads, set project schedules, and place people where they’ll shine brightest. They know how to use resources wisely to get the job done.
They’re tuned into your goals and can craft detailed plans to get you there. Whether it’s collaborating with marketing folks or content creators, they ensure your coaching vision comes alive.
In any organization, a project manager is the one pulling all the strings to make sure projects are a hit. And this is especially important in coaching, where they can amplify your impact, allowing you to deliver transformative coaching experiences without getting bogged down in logistics.
What Does a Project Manager Do?
So now you understand the role of a project manager. But what do they actively do for your coaching business? Let’s break down their key responsibilities.
1. Creating a blueprint for profitable projects
When you start scaling your coaching business, it can become more difficult to track each client (or each group coaching program). And you can quickly start spending way too much time on one project and make that project less profitable as a result.
But project managers can help you set priorities and a coaching schedule so that this doesn’t happen. They lay down the roadmap, detail out every task, set specific deadlines, and make sure everyone understands their part in the journey.
2. Catching anything that falls through the cracks
You – and other coaches on your team, if applicable – have clients to care for. And in the shuffle, things can fall through the cracks.
If you’re always double-checking everything to make sure that never happens, you’ll be less focused on supporting your clients as they undergo their transformative journeys.
That’s why a project manager’s job is to keep an eye on what falls through the cracks.
3. Facilitate communication and deadlines
With multiple people working on different aspects of a project, clear communication becomes crucial. The project manager is the glue, ensuring everyone remains informed, aligned, and engaged. They’re the point of contact, resolving queries and clearing any confusion.
Here’s a great example: you have a perfectly scheduled coaching project on your calendar, but life happens, and you get sick. A talented project manager will know how to move around deadlines and priorities to make sure things don’t break…
And they’ll also know how to communicate with other team members so that your business doesn’t fall apart!
What Makes a Good Project Manager?
Not all projects are successful, and not all project managers are effective. So, what sets the good ones apart and what are the qualities of a good project manager?
1. Efficient organization
Talented project managers are capable of handling multiple projects. They keep track of each one and ensure that everything is progressing as it should.
2. Transparent communication
Clear communication is vital.
Top project managers make sure every project team member understands their role and any updates. They’re able to make sure everyone is aligned at all times.
But they also know how to facilitate communication between team members!
3. Skillful prioritization
If everything has the same level of priority… then nothing gets done!
Project managers understand how to prioritize tasks and sub-tasks within a project. They know what questions to ask you, the coach, to understand what needs to be put at the forefront of everyone’s goals in the business.
4. Consistent attention to detail
Mistakes can be costly – especially when it comes to your client’s experience.
A great project manager is meticulous and makes sure that even the smallest aspects of a project are handled correctly. They have the eye to see things no one else can.
5. Team-centric approach
The team makes the project. That’s why recognizing and valuing each member’s contribution is a hallmark of outstanding project managers.
They do what they do not to make themselves shine but to maximize the team’s potential as a whole.
6. Forward-thinking risk management
Risks are part of every project. Exceptional project managers identify these risks early on and plan accordingly.
While many can take on the title, the truly exceptional ones can become proactive with risk management.
For example, they may spot coaching clients in a membership program who are at risk of churning – and come up with a plan to keep those clients happy and engaged.
When To Hire a Project Manager
Hiring a project manager is a big leap for a coach. Here are the signs you’re ready to make that move.
First off… do you constantly wake up to a day so jam-packed that you’re wondering how you’re going to get through it? If that’s becoming your daily reality, it’s probably a sign that a project manager could swoop in and save the day.
Continuing this road alone could put you at risk for burnout, so you’ll either need to scale back or get some support.
What if you’re not overwhelmed yet? You may still need some help if you plan on expanding. If your coaching roster is expanding and those sessions are multiplying, that’s amazing news.
But a project manager might be the person you need to make it work… especially if you’re introducing coaching programs that are more complex to fulfill.
For example, let’s say you have a program where you need to:
- Check up on clients several times a week
- Create and deliver a custom workbook for each client
- Come up with a new group workshop each month
- Meet with each client one-on-one each week
- Constantly optimize your sales funnel to keep leads flowing in
These types of complex tasks could use the help of a project manager to make sure it all flows seamlessly.
More Tips for Hiring a Project Manager
So, thinking about bringing a project manager on board? Great move! But before you dive in, here are some simple pointers on how to hire project managers:
- Be on the same page: Clearly outline what you want them to do. List down the tasks, roles, and what you expect. Another crucial aspect to clarify from the start is who the project manager reports to. Establishing this chain of communication will ensure everyone’s aligned from the outset. This way, you’ll get someone who’s on the same page as you.
- Know their background: Go ahead and ask for their past work or references. Have a chat, maybe even a coffee. You’ll get a feel for what they’ve done and how they do it.
- Culture fit: Think about your team and your work culture – or what you would like it to be if you’re hiring for the first time. Will this person fit in? If you want to keep growing, company culture will go a long way to attracting and retaining the best people.
Hire a Project Manager to Scale Your Coaching Business
Hiring a project manager can be a game-changer. It can help you zoom through tasks, keep things neat, and let you focus on what you love: coaching.
Whether you’re ready for a project manager or not, you’ll be much more productive and focused when you’re running your coaching business in a streamlined way. If that’s not already the case… meet Paperbell.
Paperbell is an all-in-one tool for managing an online coaching business without all the stress of repetitive tasks and complex software. But the best part is that you can try it for free until you get your first client! Grab your free account right here to get started with Paperbell.
