When starting a coaching practice, you may begin with only a handful of materials to facilitate sessions and manage client relationships. However, as you gain more experience, you will find that your coaching toolkit blows up quite a bit.

It may take years to build up a collection of materials that make your life easier as a coach—unless you have a masterlist like the one below.

Let’s examine the 71 most commonly used life coach materials and how they can improve your practice.

Physical Life Coach Materials

Let’s start with the physical materials you may need in your office:

• Notebooks and journals: You might need these for note-taking during sessions. They’re also helpful for your own self-reflection between appointments.

• Printed worksheets and exercises: Printed materials can make your sessions more interactive and encourage experiential learning. You’ll see examples of free life coaching tools to print out in the following sections.

• Books: You can use them as references for coaching methodologies or specific personal development topics with a client.

• Business cards: These come in handy for networking with other coaches, potential clients, and collaborators. You never know when someone needs your coaching programs.

• Stationery: Pens, highlighters, and sticky notes make exercises more interactive. If you have a sweet spot for written notes, they will also be helpful when preparing for your sessions.

• Calendars and planners: Though digital scheduling and planning tools tend to be more organized and effective, some of you might want to have a physical planner at hand as well (such as the productivity planner of Wolf & Badger).

• Visual aids: Charts, diagrams, and mind maps visually illustrate the concepts you present at workshops and group sessions. If you are looking to share graphical data then you can show it by creating interactive map.

• Brochures and flyers: You can use them to promote your life coaching practice at events or the favorite community spaces of your target clients.

• Workbooks: Comprehensive guides with exercises and activities tailored to your client’s needs.

• Printed contracts and agreements: Though digital contract signing is way more hassle-free, some life coaches may like to stick to the traditional way.

Digital Coaching Materials

If you coach and run your business online, most of your materials will be digital. Here’s a list of what they may include:

• Digital worksheets: A must-have for a professional life coach. Storing filled-in exercises and coaching models for each client digitally is easy if you use Paperbell.

• E-books and PDFs: A digital version of materials you can share with clients to deepen their learning process. Also, your inventory of online life coaching tools—we’ll get to them in a minute.

• Presentation slides: Decks that make your group coaching sessions and workshops engaging by visually communicating concepts and strategies.

• Infographics: Use visual representations of key coaching concepts, frameworks, and data for better understanding.

• Email templates: Pre-written emails can help speed up client communication and marketing your coaching business.

• Digital journals: Online tools for clients to reflect and share new insights that may come up between sessions.

• Self-care tools: Life coaches use these apps to help clients manage stress, practice mindfulness, and maintain overall well-being.

• Habit trackers and check-in tools: Digital tools that help clients track new habits, monitor progress, and stay accountable to their goals.

• Life coaching forms: Digital intake forms, surveys, and questionnaires to gather client information and assess their needs.

• Checklists and action plans: Create digital lists to guide clients through tasks, action plans, and milestones to achieve their objectives.

• Webinar recordings and video materials: You can share pre-recorded webinars and videos with clients on demand or as a default part of your packages.

• Articles and podcasts: Share curated life coaching resources such as blog posts, articles, and podcasts on relevant topics to support your client’s coaching journey.

• Client case studies: These detailed success stories demonstrate the value of your coaching while keeping client names anonymous. You can use them as both educational tools during workshops or as marketing materials.

Coaching Model Templates

Now, let’s get to some specific tools you can use in both your printed and digital materials. Here are the five most commonly used coaching models.

• GROW/TGROW model: Use the GROW model to set clear goals, assess clients’ current reality, explore their options, and define action steps.

• SMART goals: SMART goals ensure goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, helping clients set focused objectives.

• CLEAR model: CLEAR helps coaches provide effective feedback by Contracting (goals), Listening actively, Exploring options, setting Actions, and Reviewing progress.

• OSKAR model: OSKAR focuses on Solution-Focused Coaching through Outcome setting, Scaling progress, identifying Know-How and resources, Affirming achievements, and Reviewing actions.

• FUEL model: FUEL frames coaching sessions by setting the topic, Understanding client perspectives, Exploring options, and Laying out actionable plans for sustainable results.

Materials for Life Coaching Exercises

Here’s a list of exercises you can add to your coaching process and use in various scenarios.

• Prioritization matrix: A tool to categorize tasks based on their importance and urgency.

• Vision board manual: A guide to creating a visual representation of goals and aspirations, using inspiring images and words.

• Wheel of Life template: A visual tool for assessing life satisfaction in various areas and balancing them.

• SWOT analysis template: A framework to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) relating to a particular goal or situation.

• Future self visualization: A guided exercise where clients envision their future achievements, characteristics, and life circumstances.

• Mind mapping exercises: Diagrams used to visually organize ideas and concepts around a central theme.

• Lifeline exercise: Creating a chronological overview of significant life events, helping clients identify patterns or turning points.

• Energy audit: Assessing how clients allocate their energy across various activities and tasks, identifying where energy is well-spent or needs adjustment.

• Meditation scripts: Scripts to facilitate guided meditation for clients on themes like mindfulness, confidence, or stress reduction.

Journaling Prompts

Journaling prompts are so versatile that they deserve their own category. They encourage clients to separate their own emotions from others’ and the circumstances, and to envision positive life changes.

Here are a few journaling exercises you can use to empower clients.

• Gratitude: What are three things you are grateful for today?

• Achievements: What were your three biggest achievements today?

• Goal setting: What are your top three goals for the next month?

• Emotional check-in: What feelings were present for you today? What tends to trigger them?

• Mindfulness: Describe a moment today when you were fully present and mindful. How can you create more of this experience in your day-to-day life?

• Personal growth: What is the number one area in your life you want to improve on? What are some aspects of it you’d like to change?

• Challenges and obstacles: What’s the biggest challenge you currently face, and how can you overcome it?

• Future vision: Where do you see yourself in five years? Describe your future health, relationships, work, and quality of life in detail.

• Affirmations: What’s an aspect of your mindset you’d like to change? Write one or more affirmations that could help you shift it.

• Lessons learned: What’s a recent mistake or failure you’ve experienced? What lesson can you take from it to ensure it doesn’t arise in the future?

• Health and wellness: What daily habits can you acquire to improve your physical and mental health?

• Passions and hobbies: What activities bring you joy, and how can you incorporate them more into your life?

• Inspirations: Who are three people that inspire you and why? How can you emulate their values more in your life?

Coaching Assessments

Here are some of the most popular coaching assessments and tests you can use with clients. They are excellent life coach tools to help clients discover their strengths and develop self-awareness.

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): Assesses personality types based on preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. A popular online version of this assessment is the 16 personalities test.

• DISC Assessment: Evaluates behavior and personality traits related to communication styles and work preferences.

• StrengthsFinder: A personality assessment that identifies a person’s natural talents and strengths to leverage them for personal and professional growth.

• Emotional Intelligence test (EQ-i 2.0): Measures emotional intelligence to enhance self-awareness, empathy, and interpersonal skills.

• 360 Feedback: Gathers feedback from a person’s peers, subordinates, and supervisors for a comprehensive view of their performance and behavior.

• Enneagram: Explores nine personality types to help individuals understand their core motivations, fears, and strengths.

• Values in Action (VIA) Survey: One of the most known values assessments. It identifies core character strengths so clients can align their actions with their values.

• Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): Measures personality traits that impact job performance and interpersonal relationships.

• Big Five Personality Test: Assesses five major dimensions of personality (openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism).

• Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI): Evaluates an individual’s approach to handling conflict and suggests ways to improve conflict resolution skills.

• The 5 Love Languages Assessment: Identifies an individual’s primary love language to improve communication and relationship satisfaction.

• Ikigai Assessment: A powerful tool to find the intersection of what you’re good at, what the world needs, what you love, and what you can be paid for.

Materials for Life Coach Certification

Each coaching certification program has its own requirements for credentialing. Here are the materials you’ll most likely need to submit to an organization like the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

• Application form: This typically includes your personal information, educational background, and previous coaching experience. Some also require your reasons for pursuing the certification.

• Coach training hours: A proof of completing your required coach training hours in an accredited coaching program. This may include certificates of completion or transcripts.

• Client coaching log: Documentation of coaching sessions you conducted with clients. It usually includes coaching session dates, duration, and a summary of coaching topics.

• Client feedback: Feedback from clients you have coached through testimonials, evaluations, or feedback surveys.

• Code of ethics agreement: Organizations like the ICF may request a signed agreement confirming your commitment to their coaching ethics and standards.

• Letter of recommendation: One or more recommendation letters from qualified individuals who can attest to your coaching skills and competence.

• Coaching competency evaluation: Some certification programs require a coaching competency evaluation to demonstrate your proficiency in coaching skills.

• Written exam: Depending on the certification, you may need to pass a written exam covering coaching principles, ethics, and practices.

• Proof of continuing education: Renewing your certification typically requires documentation of continuing education units (CEUs) or ongoing professional development in coaching.

The Easiest Way to Manage Coaching Materials for Each Client

Paperbell makes it easy to store and manage your coaching materials for each client. Here’s how.

Make Them a Part of Your Packages

Paperbell lets you create custom packages with PDFs and videos added to them. This allows you to provide extra learning materials for your clients to access between sessions.

Best of all, you can give them more value without emailing them individually. Say goodbye to emails from clients looking for lost coaching materials.

Upload Them to Your Client’s Profile

Each client’s profile in Paperbell makes these documents and materials easily accessible for both of you.

• Contracts: A downloadable history of all the contracts you’ve signed with a particular client. 

• Surveys: Intake forms and questionnaires completed by the client. You can check the record of their responses at any time to assess their progress and preferences.

• Private content: Beyond package materials, you can upload documents for a specific client in the “Private Content” section.

• Client notes: You can keep a detailed log of session notes for each client, timestamped for reference. These notes can be either kept private or shared with the client so they can review them before their next appointment. 

• Message logs: Paperbell also records all communications between you and the client, including emails and text messages sent through the platform.

Log Your Hours Automatically

Logging your coaching hours is important for multiple reasons. It helps you review your session history with a client and see how far they’ve come since you onboarded them. This is excellent feedback about how effective your coaching package is that they signed up for.
Additionally, organizations like the ICF require you to submit a log for a set number of sessions to get your coaching credentials. With Paperbell, this information is automatically recorded, so you can download it anytime.