Plenty of career coaching software solutions exist that make it possible to automate basic administrative processes like lead capture, billing, and appointment scheduling.
However, we’ve found that career coaches really need an all-in-one solution that streamlines admin work and assists you with the coaching process.
Right now, you probably use several different tools, such as a coaching platform, project management, habit trackers, apps, etc., to track client progress.
As a coach, your main responsibility is holding clients accountable and supporting them on their journey, but doing so is tricky when their progress is spread across multiple tools.
So we built a coaching platform that consolidates all the coaching tools you need into one platform and makes it easy to track client progress and hold them accountable.
In this post, we’ll first introduce you to our solution, upcoach, and then we’ll also discuss a handful of other top-rated platforms used by career coaches.
upcoach
upcoach helps you automate all of your admin processes (like accepting payments, building your program, etc.). However, its true value to career coaches is that it provides all the coaching tools you need in one platform and makes it easy to track client progress from a single dashboard.
Here are a few key differentiators that set upcoach apart and help career coaches deliver better results.
Key Differentiator #1: All in One Platform – Automate Admin Tasks, Store Content, and Coach
upcoach was designed by two coaches (Todd Herman and David Henzel) who were frustrated that their coaching programs were an assortment of different platforms tied together through Zapier.
Specifically, they were using all of the following platforms to deliver their coaching experience:
- A course platform
- Project management software
- Google Drive
- Appointment scheduling
- Habit trackers
- Miscellaneous apps
Paying for numerous tools was expensive, and fixing broken zaps was a nightmare.
It was also a poor experience for clients as they were always losing passwords, and it wasn’t easy to find all the program materials.
As there wasn’t an all-in-one solution available, Todd and David decided to build upcoach to be that solution.
Now, upcoach enables coaches to do all of the following from a single dashboard:
- Automate administrative work (scheduling calls, collecting payments, etc.)
- Store content (video lessons, PDFs, etc.)
- Assign tasks and track client progress (habits, to-dos, projects, worksheets, etc.)
This way, you can offer clients a seamless experience, and they can quickly find everything they need in seconds (and only remember one login!).
In addition, you only have to pay for one platform!
Key Differentiator #2: Tack Client Progress and Inspire Execution
It’s incredibly frustrating to know that if your clients just executed all of the material in your program, they could achieve better results.
So rather than structuring upcoach as a platform that hosts content, we built-in tools that make it easy for you to track client execution.
A few of the coaching tools upcoach offers include:
- A habit tracker
- A to-do list
- Smart Docs (for worksheets)
- A Drive folder
- Accountability groups
You can assign tasks manually or program upcoach to automatically assign tasks when a client completes a lesson in your lesson module.
However, the main benefit is that upcoach makes it incredibly easy to track client progress.
Specifically, you can click into the client’s CRM and see a complete list of all their tasks and the progress percentage of each one.
So if you notice a client is falling behind in their habits, or they’ve only completed 30% of an assignment when it should be 90% completed, you can reach out and encourage them to get back on track before it’s too late.
This way, your clients always get the most out of your coaching program, which leads to higher NPS scores, more referrals, and enables you to charge more.
Key Differentiator #3: Designed To Help You Scale Your Impact
When co-founder David Henzel started his coaching program, Managing Happiness, he only had a handful of clients and could host every single group coaching call. However, the program grew exponentially, and he quickly realized that he couldn’t scale with it.
So instead, David began dividing clients into accountability pods and had alumni lead the group calls.
Now, he only hosts one call with the entire program weekly, and then the alumni lead the accountability calls in groups of 4-5 people.
That’s why accountability groups are a key feature that upcoach offers.
While other coaching platforms offer general community forums, upcoach’s accountability pods enable those clients to communicate with each other in a private forum, schedule weekly calls, and take meeting notes.
This way, you can provide an extra level of value to your clients because:
- You’re introducing them to other people with similar goals and challenges.
- They can spend coaching sessions with you focusing on higher-level questions.
- They get two calls per week rather than one, which helps keep them motivated.
Does upcoach sound like the solution you’ve been looking for? If you’d like to learn more, feel free to schedule a demo or try out the platform yourself and see if it’s a good fit!
upcoach Features Career Coaches Love
To give you a clear overview of the platform, here are some key features career coaches love.
Habit Tracker
Lasting transformational change comes from small daily habits, so utilizing a habit tracker is essential so that you can hold clients accountable.
upcoach offers a native habit tracker, and you can assign habits manually or program upcoach to automatically add a habit after the client completes a lesson.
To-Do List
In addition to habits, you probably have one-off tasks that clients should complete each week (e.g., writing a cover letter, researching dream jobs, defining career goals, emailing recruiters, etc.).
That’s what the to-do list is for – you can assign to-dos (either automatically or manually) and then track client progress by scanning the dashboard or tracking the CRM.
Smart Documents
The Smart Documents feature replaces Google Docs and worksheet builders. However, the main benefit of Smart Documents is that it lets you passively track your clients’ worksheet progress as the dashboard (and client CRM) automatically displays the exact percentage of a worksheet that has been completed.
Drive
If you want clients to upload a document, PDF, etc., the Drive stores all of these materials.
Communication Tools
If clients want to get in touch with you, they can chat directly inside the platform rather than sending an email. This makes it easier for clients to reach out for help and speeds up the communication loop, enabling you to remove roadblocks faster. In addition, all of your messages are inside the platform, which helps you reduce clutter in your email inbox.
There is also a general communication forum where any of your clients can post.
Appointment Scheduling
upcoach also makes it easy to schedule appointments inside the platform. In addition, you can take meeting notes and record and store the calls directly inside the platform.
Want to see if upcoach is a good fit for your coaching program? Schedule a demo today or jump into the platform today!
Pricing
Honeybook
Honeybook is a popular platform for coaches that want a simple tool to automate administrative and client management tasks.
Here are the core features it offers:
- Proposals
- Online invoices
- Online payments
- Scheduling
- Task automation
- Online contracts
It also integrates with QuickBooks, Zoom, Google Calendar, and other tools you might need. If it doesn’t offer an integration you want, you can also use Zapier to connect third-party tools.
Reviewers report that it is user-friendly and even first-time coaches can use its simple templates to get their career coaching program off the ground.
If you get stuck along the way, Honeybook also offers a community and thorough help center with plenty of FAQs to navigate any challenges.
While it doesn’t offer any tools for the coaching process, it is great for simple client management tasks.
Pricing
Podia
Podia is an online course platform that many career coaches use to house their coaching material. It offers a handful of simple templates that make it very easy for you to launch a website, store your video content, and start collecting payments for your new online career coaching program in less than an hour.
It also offers email marketing automation, lead magnets, and other simple tools to help you market your career services.
Given that Podia is geared towards a beginner audience, the tradeoff of its simplicity is that it doesn’t offer as much customization flexibility.
It does offer a community feature, though the interface is designed as a forum. So you won’t be able to create accountability groups or offer small group discussions.
Nevertheless, it’s a good option for coaches who prefer an automated, more course-style business.
Pricing
Cloverleaf
Cloverleaf is a unique coaching platform that provides coaching assessments like 16-Types, Enneagram, and DISC and then compiles key insights from the assessments in a single dashboard.
This makes it an excellent solution for coaches who want to gather key personality insights to provide better career advice and communicate more effectively during the coaching process.
While it can be used for one-on-one coaching, Cloverleaf is also used in group coaching and executive coaching sessions.
Cloverleaf also offers a community for its coaches to connect and engage, which is an excellent educational resource for both coaches with no experience and those with years of experience.
Pricing
CoachAccountable
CoachAccountable helps coaches automate client management, store course content, and assign tasks.
Here are the key features that they promote:
- Appointment scheduling/video conferencing
- Client/team management
- Reporting
- Assignments
- Agreements/contracts
- Invoicing and payments
- Course creation
- GDPR compliance
CoachAccountable users report that it’s a good solution for coaches who want to offer a hands-on client experience. Otherwise, they report that most of the features are minimally useful.
Some reviewers also mention that the user interface could be a little more organized, so it might be a little overwhelming for beginner coaches.
Pricing
Simply.Coach
Simply.coach is a newer platform that makes it easier for you to run your coaching business by helping coaches manage, market, and coach from one dashboard.
It currently offers the following features:
- Sales management and marketing
- A CRM platform to monitor coaching hours
- Goal setting and tracking
- Client onboarding and roadmap
This way, you can manage potential clients, current clients, and automate administrative and marketing processes in one dashboard.
As the platform is still growing, it’s currently missing some features like billing and video conferencing, though its software development team is working on implementing more features.
Pricing
Paperbell
Paperbell is a client management platform that helps coaches schedule appointments, automate follow-ups, accept payments, sign contracts, and other client admin tasks.
This helps you earn back your time and focus more on the coaching process.
Customer testimonials claim that it’s easy to use and a great replacement for a virtual assistant as it does all the basic admin tasks for you.
It offers a wide range of integrations from PayPal and Stripe to Zoom and Google Calendar, and if you can’t find the integration you were looking for, you can always integrate with Zapier.
Pricing
Selecting a Career Coaching Software
We just showed you a variety of different career coaching software solutions, each of which has a unique strength for different use cases.
However, we’re particularly proud of upcoach as career coaches have told us that it not only helps them automate basic administrative tasks, but also makes them more effective coaches as the features make it easier to hold clients accountable.
If you want to see if upcoach is a good fit for your program, you can sign up for a demo today!
