How to Sell a Coaching Program to Your Firm

You've seen or experienced the benefits of coaching firsthand. Now you want to persuade your firm to institute a coaching program for business development and/or general professional development. How do you go about it? The best approach is one that combines rational arguments, strategic “lobbying” and appeals to the ultimate decision-makers ' in a way that best matches each individual's personal style.

Here are step-by-step guidelines for selling a coaching program to the decision-makers in your organization:

Step One: Gather data ' the basis for rational argument.

• Find and include some anecdotes regarding the success of coaching.
• Obtain some quotes on the cost-benefit or ROI of coaching.
• Create a list of opportunities lost by people who couldn't convert contacts into clients.

Step Two: Undertake a needs assessment of the professionals in your organization.

• Design a brief survey with questions about individual's desires for coaching and specific needs regarding personal and team coaching.
• List specific coaching topics to get people's minds focused and to help them understand what the scope could be. Be sure to leave room for open-ended responses, as people may have unexpected issues that are ripe for coaching.
• Survey the professionals in your firm. The size and culture of the firm will determine who you include: everyone; or only partners and managers; or only associates. You might even conduct a pilot survey with just one or two practice groups.
• Consider interviewing a sample of the people surveyed.
• Analyze responses, and prepare a report for decision-makers.

Step Three: Develop a coaching program proposal for presentation to management.

The proposal should include:

• Objectives for, and expectations from, the coaching program.
• A description of the coaching elements and how the program would work generally.
• Cost estimates.
• Program timing and time required of the professionals involved.
• A recommendation on who does the coaching – outside or in-house professionals; you and/or others.
• The support required for in-house professionals if they handle the coaching.

Step Four: Sell the proposal to the decision-makers.

• Identify each decision-maker's personal style and how they like to receive information.
• Tailor your proposal, particularly the oral presentation, to their behavioral style and psychological needs.
• Do some individual lobbying with influentials and key decision-makers before making a group oral presentation.
• Be clear and strong about your commitment to the program.
• Follow up.
• Be persistent ' go back again several times if need be, devising new angles from which to make your arguments.

The same systematic approach can be used to sell other ideas to top decision-makers. With a little organization, a lot of skill and some luck, you're on your way to introducing new programs in your firm.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot is the president of Practice Development Counsel, a business development and organizational effectiveness consulting and coaching firm, and creator of Coach-for-the-Coach. She is the author of “The Rainmaking Machine: Marketing Planning, Strategies and Management for Law Firms” (West Group). She can be reached at 212-593-1549.

You've seen or experienced the benefits of coaching firsthand. Now you want to persuade your firm to institute a coaching program for business development and/or general professional development. How do you go about it? The best approach is one that combines rational arguments, strategic “lobbying” and appeals to the ultimate decision-makers ' in a way that best matches each individual's personal style.

Here are step-by-step guidelines for selling a coaching program to the decision-makers in your organization:

Step One: Gather data ' the basis for rational argument.

• Find and include some anecdotes regarding the success of coaching.
• Obtain some quotes on the cost-benefit or ROI of coaching.
• Create a list of opportunities lost by people who couldn't convert contacts into clients.

Step Two: Undertake a needs assessment of the professionals in your organization.

• Design a brief survey with questions about individual's desires for coaching and specific needs regarding personal and team coaching.
• List specific coaching topics to get people's minds focused and to help them understand what the scope could be. Be sure to leave room for open-ended responses, as people may have unexpected issues that are ripe for coaching.
• Survey the professionals in your firm. The size and culture of the firm will determine who you include: everyone; or only partners and managers; or only associates. You might even conduct a pilot survey with just one or two practice groups.
• Consider interviewing a sample of the people surveyed.
• Analyze responses, and prepare a report for decision-makers.

Step Three: Develop a coaching program proposal for presentation to management.

The proposal should include:

• Objectives for, and expectations from, the coaching program.
• A description of the coaching elements and how the program would work generally.
• Cost estimates.
• Program timing and time required of the professionals involved.
• A recommendation on who does the coaching – outside or in-house professionals; you and/or others.
• The support required for in-house professionals if they handle the coaching.

Step Four: Sell the proposal to the decision-makers.

• Identify each decision-maker's personal style and how they like to receive information.
• Tailor your proposal, particularly the oral presentation, to their behavioral style and psychological needs.
• Do some individual lobbying with influentials and key decision-makers before making a group oral presentation.
• Be clear and strong about your commitment to the program.
• Follow up.
• Be persistent ' go back again several times if need be, devising new angles from which to make your arguments.

The same systematic approach can be used to sell other ideas to top decision-makers. With a little organization, a lot of skill and some luck, you're on your way to introducing new programs in your firm.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot is the president of Practice Development Counsel, a business development and organizational effectiveness consulting and coaching firm, and creator of Coach-for-the-Coach. She is the author of “The Rainmaking Machine: Marketing Planning, Strategies and Management for Law Firms” (West Group). She can be reached at 212-593-1549.