How Much Should a New Life Coach Charge? A Practical Pricing Framework That Builds Confidence (and Clients)
Pricing is one of the biggest stress points for new coaches. And honestly, it makes sense.
You are trying to pick a number that feels fair, professional, and believable, while your brain is over in the corner whispering, “What if nobody buys?”
So you do what many coaches do.
You guess.
You scroll.
You copy someone else’s pricing.
You “start low to get clients.”
Or you swing the other way and price high because someone on the internet told you that’s what “serious coaches” do.
Random pricing creates random results.
In this article, I’m going to walk you through four elements that make pricing feel clear and confident, whether you’re just starting out or you’re trying to scale your rates without losing your mind.
Why Pricing Is More Than a Number
Pricing is not just math. It is positioning.
Think about how you shop.
Two similar products.
Same shelf. One is a brand you recognize, one is generic.
The generic one might be cheaper, but if you do not trust it, you hesitate.
Coaching works the same way.
Your price communicates value, credibility, and confidence before someone ever talks to you.
That is why pricing too low can actually hurt you.
Not because low price is “bad,” but because it often triggers doubt in the buyer’s mind:
Why is it so cheap? Is this real? Is this coach experienced enough? Is this going to work for me?
Pricing is not about convincing people you are worth it.
It is about creating alignment between what you deliver and what your ideal clients expect to invest.
The Big Question: Should You Start Low or Price High?
Neither approach is automatically right.
Low pricing can help you get traction if you are clear on what you are doing and you are building proof fast.
High pricing can work if your positioning, audience, and outcome support it.
The mistake is pricing based on fear.
Fear of being rejected.
Fear of being judged.
Fear of not being “ready.”
If you price to avoid discomfort, you usually end up with:
Clients who do not commit, More objections, More burnout and a business that is hard to sustain
Instead, use a framework.
Here are the four elements to consider before you set your price.
Factor 1: Your Expertise (You Are Not Starting From Zero)
New coaches often say, “But Michelle, I’m new.”
You are new to selling coaching. You are not new as a human with life experience, skill, and perspective.
You never start at zero.
Your certification is an added layer of credibility, not the beginning of your value.
To evaluate your expertise, ask yourself:
What skills, knowledge, frameworks, or lived experiences do I bring that help people solve a real problem?
Where have I already guided people, supported people, trained people, or helped people through change?
Also, look for proof, even if it is informal.
Have people told you that something you shared helped them? Has someone gotten clarity or made a decision because of a conversation with you? Have you helped someone shift their mindset, habits, or direction?
Those are results.
That is evidence.
And evidence strengthens confidence, which strengthens pricing.
One more point here.
You do not need a perfect niche to start building authority.
If you have a topic you can speak about with passion and clarity, public speaking and workshops are one of the fastest ways to build trust and credibility.
When you are in front of the right room, your positioning rises quickly.
Factor 2: Your Clientele (Who Are You Pricing For?)
Your pricing should match the people you want to attract.
There is a difference between:
A high-earning professional who is used to investing in personal growth and a stay-at-home parent who is budget-conscious and needs time to think through expenses
Neither is better. They just require different offers and pricing structures.
This is where a lot of coaches get tripped up.
Some internet advice says, “If you want six figures, you must charge $3,000.”
That is not a strategy. That is a slogan.
If your ideal client is not used to investing at that level, a $3,000 price point will create hesitation, delay, and more objections. Even if you are an excellent coach.
On the flip side, pricing far below what your ideal clients expect can harm your credibility.
Your goal is to price in a way that feels realistic for your audience and sustainable for you.
A helpful question is:
What does my ideal client already invest in? Therapy? Fitness? Business support? Retreats? Programs?
This gives you a clue about their comfort zone and spending habits.
Factor 3: Your Demographic (Where You Sell Matters)
Pricing does not exist in a vacuum.
A $500 package can feel premium in one market and feel like a steal in another. A $5,000 package can feel normal in certain industries and feel impossible in others.
Consider:
Are you serving a local market or a global market? What is the cost of living and spending culture where your clients live? Are you in an industry where premium pricing is expected? What are coaches with similar experience charging in your space?
You do not need to copy competitors, but you do need to understand your market.
If everyone in your space charges a premium and you price far below, you will invite more skepticism and more “Why are you different?” questions.
You want your pricing to support your positioning, not fight against it.
Factor 4: Your Promise (Transformation Is the Value)
This is where many coaches hesitate, especially those trained under ICF principles.
You may have been taught that you cannot “promise results.”
True. You cannot guarantee a specific external outcome.
But you are still selling transformation.
A transformation is a change. A change is value. Value influences price.
So instead of thinking, “I cannot promise anything,” ask:
What is the change my client can reasonably expect from this container?
Examples of transformation-based outcomes:
Clarity and decision making, Confidence and boundaries, Consistency and habit change, Communication skills, Leadership presence, Career direction, Health behavior support, Business building systems
The bigger and more meaningful the transformation, the higher the value.
And value supports pricing.
A Better Way to “Find Your Price”: Stop Guessing and Get Real Market Feedback
One of the fastest ways to gain clarity on pricing is not to sit behind your laptop and think harder.
It is getting in front of real people.
Speaking, workshops, webinars, podcasts, live trainings, networking, collaborations.
When you speak, you learn:
What people are actually struggling with, what outcomes they want most, what language they use, what objections come up, what they are willing to invest in
That information helps you refine your offer and price with confidence.
Because now you are not guessing. You are building your business based on reality.
The Pricing Mistake That Creates Burnout Fast
Pricing clarity matters. A lot.
Many new coaches charge hourly or monthly in a way that keeps them stuck in paycheck-to-paycheck mode.
It can also create a dynamic where clients feel like they can drop off easily because they are not committed to a bigger outcome.
Packaging your coaching around a clear transformation with a defined container often creates better commitment, better results, and better sustainability.
That is not about being expensive. It is about being structured.
But the reality is, even if you nail your price, your calendar still won’t magically fill itself.
Because building a coaching business takes more than picking a number. It takes a system.
That’s why I put together my 7-Step Coaching Biz Roadmap.
It walks you through the full foundation, from messaging to marketing, so you stop guessing what to do next and start building a business that consistently brings in happy paying clients.
If you want the roadmap, grab it here: Grab the free 7-Step Coaching Biz Roadmap
How to Apply This to Your Situation
To price your coaching package, you need four pieces of information:
Your expertise, Your clientele, Your demographic, Your promise
When those align, pricing becomes logical.
When those are unclear, pricing feels like a coin flip.
If you want support, comment “pricing” and tell me:
Whom you want to serve, what transformation you help them create, whether you want to sell locally or globally, and what kind of coaching container you are offering
If you would prefer to discuss it privately, I’m happy to walk you through an individualized pricing structure on a call. Book your strategy call here.
