If you're reading this Coaching Contract Template Guide, you're likely a new coach aiming to start your practice on solid legal grounds, or perhaps you've realized your existing contract is insufficient. Whether it's dealing with clients who have ghosted, refused to pay, caused disruptions, or your ambition to expand globally, this guide emphasizes how vital a robust coaching contract is for protecting your business and investments.
Whether it's dealing with clients who have:
ghosted you
refused to pay
caused disruptions, or
you have ambitions to expand globally, this guide emphasizes how vital a robust coaching contract is for protecting your business and investments.
Whatever your reason, you know you need to protect your business and investment. And you know that a coaching contract does exactly this.
So today, let me tackle everything about coaching contracts, and hopefully, you can apply what you have learned to your business.
Who am I anyway, and why you should read on:
I am Vena Verga-Danemar, an Onlinepreneur Legal Strategist. I am both a licensed lawyer and an Online Business Owner.
I helped dozens of my students legally start and grow their coaching business using a simplified strategy that doesn’t require spending all your time on your business 24/7.
To Guide You in this Coaching Contract Template Guide, Here are the Topics We Will Discuss:
Why You Need a Coaching Contract: Understanding the fundamental reasons for a contract in your coaching practice.
What Should be the Contents of Your Coaching Contract: Key elements every coaching contract should include.
When You Should Have a Coaching Contract: The ideal timing for introducing a contract into your coaching engagements.
How to Enforce a Coaching Contract: Strategies for ensuring compliance and handling breaches.
How Long Should Your Contract Be: Balancing comprehensiveness with clarity.
Why Do You Need A Coaching Contract?
Contracts serve as your roadmap to determine the path you and your fellow driver will traverse. They state exactly what will happen in your relationship if certain things occur. For example, someone gets sick and needs to postpone a coaching session. What happens if the client fails to pay or keeps on arriving late?
And because it is a roadmap, coaching contracts build trust. You and your client know that there will be no surprises. This certainty removes the drama.
I’ve seen it over and over again:
Friends who started a coaching relationship but ended up worst enemies.
Or clients blaming a coach for not reaching a promised result.
Or nightmare clients who lodge a chargeback or a refund despite knowing you don’t give any refunds.
You see, like all relationships, you need to set boundaries; this is exactly what a coaching contract does. You can set your terms early on, and most importantly, you set them without emotional entanglements.
Compare these two scenarios:
You have a client who is always late. With a properly drafted contract with a waiting policy, you can say, "Hey, Ana, according to our contract, I only have a 15-minute waiting policy. If you arrive late, I can cancel the session without a refund. Our session is at 3:00. And it is now 3:30. We agreed that in this situation, I can forfeit the session and the amount paid."
Versus a long, dramatic conversation about respecting one’s time can be interpreted negatively by your client.
The first example is direct and factual, without any drama. It avoids awkward conversations. And it is neither one-sided because a good coaching contract protects you and your client.
What Should Be the Contents of Your Coaching Contract?
Now that you understand the importance of a coaching contract, the next question is, what should be its contents?
The requirements can vary significantly between a general practice lawyer and one specializing in online coaching. This field has nuances that are often unfamiliar to general practitioners, such as the risk of chargebacks, which are more critical than the possibility of court litigation for many online coaches.
Here are the essential elements your coaching contract should include:
Parties and Purpose: Clearly define who is involved and the purpose of the agreement.
Scope of Services: Specify what services are being offered, how they will be delivered, and any limitations.
Scheduling and Communications: Outline how sessions are scheduled, rescheduled, and how parties will communicate.
Financial Terms: Detail payment amounts, due dates, and policies on refunds and cancellations.
Confidentiality: Include clauses to protect the privacy and information of both parties.
Intellectual Property: Specify who owns the materials produced during the sessions.
Legal and Dispute Resolution: Explain how disputes will be handled and under which jurisdiction the contract falls.
Termination of Agreement: Conditions under which the contract may be terminated.
When Should You Have a Coaching Contract?
It is crucial to have a coaching contract in place before you ask for payment and before starting any sessions. This ensures that the client has agreed to the terms before the exchange of services begins, protecting both parties.
How Do You Enforce a Coaching Contract?
For a contract to be enforceable, it needs to be properly signed. Enforcement means invoking the contract’s provisions when the other party violates them. Always strive to settle issues amicably before taking more drastic measures, which is beneficial compared to the costs and time of court or arbitration.
Can You Have a Short Contract?
OK, so this question is always asked by my clients. Often, they go to me insisting that I make a one-pager contract because they are afraid to scare their clients away.
Here is the reality: A client who is serious about your services will never be afraid of signing a contract, no matter how long it is.
While there is often pressure to create a short contract to avoid scaring away clients, a comprehensive contract is critical for clarity and protection. A client serious about their development will understand the need for such a document. Use your contract to qualify your clients, ensuring you work with those who respect the professional boundaries and commitments outlined. So, use your contract to qualify your contracts. This is one way to get quality clients you love to work with.
Conclusion: Your Strategy for a Drama-Free Coaching Practice
Implementing the strategies from this Coaching Contract Template Guide doesn’t just protect you legally; it also sets the stage for clear, professional, and productive client relationships. Remember, a good contract is a cornerstone of a successful coaching practice. Check out this Podcast Episode to learn more about this topic.
FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU SUCCEED
Step 1: Start with the Free Business Checklist
Get your step-by-step guide to building a strong foundation for your coaching or consulting business.
Step 2: Watch the Free Training
Learn the key legal steps every coach, consultant, and course creator must know to confidently grow a thriving business.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Vena Verga-Danemar, an Onlinepreneur Legal Strategist. As both a lawyer and an online business owner, I’ve helped dozens of coaches, consultants, and course creators legally start and grow their businesses using strategies that don’t require working 24/7.
![Coaching Contract Template Guide Written by A Lawyer: Protect Your Coaching Practice [Updated in 2025]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4ca2c7_a685f227723c4691b8e70e0b195fa3b5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_961,h_720,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/4ca2c7_a685f227723c4691b8e70e0b195fa3b5~mv2.jpg)
Comments