Media Releases >
Media Releases Archive
> Business coaches on the internet enjoy greater success
Business coaches on the internet enjoy greater success
Document Tools
Contact:
Nancy MacKay, 604.904.9870; nancy_mackay@sfu.ca
Diane Luckow, 604.291.3219, Media & PR; diane_luckow@sfu.ca
Nancy MacKay, 604.904.9870; nancy_mackay@sfu.ca
Diane Luckow, 604.291.3219, Media & PR; diane_luckow@sfu.ca
January 20, 2004
Professional coaches who create websites for their businesses will enjoy increased business success and growth, according to research by SFU business assistant professor Nancy MacKay.
Professional coaching for personal and business success is the fastest growing consulting practice in North America and is now recognized with its own International Coaching Week, Feb. 1 - 7.
MacKay, an executive coach, is among the first to research this new business sector. She surveyed 103 Canadian coaches with websites who were registered with the governing International Coach Federation (IFC) and received an unprecedented response from 95 coaches about their website adoption.
While all of the 95 coaches surveyed had websites, MacKay says only about 41 percent of all IFC coaches in Canada currently have a website. Still, she says, "That’s a huge adoption rate for micro-entrepreneurs. I don’t think you’d find that high an adoption rate among other micro-businesses in other industry sectors."
Survey responders noted competitive advantages, money and time savings, improved customer service, greater availability to their clients, and an improved ability to attract new clients. Most coaches, says MacKay, indicated they mainly use their website to attract new clients, to provide information about their services and to build relationships with potential clients.
Most coaching websites were new, averaging 2.8 years on the web and 75 percent of all coaches had been in business less than five years. Coaches indicated they work with an average of 10 clients per month and charge an average hourly fee of $200.
Overall, says MacKay, 98 percent of responders indicated perceived business advantages from adopting a website. Of those, 67 percent say their expectations were met or exceeded while 33 percent say their website results fell short of expectations.
"Our results show that the more the coaches believed the website would have an impact, the greater business success they had," says MacKay, who measured business success based on revenues, income, numbers of referrals and numbers of clients.
To view the complete survey, visit www.bus.sfu.ca/areas/mis/nancymackay/
-30-
electronic photo available
Professional coaching for personal and business success is the fastest growing consulting practice in North America and is now recognized with its own International Coaching Week, Feb. 1 - 7.
MacKay, an executive coach, is among the first to research this new business sector. She surveyed 103 Canadian coaches with websites who were registered with the governing International Coach Federation (IFC) and received an unprecedented response from 95 coaches about their website adoption.
While all of the 95 coaches surveyed had websites, MacKay says only about 41 percent of all IFC coaches in Canada currently have a website. Still, she says, "That’s a huge adoption rate for micro-entrepreneurs. I don’t think you’d find that high an adoption rate among other micro-businesses in other industry sectors."
Survey responders noted competitive advantages, money and time savings, improved customer service, greater availability to their clients, and an improved ability to attract new clients. Most coaches, says MacKay, indicated they mainly use their website to attract new clients, to provide information about their services and to build relationships with potential clients.
Most coaching websites were new, averaging 2.8 years on the web and 75 percent of all coaches had been in business less than five years. Coaches indicated they work with an average of 10 clients per month and charge an average hourly fee of $200.
Overall, says MacKay, 98 percent of responders indicated perceived business advantages from adopting a website. Of those, 67 percent say their expectations were met or exceeded while 33 percent say their website results fell short of expectations.
"Our results show that the more the coaches believed the website would have an impact, the greater business success they had," says MacKay, who measured business success based on revenues, income, numbers of referrals and numbers of clients.
To view the complete survey, visit www.bus.sfu.ca/areas/mis/nancymackay/
-30-
electronic photo available