Since the beginning of coaching as a profession there has been a debate about the value and ethics of offering pro bono coaching. You may have once, or are now, considering how offering reduced rate or free coaching could benefit your business, your clients and even yourself.

Here are the three biggest reasons for offering pro bono coaching and some factors to consider:

Social Responsibility

Pro: This is the easy one...it's socially responsibly - a good thing - to make this service available to those who really want it but for financial constraints and/or other factors feel they are unable to access the support.

Con: It is often argued that some will not value what they don't pay for, or invest in some way.

Con: It can be difficult to get someone out of a "lack mentality", even if they truly have no financial resources, to be able to develop a more appropriate mindset to achieve the goals they're coming to coaching for.

Solution: Consider that you could ask for a minimal financial contribution, such as $25, instead of your typical rate. Alternatively, the individual could make a minimal contribution to a charity of your choice for each session. In both of these examples, the client is making a "token" contribution to compliment the emotional and energetic (action) investment you're asking them to make in the coaching. You could also negotiate a contract where the terms include that the client makes an appropriate payment at some later date as their situation changes.

Also on this front, keep in mind that there are various organisations, including some coaching professional bodies, which offer pro bono coaching services to the general public. For example, check out ANZI Coaching Angels at http://www.anzicoaching.com/page/view/anzi-angels-71/

Developing Your Skills / Practice

Pro: Many coaching schools suggest (and some require) a certain number of pro bono coaching sessions as part of the students' learning process and development as a coach. This practice time can be critical to the success of any coach.

Con: The challenge with this approach can be that the coach may struggle to understand and accept when they are "good enough" to charge for the coaching, and to charge full market rate.

Solution: Remember that the value clients gain from coaching is not measured in dollars. It's measured in how they feel about the coaching and their results. The amount of money you charge for the coaching does not in itself give you credibility or prove your worth. It is simply a market transaction. Please be mindful to charge your appropriate market rate from day one of your business when your "pro bono practice period" is done.

Developing Your Business / Exposure

Pro: There can be numerous advantages to offering a select group of people pro bono coaching in order to get them to experience you as a coach and therefore become case studies or ambassadors or referral sources for you.

Con: There is no guarantee that any or all of the people in your select group will refer business to you. However, the better you negotiate this up front and seek feedback regarding the coaching throughout the relationship, the better your chances are. Choose people for your group who you believe could be influential to your career and serve them well in the coaching.

Solution: I found this particular technique very useful in my early career where I coached ten influential people in the corporate and government markets for three months at no charge in exchange for their feedback, support, introductions and referrals to other coaching opportunities.

If there are any topics you'd like me to cover in this column, please feel invited to email me directly with your requests through my website (see link in bio).

Noel Posus is a master coach with 20+ years experience as a professional educator, coach and author. He won the prestigious inaugural "Coach of the Year" award (2008/2009), Finalist in the Coaching Business of the Year (2010) and is an ambassador/leader for the coaching industry. www.noelposus.com