Impact Coach vs. Independent Certified Coach For Your They Ask You Answer Implementation

Every organization is unique in its own right and, therefore, has different needs when implementing the transformative business philosophy of They Ask, You Answer (TAYA). 

In addition to implementing it yourself, there are three paths from which an organization looking to embrace this successful digital marketing and sales methodology can choose.

I will compare each path and provide you with honest pros and cons for each approach, explain the costs involved with each option, and outline whom each option, in my experience, is most suitable for to equip you with the information you need to make the right choice for your organization. 

Impact-Employed Coach

Impact is a digital and sales training company that is co-owned by Marcus Sheridan, the inventor of They Ask, You Answer and the author of the same-called book. Formerly an inbound marketing and branding agency, Impact is now fully dedicated to teaching and implementing the They Ask, You Answer framework. 

The company's mission is to impact 10,000 businesses with They Ask, You Answer. To achieve this mission, they developed a certified coaching program (see next chapter) and created educational resources and training tools for their coaches and customers alike. They also employ specialized They Ask, You Answer trainers (content, video, HubSpot, website, and sales) that help Impact coaches train their client's specialized internal resources.

Impact coaches are solely dedicated to implementing the They Ask, You Answer program. Their goal is to help companies build in-house expertise and break their costly dependence on outside agencies.

Pros Of Hiring An Impact-Employed Coach

By hiring an Impact-employed coach for your They Ask, You Answer mastery journey, you get your head coach as well as a team of specialists (content, HubSpot, website, sales, and video trainer) and an account manager. Your coach will either be one of the original world-class coaches who conceived the coaching program or an Impact employee who underwent the same training as the independent coaches.

Cons Of Hiring An Impact-Employed Coach

For some organizations, the investment in hiring an Impact coach is too steep. 

How Much Does It Cost To Hire Impact?

Impact's TAYA mastery program prices depend on your annual revenue and team size.

For medium-size companies with an annual revenue between $2.5mn. and $10mn., your total expected investment will be $190,000, including the $10,000 set-up fee. The remainder will be split into monthly payments ranging from $8,500 for a 24-month program to $10,000 for 18 months and $15,000 for 12 months.

However, the average spend on training with Impact is $10,000 to $15,000, which either accounts for the company's size or add-ons like additional sales training.

Whom Is An Impact Coach Most Suitable For?

Most companies that work with Impact are mid-size to larger B2B or B2C companies (e.g., Berry Insurance, Fire&Ice, RoofCrafters, and Yale Appliance) that can afford to shell out $10,000 to $15,000 monthly for coaching and are looking to work with the firm who conceived the concept. 

Impact-Certified They Ask, You Answer Coach

An alternative to hiring an Impact-employed coach is to engage an Impact-Certified They Ask, You Answer Coach to lead you through your mastery journey. Currently, there are about 40 certified TAYA coaches worldwide, and most of them are either agency owners or employees of agencies. 

These independent coaches have made a significant investment in the initial 6-month coaching program where they worked directly with Marcus Sheridan and the Impact coaches. They also are required to continue their education and further hone their skills in ongoing training to remain certified. 

Almost all independent coaches are specialists in their respective fields or industries (e.g., I am in B2B technology and sustainability. Others are specialists in manufacturing.), language (e.g., German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, and Norwegian), or their geographical area.

Pros Of Hiring A Certified TAYA Coach

Independent coaches will implement the same They Ask, You Answer mastery journey with you that an Impact-employed coach would. Your in-house specialists, salespeople, and leadership team will get the same amount of training as they would get with Impact.

However, because of their extensive industry and niche expertise, independent coaches bring a unique flavor to your TAYA mastery which might be very beneficial. In addition, while Impact offers separate website design and paid advertising services, independent coaches sometimes offer adjacent done-for-you services to get you up and running faster, e.g., implementing a learning center or covering your content creation while you hire a content manager.

Last but not least, Impact's mastery journey is 12, 18, or 24 months long. Independent coaches have more flexibility to work with your company's unique situation and pace, allowing you to implement it as quickly or as slowly you you need to.

Cons Of Hiring A Certified TAYA Coach

Compared to hiring an Impact-employed coach, you often hire a coach who is employed by or heads up a much smaller company than Impact, which could bear risks. You are also hiring the coach rather than the company. So if you don't see the performance or you don't get along with your coach, you cannot ask to switch coaches. (On the flip side, no one will switch out the coach you like for a new one either.)

How Much Does A Certified TAYA Coach Cost?

Most Certified TAYA coaches charge roughly the same, with some adjustments made for location and experience. On average, you can expect to pay around $110,000 for the expected total or $4,000 to $6,500 per month for an 18-month, one-on-one They Ask, You Answer mastery engagement. Some coaches will also offer 12- or 24-month programs which means the monthly payment is higher (12 months) or lower (24 months) but the total investment remains the same.

Whom Is A Certified TAYA Coach Suitable For?

A certified They Ask, You Answer coach is a great choice for a mid-size organization ($2.5 to $10mn. in annual revenue) that is in a specialized industry (e.g., some coaches specialize in B2B technology, manufacturing, healthcare, and sustainability TAYA), a geographic niche (e.g., Sweden, Netherlands, DACH), or is looking to get highly customized coaching. It is also for companies that want the same TAYA mastery journey program they would receive with Impact, but cannot afford to hire Impact.

Small Business TAYA Mastery 

An alternative to the two coaching options mentioned above is to implement your They Ask, You Answer program as part of a Small Business Mastery program, which consists of a mix of personalized and small group coaching. Only Impact and a few certified coaches (like me) offer Small Business Mastery programs.

You receive the same coaching and training content as if you are working one-to-one with an Impact coach or an Impact-Certified coach, but some elements are done as part of a small group.

As an individual:

• Initial TAYA Alignment Workshop
• Quarterly planning sessions
• Bi-weekly TAYA Leadership check-in

As a small group:

• Monthly TAYA Leader coaching
• Weekly content, video, HubSpot/website training sessions
• Sales training (e.g., assignment selling, sales video, effective communication)

Pros Of Small Group Mastery Coaching

Small Business Mastery programs offer a lot of benefits. First of all, small group coaching is more affordable compared to individual coaching, making high-quality coaching accessible to more people.

You get to share your journey with other organizations that are roughly at the same level as you are but come from different backgrounds, offering diverse perspectives. This diversity can enhance learning as participants share their insights and experiences, providing multiple viewpoints on common challenges.

Another benefit is that you can form a supportive network, offering encouragement and accountability to each other. This sense of community can be motivating and reassuring, especially when facing similar challenges or working towards common goals.

Cons Of Small Group Mastery Coaching

Some organizations prefer 1:1 coaching and training because they prefer more personalized attention. In group coaching, the coach's attention is divided among multiple participants. At 3P, we have therefore limited the group size to no more than 4 organizations in one cohort, so you still get individualized coaching and training. 

Another reason why small group coaching might not be for you is the limited privacy and confidentiality. While we expect our cohort participants to behave professionally, a group setting inherently offer less privacy. Participants might feel less comfortable sharing personal issues or challenges in a group, which can limit the depth of discussion and personal growth.

Finally, to be able to offer group coaching and training, we have to  follows a set curriculum, which may not align with every individual's learning pace or specific interests. Some participants might find the pace too fast or too slow, and the topics covered might not always directly address their personal development needs.

How Much Does Small Business Mastery Cost?

Whom Is Small Business Mastery Suitable For?

The group coaching is most suitable for smaller organizations ($1-$2.5 million) looking to grow significantly over the next two years. Usually, the CEO (owner/founder) will act as the They Ask, You Answer leader for your organization. The company has a small sales team and no or a very small marketing team, but is willing to hire an in-house content manager and videographer. 

You are cultural fit for small group coaching if you are team players and don't mind sharing your wins, losses, and lessons learned in a group setting, you are willing to learn from and with others, and you, as the TAYA leader, will hold your team responsible and accountable for your success.

Choosing The Right Path

Choosing the right option for you comes down to:

Consideration #1: Budget

We all know that cost and price are a significant decision point, so let's start here. The options range from $3,750 to $15,000 a month for coaching and training. In addition, you will need to hire a content manager and videographer within the first 6 months. You will also have some additional costs around equipment and software licenses. 

But rather than seeing the monthly cost as an added expense, consider how much you are paying right now to marketing, SEO, and paid ad agencies. If you hire a content manager right away and they write two or three Big 5 articles within the first three months and consistently thereafter (which is the goal), by month six, you should be able to reduce your paid ad spend and fire your marketing and SEO agency. 

Try out our savings calculator to get a better understanding of how much you can save by bringing your marketing in house.

Consideration #2: Pace & Timing

I know it is hard to know how fast you can implement They Ask, You Answer before you start. Some companies want to start slow the first six months to get all positions hired and get some training done before they go full throttle and finish the program in 12 months. Others want to follow a set pace every quarter so they can plan accordingly. When choosing the right path for you, you should consider the pace you will realistically be able to pursue. 

Consideration #3: Customization & Individual Attention

With 1:1 coaching programs, whether they are led by an Impact coach or by a certified coach, you have a greater opportunity to customize the program to your individual situation.

For example, you might be a sustainable construction company and the local legislation changes favorably. This opens a new market opportunity for you, and you need to accelerate the program. Or you are a software company making a major upgrade to your flagship product, which requires all hands on deck from a leadership perspective, and you need to have more individualized support to prepare for the launch.

Consideration #4: Your Preferences

Last but not least, consider your preferences. Do you enjoy learning with a diverse group of people or do you need only 1:1 time with your coach or trainer? Think about your team as a whole. What track would they benefit the most from?

Let's Talk About It

I know this is a hard decision as you most likely haven't undertaken anything like this before and don't know yet what to expect. If you are considering They Ask, You Answer coaching but have questions about it or simply want to experience what it is like working with a coach, schedule a free 60-minute coaching session with me.