Coaching Session Template: Plan, Notes and Follow-Up

A coaching session template gives each meeting the same shape: a check-in, a focus, an exploration, an action and a close. It stops sessions from drifting and makes it easy to track progress over weeks. The three parts below are a session plan, a notes template and a follow-up email, all written so that you can copy them into your own documents.

The structure suits business coaching, career coaching and life coaching. Health and wellness coaches can use it too, provided they keep within their scope and refer clients to qualified professionals for medical matters. Health and wellness coaches can pair it with our welcome email sequence for health coaches.

The session plan

Use the table as a running order for a [60] minute session. Adjust the timings to your format.

Stage	Minutes	Purpose	Prompts
Check-in	5	Settle in and see how the client is	"How are you arriving today?" "What has happened since we last spoke?"
Review	10	Look at the actions from last time	"What did you do?" "What got in the way?" "What did you learn?"
Choose the focus	5	Agree what to work on	"What would be most useful to cover today?" "What would a good outcome of this session be?"
Explore	25	Think through the topic	"What is happening?" "What have you tried?" "What matters most here?" "What options do you see?"
Decide	10	Move from ideas to action	"What will you do?" "By when?" "What might stop you?" "What support do you need?"
Close	5	Summarise and end well	"What is your main takeaway?" "How will you let me know how it went?"

The exploration stage should take the largest share of time. If you notice yourself giving advice for most of it, shift towards questions.

Adapting the plan

Session type	Changes to make
First session	Add time to explain how you work, confirm goals and agree boundaries; shorten the review
Mid-programme session	Use the plan as written
Final session	Replace the focus stage with a review of progress and a plan for what happens next
Group session	Use the same stages, with a round of check-ins and shared prompts

The coaching notes template

Brief notes written straight after a session help you spot patterns and prepare for the next meeting. Keep client information secure and follow the data protection rules where you work.

Field	Notes
Client	[Name]
Date and session number	[date, number]
Opening state	[How the client arrived, in their words]
Progress since last session	[Actions completed, partly done or not done]
Focus of this session	[Topic agreed]
Key insights	[What the client noticed, in their words]
Challenges raised	[Obstacles or concerns]
Agreed actions	[Action 1, action 2, by when]
Support needed	[From you or others]
My observations	[Patterns, questions for next time]
Next session	[Date, suggested focus]

Write the client's words where you can. Notes made of your own interpretations can drift from what the client said. If your client may ask to see their notes, write them in a way you would be comfortable sharing.

A simple client action sheet

Share this at the end of each session so the client has something to refer back to.

Action	Why it matters	By when	How I will know it is done
[Action]	[Reason in the client's words]	[Date]	[Signal]
[Action]	[Reason]	[Date]	[Signal]

The follow-up email

Send this within [24 hours] of the session. Keep it short, warm and specific.

Subject: Notes from today's session

Hi [First name],

Thank you for today's session. I enjoyed hearing about [specific topic].

Here is a short summary. You said the main thing for you right now is [focus in their words]. You noticed that [insight]. You agreed to [action one] by [date] and [action two] by [date].

Something to think about before we meet again: [one question].

If anything gets in the way, send me a quick note and we can work out a different approach. Our next session is on [date] at [time].

[Your name]

For health and wellness coaches, add a line that coaching is not a substitute for medical advice, and avoid describing any expected outcomes.

A mid-programme check-in email

Subject: Checking in between sessions

Hi [First name],

A quick note between sessions. How is [action] going? You do not need to write much. A line is enough.

If something has changed and you would like to use our next session differently, tell me and I will plan around it.

[Your name]

Using the template over time

After four or five sessions, read your notes from start to finish. Look for repeated obstacles, repeated words and changes in how the client describes the situation. Share what you notice with the client in a session, as a question rather than a conclusion.

Review your template every few months. Remove prompts you never use and add ones you find yourself asking out loud. A template should reflect how you actually coach.

Bringing in clients

A session template helps you serve the clients you have. To find new ones, many coaches offer a short resource, such as a self-assessment or planning sheet, on a branded page that collects the details of interested readers. Gatedleads has templates for coaches, and the free plan covers a single page. Our post on lead magnet ideas for coaches has more, a discovery call checklist helps you prepare for the first conversation, and health coaches can use the health and wellness coach email scripts.

Frequently asked questions

What should a coaching session plan include?

A check-in, a review of previous actions, an agreed focus, time to explore, a decision about actions and a clear close. Timings and prompts can be adjusted to your style.

How long should a coaching session be?

Many coaches use 45 to 60 minutes, though the right length depends on your format and the client. State the length when you agree the programme.

Should I take notes during a coaching session?

Keep notes brief during the session so that you can stay present, then complete them straight afterwards. Tell the client that you take notes and how you store them.

What should a coaching follow-up email contain?

A short summary of the focus, the insights the client named, the actions and dates they agreed, one question to consider and the date of the next session.