How to Price Async Coaching

Time Is Not the Product—Value Is

One of the first questions many coaches ask when transitioning to async is:

“If I’m not doing weekly calls, how do I charge for it?”

It’s a fair question. In traditional coaching models, time is the product—an hour here, 30 minutes there. There is an effective “price per hour” set to define what will be included.  But async breaks that mold.

And that’s a good thing.

The Steinmetz Story: $10,000 for Knowing Where to Mark

There’s a classic parable about Charles Steinmetz, an engineer at General Electric.  As the story goes, Henry Ford brought him in to diagnose a problem no one else could solve.

Steinmetz made a single chalk mark—and fixed everything. He sent Ford a $10,000 invoice.

When asked to itemize it, he replied: $1 for making the mark. $9,999 for knowing where to make it.

“The value isn’t in the minutes—it’s in the insight.”

The same applies to coaching. You’re not being paid to spend time. You’re being paid to move someone forward.

Why Async Coaching Can Be Worth More—Not Less

Some coaches worry that async will seem like less—less contact, less commitment, less structure.

But for many clients, it feels like more:

• More timely responses

• More flexibility

• More space to reflect before replying

Async coaching shifts from calendar-bound support to real-time relevance. That’s a win for the client—and for your energy as a coach.

Pricing Models That Work for Async

We’ve seen several effective approaches from coaches using Carbon Voice:

✅ Flat Monthly Fee (Unlimited Async)

Clients pay a recurring monthly rate and get unlimited access via async voice (can text too). This model is predictable, scalable, and frees everyone from counting minutes.

✅ Tiered Pricing: Async + Synchronous

Ari Meisel and others use a tiered approach:

1. Unlimited async access

2. A version that includes a limited number of live calls per month

3. A higher-tier that extends async access to the client’s broader team or leadership circle

This allows you to scale without adding more hours—and gives clients flexibility in how they engage.

We recently discussed this topic on a webinar with some coaches, see the discussion on pricing here:

How to Frame the Value

If you’re feeling unsure about dropping the hourly mindset, remind yourself—and your clients—of this:

• Async doesn’t mean less access. It means more access. And easier for the client to fit into their busy schedule.

• You’re still providing guidance, strategy, and transformation—just through a better format.

• Value lives in the insight, not the interaction time.

You’re not selling minutes. You’re selling clarity, insight, and transformation.

Final Thought: Don’t Sell the Medium. Sell the Outcome.

Whether you’re delivering insight in 5 minutes or 50, what matters is the result.

Async coaching isn’t about replacing calls. It’s about removing limits—on your time, your impact, and your pricing model.