How to Create a Coaching Intake Form That Actually Works

A coaching intake form should cover three things: the client's main goal, the context behind it, and what they have already tried. Keep it under 10 questions. A long form signals administration, not coaching, and reduces the chance a new client completes it before the first session.

What a good intake form does

An intake form has two jobs. First, it gives you enough information to arrive at session one prepared rather than spending the first thirty minutes collecting background. Second, it signals to the client that coaching is a structured, purposeful process, not just an open conversation.

Done well, the form also starts the reflective work. Clients who think carefully about their answers often arrive at the first session with more clarity than they had before they filled it in.

What to include

The most useful intake questions fall into a few categories. Start with the goal: what does the client want to achieve, and by when? Then add context: what is happening in their life or work that makes this the right time? Then add history: what have they already tried, and what got in the way?

Finally, add a practical question about how they work best: do they prefer direct feedback, do they like to think out loud, is there anything you should know about how they learn?

That is six to eight questions, which is plenty. Resist the urge to add more.

What to leave out

Avoid asking for information you will not actually use. Long background sections on employment history or personal circumstances are rarely relevant to coaching and feel invasive to fill in. If you need this information, ask for it conversationally in the first session.

Also avoid double questions (two questions in one) and questions so open they are hard to answer. "Tell me about yourself" is not a useful intake question.

Format and delivery

Send the intake form at least two days before the first session. A PDF to fill in by hand is easy to create but harder to track. A form in your coaching platform is easier to manage and keeps the responses in the client's record.

Keep the form short enough that a client can complete it in fifteen minutes. If it takes longer than that, they will either rush it or not do it at all.

Use FocusCoachee for intake

FocusCoachee stores intake responses in the client's record so you can review them before any session. See the plans and try it free.