I have always said - "Sell a service never sell your time."

Don't let the title of this article or the fact that it is referencing the legal profession. Take the time to read it and you will find some interesting points for coaches regarding two issues.

1. Licensing:

Economists have proven this over and over with empirical evidence. Licensing professions rarely protects the public; it’s more about protecting the profession from the public, limiting competition, and driving up wages and profits.

2. Billing by the Hour:

Customers are not price sensitive, they are value conscious. What the billable hour has done has shifted the focus from value and results, to inputs, hours, costs, activities, as if these latter attributes had anything at all to do with value.

There are a whole more bunch of references if you are interested including from the Wall Street Journal.