If you've come across this blog, there's a good chance you either own a business or are thinking of starting one. Well, if you have done even the smallest amount of research towards starting or growing that business, your social media platforms will be flooded with gurus, ads, and everything in between of people guaranteeing specific results. These targeted offers may have you thinking that perhaps you should purchase one of their programs to fill in the gaps of knowledge that you have. But there are so many options out there, how do you sort out the people that are just trying to make money from the people that can actually help you? Beyond that, how can you guarantee that you will have a return on your investment?
I wrote this blog to empower you to make the right choice on the program. These concepts apply to pretty much any program offering, whether you are thinking about Amazon FBA, Affiliate Marketing, hiring a business coach, or anything in between.
Read each section carefully so that you are well-armed when you are targeted with a potential coaching program.
Comment below to let me know your thoughts as well!
Avoid Getting Sucked in to the Gimmick/Hook:
The most common advertising strategy that I see with most offerings is "make 10k a month from home by following this done for you strategy." It may not have been exactly that statement, but I can almost guarantee you have seen something similar. It is so easy to get sucked into this, but make sure you take it with a grain of salt. Feel free to explore this program, but you should do so in a highly suspicious manner. There is no "done for you strategy" that all you have to do is sign up for a couple of accounts and you will start making money. Growing a business in any capacity or platform will take consistency, intention, and perseverance. You will need to learn new skills and apply them in your own way to make them truly powerful.
If a person or program is stating they will make you X amount of money, the most important question you can ask is, "Is that gross revenue or net?". Gross revenue is simply the revenue generated from sales, and net income is what you take home after all of your operating expenses. Any business, whether it is brick and mortar or an online business, has operating costs. More often than not, your largest investment (after any production costs) will be your marketing costs. Some of these programs say you will make 10k a month but leave out the part where you will need to spend 6k in marketing to hit that number. Beyond that, if their program does not include any marketing strategies, then it will cost you even more money while you are learning the process for yourself.
So, before you move forward with any program, ask what other costs are typically involved with growing your business. If they don't mention anything related to generating traffic, both paid and organically, keep searching for another program.
Understand the Details of Their Coaching Offering.
There are many wonderful programs out there that have a lot of great material, but you want to make sure that you are getting coaching beyond just the initial tutorial videos. There are multiple programs out there that will just take your money, provide you with videos, then leave you to figure the rest out on your own. The better ones offer you personalized coaching, which is great and exactly what you should look for. Even with programs that offer coaching, it is important to still note the exact details of the coaching offered. Ask questions like, how many times a week is this coaching, what is the experience of the exact person that will be coaching me, and how long will this coaching offering last, etc.?
It is so easy to get lost in what different programs are offering that it becomes harder to see what they are not. Remember, as you are shopping around for programs or coaching, this is an investment for yourself. Enter these conversations with empowerment and truly ask yourself, what can this do for me and my business?
Don't Succumb to Pressure:
Though there are so many ethical coaches and programs out there they can be easily buried by the immoral ones. Some of the more immoral ones will add pressure to the sales call to attempt to get a sale. You will start hearing subtle pressure tactics like "I will hold this offer for you for 24 hours" or "if you sign up now I will offer you X amount of money off". Remember this is an investment in yourself and you should take all the time you need to make the right choice. That being said if you have done your research and feel confident in this investment, then by all means take the leap. Just make sure you are making that investment from a place of knowledge and empowerment.
Use Their Free Information to Empower You:
If you have honed in on a program or coach that you are thinking about purchasing, go out and look for their free information. That could be YouTube, social media, or their own website. Most coaching businesses/programs provide free material as a way to share their experience and knowledge. This is great for not only the business providing that information but also the consumer reading it. It is one of my favorite business practices in the sense that both parties gain something from a simple transaction.
This practice is especially helpful for you as the consumer because it will give you a better indication of what questions you need to ask. Knowing what questions to ask can be the hardest part of hiring a coach or program. Ultimately, you are there for them to teach you what you don't know, so how can you ask questions about things that you don't know? Seems like a catch 22, right? Well, by consuming their free information, you can get a sense of what they offer but also you can get more information related to the business you are pursuing, which will further empower you to ask more detailed questions.
Trust Your Gut:
Finally, listen to your gut. Your intuition or gut feeling is smarter than your brain in terms of making decisions in the moment. If you feel like your mind is traveling a million miles an hour and you can't get a sense of your gut feeling, now is not the time to make a decision. Get calm, go for a walk, or do whatever you need to do to regulate your body and come back to the decision. Decisions made from stress and anxiety will almost always breed results that generate stress and anxiety.
So, as you move forward, do so in a calm, intentional manner.
Looking For More Guidance?:
From my decade of experience as an engineer, operating my own businesses, and coaching multiple clients, I have a wide range of experience over multiple industries. If you're looking for a helping hand or someone that can help you ask the right questions, don't hesitate to reach out with the link below. I would be happy to jump on a complimentary coaching call with you to help guide you in the right direction. Even if that is not with me personally, I am just happy to lend a helping hand. I know firsthand that the road to entrepreneurship can be challenging in so many ways. Knowing that you are not alone and you have support can mean the world of difference in ensuring your success.
Never forget, you are the power and the magic in your business. Enriching that will undoubtedly lead you to success.