As the idea of using a Small Business Coach or Improvement Consultant becomes more popular in the business community so does it become more important to do your research properly.

While many Coaches are good at what they do, some may offer very little in the way of results and value for money due to their lack of experience or understanding of Small Business Improvement Strategies.

What the BIG IMAGE Firms don't want you to know...

Its a fact that a fair chunk of Business Coaching these days is being carried out by Franchisees or Employees of high profile coaching firms who use their “Proprietary Franchise Systems” to get amazing results. These organisations spend a small fortune on their big glossy corporate image and marketing material, and may also run expensive ad campaigns to promote Motivational Seminars which "REVEAL" the "SECRET STRATEGIES of business SUCCESS".

HOWEVER in reality achieving "MAGICAL RESULTS" in the typical small business is rarely as simple as some may like you to believe, and what works GREAT in one business may create MAJOR PROBLEMS in another. You may also wish to consider who ultimately PAYS for all this "FREE ADVICE" and "FLASHY CORPORATE IMAGE" as some may need to do so through greatly inflated program fees and LEGALLY ENFORCABLE LOCK-IN CONTRACTS worth a SMALL FORTUNE.

Coaches Who BUY THEIR JOB... Now while there are some very good coaches around, You may DISCOVER by asking the right questions that some Coaches have no real qualifications or experience with small business. They may for example have been a middle-manager in a large corporation who has been retrenched, so they buy themselves a job as a Business Coach to access the perceived credibility the Franchise or Firm provides.

They may explain that their "Proprietary Systems" are their key to your success, however these "MAGICAL SYSTEMS" may not always be what they seem, and your success may be due more too good luck than the abilities of the coach.

There are some very GENUINE BENEFITS of working with a GOOD Coach, So here are some questions you may like to ask when selecting a Business Coach of Consultant to make sure they are right for YOU and YOUR BUSINESS...

7 KEY QUALIFIERS When Selecting a Business Coach...

• Do they have a SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS RECORD?
  Ask them if they have ever built a SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS personally, if yes, ask them for details about what type of business it was, how many people it employed, did they ever need to make payroll themselves personally, how long did they own it and what is the state of it now...

• Do they have RELEVANT PAST EXPERIENCE?
  Don't get caught up in all the general hype that some may spruke. Write down and describe to them your TOP 3 PRIORITIES for your business, then ask them to tell you some SPECIFIC DETAILS of how they have helped others achieve similar goals to yours in the past, what results did they get and how did they specifically contribute to the results PERSONALLY...?

• Check their TESTIMONIALS and REFERENCES!
  Ask them to show you their Client Testimonials or References if they don't have them on public display. Take a look at them and ask if they PERSONALLY delivered the results to the clients, as some coaches may adopt testimonials which are the general property of the organisation as their own. You may even ask them to explain some SPECIFIC ACCOUNTS of how they worked with some of these clients...

• CONTACT PAST CLIENTS!
  Don't get sucked into the old "Client Confidentiality Cloak". Any decent Business Coach worth talking too will be able to give you a list of past clients who'd be more than happy to take your call, or at least arrange a few relevant one's for you to call at a pre-arranged time. If they can't show them the door immediately...

• Ask about their SUCCESS RATE WITH CLIENTS...
  Again anyone who tells you they can generate AMAZING RESULTS with ANY Business may as well tell you they are SUPERMAN! Ask them for an honest account of their success rate with clients similar to yours, and how they truly feel about working with you... If they give you some waffle about how they will try but it's all ultimately up to you with no real guarantees of success, then again show them the door. This is probably just a cover the butt sales tactic to help justify taking your money in return for little in the way of results.

• COMPARE REASONABLE RATES...
  Some Coaches and Firms are widely known in the industry for charging EXTREMELY HIGH FEES in comparison to that of other reputable providers in the industry. Like any other purchase, you should do your homework on what you are getting for your money. In general, the services of a Reputable Business Coach with a proven track record and relevant business experience should cost you between $650 to $1650 per month depending on how often you meet and how long you spend together.

• Check the "Fine Print" and BEWARE of LOCK-IN CONTRACTS!
  Be very careful of Coaches who try to lock you into a long-term Contract or Agreement, as some may resort to LEGAL ACTION as a matter of course if you miss a payment try to exit early for any reason. A good tip is that if it looks too legal DON'T sign it! A GOOD Coach will be more than happy to "Earn Your Monthly Investment" rather than lock in a "Legal Right" to collecting it from you, and while it's reasonable for a coach to get paid over a 12 or 18 month term, only on the proviso that as a client you are receiving "Good Value" along the way.

Try a FREE Coaching Consultation

Get Your
FREE EBook

Get your FREE

Coaching Info Pack