Online businesses are the way of the future and many are pushing towards this path as time goes on. The lucrative nature of this option is hard to deny, yet it is not as easy as one might assume.

It is always smart to have some form of coach and/or mentor to guide you in the right direction. Even the top executives (think Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Google Execs) have coaches and mentors.

There is a clear reason why, which you’ll see…

However, what does it take to find one and what is the difference between a coach and a mentor?

You need to make sure you understand the process while vetting the options in front of you.

I’ll break down The Keys To Finding And Hiring A Coach Or Mentor in this post.

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Understanding Difference Between Coach And Mentor

Prior to assessing the keys to finding and/or hiring a coach or mentor, you need to understand the difference.

What are you on the look out for?

You can only determine this when you have a clear understanding of what each has to offer.

A coach is someone who is going to guide you every step of the way with clear instructions.

It would be something as simple as “do this and you will see results”. They are essentially taking your hand and guiding you through the process based on their own experiences.

A digital marketing consultant or coach can help you with specific directives for SEO, Facebook or Google Advertising, email marketing, content marketing, etc.

A mentor is not going to watch your every detailed move.

But, they will hold you accountable to goals and objectives. They will (if they’re good) tell you the things “like they are”. (You might not always like it, but that’s what you want, ultimately).

The purpose of a mentor is to develop an ongoing relationship. It is someone who you can can feel safe with, and use as a sounding board to bounce ideas off of. They have a more long-term approach where they are always a phone call away to help out.

They are rarely going to get involved in the actual decisions being made. In essence, they provide an opinion and you make the final decision.

A coach does not do this for you, as they sometimes will make the final decision.

Realizing The Coaching or Mentoring Benefits

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits regardless of what direction you decide to go in. You are always going to have something to fall back on and that is hard to beat.

CEOs and most business owners tend to struggle because they try to do it all on their own. There should be someone who has ‘been there and done that’ in order to help you get through the rough patches. A balance of working “in” vs. “on” the business must be understood and applied.

It does not matter what online business you are running, rough patches are going to be around the corner.

A coach or mentor can assist with this, and assist in circumventing or limiting mistakes in the first place.

Focus On Assessing Their Experience

Let’s move onto the keys for finding and/or hiring someone to help you out.

You have to begin by taking a look at who they have worked with in the past and the results those specific owners got.

Did they enjoy working with this coach or mentor? Do you think they would fit in with what you are aiming for? Are they in the market that you are serving?

These are questions you are going to need to ask yourself as soon as you get the chance. Their experience is always going to have a role to play as you don’t want someone who is learning right along with you.

Don’t Hesitate To Compare Options

Don’t be afraid to sit down and compare options as there are going to be many in front of you.

It is not always going to be as simple as finding one coach or mentor and calling it a day.

There are often many equivalent options that are going to stand out and want to be assessed.

You need to give each one time and see who is the best for you. What might work for another CEO might not for you and that is the beauty of the process.

This is where balance can be found and you have to do your due diligence.

Pinpoint Personal Goals Beforehand

What are your own goals with regards to the online business?

What are you aiming for as soon as you get started in this new relationship? You want to make sure you have these ideas pinpointed as soon as possible. If you don’t even have a vision, you are not going to get far.

If you do have this in place, you will be able to filter out people who are not going to fit into these requirements. It can also help you decide whether you want a coach or a mentor along the way.

Sit Down And Listen To Them

The main thing you have to do is to sit down and see what they have to say. Do you jive with what they are telling you? Do you like their approach to the business?

If not, you will know they are not the right ones for you even if they are brilliant in the niche. You should not force the issue and go with those you can’t even tolerate.

And, make note of this: they don’t have to necessarily be a great teacher, but you must understand what they say, and apply it. They have been down the road you are taking.

This is a relationship that is going to be built and you have to focus on going with the best and that is something you can’t compromise on.

Consistency Is Key

Regardless of who you decide to go with, consistency is important in the long-run.

If you are not willing to stick it out with a specific coach or mentor, you are not going to see results and it is as simple as this. Business owners around the world are beginning to realize this.

You need to be able to tap into a consistent source of information as often as you can. If you are always getting information from different sources, the results might not be as good.

If you have a coach or mentor in place to help run an online business, the hurdles are going to start slipping away.

You are going to have a clearer path with regards to the approach needed to find success.

Running an online business is all about gaining experience and maximizing your potential in the long-term.

The keys listed here should help pinpoint what has to be done to find the right fit. No one wants a coach or mentor who does not understand the nuances of running an online business. This is why finding the best becomes important in the end.

If you need a business consultant to guide your online venture in the digital marketing and growth space, feel free to reach out.

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