Ladies and gentlemen, please, please, please DO NOT go bankrupt trying to hire help.
Something happened recently that really rubbed me the wrong way. Business Coaches, Advisors, Mentors, Professional Support, etc. who push prospects to not only spend more than they have, but encourage them to dip into savings, retirement, credit, selling personal property, etc. for sake of hiring them DO NOT have your best interest at heart!!!
I hear this crap so much in the marketplace these days but it’s just simply not right and to me it’s downright immoral. Are we going back to guerrilla tactics of doing business? Yes, I get the psychology of selling, but these are tactics that I can not and will not prescribe to.
If your business really matters to them, a good Business Advisor will do one or more of the following:
- NEVER pressure you into buying something you can not afford.
- Help you find the lost dollars in your business and show you how to use those lost dollars to procure their services.
- Suggest methods you can use to make the money that is needed to procure their services.
- Tailor an offer that is within your price range.
- Be honest and let you know that you may not be a good fit for their service right now but is willing to keep in touch with you in the event something changes.
There are a lot of Business Advisors and Coaches out there who proclaim to have expertise in growing business, but they are not well rounded. They focus on one thing: how to get your money! What they really care about is growing THEIR business, NOT yours.
I am not and have never been that type of Business Advisor, Coach or Mentor. I personally take the instructor’s approach to business and teach my clients and prospects what they should know. I not only give them the how, I teach them the why and provide options for them to consider.
I did this literally today with a client. We were scheduled to prepare and review his budget for the year. He had a lot of questions and kept apologizing for interrupting the process. Now, I could have reminded him of our mission for the day and pushed to keep us on track with that objective, but that’s not my business model. Instead, I told him, if he walked away today without receiving answers he understood to each and every question he had, I failed him in doing my job.
My objective with EVERY client I work with is to make certain they are armed with a wealth of knowledge and information. So, I took the time to not only answer his questions but literally walked him step by step through to an optimal end result for each and every question. He received examples, suggestions, links to resources, you name it, he received it.
Most would say I gave away too much. I say I went above and beyond to solidify that relationship. As a result, he walked away saying to me (his words not mine): “Lisa, thank you for taking so much time with me today and helping me understand what I should be considering. This is why I will be with you for life.” Guys, I did not ask him for that. He was compelled because he received value not pressure.
Let me also say, you don’t get this level of service from those who are not mature in business. Why? Because they are learning just like you. You can’t teach what you have not yet learned.
I’ve been in business and supported other businesses for so long, I know what disaster and danger look like. My method and approach is slow and easy yet long lasting and lucrative. You see, taking time to truly cultivate the relationship keeps clients not only coming back time and time again, but looking for ways to work with you. You become their trusted advisor not the gold digger in their pocket. My foundational principles WILL NOT allow me to pressure someone into bankrupting themselves just to help me grow my business. That definitely is not what partnerships are based on.
So how do you avoid engaging with the wrong Business Advisor? Here are a few steps to follow that will help you engage the right professional.
- Do your homework. DO NOT buy until you’ve gotten to know the individual, their experience, how they serve and the results they help their clients achieve. I personally watch someone from the sidelines for a while before I engage. This helps me really see if they are who they proclaim to be. Google them! Find them on LinkedIn. See how they interact on Facebook. Find them on Twitter. My motto is, watch what people do when they believe no one is watching. This truly tells the story behind the fluff.
- Check their references. Anyone worth working with will list testimonials from others they’ve worked with. Check them out BEFORE you engage with the professional. Call those references directly and ask questions centered around the things that matter to you most. What are their rules of engagement? How is their follow up? Are they accessible? What true results were achieved as a result of working with them? Are they easy to work with?
- Check out their connections. My father always told us growing up that birds of a feather stick together. What does their professional circle of influence look like? You can find this out on LinkedIn by checking their connections. Determine where you may be mutually connected and reach out to them. Find out what they think about the individual professionally. How long have they known them? In what capacity have they worked together? What circles do they engage in? Who really are their customers?
- Ask your network for a referral. NEVER engage when you are desperate to find help!! Take the time to ask those you respect in your network for referrals of individuals who can help you with your situation. It’s true that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. However, the functioning wheel carries the weight and the rest of the vehicle knows it. Your professional network is willing to recommend those they’ve worked with that have truly helped them achieve success. Don’t reinvent the wheel by looking in the blind. Tap into your network for resources. Why did they select that individual? Are they still working with the individual and why or why not? Would they work with them again?
- Check their credentials. To determine the professional maturity of the individual, check out their accolades. What awards have they won? Do those award align with the business of supporting your business? What do they share with others about themselves and their achievements? Again, LinkedIn is another excellent resource to do your homework. And, if you are following my advice of watching what people do when they believe no one is watching, check them out on Facebook. The reality of who they are tends to come out there.
The next time you feel desperate or in need of support, don’t allow yourself to be pressured into buying. Take a step back and consider whether it is really the right thing for you or is it just simply the right thing for them. At the end of the day, it should be the right thing for both of you. This is what I call a WIN/WIN!
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Lisa Anderson and Anavo Transformation Solutions LLC is the creator and home of the P.U.L.S.E.™ Profit Method For Today’s CEO. Click the image below to learn how to find and close the gaps in your business.
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About Lisa Anderson and Anavo Transformation Solutions LLC
Lisa is a Strategic Business Advisor who knows through first hand experience what it takes to grow and run a successful business. She knows what it really means to remain in the game because she’s done it for 18 consistent and consecutive years. She knows what is required to take a business from start up to multi million dollars in annual revenues. She has successfully developed, coached, and implemented growth strategies that have helped hundreds of businesses succeed. She knows what it’s like to own and operate multiple businesses simultaneously. As a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Leadership Coach, and an Adjunct Professor of small business concepts, she not only has experience, but the credentials to go along with it. Unlike other Strategic Advisors, SHE IS someone one who walks the talk!
Lisa Anderson Founder and CEO of Anavo Transformation Solutions LLC which helps CEOs achieve their full potential and build profitable, bankable, scalable, sustainable, and ultimately sellable businesses. The home of the P.U.L.S.E. Profit Method For Today’s CEO, Lisa and her team of Strategic Business Advisors help organizations plan their vision, understand key impact indicators, leverage resources, scan opportunities and threats and execute their plan. For close to 30 years, Lisa has helped hundreds of business grow while maintaining a healthy and profitable bottom line.
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Do you want to work with a leader who has a track record of running highly successful businesses and has already helped hundreds of other small businesses launch and grow? Or do you want to stay where you are forever? The choice is yours.
If you are an entrepreneur who is ready to take your business to the next level or if you are ready to get out of the weeds and take control of your business, schedule a 30 Complimentary Consultation with me today.
I also invite you to explore my website and learn more about how I can help you with your business, www.AnavoTransformation.com.
See you at the finish line!
Carpe Diem! Seize the day!
Lisa D. Anderson
Strategic Business Advisor & Virtual CFO
Anavo Transformation Solutions LLC
