Market your own mentorship!

When starting a business in mentorship, the first two things you’ll want to do is get a business name and a website. You’ll also want to get business cards and other things, but these aren’t as important. A business name (DBA is fine) and a website are enough to start your own business in mentorship.

In fact, this is how many successful coaches and mentors I know started their businesses. What made the most difference was their ability to understand their market and properly target their service or product to that market.

Who is your ideal customer? Do you know? If not, get busy starting to know this person in as great a detail as you can. When I started, I read everything I could find on marketing, SEO, and building effective websites. But it wasn’t until I really began to research my ideal client’s needs and hot buttons that I was able to really use all this knowledge. Knowing what your ideal client wants is the only way, in fact, to create messages that hit home, no matter what kind of advertising or marketing you do.

Create a foundation that your business can grow on for years to come. Know your client. Know his or her likes, dislikes, favorite color, favorite songs, and more. Then talk to them in THEIR language about THEIR needs, etc. This is true mentorship – listening. Once you do, these clients will flock to you.

Obviously, there is more to building a practice, but knowing your ideal client is the key. Here are some other big tips on how to get started the right way:

•  Stay local. If you’re not a national or global (online) business, then focus on your region or city. This way, your clients will find you. You also won’t have to compete with millions of other people selling the same product or service. Make sure you can be found in local business searches and directories. Learn how to get your practice listed on Google maps.
•  Market your service. Too many coaches and mentors mistakenly think that marketing themselves using their name is a smart strategy. It’s not. Marketing your name only makes sense if you are already a local celebrity. Then people already know you, know what you do, and only need an address or phone number. Most coaches and mentors, however, are not that well-known. If you are among them, market yourself based on what you do . . . hopefully something that is unique. Emphasize your area of expertise or mentorship.
•  Watch your competition. Where do other mentors spend their time online? If they’re using social media, like Facebook or Twitter, take that as a sign to use it too. See how other successful coaches and mentors connect with prospective clients, and use this knowledge to your advantage.

These are just a few things you can do to effectively market your mentorship business. For more advice, and to avoid common mistakes on your way to a healthy six figure practice, get Dr. Craig’s FREE report on the biggest coaching mistakes and how to avoid them.