Posted on Tuesday, 10th November 2009 by CopywritingCat
Last weekend I attended Armand Morin’s Big Seminar. It was stimulating and energizing. Naturally, all the speakers were pitching products. (If you think you get pitched on my ezines and teleseminars, just wait till you come to a live seminar. It’s like being bombarded with brainwashing messages, one after the other.)
When you get hit with a lot of pitches, here’s what I recommend.
First, take notes. Was the speaker effective? If so, take notes on the structure as well as content. If not, analyze the reasons.
Second, talk to people who have actually worked with this mentor. Ask two important questions. Did you get results? And WHEN did you work with this mentor?
In my experience, most mentors have a sweet spot - the ideal time to connect with them. Too early in their careers? They don’t know enough. Too late? They’re formulaic. They offer less personal attention. And sometimes their message is outdated.
I actually thought about buying one coaching program I’ll call Mega-Mentor. The speaker was good and the results seemed promising. Most important, someone I knew and respected said, “I took this program and it turned my life around.” Wow!
But then I had to ask, “When did you take Mega-Mentor?”
The answer was, “Five years ago.”
Great. I decided to pass. As it turned out, I met someone who had signed up for the program just one year ago. Her response was totally different. “Just another series of webinars,” she said. “Cookie-cutter answers to questions. I got my money back.”
Now don’t get me wrong. Some people certainly go on for years, reinventing themselves and growing. But there’s a natural loss of energy as the program goes on. Entrepreneurs like to keep looking for something new.
One problem: At top events like Big Seminar, you don’t see people on stage till they’ve accomplished a lot. The founder of Mega-Mentor began by selling a coaching program at Learning Annex in Los Angeles. At that level, he didn’t have a staff of coaches to do the hands-on work while he took off for vacations (or speaking engagements to sell even more programs). He delivered seminars by phone, not by webinar. And he had time to answer every question himself. My friend was very, very lucky to work with him then.
By the time you reach the success levels required to present at a Big Seminar (including The Big Seminar), you can’t afford that much hands-on contact. You have staff. And no matter how hard you try, you won’t bring the same freshness and enthusiasm to the process.
Currently my favorite mentor is Armand Morin: http://www.MakeWebsiteSales.com
Learn more about choosing a mentor: http://www.copy-cat-copywriting.com/mentorbk.html
I will be alking about mentors in my winter class, starting December 1. http://WebsiteMakeoverPro.com
Comment about your own mentor experience:
Comments (2)
Tags: Professional Services Marketing
Posted in mentors
November 14th, 2009 at 04:33
I’ve never been a big fan of seminars myself, what with all the pitch-fests. I appreciate it can be a good way of making connections… but some seminars, you’re paying thousands of dollars for the privilege of being sold to - the perfect audience for marketers
November 14th, 2009 at 08:35
I agree! It IS frustrating. It’s all about the connections and, as I said, learning from their pitching styles.