Start Mentoring And Lead Others To Your Door

     Good mentoring lets you help others. But it also creates sales opportunities and builds client loyalty because you can use the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise.

     While being non-salesy and being non-confrontational, you can use mentoring to demonstrate your capabilities and knowledge. Yesterday, we talked about the benefits you get when you help others. Today, let's think about getting started.

     First, understand that mentoring is one of your strategic approaches to business. Put it in your plan and focus on it all year long, just as you would networking, trade show activities, sales calls and other efforts that support your ability to generate revenue.

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TOP SHELF TIP NO.  87

"A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could."

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You Are The Expert

     Once mentoring is part of your annual business plan, take stock of your expertise. It doesn't have to be about the promotional products industry, although that's a nice bonus. It can be on a number of business topics. For example, I use the Linkedin.com networking site. I set aside some time each week to look for questions I can answer to help others. Sometimes I answer questions related to how someone can improve her or his writing. But sometimes it's on my experiences with certain software, a conference or some other topic.

     I participate in the discussions because when I share my knowledge, I create opportunities for longer, deeper discussions. Helping people helps me grow business.

Here are four things to consider when starting.

·         Find A Problem. But don't automatically solve it. Look at your clients' offices. See what's going on. Look for roadblocks. Discover their worries. Then ask permission to offer free advice. For example, one client has me manage a global collaboration tool on its intranet. It's new software for them and many people need training.

I now offer brief workshops to teach others how to benefit from the software. My volunteering has nothing to do with a new sale to this client; I'm doing this for free, but cementing a valuable relationship with a client.

·         Be Available. Often, people reach out and ask others for advice. When this happens, be available. Return phone calls. Respond to e-mails. Open your door to possibilities. It might be a college student looking to get into the field. It might be an old friend who lost his job because his company is failing. It might be another business owner wondering how you manage expenses so well. You just have to open your heart to others to create inroads into theirs.

·         Go to school. I've built opportunities by helping college students. The return: they might connect you with the promotional products buyer on campus. They may become interns. They may have parents who buy promotional products. The options are endless. Helping students as they launch their careers will endear them to you and help you generate good buzz.

·         Be sincere. Mentoring is rewarding both personally and professionally. But to make it work, you must be genuine, open and honest. You must be unselfish and the future client must truly gain new knowledge with no obligation to you. After all, if it smells like a sales call, it probably is.

     Source: Roger A. Shapiro has been mentoring colleagues, students and clients for years as he built his communications consulting business. He is president/creative director at Mitchell Rose, LLC and the author of Write Right, 26 Tips to Improve Your Writing. Dramatically.