So things aren’t working out as well for you at this point in your career as you thought they would. You are working very hard and things just are not coming as easy as they should. Welcome to the club! Some may blame the economy; some blame their jobs. Don’t blame either; blame yourself. Just because you are book smart and received excellent grades in college, and you know your job functions so well that you could do them blindfolded doesn’t mean that you are a shoe in for the “Most Successful Person of the Year Award”.
You need a mentor, and you need one now! Why…because all of them (great mentors) have been where you are and know where you need to go. Think about it. Your earliest mentors were probably pretty good at what they did. Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grand Daddy, and the maybe even your big sister. What happened when you listened to them? What happened to you when you didn’t? Now, I know you can’t go asking Mama to help you with your sales calls or a PowerPoint presentation, but there are some people out there that can help.
Where should I go, Walter? Where can I find a “Jedi Sales Master”? Well, you can start by going to someone that works in your office. If that isn’t an option, try somewhere else. The SBA is a great place for entrepreneurs, and networking groups like the National Sales Network are also great places to start. I’ve been a member of the NSN since 2007, and I have benefited a great deal from the mentorship offered there. Here are seven tips for finding a mentor recommended by Jamie Walters of Inc.com.
• Know yourself
• Be proactive
• Ask for referrals
• Keep an open mind regarding who this person might be
• Indentify where you might find a suitable mentor
• Know what you want to achieve from the relationship
• Think about people who have been your mentors in the past
Go out and find a mentor today. From personal experience, I will say that I waited far too long before going out to find a mentor. My lack of understanding about how the sales cycle works has cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars in my career. Now I have three mentors; one for sales, one for taxes, and another for marketing. Some suggestions, made to me, by my mentors have been; revamping my sales techniques to no longer include so many cold calls, instituting a marketing plan, revamping my outdated website (the new one will be launched on Monday, July 15th), including video testimony on my new website, blogging, and the best advice of all…increasing my “connectors” (people who sell for you by referring others). Without the excellent advice from my mentors, and reading books on business, I would not have known about any of these sells techniques. Because of these intelligent men and women, I fully expect to meet all of my goals this year. Don’t hesitate another year. Go out and find a mentor(s) today!
By:Walter Hines
Financial Editor
ReelUrbanNews.com
