When people ask my advice about getting training, I refer them to my article 10 questions to ask coaches and demo producers and the vetted coaches and consultants linked in the Connections section of my NarratorsRoadmap.com home page.
Recently, someone told me she wanted to develop confidence and wondered whether I thought a particular coach was sincere. I recognized that she really wanted to know if the coach was right for her before she committed to spend the money for the course.
I decided other people may find my answer with 4 additional questions to be useful, so I’m posting the modified version of my reply here.
I understand and can appreciate the conflict you feel. Since you don’t know me, I doubt my opinion about a coach’s skills or sincerity would bring you to a decision.
Instead, let me ask you 4 questions that may help you clarify and narrow your thoughts so you can come to a resolution. You don’t need to answer me; these are just points for you to ponder.
- What exactly do you think you need help with?
- Does the coach offer a free consultation?
- Have you tried the techniques in the book GET CLIENTS NOW!?
- The most important question — If you spent the money for the personal sessions or course, what outcome would you expect to do, be, or have?
“Confidence” is too broad a subject; it’s an umbrella over many topics. You need to break it down into something specific.
Are you getting stuck at a particular point in the marketing process, like prospecting or closing sales? Do you get nervous speaking to others? Or, are you looking to launch a new business and don’t feel prepared for it? Once you identify exactly what you want to learn, you’re in a much better position to decide the best service provider for that kind of training.
I think when something is meant for us, we feel excited on the inside. We feel energized. We think, “Oh I must do THAT!”. When it’s right for us, we don’t have to analyze a decision from every angle and try to talk ourselves into spending the money.
One final thought – – sometimes I have bought courses and then not done my part to go through the materials and do the homework involved to actually master the topic. It’s like I somehow think I will learn it through osmosis.
I realized that I considered it taking action to buy the course, which made me feel better temporarily.
However, I’ve discovered that forward motion only occurs when I do all the work and then actually implement what I learned in my business.
We can’t expect assurances that our dollars always will be well-spent. I can say with certainty, though, that if you’re taking a step in your career that seems to be in the right direction, you are not making a mistake, even if your expectations aren’t met.
Updated 10/8/21
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