Have you got 'Coach' Fatigue?

Did you know that anyone can call themselves a coach?

There is no regulation, no requirement to be qualified, no examination of relevant experience or of a track record.

I'd even go so far as to say that the word 'Coach' is a great one for the modern day version of the snake-oil salesman of old.

Because, with zero experience, knowledge or talent, you can give yourself the job title of XYZ Coach, rock up on LinkedIn and claim all sorts of impressive things, charge an inflated price for doing it, then conveniently blame the luckless client when the promised results don't materialise.

Now, let me get one thing clear - a good coach is priceless beyond measure. You only have to look at the sporting world to recognise this. Glen Mills (Usain Bolt), Dave Brailsford (British Cycling), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal FC). But these are the elite and what I am seeing too often on LinkedIn is the polar opposite of this.

For example, you must have noticed how many LinkedIn 'experts' have popped up. You would literally have had to be living in a cave for the last year not to have seen this.

So how can you spot a genuine coach?

After all, a great coach can transform your business. My speciality is sales coaching and I regularly monitor how my clients perform. The ones who do what they're told consistently get between about 20% and 48% growth over 6 months. I know that because I ask them.

So what about you? Well, I think one of the best ways to choose your coach is to trust gut instinct - that old mantra 'If it looks too good to be true, it probably is' will stand you in good stead. But as a potential client, you owe it to yourself to check out who is getting your hard-earned cash.

Here are some pointers:

? How long have they been doing their thing? And by 'thing' I mean their area of expertise. I have spent my entire life in sales, so you know there is a fighting chance I know what I'm talking about (particularly as sales can be brutal if you are no good). Now my experience was gained across several different roles, but that is OK too, because the core competencies are there.

? Do they deal in the language of superlatives? OK what I am getting at here is that any fool can say how wonderful they are/their system is, but is their claim rather light on facts and distinctly heavy on self-promotion? Trust your gut again.

? Are they failing to walk their own talk? So you apparently help businesses scale up into the 7 figure region, but you are driving round in a ￡200 car and you can't afford new shoes? Spot the inconsistency here? A coach doesn't need to be flash, but they do need to inspire confidence.

? Are they simply over-promising? So you started your business yesterday and don't have any customers, but they claim they are going to get you up into a 6 figure business within 6 months? Hmmm - I hear warning bells.

Look, it can happen, but ask any seasoned business owner, stratospheric success is the exception, not the rule in the early days of a business. Establishing consistent, sustainable growth is far better than overstretching yourself in the early stages, then crashing and burning. So be realistic.

? Have they failed? Yes - you read that right.

Look, I am a former bankrupt. I'm not proud of it, but it happened and believe me, I'm never going there again, which gives me a ton of experience that is priceless to potential clients. Who would you rather work with - the coach who had it all handed to them on a plate, so never really got down and dirty, or the coach who knows what it is like to graft or go hungry, to feel the fear of letting down friends, family, stakeholders and staff, to know what it's like at the bottom as well as the top. They will be much more relatable and you know that they will 'get you' better.

Why does this matter? Well you don't want your business coach making their mistakes on you - that could be very expensive indeed!

? What do others say about them? Do they have Google reviews, LinkedIn recommendations, Facebook reviews, video or client testimonials? When I first started, right from the get-go, I knew how important it was to get reviews and today I have hundreds, probably thousands (I need to check!). Think about it - do you buy the item on Amazon with no reviews, or the one with hundreds? There is a reason you choose the latter.

Personal recommendation is another great way to find out if they are any good, so what do other people actually say about them in conversation?

What now?

So in your search for a coach who can really help your business, I wish you luck - it should be transformational, but please don't part with your money until you are certain they tick all of your boxes.

And if I haven't scared you off and you want to talk with me about coaching you or your team for sales success, please send me a message or book a slot in my diary. I am very approachable and I absolutely love helping you to earn lots of money! But I do it in an authentic, professional and realistic way. No fluff, just results.

Happy selling!

Here is a link to my diary

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