We are living in times where it has never been easier to get advice from experts
If you’re a young person in business it’s easy to take for granted just how easy the internet has made things for small business
When I was in formal education way back in 96-98 if I needed to do research for an essay it meant a 2 hour round trip to Manchester Central library for a snippet of information – that search would now take 2 minutes on google
But even in this age – businesses are launching and failing (half of UK start-ups fail within 5 years) because they’re trying to do everything themselves, they’re not talking to experts and / or not acting on experts advice
Here are 5 Mistakes Small Businesses Make With Experts
1. Not Checking Their Credentials
Whilst it’s never been easier to find help and advice – it’s never been easier with the internet for someone to pass themselves off as an expert with little or no experience
Within a day – you could build a website, write a couple of blogs rewritten from the net, set up social media accounts and suddenly become “an expert” – it is that easy to do!
So checking the “experts” credentials is key and that’s where Social Proof comes in
You’ve met an expert – you like them – but you need to really know and trust them before taking them on board to help your business. That’s where the body of testimonials comes in on independent website such as LinkedIn, Freeindex, Which Trusted Traders and so on
Never buy off anybody without checking their reviews / testimonials or receiving a recommendation off someone you meet, like, know and trust – (check our 180+ testimonials here for Social Media Marketing – https://uk.linkedin.com/in/amccann )
2. Not Checking They Practice What They Preach
A social media expert who talks about engagement – should be engaging
An accountant who talks about profitability – should be making a profit
A web designer who talks of the importance of blogging – should be blogging
A window company who talks about kerb appeal – should have everything that makes for kerb appeal
And so on …
An expert should be a practitioner as well as a theorist who imparts advice otherwise why would you take them seriously
3. Not Asking Enough Questions
Or asking the wrong questions
So often the only question small businesses ask of an expert is how much will it cost?
You’re nodding as you read this – because you know it’s happened in your business before and yet you know all too often it’s often the only question you ask of other businesses
Ask open questions such as How will this help me? What can you do for me? This is my situation – what would you suggest?
They will lead you to enlightenment and experts are all too happy to offer advice and show you how they have helped others
And when you know this – the question how much will it cost becomes irrelevant because you understand what value they bring to the table
4. Not Acting On What The Expert Says
The whole point of experts – is they know more than yourself about their specialist field
So whether it’s a 2 minute conversation, a business talk at a local networking event or a 121 Training session with an expert – the important step to take is action
Experts shouldn’t be a tick box exercise, something to tick of as CPD (Continuing Professional Development) or something to make you feel you’re doing something
Experts should be the starting point to action, the point where you decide the best course of action going forward and then follow through with the action
2 quotes that really sum this up are
“The path to success is to take massive, determined action” Tony Robbins
“Action is the foundational key to all success” Pablo Picasso
How many times have you spoken to an expert and they’ve given clear action points that you’ve not taken because you’re too busy?
5. Not Saying Thank You
Hello can open doors
Thank you keeps the door open
In the world we live in much of your advice taken from experts will be remote, the advice will be taken from blogs like this or the 270 others we have on our website
Outside of phone calls or emails – the only way of gauging impact on advice on the blogosphere is social currency – the share, the retweets, the comments
Always thank an expert
Never be that person that’s too busy to thank someone who’s added 5 figure sums to their business
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Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk
