Beware Of The Internet Business Mentoring

Writen by Ben Bardot

Have you ever come across any Internet Business mentoring or coaching offers to grow or start your internet business? Are you thinking of going that route? If so, I'll advice you to tread very carefully.

These companies offer their services such as 'personalized' one-to-one tutoring, online classes, email support with your mentor, printed materials, CDs, DVDs to watch, seminars if you're based in the US. You are required to work - as part of your agreement - a certain amount of hours per week, usually 10-16 hours. Most we've come across guarantee success within six months. Within that time, they promise to get you website up and running and generating income. Some actually make it clear that you'll be helping them sell some of their products. As to whether they deliver results, is still very much a debatable issue.

In our under-cover research, we've uncovered some of the pressure-tactics used by some of these companies: they outline what their company can do for you, then they capitalise on your need to generate a quick income from your current or prospective internet business. When they've managed to convince you that mentoring is the route for you, then they inform you of how much it costs.

For the ones we've investigated, they don't inform you straight away how much it costs. Instead, they try to get the feel of how much you're able to afford then they encourage you to use your credit card as a form of leverage. After they've taken the card details from you, they get one of their personnel to call you while they record the conversation. This is where any prospective candidate ought to watch their step - most give you only 3 business days to change your mind else they charge you as much as 30%, yes 30% of the total you paid - and all that just for changing your mind. Most of them indicate in the 'small print' of the recorded conversation, that they are not under obligation to refund. Thus, with the costs we've come across - $5000-$25,000 - this can be a hefty loss.

As more and more people become internet-aware, some probably fall into the trap of wanting to make quick cash as soon as possible - probably due to having read some fantastic headline or sales letter which boasts of an astronomical amount of dollars earned within days and so on. Such information is bound to whet the appetite of most, and make even the best of us curious.

For those thinking of taking the mentoring route, research, research, research! I must say, there are genuine companies out there but they're not cheap.

Whiles we're still continuing our investigation, my advice is patience. Yes, anyone can set up a successful income-generating internet business, but like the old adage about the hare and tortoise race, the tortoise wins in the end! Patience is a virtue - even in internet business.

By Ben Bardot, Self-confessed fan of the Home Internet Business Idea. Find out more internet business information at the Home Internet Business Center. Also, before paying the hefty mentoring price tag, check out one of the internet courses we have reviewed.