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Contractor Business Coach

February 15, 2008  |  from Markup and Profit Blog

I’ve been asked by potential coaching clients, “If I’m a contractor looking for a business coach, why should I go with your company instead of another? What is the difference between you and other business coaches?”

Good question. When businesses call us for help, it’s because they want to do better with their business. They want business management coaching that will make their construction-related business stronger and more profitable. But with a number of coaches available, what separates one business coach or consultant from another?

I know that the investment in our coaching and consulting is comparable or sometimes less than that of other coaches or consultants. So, money aside, let me suggest a few questions you should ask before you hire someone for construction business consulting or coaching. It is important to have a clear agreement on what they offer and what you can expect for the money you will invest.

    1. How many years of actual experience does the coach or consultant have in business? How many in construction? You want a construction business coach or consultant who knows both construction and business, and not because they read about it in school.

    2. Do they provide their services full time, or is it a hobby?

    3. Can they supply references of other contractors they have helped? What do those references say about the coach or consultant?

    4. What percentage of actual coaching or consulting clients have they been able to turn around and make profitable? How long have they been coaching and/or consulting contractors?

    5. Do they do the coaching or consulting work themselves, or are you passed on to someone else in their company?

    6. Could they, if needed, visit a job site and help you get your job built? Have they worked with the tools, do they understand the problems of construction? Do they know how to deal with employee problems on a job site?

    7. Could they, if needed, go with you on a sales call, or take the lead and sell it for you? Have they done actual one-on-one selling so they know the experience of having a customer say “your price is too high”, along with the other comments that anyone involved in homeowner sales has experienced?

    8. What other credentials do they bring to the industry? Have they written books on construction related topics, are they in demand as a seminar moderator or speaker? Do they speak at construction-related national conventions? Are they respected by national suppliers in the construction industry?

    9. Can the coach or consultant tell you the three things that cause cash flow problems and how to fix them?

    10. Can the coach or consultant help you get creditors off your back, deal with the nasty and threatening phone calls, the threats of liens or lawsuits stopped? Can they help you resolve tax issues with the state or federal IRS departments?

    11. If you have a serious issue and need help right away, are they willing to speak with you or will you have to wait for your scheduled call?

    12. Do they offer you a “system” with the same solutions that will rescue any business, or will they provide one-on-one personal help to meet your needs?

    13. Do they woo you with promises of free books and papers on how to do things? Or, will they teach you a new mind set so that you can think problems through on your own?

ing service is one-on-one phone time with me, and we deal with your business where it is, without trying to fit it into any system. If you want to see my credentials, review my resume.

If you are looking for books and papers on how to help your business, purchase our Markup & Profit book and 6-hour class, or our Profitable Sales book and 6-hour DVD. It will cost less to purchase our products than you will spend on a coaching service that doesn’t meet your needs but promises free products. If you are serious about hiring a business coach who is willing to work one-on-one and help you succeed, give me a call.

Filed: Best-Practices