Who requires the services of a mentor consultant?

Once you’ve answered that question, you’ve defined your target audience!

Congratulations! You are already well on your path to success.

Who is a Mentor Consultant?

According to this website, mentor consulting entails receiving specialized training in consulting. This might be while you are studying to become a qualified consultant. Rather than receiving training on standard consulting competencies, you receive assistance with specific talents you wish to perfect. The typical consulting competencies concern job objectives, personal factors, and life balance, among others. However, these subjects are frequently irrelevant to developing your actual consulting ability.

To apply for an ICF credential, you must have been mentored by a certified Mentor Consultant for a least 10 hours over three months. This mentor consultant should have the same or higher level of ICF certification as the one you are applying for.

A mentor consultant allows discussing each trainee consultant’s competency. Together, they can define competency and the value of a specific skill set for a consultant. This style of consulting encourages collaboration and improves learning.

Do you now see why mentor consulting is a highly effective strategy for achieving success in 2021?

What is the Purpose of a Mentor Consultant?

How can you convince your clients of the critical importance of having a mentor consultant?

First, let us consider why everyone, in general, requires mentors.

There are some excellent arguments made here. I’ve included a few of the points below.

The Wall Street Journal’s Rachel Louise Ensign stated, “A mentor can assist a new worker in answering difficult questions regarding his or her career path and gaining perspective on the sector.” The relationship may even assist you in securing a new career.”

Several reasons why people seek mentors include the following:

1.  Someone willing to listen
2.  Someone willing to share their stories
3.  Someone who will assist you in remaining focused
4.  Someone to motivate you to do just a little bit more and just a little bit more
5.  Someone to provide context, but not necessarily an answer

According to this Harvard Business Review article, CEOs, too, require mentors!

For a consultant, the scenario is identical. A mentor consultant can assist a trainee consultant in honing her skills. It makes no difference if you are a business executive, spiritual advisor, or success consultant. Each of these specializations allows you to work as a mentor consultant.

Mentor Consultant’s Target Audience

What qualities does your target audience need in a mentor consultant?

Once you’ve established that, tailoring your elevator pitch becomes more accessible.

Here are some pointers to assist you in attracting excellent clientele and standing out in a crowded market:

Build your brand

Your client will seek someone who has achieved success in their field. Is that correct? If not, focus on brand development. Your brand is, in this situation, you. Promote your unique abilities as a mentor consultant. Assemble a network of peers and new consultants.

Acknowledge the respect

Just as your consultee appreciates your work, communicate to her that you value her viewpoint. Bear in mind that being considered for the post of mentor consultant is an honor. Determine a strategy to express gratitude to your consultee for this chance!

Use your resources

A fantastic technique for a mentor consultant to find clients is to search within the network. Are you a member of any organizations or associations? Are you a member of any meetup groups or alumni circles? Is there someone in your organization in need of a mentor consultant? Remember to reach out to your friends and family. You never know where your next source of information will come from! Conduct research. Consider joining a membership-based consulting group. In a nutshell, seize every chance that comes your way. Maintain a constant state of readiness for your fantastic elevator pitch!

Maintain your individuality

What am I referring to? To be honest, it’s pretty straightforward. Your clients seek a mentor consultant who is authentic and will offer value to their lives. You are not required to fabricate anything! Allow your true self to shine through. Individuals with a genuine affinity for your consulting path and style will seek you out. A golden tip to keep in mind is that people forget what you say. However, they will never forget how you made them feel.

Are you able to identify with these pointers? These are just a few tips that can assist you in growing your business as a mentor consultant. Kindly contact me if you have any additional queries about this blog.

Qualities of a Mentor Consultant

What characteristics and credentials do your clients want in a mentor consultant?

While there are no hard and fast laws, there are a few things you should be aware of.

• Regardless of the niche, your clients seek mentor consultants who are experienced and competent. In some instances, sector experience may be relevant. If you have particular expertise in mind, emphasize your expertise in that niche. What distinguishes you from other professionally educated mentor consultants? You might also be interested in reading more about places on my site, The Ultimate Guide To Finding Your Consulting Niche.
•  Is your professional trajectory inspiring? The truth is that the majority of people enjoy hearing about rags-to-riches stories. Discuss your difficulties and failures. These are the characteristics that define you as a human being. Your honesty will also serve as a display of your genuine self.
•  Are you a resourceful, self-motivated, and creative thinker? If this is the case, find a means to convey this in your CV. There are no specific consulting styles appropriate or inappropriate for a mentor consultant. What matters is that you express yourself authentically. This will assist a mentee in determining which areas you can help them with. A mentor consultant’s connection with a client should be well balanced. This will assist both of you in maximizing the value of your consulting session.
•  Be prepared for an interview! Today’s mentees are intelligent. Expect queries about your consulting style, experience, case studies, and testimonials from a prospective client.
•  You may like to seek a no-obligation consultation. Numerous clients would prefer to observe your counseling approach in person to determine if you are a good fit for them. Allowing this is not harmful. Agree on specific action items and get started!

In this regard, see my earlier piece Top 10 Consulting Skills Every Life Consultant Must Have. I’ve outlined some other characteristics that you can cultivate as a mentor consultant. These are characteristics shared by consultants across all consulting methods.

A good consultant possesses several characteristics. You might like to check out my blogs on 21 Consulting Skills Every Successful Consultant Should Have and Top Consultant Qualities.

These characteristics apply to all types of consultants, including mentor consultants.

Is Marketing Important for a Mentor Consultant?

To begin, let us address the most frequently asked question.

Is marketing going to aid in your mentor consultant’s success? Will you earn enough money to maintain a good standard of living?

In my essay Is Marketing Critical to My Consulting Business, I addressed this subject previously.

In a nutshell, sure. Not simply marketing, but online marketing is required now. Refresh your knowledge about web marketing. This year has demonstrated the critical nature of continuing to work when isolated owing to the Covid-19 outbreak. Businesses have closed around the globe, wreaking havoc on the global economy. The only way for your firm to thrive in the new world is to shift it online.

Are you still debating whether or not to pursue marketing? Now, I have some further news for you.

Marketing is viewed as crucial by professionals for another reason.

According to a 2018 article, two-thirds of consumers in the United States (US) feel that trust in a brand has a significant (31%) or a significant (37%) influence on their decision when making a large purchase, Survey Monkey. Adults in the United States are not alone in placing a premium on trust: most respondents in the United Kingdom (57%) and Canada (69%) agree that confidence in a brand has a significant or significant impact on their decision-making.

Additionally, this piece demonstrates the critical nature of marketing from the start.

“Brand development is a critical component of corporate development. Consider the following questions as you lay the groundwork for your business and brand:

•  What are your target clients’ needs?
•  How do your competitors’ products and services address the needs of your target customers?
•  How can you clarify why your product or service is superior to or distinguishable from the competition to your target clients?”

I’ve authored various marketing-related blogs where you’ll get advice on how to grow your business. Make use of your strategic marketing and brand-building abilities. Some of my early marketing-related blogs can be found here and here. These will demonstrate how to market your brand and differentiate yourself as a mentor consultant.

Consulting is a multibillion-dollar industry. According to this article, the life consulting sector has surpassed the $1 billion level. The International Consultant Federation has a membership of 53,300. It is growing at a steady rate. To truly make your impact as a mentor consultant, you must think creatively!

Is it worth your time? Indeed, it will! The typical annual salary for life consultants is between $27,100 and $73,100. Yearly fees for specialty consultants might exceed $100,000. Only the sky is the limit if you can envision a prosperous mentor consultant career.

Additionally, see my blog How to promote your life coaching business? In this context. As a mentor consultant, there are various methods to enhance your income. To learn more about creating and selling world-class consulting products, visit my blog, How To Create And Sell World-Class Consulting Products? I’ve included some fantastic things that you can offer in it.

Are Clients Looking for Qualifications in a Mentor Consultant?

Until now, the consulting sector has been entirely uncontrolled. This means that anyone may self-identify as a consultant.

However, certain of your clients may require the services of qualified consultants. Attempt to become an ICF-accredited consultant to increase your chances of becoming a mentor consultant. Additionally, you might browse for additional training classes.

Your next client will most likely come from a referral or suggestion. When it comes to selecting a mentor consultant, word of mouth is significant.

Your experience, marketing abilities, and client recommendations will all play a role in determining the success of your consulting practice.

Attend my complimentary webinar, establish a robust online presence, and use it to assist you in growing your business.

Resources for a Mentor Consultant

Continue to educate yourself by reading. Research papers, opinion pieces, and books are excellent resources for staying current. Additionally, utilize technology to assist you in your mentor consultant career.

I conducted a quick Google search and discovered various online books and podcasts. You may choose to research some of these as a mentor consultant.

Books to Read as a Mentor Consultant

Various novels have been recommended to you online. However, these are the ones that stood out to me the most.

Forbes has compiled a list of 20 Books That Will Help You Become a Better Consultant or Mentor. I’ve taken the liberty of including the author’s notes in this instance. The author does an excellent job of explaining the works and their significance. The following novels are mentioned:

Lance Loya’s The WE Gear: How Good Teammates Transition from Me to We. Aristotle, who famously stated, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts,” provides some of my favorite wisdom. As Lance Loya, a former college basketball adviser demonstrates, this is equally true in business as it is in athletics. While not everyone in your organization has the potential to be a superstar, everyone may strive to be a great teammate. Loya’s book will assist you in accomplishing this.

Ruth Soukup’s Do It Scared: Developing the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Adversity, and Create a Life You Love. At times, we are all stuck. It’s something I struggled with while I attempted to launch my company. Ruth Soukup demonstrates in Do It Scared how pushing outside our comfort zones can often be the best technique for identifying meaningful solutions. Not only is Soukup’s counsel realistic, but it will motivate you and your mentees to improve.

By Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen Van Oosten. Helping People Change: Consulting with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth. As consultants, we all desire to assist individuals in reaching their most significant potential. This book provides excellent examples of how to accomplish just that. The authors demonstrate that the most effective strategy to assist someone in achieving real change is to model the same level of care and ideas you preach.

Ron Williams’s Learning to Lead: The Journey to Self-Leadership, Team Leadership, and Organizational Leadership. This is the type of book I wish I’d had at the start of my career. Learning to Lead has valuable insights for leaders of all ages, but I highly suggest it to those just getting started. Ron Williams’ thoughts are frequently counterintuitive but always inspirational.

Scott Allan’s Empower Your Thoughts: Overcome Fear and Anxiety, Develop a Positive Mental Attitude, and Master Your Mindset. Your mind is your most valuable asset, and Scott Allan teaches you how to channel your ideas in healthy and beneficial directions in Empower Your Thoughts. As a team leader, I’m sure you constantly have ideas running around in your head—I know I do! This book will assist you in taking control of your thinking and harnessing it for a more significant benefit.

Behind the Scenes: Insider Secrets from the Industry’s Leading Consultants, Experts, and Consultants by Kim Walsh Phillips et al. When you’re the team leader, it might be challenging to know where to seek help. That has been my experience throughout my career. Fortunately for me, Kim Walsh Phillips has gathered some of the best advice from various specialists. There is page after page of actionable measures to assist you in more effectively leading your group.

Jason Zook’s Own Your Weird: An Oddly Effective Method for Finding Happiness in Work, Life, and Love. It might be challenging to be oneself in business. There have been numerous occasions when I chose the path that sounded right over the course that was genuine to me. If only I’d read this book by Jason Zook, who demonstrates how exciting it can be to forge our paths to success rather than following someone else’s tried-and-true path.

Brian Dixon’s Start with Your People: The Daily Decision That Changes Everything. Relationships are critical to the success of any organization, and when you’re in charge of a considerable staff, it can be challenging to form deep personal connections. In this book, Brian Dixon explores how his errors and blunders provided a view into what matters most: his people. Then he demonstrates how to improve your performance with yours.

By Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Want. One of the challenges I encounter as a team leader and mentor is finding time to help my people’s professional development. Fortunately, I’ve discovered that brief chats can effectively increase team member engagement, which is why this book is called to me. Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni describe three different types of dialogues that can be used to increase your employees’ understanding of their talents, shortcomings, and interests.

Stedman Graham’s Identity Leadership: To Lead Others, You Must First Lead Yourself. Before I could consult with anyone else, I needed to understand myself. That is also the message of Stedman Graham’s most recent book, in which he demonstrates how self-improvement can be the first step toward convincing others of your message. Graham argues that personal accountability is necessary for successful team leadership.

Melanie A. Katzman’s Connect First: 52 Simple Ways to Ignite Success, Meaning, and Joy at Work. I’ve discovered that occasionally, a single basic technique can go a long way toward assisting someone in finding fulfillment in their profession. This volume contains 52 of them. Melanie Katzman demonstrates via real-life examples how to create relationships that make work more exciting for you and the people around you in Connect First.

Bill Eckstrom and Sarah Wirth’s The Consulting Effect: What Great Leaders Do to Increase Sales, Improve Performance, and Sustain Growth. I’ve seen myself as a consultant ever since I began heading a team. One of my primary goals has always been to improve my people. Bill Eckstrom and Sarah Wirth use their research in this book to demonstrate how specialized consulting tactics can result in excellent outcomes for your entire team.

Tony Dungy’s The Soul of a Team: A Modern-Day Fable for Winning Teamwork. Although Tony Dungy’s consulting has been primarily focused on football, the former football consultant offers sound advice for anyone in a leadership position. The Soul of a Team served as a reminder of why I consult. Through a unique storytelling approach, Dungy illustrates his leadership concepts of selflessness, ownership, togetherness, and greater purpose.

Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days by Jonathan Alpert. We all have our fears, particularly those related to the office. Jonathan Alpert’s book offers us an excellent map for achieving change by overcoming those worries. Not only will Be Fearless assist you in identifying and conquering your fears, but it will also assist you in recognizing how to address the concerns of others to achieve maximum results.

Russell Brand’s Mentors: How to Help and Be Helped. To be a successful consultant or mentor, you must be truthful. I usually make an effort to be as transparent as possible when interacting with team members, fostering confidence. This extremely personal book details Russell Brand’s encounters with significant persons in his life. Although the brand is frequently contentious, his book demonstrates how being a positive presence in someone’s life may lead to a better one.

Daniel H. Pink’s When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. Many of my commercial successes and many of the difficulties I encountered can be directly traced to timing. That is why I found this book particularly enlightening when the always astute Daniel Pink delves into the issue of good and bad timing and offers strategies for dealing with less-than-ideal situations for yourself and your mentees.

Jeff Hilderman’s Clone Yourself: Create a Team That Understands Your Vision, Shares Your Passion, and Runs Your Business for You. One of the most common errors I see entrepreneurs make is spending too much time working on rather than on their business. Jeff Hilderman is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to work more efficiently and successfully by offering advice on how to inspire those around you to undertake the job that can set you free.

Wendy Axelrod’s 10 Steps to Successful Mentoring. As a coach to other entrepreneurs, I’m constantly attempting to assist them in living prosperous, influential lives in business. The book by Wendy Axelrod is an excellent resource for maximizing the value of your mentoring relationship. Using Axelrod’s seven guiding principles, you can direct your mentees toward particular goals to help them achieve career success.

Anese Cavanaugh’s Contagious You: Unleash Your Ability to Influence, Lead, and Create the Impact You Desire. I’ve discovered that the most influential leaders possess a comprehensive awareness of their genuine selves. Contagious You struck a chord with me as Anese Cavanaugh speaks about leadership being more about who you are than what you do. It serves as an excellent lesson on authenticity for any aspiring leader.

Marion Franklin’s The Heart of Laser-Focused Consulting: A Revolutionary Approach to Masterful Consulting. Consulting efforts, in my experience, are more successful when they concentrate on one or two critical areas. That is a theme that Marion Franklin’s book explores from beginning to end, describing concepts that will assist even the most seasoned consultants in maximizing their teaching time. The book is peppered with questions that encourage readers to reflect on what they’ve just learned.

Additional lists can be found here and here.