Choosing The Right Online Business Mentor

If you're just starting out in the field of internet marketing, trying to live by J. Paul Getty's adage of "I'd rather live off of 1 of the effort of 1", then the most important commodity, and the one you undervalue the most is time and experience. We all know what it's like to be in the "new start up" phase of running a business – everything is full of opportunities, and every order that comes in on the web shop (or every referral bonus or affiliate check) is cause for a celebration.

However, as your business grows, those initial steps become cherished memories, but not a case for day to day celebration…and then there comes the prospect of actually planning a course for your business. Only one business in seven survives past two years in the American market, and the chief killer of small businesses is undercapitalization, followed by success that takes them past where their infrastructure base and starting capital can take them.

This is where business mentors come in, and if you're doing an online business, an online business mentor may be the best choice to go to. The trick is picking the right one; any kind of online business mentor relationship should be built around measurable metrics and success; always ask your potential online business mentors to show samples of their work, whether it's ad campaigns on Google, article creation, or web site creation. You want to be able to talk to their former clients and see how they work – see how their suggestions turned into concrete improvements.

That being said, there is a strong prospect that online business mentors can help you considerably; we're still in the "everything is new and different" phase of web marketing, which means that the established wisdom hasn't been established long enough to become standard doctrine or dusty cliché. A good online business mentor will show how they're taking efforts to remain on the top of the techniques used for reaching customers and helping businesses grow, from marketing and advertising support to graphic design referrals , even down to inventory management, and recommendations for how to sell online downloadable content.

So, in the end, choosing the right online business mentor is a step on the road towards making your business successful, but like any other hired professional working for your business, check their credentials, talk to their prior client list, and comparison shop.