How To Know What To Believe & Who To Trust
Jan 21, 2021
Now please believe me … I don't want to make you feel like everyone online is out to scam you! But I know this is an issue for many of the women I talk to and work with who want to start an online business. Maybe you're looking for the right coach training program, or perhaps you want to create a membership site or a digital course. If that's you then you're no doubt overwhelmed by the options out there.
Here are 5 ways to sift and validate those options:
1. Gut Feel
Firstly, and MOST importantly is your gut feel. You just kind of KNOW when you’re reading something that’s too good to be true. For example, if I said to you ‘Click HERE to find out how to make $100,000 in the first week of your new business’ you’d know straight away that that was a rash promise that no one could really keep.
Sometimes that gut feel will come from the flashy branding (sometimes quite literally flashing $$$ signs!)
Sometimes you can’t put your finger on it… it just feels off. Always, always go with that gut feel – it’s rarely wrong.
2. But We’ve Only Just Met...
Ok, who to trust? Well in my opinion, anyone who expects you to part with your hard-earned money when you barely know anything about them is being at best, unrealistic, and at worst, shady.
Trust develops as you get to know each other and that takes time. That’s no different with online business relationships. So, before you fall in love with the next shiny course / paid webinar / start an online business boot camp think to yourself:
‘How well do I know this person / company? Do they know me? Are they offering me the exact thing I’m looking for?… have they even bothered to find out what I’m looking for?’
3. Promises, Promises
Anything promising or guaranteeing a huge return on a tiny investment needs to be carefully examined.
Now I need to be clear here … the huge return may come from a tiny investment of MONEY but a significant investment of TIME & EFFORT. That could add up to a great opportunity.
Where I want you to be careful is when the opportunity is positioned as ‘money for old rope’. One of those 'Make $10,000 per month working just 1 day per week' offers.
4. Stand and Deliver
Does the person you’re thinking of working with / buying from deliver on their promises? If they’re ethical marketers, then they’ll be transparent and honest about what they’re offering and will give you a chance to sample their wares before you buy anything.
Picture the olive market stall holders in France – they always assume you’ll want to ‘try before you buy’. Buying from an online educator / knowledge provider should be no different. Expect to be offered some free training by way of a complimentary call / a free webinar / their weekly emails / blog / podcast / videos.
Digest it … did it deliver on its promise? Did you like their style? Did you come away feeling ready to implement what they’d shown you?
5. Pinch of Salt
Lastly, and this is deliberately last, online reviews. To me, online reviews are a much less reliable source of information. For one thing, by their very nature they are utterly subjective. I might love an online educator’s quirky style whereas you might find them incredibly annoying.
Another thing to remember is that people can sometimes be spiteful and leave mean comments for the fun of it, and conversely all the rave reviews might be from family and friends!
Lastly, my intention is not to make you think everyone's out to get you, but, if you want to start an online business then I do want you to just run your options through these 5 filters and then you can make a considered, informed decision, and step into your learning with confidence and enthusiam.
Suggested Listening
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