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Realistically speaking, here's the question for thousands of average bloggers out there: is opening yourself to blog consultations worth the effort?
Definitely.
Almost a year ago, I began toying with the idea of putting a time charge at my blog consultations. Not long after that, I realized the idea is not only very viable but hold a lot of benefits as well. And so, I began my journey as a blogging mentor.
Actually, there are three reasons why I did this.
First, to establish and promote value and authority. You can always ramble all you want on your specialization ability with regards to your niche, but nothing works better (and tenfold as fast) as putting an actual proving-and-testimonial system (people who come to consult you).
Building authority means being able to spread whatever skill you have over your following and metting (or exceeding) their expectations. More than that, this is where the ultimate PR power comes from - word of mouth.
Second, to put to use (and practice) the skill you gain. I've always believed that experience is the ultimate teacher. If you don't set out to test on real people the 'expertise' you've always talked about, then I don't see the point of mastering it in the first place.
It's all about results. Always has been, and always will be.
Third, and the last reason is of course, as a monetization method. This is what I personally refer to as 'fuel money' - meaning money that let's you continue to do what you want to do. The thing about blog consultations is that while you are sharing what you know and helping others out, at the same time, you get a form of compensation that lets you do more. A definite win-win situation in my book..
How Do You Start a Blog Consultation Service?
For starters, you just have to announce it.
Okay, well maybe there's still a few things to plan. Let's backtrack a little bit.
Starting a blog consultation service requires you create your set of consultation packages and the rules and conditions that will operate before, during and after consultation.
Here are the things I considered when I opened my blog mentoring program.
Purpose - have a definite purpose for your consultation. Always specify what you can and can't talk about. The danger is when you fail to tell your student about the boundaries of your expertise, and let's face it - people always like a one-stop-shop 'guru'. For example, if your topic is about seo, be sure to include your specialty (ie you might be teaching white hat seo and your student is keen to learn a lot of black hat tricks).
Consultation plans (or packages) - you can always go for a single $___ per hour or per 30-minutes plan. But for best results, provide a variety of choices to suit the needs of your student (ie maybe s/he wants to talk for a longer period to you). Have plans that can be adjusted can also mean a greater revenue for you.
Terms and conditions - you must clearly and distinctly state your terms and conditions BEFORE someone signs up for your blog mentoring service. This includes your refund policy (if present), how you plan to conduct your consultation, what happens when someone isn't satisfied etc.
Communication method - clearly the most important one. I used to do my blog consultation on a report review method (meaning I check the blog and write a report of my findings and how to improve it). Later on, I changed the model and made it into sessions thru email and chat (basically making it more interactive). You can do something similar, or communicate via phone or Skype (which is cheaper).
Payment method - last but not the least. To make things easier, I use PayPal to receive payments. But if you have other options in mind, then go for it, just make sure your client can easily send money whatever method that is.
(See my Blog Mentoring Program Here)
But Wait, Where Do You Look For Clients?
That's the first big question that haunted me back then. Not until I realized I should go with the obvious - target my reader base first. And you should too.
It isn't a surprise that my first students are those who read my blog in the first place. That's where you get to think how many more people out there would pay for a small fraction of your 24-hour day in exchange for some enlightenment.
This is an additional pro for consultations - being able to leverage yourself directly at your audience.
In terms of promoting your consultation service, the key is to always build a hype about it in your blog (make a post or always refer to it in new posts). Also, don't forget to bring up that fact in your social networking circle and just about everywhere else. Someone might not be interested in it right now, but hopefully in the future s/he will remember to refer at you.
Last but not the least, the most important part is to gather testimonials. The best proof that your worth something should always come from another person - not just you bragging about it.
Share Your Questions (and Experiences if You Have!)
I can only tell on stuffs that's on my mind right now. So if you are thinking about opening yourself to being a blog consultant, then feel free to fire more questions.
If you have experiences about this, care to share too. I'll definitely talk about in the next post if a good discussion arises. So speak out!
