OffCoarse

This is mostly in response to Penelope Trunk’s recent blog posts on mentors. She talks about getting mentors and mentoring others. I have written about this many times before and feel very passionate about the subject. I never would be where I am today with out the help of others. However I will take a different tact than Penelope on this one. Here is the reason why: She is very passive with how she tells people how to get mentors where my approach is very direct, and with much better results.

What is a Mentor? Simple someone who knows more than you who you earnestly want to learn from.

How to get one? Ask!

• And not just an email. Email is impersonal and will get over looked, remember you are asking someone to give time, which is very expensive to give up. Email will get you pushed aside and not looked at again.

How to Ask? This is where it gets complicated. This is where asking has to be more than just an email, and persistence. Lumpy Mail is the best way!

My tactics: Lumpy Mail (once again). I will research who I want to learn from, then research who they are and what they like. Then I will send them a lumpy mail packet made just for them. Lumpy mail must be made for that person, and tailored to your objectives. It is a marketing packet for you and your mentoring program.You can read my other posts about how to do a lumpy mail marketing packet.

• Remember you have to sell them on mentoring you. Why should they waste their time to help you out? Lumpy mail answers that with “WOW, this person is serious about having me teach them, and they respect me so much to go out of their way to do this amazing thing to get my attention”.

Some examples:

• When I wanted to learn about Real Estate Development the lumpy mail package I sent was a contractors box, with a engraved brick and a packet of what I wanted to learn.( The brick still sits in his office)
• When I wanted to learn about starting my own business I sent Michael Kogan of Definition 6 a lumpy mail titled “Can I pick your brain”. The box was filled with tons of little squishy brains.( Got a call back that week)
• For startup mentoring I sent Scott Burkett a “Mission Impossible” lumpy mail (because he was in the ARMY). (He still tells this story when he gives presentations)

What to ask? This is key, when you want to learn, you have to know what you want to learn. This seems stupid, but if you ask somebody to give time to help you, you better know what you want to learn from them. If not your just a star struck kiss ass with no idea why you need help from them other than they are “famous” and your hoping to leach off of their success. They will see this and not help you. If you want help you have to really care, know what you want to learn, and make them see that you are worth the time it will take.

• Create a time line, (Usually 7 months, we meet once a month) and make sure they have the topic before we meet so they can prepare what we are going to talk about. Let them know meetings will be 1 hour long (usually last much longer but just because discussions get so engaged). Suggest a lunch time, and a local place where they can meet you at.

• Create a curriculum (i’ll send it to you if you ask) of what I want to learn. Break it into 7 bite sized meetings, with topic headings and then 7-10 questions in each meeting to cover. Do your home work, and if you can answer the questions on your own don’t ask them. You”ll be wasting your time with your mentor.Make sure to send this to them with an explanation that this is what you want to learn from them. This shows forethought and is very impressive.

Getting a Mentor is something everyone should do. NO matter what age, and job experience you can always learn more. If you think you know it all, God save you because your going to get passed by someone younger smarter and eager to learn and do more.

Good luck and read my other posts on Mentors and Lumpy Mail for more information.