Someone who can help you NOT re-invent wheel, but continue where they left off.

Someone who could share with you a new way of doing things that could benefit you in ways you could never imagine.

Few 'real' gurus - at least those worth learning from - will ever want to be called that.

The ones who do are usually cocky, self-professed types, full of their own importance - and you'll learn more by avoiding them like plague.

The gurus to watch (note, I didn't say follow - as in sheep) and learn from, are ones with a long track record of success.

The ones who have repeatedly proved that their methods are legitimate and that they work.

Not flash-in-the-pan types, who come and go faster than you can say "bestselling ebook."

Not ones who jump from one opportunity to next and try to take you along for ride.

Not ones who endorse everything from lunar real-estate to miracle cure-alls.

And certainly not cocky little teenagers, who have never cut their teeth on real marketing.

Don't expect your chosen guru to know everything about everything. Even gurus specialize in different areas of expertise.

Just to give you an example, I respect Corey Rudl highly for his pioneering knowledge of marketing. But I would never take advice from him on getting high rankings in search engines.

For specialized knowledge like that, I would learn from someone who is a true expert in that field, like Dan Thies or Michael Campbell.

Whether you're a newbie starting out on internet, or an experienced marketer who has honed his skills to perfection, one thing you can always benefit from is an open mind.

And a willingness to be taught.

So when you do choose a guru, guide, mentor or coach, pick one whose insight can help you see yourself - and what you have to offer - more clearly.

One whose knowledge can show you how to bring out your own latent talents.

And one whose guidance can help you grow into a seasoned and successful entrepreneur.

Forget image of personal injury attorneys taking a third of any verdict or settlement. Consider instead contingency fees—fees based on outcome of case and performance of your counsel. Creative use of contingency fees can create efficiencies in even most high-level corporate settings. If you retain a lawyer to help your company avoid litigation, couple a reduced hourly rate with a bonus for successfully lowering your litigation outlays.

You also can establish an incentive based on a percentage of money won or saved in trial. If you're a defendant in a case where plaintiff has a strong shot at a $1 million settlement, negotiate a flat fee if case goes to trial, plus a bonus if plaintiff ends up getting less than $1 million. If you're a plaintiff and estimate your case is worth between $1 and $2 million, you might negotiate services for a flat fee plus a percentage of any settlement over $1 million.

Contingency fees turn matter into a shared risk or shared incentive, making law firm your business partner, not just representation. Contingency fees can work well with both flat fee and reduced hourly fee arrangements. Because a number of variations on "pay-according-to-success" theme exist, you should ask firms for options they're willing to discuss.

Multi-layered tasks

If you're shopping for a firm for substantial legal work involving a number of legal specialties, consider using blended hourly fees. Rather than each attorney billing at usual hourly rate, firm calculates in advance an "average" rate based on anticipated time each attorney spends on matter.

The value of this arrangement is twofold—it helps define responsibility in a project and it provides a fair price schedule for client, who avoids paying a senior partner's hourly rate for research that should be conducted by a junior associate

Legal "Insurance"

Firms without in-house counsel that frequently hire legal services might consider contracting with a firm. In this legal billing option, firms and clients agree to a specific charge per month in exchange for a predetermined set of legal services. The contract fee permits client to pick up phone and talk to attorney without needing to eye clock. This approach works like a legal insurance policy. It encourages companies to contact their counsel on non-litigation, non-crisis matters, and to save money in long run by engaging in more preventive legal action.

Just as in business, impetus for change comes from consumer demand. The sooner businesses take lead in securing more effectively tailored billing methods from their legal counsel, sooner they'll get better, more cost-effective legal assistance.