The mentor/mentee relationship is very much like that of a parent and child. The younger, less experienced child mentee will look to you, older, more experienced parent mentor, for guidance, wisdom and advice. They will come to you with questions and expect you to have all answers. They will bring to you their problems and expect you to solve them. And if you don’t give them attention they think they deserve they may pout and complain about you to all their friends.

In short, if kids get on your nerves, Kenneth, don’t even think about being a mentor. Buy a goldfish or even better, a rubber plant. They require far less attention and everyone will be much happier in long run.

Typically, there are three things every good mentor should have: time, patience, and a genuine desire to help another person succeed without expecting anything in return. If you have an abundance of those things, then being a mentor can be a highly rewarding experience. If not, please see rubber plant reference above.

Why do some people make excellent mentors while others do not? It’s all about motive. Are your reasons for being a mentor unselfish or are they self indulgent? Are you considering becoming a mentor because you truly feel that a mentee might benefit from your wisdom and experience or is it because you like being center of someone else’s adoration?

You should not become a mentor just to feed your own ego because you will be doing your mentee a great injustice because there will be no give and take to relationship. I know many successful entrepreneurs who consider themselves mentors, but truth be told they simply revel in holding court and having younger entrepreneurs hang on their every word as if its gospel. They care less about hearing their mentee’s questions than they do about hearing sound of their own voice.

As my mama would say, “If you talk just to hear your own head rattle,” then mentoring is not for you.

Step Four: Journey of Trust

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

You have got your customers’ attention through your innovative marketing, you have dared to be different. Then you inspired them when they first entered your business and when they have purchased it has been an exciting and rewarding experience. Now it’s time to win customers’ trust so they keep coming back.

One of most important issues for retailers is a lack of trust by consumers. In U.S.A. consumers do not trust businesses and in recent Australian surveys 69% of respondents mentioned they do not trust big business. This is a huge opportunity for independent retailers.

During 90’s we saw independent retailers lose market share to large box store retailers who could purchase at a better price and pass savings on to consumer. Independents found it difficult to compete, but now game rules are changing.

Large retailers are still able to buy on price, but consumers now prefer to trust small, local, independent businesses that have a trust strategy. Small businesses now have a unique marketing tool, ‘trust’ factor.

The “Trust” Factor The key is how you use this tool to your advantage. If you are perceived as a trusted business you have an opportunity to expand your market share. Customers talk about trusted retailers.

What can you do? Consider following actions:

1.Name Badges A garden centre owner in New Zealand recently changed his name badge to say “John Smith, Proud Owner”. This small detail has made a difference. One of most common comments he has received is “I did not realise you were a small business, I thought you would be part of a chain”. Research carried out by Shopper Anonymous in Australia indicated that people who wore name badges were perceived to provide 15% better customer service.

2.Promote Promote fact you are a locally owned business in your adverts and at entrance and exit to your store. Remind customers and thank them for supporting ‘local’.