| "Coaching Costs" | | | | Of course, you can't run a business without |
| Why does Internet Business Coaching cost so much? | | | | Computers. A PC for every employee, and a couple |
| If you don't know what Internet Business Coaching is, | | | | of extras for training use. A Server Computer to |
| you will soon enough. These companies are becoming | | | | function as a central data storage location, and to run |
| more and more visible on the Internet scene every | | | | nightly backups of all your data. Thousands of dollars |
| day. | | | | worth of software licensed for all your computers and |
| What they do is provide you with 'personalized' help in | | | | your Server. Printers and a Fax Machine. A Network |
| starting and running your Internet business. There are | | | | Router and Hubs. |
| several Coaching operations we've seen recently that | | | | The Computers are useless unless they can connect |
| provide some or all of the following services to you, | | | | to the Internet, so you shell out more money for a |
| over a set period of time: | | | | High-Speed Business Internet Connection that can |
| -One-on-One phone time with your assigned Coach | | | | handle the load when all your employees are working |
| -Email support with your assigned Coach | | | | on the Net at the same time, which they almost |
| -Online Classes | | | | always do. |
| -Printed materials to read | | | | What happens if there's theft, or an accident? You are |
| -Video/DVD materials to watch | | | | required to pay for Business Insurance to protect |
| -Seminars around the US | | | | yourself against loss, and against someone being |
| These services are supposed to be designed to teach | | | | injured at your location. Of course, you need to pay for |
| you everything from how to set up web sites or | | | | Alarm System installation and maintenance before you |
| auctions, to choosing which products might sell better | | | | can even get the Business Insurance. |
| for you, to raising your rankings in the Search Engines, | | | | Then you have bills for Power, Water, and sometimes |
| and more. | | | | Natural Gas. You have to keep the lights on and the |
| Are they legit? | | | | air conditioning running, or you're going nowhere fast. |
| Frankly, as far as I'm concerned, the 'jury' is still out on | | | | When that's all paid for, the real costs begin! |
| this question. I've looked at some of their course | | | | Whenever you employ people, you have large |
| outlines, I've spoken to several of the owners and | | | | expenses associated with that employment. We |
| managers of these companies, and I've dealt with | | | | provide a great Medical, Dental, Vision and Life |
| some of the smaller (one or two person) operations | | | | Insurance Plan to our employees, as does anyone with |
| that want you to think they are big companies. I have | | | | a real business location. That costs us a lot, every |
| a ways to go yet before deciding whether I want to | | | | month. Then there's Unemployment Insurance that we |
| make any particular recommendations. There are | | | | have to pay, and Workman's Compensation Insurance. |
| three large Coaching companies I have found that look | | | | There's Human Resources Outsourcing, Training |
| legitimate to me, but I want to go a lot further in | | | | Programs, Overtime, Bonuses, and the occasional |
| investigating the issue before I tell you that I think they | | | | Group Lunch. And that doesn't even take Payroll into |
| are worth the time and money. There are also many | | | | account! |
| very small operations, as I said, that want you to think | | | | What it all boils down to is that placing a group of |
| they are big Coaching companies, and those, to me, | | | | people in an Office environment costs a ton of money. |
| are definitely not worth the money. It's just not possible | | | | Be glad that you are setting yourself up to work from |
| for one or two people to provide the level of constant | | | | home! We maintain our Staff and our Offices for the |
| training and support needed by more than just a few | | | | sole purpose of researching and publishing The Drop |
| clients, so the small Coaches are out, in my opinion. | | | | Ship Source Directory, and doing that takes all of the |
| The larger companies may be legit, but I'm still working | | | | expenses and resources I've listed above, plus a lot |
| on determining that. When I make that determination to | | | | more to operate our site and pay for research |
| my own satisfaction, I'll tell you about it in a future | | | | materials and advertising. When we work on our |
| edition of this Newsletter. | | | | Directory, we are all working on the same thing. All of |
| This particular article is intended to explain why a | | | | the attention of the Owners and Employees of our |
| legitimate Internet Business Coaching company would | | | | company is focused on one thing, all the time: |
| have to charge the kinds of high fees that so many | | | | Researching and Publishing our Directory and the |
| Coaching companies ask for (anywhere from $3,000 | | | | related information you see on our site. |
| to $6,000 or more). | | | | Now, imagine what it takes for a Coaching Company |
| They've gotta pay the rent! | | | | to put twenty or thirty people in an office setting, and |
| A large Coaching company will have many people | | | | then dedicate each one of those people to working |
| working for them in the same set of offices. Let me | | | | with only a few of their clients for months at a time! |
| give you an idea of what that costs them, by telling | | | | Each one of those very costly employees can only |
| you about what it costs us to run our offices. | | | | work on just a small part of their business for them: |
| Whenever you bring a group of people to work for | | | | maybe eight or ten clients that have signed up for |
| you in a closed environment, like an office setting, it | | | | Internet Business Coaching. That's the only way they |
| costs a lot of money. I can attest to that personally. | | | | can truly provide quality service to their Coaching |
| My company, Worldwide Brands, Inc. employs many | | | | clients. |
| people in our offices near Orlando, Florida. My Partners | | | | So, when I see these companies charging $3,000 to |
| and I spent a great deal of money setting up those | | | | $6,000 and more for several months of personal |
| offices, and a great deal more bringing on the | | | | Coaching, I do understand why they need to do that! In |
| (excellent) staff of people we have here. | | | | order to provide quality One-on-One service to their |
| It isn't as easy as just renting space. Once you have | | | | Coaching clients, they have no choice but to charge |
| the office space, which isn't cheap to begin with, you | | | | that much. All that money does not go into their |
| need to furnish that office space. Desks, chairs, file | | | | pockets. Most of it goes just to maintain the business |
| cabinets, tables. Those plastic things that you put on | | | | itself. |
| the floor that your chairs roll around on (you wouldn't | | | | That doesn't mean, however, that they are providing |
| believe what those things cost!). Staplers, paper, pens, | | | | quality service. As I said, I'm still researching that. The |
| sticky notes, and places to store and organize your | | | | three companies I have found look good so far, but I |
| office supplies. Restroom supplies. A refrigerator for | | | | haven't gotten far enough in my research yet to |
| everybody's soft drinks and lunches. Signs for the | | | | recommend any of them personally. When I do, any |
| building and the doors. | | | | recommendations I have will be posted in our |
| Then, you need Phone Service. Thousands of dollars | | | | Resource Center and sent out in our Newsletter. |
| for digital phone systems that run multiple lines over a | | | | Once I form my opinion, I hope it will help you to form |
| digital (T1) phone connection. An 800 number. | | | | your own opinion. :o) |
| Thousands per month in phone service and long | | | | Chris Malta |
| distance bills. | | | | WorldWide Brands, Inc. |