4. Choose a Coach that Asks the Right Questions - Lots of Questions. A good coach will take time and effort to 'get inside your head’ He or she will ask dozens of questions relating to different aspects of your business. If they don’t - avoid them. They are like a doctor prescribing a cure without even examining you.

5. The You Factor. Some people hire a business coach expecting the coach to do the work. In reality if it is to be it is up to me. For your business to change, you have to change. No one - even the best coach in the entire world can do that for you.

However, a good coach will be

Choose the right coach and you could quickly take your business to the next level. But - - choose a novice or worse, someone whose only claim to being a qualified coach is that they have shelled out for a franchise and you could end up regretting your decision every time you think about it.

In short, you want a business coach that will show you how to grow your business and increase sales as well as managing the growth in the shortest possible time and with the least amount of stress and interruption.

With that in mind, here are 5 things to keep in mind when choosing the right business coach for your Australian business...

1. Chose the Right Coach for the Right Job. In the same way as we have different medical professionals that specialize in different fields, not all coaches are created equal.

For instance, I work as an Internet coach and help people with such things as:

- - Web design
- - Using the net to generate leads
- - Helping people build an op-tin list for email marketing
- - Copywriting and online marketing

But my own business coach, Jeff Miles, the Business Doctor, has a totally different skills set altogether.

Jeff helps his clients with:

- - Business strategy
- - Business planning
- - Financial strategy
- - Hiring and firing
- - Succession planning
- - Business organization

Jeff also works very closely with a business owners accountant - in fact in is a vital aspect of his coaching program.

So you see, it is vital that you choose the right coach for the right job.

EXAMPLE: I recently spoke to a business coach in Melbourne who informed me that "Internet marketing doesn't work" In reality, he was simply ignorant of HOW internet marketing works but... can you imagine the disastrous results you could expect if you hired a coach like that to advise on Internet marketing?

2. Proof. You should ask the coach; "What qualifies you to coach me?" And they should be able to show you proof of their capabilities. Have they ran their own successful business in the past? Do they have references from satisfied clients?

3. Get Things in Writing. So many Australian business owners fail to establish the ground rules in their business dealings. When you get things in writing (and I mean everything) you avoid misunderstandings and both parties know what is expected of them.

4. Choose a Coach that Asks the Right Questions - Lots of Questions. A good coach will take time and effort to 'get inside your head’ He or she will ask dozens of questions relating to different aspects of your business. If they don’t - avoid them. They are like a doctor prescribing a cure without even examining you.

5. The You Factor. Some people hire a business coach expecting the coach to do the work. In reality if it is to be it is up to me. For your business to change, you have to change. No one - even the best coach in the entire world can do that for you.

However, a good coach will be

With that in mind, here are 5 things to keep in mind when choosing the right business coach for your Australian business...

1. Chose the Right Coach for the Right Job. In the same way as we have different medical professionals that specialize in different fields, not all coaches are created equal.

For instance, I work as an Internet coach and help people with such things as:

- - Web design
- - Using the net to generate leads
- - Helping people build an op-tin list for email marketing
- - Copywriting and online marketing

But my own business coach, Jeff Miles, the Business Doctor, has a totally different skills set altogether.

Jeff helps his clients with:

- - Business strategy
- - Business planning
- - Financial strategy
- - Hiring and firing
- - Succession planning
- - Business organization

Jeff also works very closely with a business owners accountant - in fact in is a vital aspect of his coaching program.

So you see, it is vital that you choose the right coach for the right job.

EXAMPLE: I recently spoke to a business coach in Melbourne who informed me that "Internet marketing doesn't work" In reality, he was simply ignorant of HOW internet marketing works but... can you imagine the disastrous results you could expect if you hired a coach like that to advise on Internet marketing?

2. Proof. You should ask the coach; "What qualifies you to coach me?" And they should be able to show you proof of their capabilities. Have they ran their own successful business in the past? Do they have references from satisfied clients?

3. Get Things in Writing. So many Australian business owners fail to establish the ground rules in their business dealings. When you get things in writing (and I mean everything) you avoid misunderstandings and both parties know what is expected of them.

4. Choose a Coach that Asks the Right Questions - Lots of Questions. A good coach will take time and effort to 'get inside your head’ He or she will ask dozens of questions relating to different aspects of your business. If they don’t - avoid them. They are like a doctor prescribing a cure without even examining you.

5. The You Factor. Some people hire a business coach expecting the coach to do the work. In reality if it is to be it is up to me. For your business to change, you have to change. No one - even the best coach in the entire world can do that for you.

However, a good coach will be

Jeff helps his clients with:

- - Business strategy
- - Business planning
- - Financial strategy
- - Hiring and firing
- - Succession planning
- - Business organization

Jeff also works very closely with a business owners accountant - in fact in is a vital aspect of his coaching program.

So you see, it is vital that you choose the right coach for the right job.

EXAMPLE: I recently spoke to a business coach in Melbourne who informed me that "Internet marketing doesn't work" In reality, he was simply ignorant of HOW internet marketing works but... can you imagine the disastrous results you could expect if you hired a coach like that to advise on Internet marketing?

2. Proof. You should ask the coach; "What qualifies you to coach me?" And they should be able to show you proof of their capabilities. Have they ran their own successful business in the past? Do they have references from satisfied clients?

3. Get Things in Writing. So many Australian business owners fail to establish the ground rules in their business dealings. When you get things in writing (and I mean everything) you avoid misunderstandings and both parties know what is expected of them.

4. Choose a Coach that Asks the Right Questions - Lots of Questions. A good coach will take time and effort to 'get inside your head’ He or she will ask dozens of questions relating to different aspects of your business. If they don’t - avoid them. They are like a doctor prescribing a cure without even examining you.

5. The You Factor. Some people hire a business coach expecting the coach to do the work. In reality if it is to be it is up to me. For your business to change, you have to change. No one - even the best coach in the entire world can do that for you.

However, a good coach will be

2. Proof. You should ask the coach; "What qualifies you to coach me?" And they should be able to show you proof of their capabilities. Have they ran their own successful business in the past? Do they have references from satisfied clients?

3. Get Things in Writing. So many Australian business owners fail to establish the ground rules in their business dealings. When you get things in writing (and I mean everything) you avoid misunderstandings and both parties know what is expected of them.

4. Choose a Coach that Asks the Right Questions - Lots of Questions. A good coach will take time and effort to 'get inside your head’ He or she will ask dozens of questions relating to different aspects of your business. If they don’t - avoid them. They are like a doctor prescribing a cure without even examining you.

5. The You Factor. Some people hire a business coach expecting the coach to do the work. In reality if it is to be it is up to me. For your business to change, you have to change. No one - even the best coach in the entire world can do that for you.

However, a good coach will be

4. Choose a Coach that Asks the Right Questions - Lots of Questions. A good coach will take time and effort to 'get inside your head’ He or she will ask dozens of questions relating to different aspects of your business. If they don’t - avoid them. They are like a doctor prescribing a cure without even examining you.

5. The You Factor. Some people hire a business coach expecting the coach to do the work. In reality if it is to be it is up to me. For your business to change, you have to change. No one - even the best coach in the entire world can do that for you.

However, a good coach will be someone who will get in your face and hold you accountable. In fact in both my own Internet coaching business and my own coach, Jeff Miles offline coaching business, we are willing to sack a client that does not live up to his or her agreements and commitments.

NOTE: This is nothing new - a football club will sack even their best player if they consistently fail to show up for training.

In conclusion, having worked with over 500 businesses in the last 7 years, I can put my hand on my heart and swear that those with a coach have consistently out-performed those who have gone it alone.

Business coaching is not a magic bullet or a universal cure all to the challenges and problems facing your business but is can be a vital component in owning and managing a business that serves your life instead of the other way around.