The Value Of E-Mentors Taking your business online? Get some guidance.
By Aliza P. Sherman •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You've decided to put your company online or use theInternet to expand your business. Feeling out of sorts? Needspecific advice? It might be time to get an e-mentor.
An e-mentor is simply someone who has the experience youcurrently lack who agrees to help you navigate this new digitalworld through regular e-mails. They aren'tconsultants-they're someone you e-mail a quick question toregarding finding a consultant. They've been there, done thatand are willing to share their knowledge.
How do you find an e-mentor? Just e-mail. If you know of someonedoing what you want to be doing, stop by his or her Web site andsend an e-mail. Networking at Internet and new media industryevents is another way to find a savvy e-business owner.
Set parameters to your e-mentoring relationship. One e-mail perweek, two e-mails per month-let your potential e-mentor know yourespect their time and won't overstep the bounds of anacceptable number of e-mails. Or say that you only need an e-mentorto help you make key decisions before setting up your onlinecatalog and that once the catalog is up and running, thee-mentoring will come to an end.
The convenience, speed and ease of e-mail makes e-mentoring agreat way to get advice from those in the know.
Aliza Sherman is an entrepreneur and author of Cybergrrl:A Woman's Guide to the World Wide Web (Ballantine Books).She is currently working on her next book and new company.
