The Mentor Mastery℠ Program
I'm writing this to everyone in the Mentor Program. It's about changes next year that will allow some of you to qualify to become mentors yourselves if you meet the criteria. If you're not interested, then don't read on, I don't want to waste your time with this lengthy communication. Unlike, say, Paul's letters to the Romans, I don't hope that everyone reads this!
But, if you do, Brothers and Sisters:
Anyone currently in the mentor program, active or inactive, since its inception in 1996, will be able to take advantage of the same fees that have always pertained: $3,500 for the first two participations, and $2,500 for each one thereafter. All the usual workshop discounts and so forth will still exist. And whenever you are active in the program, you will have direct access to me. You are "grandfathered in." No worries.
Now the new stuff.
I've been running the Private Roster Mentor Program since 1996, an eternity for me in terms of continuity. While I don't want to end it, I do want to change it and improve it so that I don't get bored, the community can grow exponentially, and there is a structure for continuing beyond my plans for a cosmic personal reinvention in 2015.
Beginning in early 2010, I will be certifying Master Mentors who will mentor others who enter the program. They will share in the revenue and run this as an adjunct to their businesses.
Criteria for consideration
- Two stints in my mentor program, or one stint and participation in one or more of my workshops. This is to ensure that you know how the program works from the "inside" and that we have spent quality time together.
- A clear track record of success. Obviously, if you are in the Mentor Hall of Fame and/or a part of the upcoming Alan & the Gang, you would qualify. However, there are also many people who are quite successful and aren't part of these designations, and that's fine.
- Completion of my Master Mentor Preparation Workshop. This will probably be 2.5 days and I will run it for one person or 20, it doesn't matter. It will include role plays, actual calls with people in the Mentor Program, responses to "live" emails of mentor members, and an extensive manual (yes, you read that correctly) with suggestions on how to organize response time, provide content help, provide process help, and ensure success for both parties.
- Master mentors will, of course, have unlimited access to me so that I can help them help their mentorees whenever needed. But I will do this through them, not directly. No one will be "on their own." I'll always be available to help you delight the client.
Financial elements
- For those who meet the criteria above, there is a one-time fee of $10,000. (If you wish to qualify to run the Guided Program and Total Immersion Programs, the fee is $14,000.)
- I will provide the mentorees through my normal marketing routes, and the Master Mentors may generate their own clients. I will aggressively market this program as a new aspect of the Mentor Program.
- The fees will not change: $3,500, $6,500, and $9,500, respectively, for the programs in the first point above. As of the third participation in the regular Mentor Program, the fee is $2,500. In other words, you will use the same fee basis that I have.
- There will be no competition with me, since I will raise the fees for anyone wishing to work with me, directly. My fees will be $6,000, $9,000, and $12,000, respectively. Those who do wish to work directly with me and can afford those fees would probably not be good "fits" with the Master Mentors, since they would tend to be more advanced consultants. (I am able in this manner to keep my intent of never raising the cost of the basic Mentor Program.)
- I will be paid $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000 for each of the three programs for the first participation only. The Master Mentors will receive 100 percent of the fees for repeat enrollments. Therefore, there is a premium on keeping clients delighted. And there is a huge annuity potential.
- No matter whether the source of new people is me or the Master Mentor, the program's first participation will be invoiced by me. I will withhold the Master Mentor share for 30 days, at which time I will ask the mentoree if he or she is satisfied. If so, I will release the fee immediately. If not, we will have a three-way conversation to reconcile differences. This is intended also to ensure complete customer delight right from the outset and to accelerate the process. Subsequent participations may be invoiced directly by the Master Mentor.
Apportionment
In some cases, since I've developed a very effective international presence, I may get mentor requests for someone who speaks German or Italian or Japanese. In other cases, people may request someone with an affinity for their specialty: IT, finance, HR, health care, etc. Some may want geographic proximity. I will do my best to meet any such reasonable requests. (Unreasonable requests: ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, etc.)
What happens when several people fit the bill? I will offer a phone interview with several people and allow the client to choose, or to rely on my judgment. I will always try to apportion fairly, but also always in the best interests of the client, since Master Mentors are free to market this themselves in their own communities. I'm one source, but Master Mentors are their own source.
Some of you may wonder: What about my own coaching, isn't there a conflict? No, and here's the difference. You can continue to bring on board your own coaching clients outside of the Mentor Program and have nothing to do with me or my community. BUT, my thinking is that you're more valuable and more attractive to coaching prospects IF you can offer something way beyond yourself: access to my global community, Forum, newsletters, Summits, workshop discounts, and so on.
If I find that several mentorees inform me that they are not happy after 30 days with the same Master Mentor, I will have the right to require retraining of that Master Mentor for an additional $5,000 or to end their contract, forfeiting their investment. I doubt this will happen since I intend to choose carefully. But we have to be prepared for all contingencies.
Under no circumstances can a Master Mentoree bring a new person into the program on their own without their registering through me and being invoiced by me for that first participation. This is for quality and financial reasons.
Other stuff
I will provide all due publicity, logos, and support on all of my sites, workshops, social platforms, and speeches. I would like nothing better than to see scores of global Master Mentors, though I would think we would start with just a handful.
Right now, I'm anticipating launching this in the first quarter of 2010, and training the first Master Mentors in December or late January. (If for any reason current mentorees choose to transfer from me to a Master Mentor, we will share those fees 50/50 in perpetuity at the usual mentoree rates.)
I encourage you, if interested, to give this very serious thought and talk to me if you have any questions. There are no credits and discounts for the Master Mentor fee, nor are there any refunds for any reason. However, you may wish to view this as a "lifetime" membership in the Mentor Program, since you have unlimited access to me from that point on! I intend to build this into the foremost community of mentor expertise for professional service providers and entrepreneurs in the world. (You have access after 2015–I'm healthy as can be and have no intention of disappearing.)
If you feel you meet the criteria and can engage in this very challenging and fulfilling work in addition to your own (or in replacement of some of your own) contact me. We will do this apart from my web sites since the opportunity is not open to the public. You will register directly with me, not on my web site.
Over the past 14 years I've been blessed to create a worldwide community which I can now expand further through some of the great people I've been fortunate to work with. I hope some of you will take on that tremendous responsibility and challenge.
AFAQ (Anticipated Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Can I start and stop without penalty, depending on my own business and personal needs?
A: Yes, your position as a Master Mentor doesn't expire and you can
match your mentoring to other aspects of your life.
Q: Are there dates for the Master Mentor certifications?
A: We set the dates around your schedule. If several people can make the same date, that's fine, but not required.
Q: Is there a body of knowledge that's required?
A: It's more important to understand the process that you'll engage in. Don't forget, your mentorees will have access to Alan's Forums, my blog, and all kinds of intellectual property through our global community. They will also be learning from others, not just you.
Q: Will you guarantee a set number of mentorees in your apportionment?
A: No, because your geography, specialty, and availability will all pertain. But don't forget that you are free to bring people aboard independent of my efforts. You merely have to have them register with me.
Q: How many mentorees generally enter the program each year?
A: Last year there were 118. (Take a breath!) This year we're on track for about 126. That is with solely passive promotion and word-of-mouth. And those are "participations," meaning renewals as well. You would be surprised at how many people are content and successful using me briefly, twice a month or even less.
Q: Am I permitted to run your workshops and seminars?
A: No. But your mentorees will qualify for my discounts.
Q: Will my access to you include my own personal business questions and needs?
A: Absolutely, you have a lifetime pass!
Q: Can we lose our certification if we don't bring on our own people?
A: No, this isn't a franchise or licensing arrangement. You can only lose certification if your mentorees (plural) are not pleased and our working together doesn't rectify that.
Q: Why are you doing this now, so far in advance of 2015?
A: First, because it dawned on me that I had to create the infrastructure now and get some "veterans" in place. Second, because my boredom with the regular program may affect my effectiveness, and I don't want that to happen. Now, I'm reinvigorated. Don't forget, at some point in the distant future, someone or some people will have the opportunity to take over my intellectual property, infrastructure, communities, and so on. I have to sow the seeds for that now.
Q: Once you begin, will you send ALL new mentorees to the Master Mentors?
A: Yes, assuming we have enough appropriate ones, unless the new mentorees are willing to pay the higher price to work directly with me.
Q: Can I get an "exclusive" territory, for example, a country, region, specialty, whatever?
A: We can talk about it and see if it's win/win/win. But an "exclusive" ownership would have to be at a higher fee.
Q: What else should I be asking you?
A: You know I never answer that question.
Phone: 800/766-7935 (401/884-2778)
Overseas: Make an appointment and I'll use my iPhone to figure out a mutually workable time!
Email: BentleyGTC@summitconsulting.com
Letter: Box 1009, East Greenwich, RI 02818