Entrepreneurs need help. They need to make money, they need referrals, advice and wisdom. They also tend to be very good at what they do and not so good at running a business. If this sounds like you, be careful – you are easy prey.

Your predators won’t hide in the brush around the watering hole. They will come out to meet you with smiles on their faces, offer you a handshake, ask for your business card and offer to “help” you. You’ll take a close look and find them to be intelligent and friendly. But because of your profound needs and naivete, you don’t see the trap they are setting for you.

For example:

I downloaded a free e-book and two weeks later a company rep called me. After introducing himself he said, “Alicia, I took some time to review your website and I have some suggestions to help you optimize it. Would you let me help you?” He did not want to help me. He wanted to sell me his company’s product.

One of my clients was approached by a magazine with an exciting opportunity. The magazine offered to help her get more exposure by writing a column for them. Really? This magazine with whom you’ve had no prior contact wants to offer you a free column? She double-checked and of course, their “help” with the free column meant she would need to purchase ad space.

Another client was given a referral from a friend. My client had an initial consultation and secured a contract. When he called to thank his friend for the referral, the friend’s response was “I’m so glad that worked out for you. My referral fee is 20%.”

Perhaps you’ve heard of or even experienced other horror stories like an entrepreneur whose proprietary ideas were stolen because she trusted the wrong person. Or someone’s brand being compromised because he endorsed someone without fully vetting them first.

All of these problems started because someone offered to “help” them.

A Healthy Dose of Skepticism

“Help” means different things to different people. When you offer to help someone, you may have no expectations of getting paid or receiving anything in return. But to assume everyone else thinks that way is unwise. For someone else, helping may mean they give assistance only to those that pay them. You won’t know until you clarify everyone’s expectations.

Questions To Ask When Someone Wants To Help Your Business

1 – Why does this person want to help me?

2 – What do they hope to gain by helping me?

3 – What will I need to do in exchange for their help?

4 – Is their help “free” and without conditions?

5 – In what ways will I be obligated if I accept their help?

There are kind and generous people in this world. But those fabulous people are exceptions, not the rule. Cultivate a healthy dose of skepticism. It might be the very thing that saves you.

Photo courtesy of gcoldiron2003.

Tagged as: business skepticism, challenge, everyone wants something, who to trust in business