Have you always dreamt of owning an ecommerce store? Setting up your shop on Amazon is easy, especially if you use Amazon FBA. However, since nearly 2 million people sell products on Amazon, you face a lot of competition.
Many sellers take advantage of Amazon FBA coaching to stay on top. FBA coaches have the knowledge and experience to guide other sellers through the ecommerce landscape.
But is it necessary to hire an FBA coach? While these professionals offer many benefits, they do have some downsides. There are also different types of Amazon FBA coaches, so you should always research to ensure you’re hiring the best one.
What Is Amazon FBA Coaching?
An Amazon FBA coach is a mentor who will teach you the ins and outs of Amazon. This insight will help you grow your business, sell more products and increase revenue. Your coach will also catch any red flags you may not have noticed.
Amazon coaching varies in type, price, expertise, and personability. You also don’t need to be a new seller to take advantage of FBA―plenty of resources are available for experienced sellers.
How Amazon FBA Coaching Can Improve Your Business
Amazon coaches support both new and experienced sellers. But in which ways can sellers expect a coach to help them?
Starting Your Business
If you’re a fresh seller, you may not even know the first steps to selling on Amazon. A good coach can support you during the early stages, such as compliance, business setup, market research, and branding.
Product Research
Product research is one of the core functions of running an ecommerce business. If you’re a new seller, an Amazon coach will teach you to identify a profitable product. They will also brainstorm ways to create an inventory that will stand out from your competitors.
Supply Chain Management
Managing your supply chain can be difficult as a new seller. Fortunately, an Amazon coach knows the ins and outs of supply chain management and can help you manage this complex task.
An Amazon coach can help with supply chain tasks, including streamlining processes and inventory management. This will allow you to avoid mistakes that will cost you a fortune.
Marketing and Advertising
Any good Amazon coach will agree that marketing and advertising are the secret weapons to ecommerce success. Putting your store and products out there will increase brand recognition and drive sales.
The best FBA coach will help you create a marketing and advertising strategy using all of Amazon’s tools and resources, such as Amazon PPC and SEO.
A skilled coach will also encourage you to look beyond Amazon when marketing and advertising your brand. This includes using Google Shopping, social media ads, and influencer marketing, and they can help you choose the right marketing agency for you.
Navigate Risks
FBA coaches usually own an Amazon store and will be the first to agree that hurdles arise when running an ecommerce business. They already endured trials and errors, knowing what works and what doesn’t.
Great FBA coaches can deliver this knowledge to you, teaching you how to navigate risks and profit when they arise.
Financial Planning and Forecasting
Driving revenue shouldn’t be your only goal as a business. You’ll want to have great cash flow management to track where your money is going.
An Amazon coach can help you budget, set realistic monetary goals, and track the money going in and out. This way, you can stay on top of your finances with balance sheets and profit and loss reports.
Make Connections
While there are many DIY ecommerce tactics, you can’t do every job on your own. If you’re unsure who to turn to, your FBA coach can introduce you to different professionals.
This will help when you need to hire or outsource professionals. You can also meet more experienced sellers this way, who can also become your mentors.
Downsides of Amazon FBA Coaching
Before hiring an Amazon coach, it’s important to understand the downsides. These include:
Cost. Hiring an Amazon coach is a costly investment. The more expensive ones charge $200-$500 monthly, and a coach doesn’t guarantee profitability. These are costs you can use toward other parts of your business.
Personability. Some sellers purchase FBA courses to save on costs. However, these courses lack the personability that a personal coach provides. Since these courses offer run-of-the-mill advice, the facts may be ones you already know or don’t apply to your business, resulting in wasted money and time.
Legitimacy. You also run the risk of paying a fraudster. It can be easy to make untrue claims about an online store’s success, and these sketchy people take advantage of naive sellers. Always research the coach or course before paying anything.
Types of Amazon FBA Coaching
There are different types of coaching, and the option you choose should reflect your business’s needs. These are the most popular types of Amazon FBA coaching you’ll find.
Courses
If you want Amazon FBA coaching but are unsure who to turn to, many new sellers start by taking courses. Numerous courses are available online at all price points.
An Amazon FBA coaching course is best for independent workers who prefer to complete them on their own time.
There are courses for different aspects of the FBA process, from setting up your Amazon store to inventory management. To save time and money, it’s best to purchase these courses when you need them.
One-on-One Mentorship
Hiring a mentor is best if you want more personalized coaching than courses. These coaches work with you exclusively. They can identify your strengths and weaknesses, brainstorm your goals, and ensure you complete them.
How often you meet with your mentor depends on your needs and schedule. Some sellers prefer regular Zoom meetings to check in, while others may be your support system and will be present for every milestone.
Community Coaches
Community coaching is a good middle ground between online courses and one-on-one coaching.
These coaching sessions are hands-on but more engaging since you participate in them as a community. Plus, since you’re among the many students in the class, these courses are more affordable than one-on-one mentors.
The coach will offer many lesson types, such as a Q&A, group activities, and ongoing training. You can also connect with the other students, collaborating and discussing many aspects of Amazon FBA.
Community coaching is often available as an online-only course, though you may be able to find local coaches.
Is Hiring an FBA Coach Worth It?
Here’s the ultimate question you may be asking: is hiring an FBA coach worth it? It depends.
First, know that Amazon FBA coaching isn’t a requirement. You can learn the ins and outs of Amazon FBA through trial and error, and you’ll still succeed as a seller. Many brands don’t even take courses or hire a coach and just learn on the go.
That said, hiring an FBA coach is worth it if any of these sound like you:
You prefer having someone help you on your ecommerce journey.
Want to access the latest and best Amazon selling strategies.
Have the extra funds to pay for courses or a personalized coach.
If these points sound like you, but finances are an issue, you can find plenty of free resources on YouTube. There are also different Amazon FBA podcasts where you can access the latest news and trends.
If you would rather spend your money and time on your business, don’t seek Amazon FBA coaching. But if you don’t want to undergo Amazon FBA alone or without the right knowledge, the best Amazon FBA coaching will help you.
What Should I Look for in an Amazon Coach?
There are many Amazon courses and mentors out there. How do you choose the best one? Here are factors to consider:
Free content. Most reliable mentors and courses offer free content to attract prospects. This can include a YouTube channel, podcast or blog. Consume the free material first to gauge whether it’s helpful. You may want to try paying for a course or lesson if it is.
Experience. A good coach has an Amazon store and is updated on the latest FBA news. Most coaches will mention their experience on their website or portfolio, but it doesn’t hurt to ask more questions.
Reputation. Before hiring a coach, Google their name and look at their social media. If anything comes up that makes you hesitant about working with them, find another mentor.
An Alternative to Amazon FBA Coaching
If you own an ecommerce store and need help, Amazon FBA coaching isn’t your only option. An FBA service also knows Amazon’s ins and outs and offers a more in-depth service than a coach.
We can help you with different aspects of the ecommerce process. AMZ Advisers offers three services: New to AMZ, Accelerator, and Global Expansion. We aim to target sellers from all experience levels, and our services are tailored to fit your unique needs.
Schedule a call to get started.
Author
Stephanie Jensen has been writing ecommerce content for seven years, and her copy has helped numerous stores rank on Amazon. Follow her on LinkedIn for more insight into freelance writing and creating high-quality content.
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