This is Jonathan Clarks Mastermind Inner Circle Blog -a meeting place, discussion forum, and overall friendly support system for Jonathan's clients, customers and students, and anyone who wants more visibility. more enquires and more leads.
Monday, March 09, 2020
Money book launch and blatant bribe...
I'm launching my new "Meant To be Rich" book shortly and I'm inviting you to join my early bird list, and as a blatant bribe you get my 7 Ways To Manifest More Money challenge free...
https://instantedge.lpages.co/book-vip-7-ways-challenge/
#moneymindset #moneymanagement # money #moneymaker #savingmoney
Tuesday, January 07, 2020
Easy Way To Turn Debt Into Success...
FACT - after the Christmas and New Year sales, thousands of shoppers end up with more than a sickening hangover.
According to The Guardian, one person in eight has no idea how they're going to cover the costs of the festivities after the dust has settled. In fact, almost 2 million people who used credit cards to Christmas shop in 2019 will STILL be paying off their Yuletide bills in December 2020.
So what's your gut reaction to that? My hunch is that being broke and fearful of the future is the opposite of what you're looking for. And all of my business colleagues are being careful about what they buy, because let's face it, we're just been through a very expensive time of year...
In an online survey that I'm currently running the biggest stressor people complain about is never having enough money. People want to know the quickest, legal way to get out of debt, and how to make more money.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you haven't taken part in the survey, you can do so at the link below. There's a chance to win a free seminar place in February just for taking part
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
These are just two of the solutions I'll be covering on my 7 Day FREE Facebook Challenge starting January 20th. 7 WAYS TO MANIFEST MORE MONEY In Your Business
If you want to get back in control of your money instead of it controlling you, please give yourself this gift. You can sign up to take part at zero cost at
Trust me, I've been there. I passed my Economics exam in 6th year. I was a qualified Financial Adviser. My Dad was a Bank Manager, and yet I've parked my car 3 streets away so it wouldn't be repossessed. I've had to hand back a loaf on the conveyor belt in the supermarket cos I didn't have enough. I've dreaded the red letters coming through my door. If that rings any bells with you then you need to be there. On the other hand, if you have plenty of savings in the bank [assuming your bank is still in business], your investments are growing [hopefully] and you owe nobody nothing, then you don't need me.
Now the last time I ran this seminar was 4 years ago, and a lot has changed since then. This new version will be better. We've already got the number of attendees we wanted, but there's room for a couple more if you're quick.
Hope to see you on the 20th :-)
Take care,
Jonathan
P.S. How big will your credit card bill be at the end of January?
Monday, December 16, 2019
5 Ways Writing a Book Will Help You to Unshackle Your Latent Creative Genius
How often have you told yourself, “I’m not a creative person?” Have you gaped at the creativity of young kids playing together, wondering where on earth they conjure up these fantastic ideas? Creativity doesn’t wither and die completely as we grow up; we just don’t use it quite as much as we did as children. Mainstream schooling also doesn’t place a priority on creative arts because teachers are made to prioritise the curriculum and marking papers. If you want to kindle your creative juices once again, write a book.
Naturally, before you start writing a
best-selling epic fantasy series, it helps to prepare an outline and know what
topic you’ll write about. You get pantsers and plotters. Pantsers make it up by the seat of their
pants. Plotters like structure and a
skeleton outline so they can fill in the blanks. I recommend you use the latter
approach. If you’re knowledgeable in a
particular area, it makes sense to write about your expertise so your business
will grow. But even if you want to try your hand at a fictional novel, its best
to approach writing a book [like any other project] with a solid plan.
Here are five ways you can ignite your latent
creative muse by writing a book:
1.
Use the brain dump method to empty your head of too many ideas.
Studies have proven that multitasking actually diminishes productivity,
so rather than trying to write your book while all these other great ideas are floating
around in there, take a notebook and just start writing everything down. Capture
EVERYTHING, including calling the dentist for an appointment to calling your
mother for a chat. Whatever is taking up space in your brainbox should be downloaded
onto that paper. A great phrase I heard years ago – “Llet paper remember so you
can forget”. Now that you’ve released
these thoughts onto paper, focus solely on writing your book. You’ll discover
the writing process is easier when you’re able to focus on just one task
instead of two dozen to dos.
2. Open the creativity box to
release other ideas.
So often we get stuck with one idea in our minds and
it’s difficult to focus on anything else. Transform that one great idea into a
book… then pay attention to related creative ideas that bubble to the surface
afterward. There’s an unconscious reason why you can’t move past your book idea
and focus on other things; it’s your mind’s way of telling you to follow
through and see where it takes you. When your book is finished and you have
some time to chill out is often when you’ll get your next inspirational eureka
moment.
3.
Writing itself is a creative problem-solving process.
When was the last time you made a pros/cons list to help you make a
decision? Or a to-do list to track your daily tasks? Or mind mapping to plan
the growth of your business? These are simple examples of how writing is used
to solve challenges. Writing out the details of our problem allows us to
clarify exactly what has to happen when and it’s then easier to see connections
and solutions to these problems. I
mindmap everything!
4.
Practice makes perfect.
Even though there’s no such
thing as perfection, this old adage holds true. The more you write, the easier
the process becomes. Writing content for your audience will become easier
because you have the practice and you’ve done the research to know what your
audience is seeking. TIP – what are your prospects’ top five headaches? Write about that.
5.
Embrace the idea of learning something new every day.
The best books are those that are well researched, so embrace that
research phase to unleash your creativity. Discover new facts, new resources,
or new theories. Carry this idea over into your personal life and mix up your
daily routines to try new things. Listen to audiobooks on Audible. Read Kindle books on your phone. Explore your surroundings, take the long way route
from the gym, or explore a new town you randomly choose from a map. Your brain
will thank you for making it work differently, simply because you stirred
things up.
Creativity is latent inside all of us. The
process of igniting that creativity and using it to create a business you love
will be unique for every person but promises to yield great rewards.
We have a way to get a non-fiction book
written and ready to sell on Amazon in 3 hours.
Get in touch if you’d like to talk to me about how that’s done.
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
5 Ways to Become a Local Celebrity with Your New Book
Even if you have built your business
mainly online and that’s where you uncover the bulk of your clients, local
marketing should not be overlooked. In addition to your online marketing
strategy, promoting your new book in the local area can bring you “local celebrity” status
while boosting your following.
Bear in mind, these tips may not bring in
boatloads of book sales but they’ll go a long way to growing your name recognition within
your local community. As well as book sales, you might attract some new clients and
you’ll definitely gain more social media fans.
1.
Hold local book signings at libraries or book stores. Don’t forget your hometown roots! Publishing a book is quite an
achievement not everyone can claim, so blow your own trumpet to the people who
know you best. Meet and greets at any location allow you to promote your book
while also building your fan base.
2. Appear at Community events. Many local communities or towns hold Community events and
festivals during the summer and autumn months. Review those calendars well in
advance and be prepared to invest a small fee to set up a table with your
book available for purchase. Print out bookmarks or other handouts that include
your social media handles so they can connect with you after the event; I always found that raffles and prize draws offering your book as the prize gets the best types of leads.
3. Speak
at local schools about your journey to becoming an author. Many schools hold career days so watch for those
events or call the schools directly to volunteer. This isn’t so much a chance to
sell your book but to talk about your path to becoming an author. Carry
handouts with your name, book title, and social media handles so the kids can
pass them along to their parents. This is also a great opportunity to leave
information at the schools for the faculty. You just never know where your next
client will come from! It's all about visibility.
4. Volunteer
locally with your Chamber of Commerce or other business networking groups. Many Chambers have different committees on which to serve and other
business networking groups (such as Club Five55) have top table positions available every
year. Again, these types of positions are not about selling books but offer you
the chance to contribute to your community while expanding your name
recognition. Local business networking groups are bringing money into that community.
5. Use
your book as a fundraiser. Choose a cause that’s
dear to your heart and dedicate a percentage of sales to be donated. Donating
to a local charity or hospice may stir more
interest because of the hometown roots. Or donate a copy or two of your books
to auction events held by local PTAs, scouting troops, or religious organisations.
Very often these organisations will distribute a list of their benefactors, so
that’s yet another way to increase your name recognition.
Marketing your book should be a continuous
discipline, both online and offline. The more people you can reach through the
differing avenues, the more likely you’ll see increases in sales, new clients,
and social media fans.
At The Instant Edge we help authors whose books aren't the spectacular success they hoped they would be, and budding authors who want to get published and build a platform so they can get paid well to share a message and make a difference. Learn more at http://www.instantedge.co.uk/
Sunday, December 01, 2019
Congratulations, 2019 NaNoWriMo Winner!
Very proud of myself - 55,000 word novel written in November during National Novel Writing Month, all very late at night and at weekends.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
5 Ways to Get 1,000 New Fans with Your New Book
Now that you’ve got your book written, you might be wondering what comes next. Now is the time to start shouting from the rooftops about your new baby because if you don’t tell folk about it, they simply won’t know it exists. And contrary to popular belief, just because your book is available on Amazon doesn’t mean it will show up in gazillions of Amazon searches.
Part of becoming an author nowadays also means becoming a marketing expert. Most authors think that all they have to do is write a book and gold bullion will fly out of their laptops! WRONG! You need to market for as long and as hard as you wrote the blooming thing! Hiring a public relations Company is certainly one option, but for many authors – especially first time authors – PR firms are just not affordable. The key is to gain recognition and get your name seen by as many people as possible, which means writing pitches to those influencers who have access to your ideal audience.
1. Schedule a real or "virtual" book tour. This "take a deep breath" campaign requires lots of footwork and research combined with some travel expertise to be successful. Target big bookstores as well as independent bookstores in areas where your ideal readers are located. Bookstores are interested in how your book will bring people in to their shops so include a synopsis of your book in your pitch. Also outline your social media plans and how they will align with their current social media campaigns. Bear this in mind: Scheduling tours in big cities is best done well in advance because big name authors do a lot of these. "Virtual" book tours are webinars or Facebook lives held every week for a set number of weeks and the whole thing is done online. No travel, no seedy hotels and no sore feet.
2. Schedule television and radio interviews. While planning your book tour, make the effort to reach out to local television and radio stations to land interviews; of course, finding the best contact is paramount so you’re not wasting time. Decide which type of segment or topic you’re best suited for and do your research on specific programmes, hosts, and producers. Most of this will be available online, or start listening to local channels in the car more! Make yourself stand out from the rest of the pitches by including any relevant fun facts or ties to that local area. And don’t think any show is too big for you to land; I know a virtual assistant who landed a an interview spot on a major radio show simply because she took a punt and answered an open call specific to her niche
3. Arrange blog tours and podcast tours. This is another version of the "virtual" tour - Don’t discount blogs or podcasts as part of your promotional campaign. A blog tour is simply a written interview which is published on a blog but they usually include contact links to your website. Podcasts are audio recordings, similar to traditional radio talk shows, available for free from platforms such as iTunes and Anchor. Research who the influencers are in your industry and check out their numbers of readers and listeners. Many blogs or podcasts have national reach so those are the ones to target with your pitch.
4. Create social media events around your book launch. You already have a following so don’t forget about inviting them to watch parties or other local live events. Tell them about your new book; go live and read a chapter aloud to build interest; create custom hashtags and ask you followers to share about your book and live events; create an online panel discussion with other authors or colleagues to discuss your book’s topic. Being consistent and present on social media when your book launches is vitally important to build up your momentum. All of your fans want to know more about you so don’t disappear.
5. Embrace new social media platforms and/or advertising avenues. Utilising as many social media platforms as possible will greatly increase your chances of gaining new fans but only if your target audience uses those platforms. The first rule of fishing is to find a river with fish in it. Perform some market research first before learning another platform. If you’re happy with your current social media accounts, focus instead on their advertising features. Facebook, for example, offers ads along with Sponsored Posts. Knowing the difference and how best to use them to target your audience will find you many more fans. You have an awesome book, now it’s time to show the world how much you know on the subject and how much you can help your audience with this information. Planning any kind of national publicity is time consuming but a worthwhile effort when you think about how many people you’ll attract to your brand.
And yes we can help you do all of this as part of our Guru Factory programme. Take a look and let's chat http://www.instantedge.co.uk/
Part of becoming an author nowadays also means becoming a marketing expert. Most authors think that all they have to do is write a book and gold bullion will fly out of their laptops! WRONG! You need to market for as long and as hard as you wrote the blooming thing! Hiring a public relations Company is certainly one option, but for many authors – especially first time authors – PR firms are just not affordable. The key is to gain recognition and get your name seen by as many people as possible, which means writing pitches to those influencers who have access to your ideal audience.
1. Schedule a real or "virtual" book tour. This "take a deep breath" campaign requires lots of footwork and research combined with some travel expertise to be successful. Target big bookstores as well as independent bookstores in areas where your ideal readers are located. Bookstores are interested in how your book will bring people in to their shops so include a synopsis of your book in your pitch. Also outline your social media plans and how they will align with their current social media campaigns. Bear this in mind: Scheduling tours in big cities is best done well in advance because big name authors do a lot of these. "Virtual" book tours are webinars or Facebook lives held every week for a set number of weeks and the whole thing is done online. No travel, no seedy hotels and no sore feet.
2. Schedule television and radio interviews. While planning your book tour, make the effort to reach out to local television and radio stations to land interviews; of course, finding the best contact is paramount so you’re not wasting time. Decide which type of segment or topic you’re best suited for and do your research on specific programmes, hosts, and producers. Most of this will be available online, or start listening to local channels in the car more! Make yourself stand out from the rest of the pitches by including any relevant fun facts or ties to that local area. And don’t think any show is too big for you to land; I know a virtual assistant who landed a an interview spot on a major radio show simply because she took a punt and answered an open call specific to her niche
3. Arrange blog tours and podcast tours. This is another version of the "virtual" tour - Don’t discount blogs or podcasts as part of your promotional campaign. A blog tour is simply a written interview which is published on a blog but they usually include contact links to your website. Podcasts are audio recordings, similar to traditional radio talk shows, available for free from platforms such as iTunes and Anchor. Research who the influencers are in your industry and check out their numbers of readers and listeners. Many blogs or podcasts have national reach so those are the ones to target with your pitch.
4. Create social media events around your book launch. You already have a following so don’t forget about inviting them to watch parties or other local live events. Tell them about your new book; go live and read a chapter aloud to build interest; create custom hashtags and ask you followers to share about your book and live events; create an online panel discussion with other authors or colleagues to discuss your book’s topic. Being consistent and present on social media when your book launches is vitally important to build up your momentum. All of your fans want to know more about you so don’t disappear.
5. Embrace new social media platforms and/or advertising avenues. Utilising as many social media platforms as possible will greatly increase your chances of gaining new fans but only if your target audience uses those platforms. The first rule of fishing is to find a river with fish in it. Perform some market research first before learning another platform. If you’re happy with your current social media accounts, focus instead on their advertising features. Facebook, for example, offers ads along with Sponsored Posts. Knowing the difference and how best to use them to target your audience will find you many more fans. You have an awesome book, now it’s time to show the world how much you know on the subject and how much you can help your audience with this information. Planning any kind of national publicity is time consuming but a worthwhile effort when you think about how many people you’ll attract to your brand.
And yes we can help you do all of this as part of our Guru Factory programme. Take a look and let's chat http://www.instantedge.co.uk/
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Sunday, November 04, 2018
Have more people like you more
Rapport is that state where you connect, know, and trust somebody. You’ve probably had times when you’ve clicked with people, you’ve instantly hit it off and you get on, yes? You’ve probably also had times where you’ve talked to somebody and it’s just not happening – you think "who is this Martian?" And you just can’t relate to this person at all, right?
Rapport is a
skill, and it’s the ability to create that connection with a complete stranger
anytime you want to. And the nice thing
about it is, it’s not some kind of fluffy philosophy or technique or
willy-nilly idea, it actually genuinely is a series of things that you can do,
and you can tell when it’s working cos you get direct signals – you get signs
that come back that are quantifiable and instantly visible and feel-able, from
the person you’re getting rapport with, or the people you’re getting rapport
with. It works just as well in groups as it does face to face with one individual.
Which tells you
whether or not you’re getting on, which means you can tell if it’s
working. Now there’s an old quote that
says everything in life you want is either owned by someone else or you’re
going to need someone’s help to get it, so you’d better be good at building
rapport. It’s a fundamental skill. Especially if you’re going to be doing
therapy, coaching or consulting, because they’re only going to tell you their
deepest, darkest fears if they know you, like you and trust you.
If you’re going to be using NLP & HGE™ for
marketing and sales, then people will only do business with you cos they know
you, like you and trust you. If you’re
going to be teaching or presenting, then you want your audience to know you,
like you and trust you. And quite
frankly, as a teacher or trainer or educator, it’s much nicer to be standing in
front of an audience who like you rather than an audience who don’t. And you may know how that feels.
In essence,
Rapport skills are one of the fundamental skills that we teach on a training course
because we firmly believe that if you have rapport, it makes your life a hell
of a lot more pleasant and easier. Which
is the bottom line with all this stuff – the bottom line with NLP & HGE™ is that it
lets you get more of the results you want in life more often, in more easier
ways…
OH and by the way, this is NOTHING to do with "make more eye contact" or "smile more". Please!
As a trainer or speaker, if you're going to stand in front of a group of people, you better have rapport with them or they will tear you to shreds. At the least it will be uncomfortable for everyone. Awkward silences, no engagement, jokes fall flat and the students can't wait for it to be over. And trust me if you're in front of a group like that and you're not hitting it off, it feels horrible. Trust me, I've been there!
As a Financial Adviser I used to have to do a fact-find, then go away and prepare a proposal, then come back and try and get the sale. After I learned about Rapport, my appointments halved and my sales doubled. When my manager asked me what I was doing, it led to my first proper paid training gig.
As a Master Hypnotherapist I had to be able to create a "sacred space" where my new client would feel safe and trusting enough to tell me their deepest, darkest fears and concerns. That's ESSENTIAL in helping professional context. Some people are just people people who click with anyone. I had to learn how to do that.
When I did my Coaching training over 3 years back in 2001, they didn't cover Rapport anywhere! If you're going to be that client's secret weapon and confidant, cajoling them, questioning them, holding them accoubnatble and walking with them as they reach their goals, YOU MUST HAVE RAPPORT. many a coaching client is lost on the initial phone call or the first meeting because there's no rapport.
OK so have I hammered this point home yet? No rapport, no coaching. No rapport, no checky :-)
If you'd like to learn how do do this stuff, come and join me on Nov 10/11th - click here for details
Saturday, November 03, 2018
For people who are serious about their personal growth...
Maybe you’ve tried all the goal setting, the achiever, “if it’s to be it’s up to me” syndrome. You’ve had the house, the car, the money in the bank, the social circle, the good job……and yet there’s still something missing?
You see, goals without a higher purpose lack passion or deep meaning. At some point you’ll ask yourself “Who I am? Why am I here? What should I be doing with my life?” Perhaps you have an inkling…..a hunch…that something more spiritual is the place to go next.
Maybe you, like me, have a “calling” – that something calls to you for some inexplicable reason. There’s a great quote that once said “Religion is what people do to avoid going to hell. Spirituality is what people do once they’ve been there!”
For me it was always about making changes. If you’re not happy with the results you’re
creating, then change what you’re doing.
Whining and complaining won’t make it any better, and nobody’s going to
come and rescue you. The sooner you
realise it’s you, the better. It’s what you do that counts. So initially I did private therapy, and then
started doing workshops to try and share this mindset with as many people as
possible.
Then in the late '90's I came across the blossoming field of Life Coaching, and saw a
natural extension to what I was already doing.
NLP helped me to help my clients clear up the mental clutter and
limitations that hold us all back. Life
Coaching looks at the external factors that make you who you are – your health
and eating habits, your family relationships, your intimate relationships, your
management of money, your environment, and your career. Now I had ways of dramatically improving my
own life, and the lives of others, on both the inside and the outside.
However, in
a completely unregulated industry, people could simply read a book and call
themselves a Life Coach. Oh dear.
Then you start to hit your late thirties, and true to the model you’re
about to learn, the idea of spirituality starts calling to you. Now it takes different forms for different
people, and for me it was in a concealed
body of knowledge and wisdom that had been banned until 1989, until laws
were passed that allowed the Hawaiians to teach their original ways again. Something about Huna attracted me, and for the first time in my life I could relate
to what people often term “a calling”.
Huna balances you out, and gets you down out of your head and into your
body again, grounding you. Instead of
being “the NLP guy”, I started to teach other concepts and principles that I’d
picked up that seemed to make sense, and more importantly, consistently worked
with everyone I shared them with.
That was always my core drive, and still is. To help people. Now I’m not a complete altruist, because it’s
my business and I expect to be paid. But
that was my passion – Maybe you’ve seen “Star Wars”, when Obi Wan Kenobi told
the Imperial Storm troopers “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for” and
they let them pass, instantly changing their minds. “Wouldn’t it be really cool to be able to do
that!” I thought. Imagine someone comes
to you with a problem like “I’m depressed”, and with a wave of your hand you
tell them “No you’re not” and they wouldn’t be.
That would be magic! Real magic.
And if you study every philosophy, every theology on the planet, certain
key concepts keep coming up.
Rituals. Physical exercise. Energy.
Numbers. The Five elements. Taking responsibility. Being at one with yourself. Life being a mirror of you. There has to be something to that if they
keep showing up, throughout history, throughout the planet. Mark Twain once said “The ancients steal all
our best ideas”.
My friend and teacher Tad James had once suggested to Richard Bandler,
the co-creator of NLP:
“What if all NLP is, is tying up the conscious mind
with a technique, while you give suggestions to the unconscious mind?”
In Huna, the Kahuna would often create a
ritual or task for the patient to undertake, and in so doing they gave their
unconscious mind permission to make the change.
It’s almost like the conscious mind needs to be convinced by doing
something tangible, while the unconscious mind does what it already knows it
can do, but needs the conscious mind’s permission. Think of the placebo effect in medicine. Or being dunked in water to feel cleansed, or
anointed. The ritual works better if you
use real water…
Milton Erickson, the world’s leading Hypnotherapist, often gave clients
tasks or ordeals to do, and by doing then, they “fixed” themselves. Hmmmm…..
I knew I was on to something. It
was also painful to watch people study, and teach, NLP as a bunch of techniques
that claimed to be able to cure everything from nail biting to HIV, but then
get disappointed when it didn’t work. Or
worse, blame the NLP practitioner when it didn’t. There’s more to it than that. You can’t expect someone to come along and
“fix you”. You have to be the source of your own change. Because then you get all the pride and
achievement of having taken charge of you mind and your behaviours too!
It was a shame to watch people spend four days with (in my opinion) the
world’s greatest presenter and teacher, Tony Robbins, get all psyched up to
change the world, and then crash down to earth a week later. Not only were they disappointed, they’d had a
taste of how good they could feel and they couldn’t recreate it
themselves. They’d have to spend even
more money becoming seminar junkies, just to recapture the high. As one client of mine once said,
“How much
more money do you have to spend before the penny drops?”
To make matters worse, the world of NLP was renowned for its competing
developers who spent more time arguing about who the genuine leaders of the
field were, than in advancing and improving the technology for the betterment
of its enthusiasts. Too much emphasis
was placed on legal actions, copyrighting, jargon, cyber squatting and whose
signature was on your certificate, which is ironic when one of the basic
beliefs promoted by NLP is to “respect everyone’s model of the world.” It was a world of politics, cliques and
possessiveness where the self-styled governing bodies had practically no
regulatory authority, and no way of enforcing their code of conduct. Basically anyone could buy their way up the
ladder and call themselves a Trainer, regardless of ability, flair, depth of knowledge
or integrity.
Intriguingly, all of the most successful leaders in the field of NLP got
into esoteric studies and spirituality.
Richard Bandler lived in Hawaii
for years. John Grinder used animal
forms during training courses. Tad James
is my Huna teacher. Tony Robbins calls
himself a “force for God”. The “heart”
that was missing from the NLP model could be found in the ancient teachings of
the earth.
And yet, having done
thousands of hours on one to one therapy, working with hundreds of clients on
the phone, by email, in person or in groups, over 25 years of personal
experience in dealing with human beings and their fears, hang ups, hopes and
desires, I’ve realised that the main and final reason these hard working,
well-meaning individuals suffer set backs, self doubt and turmoil, is because
they did not know what I know about how to tap into their “inner life manager”
and finally realise that the answer is never “out there” – it’s not going to be
handed to you in the next book, on the next tape or the next seminar. It’s inside you right now, you either
- Don’t
know that it resides inside you behind a locked door
- Don’t
have a key!
I was wrong to worry.
The results of these
sessions (usually an hour at a time) are already evident and there’s pages and
pages of testimonies on my websites and in my client files – they are happier,
healthier, in better jobs, in more passionate relationships, making more
money. Personal success is suddenly
realistic instead of a hyped up cosmetic “hope”.
But not for
everybody. I wouldn’t be telling the
truth if I said every client I’ve ever worked with dramatically turned
around. That’s not the case. Some put the phone down on me. Some weren’t prepared to do the work. Some wouldn’t spend a few hundred pounds to
make their ill-health symptoms disappear.
Some walked out of my office and never came back. Some made appointments but never showed. That’s life.
People are people.
BUT, the ones who
kept their appointments, invested some money in themselves and were willing to
put the effort in, every one of them blossomed, flew and transformed in a
matter of hours, weeks, months at most.
NLP had to evolve. Hypnosis alone wasn’t enough. Life Coaching is more than just hiring a
personal trainer. Huna was too ancient
and esoteric and turned some people off.
There needed to be a comprehensive and ecological model which was simple
and straightforward to use in your daily life.
After all, it’s what you do consistently, and persistently that shapes
your life. You can’t have a bath once
and be clean forever. To that effect, I
want to share what I’ve found with you, and I’ve called it HGE™
Join me on November 10/11th in Glasgow where I'll teach you more. Way more...
Click here
Sunday, August 05, 2018
FSB Business Essentials
Highly recommend being part of FSB. Changed from the old days. If you own a business or are launching one, PM me if you'd like to know more.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Monday, May 07, 2018
Instant Edge Podcast Show Is Live!
Get the 9 Positioning Strategies interview at http://www.instantedge.co.uk/positioning-interview/
Saturday, April 21, 2018
5 Ways To Use Your Body Language In Public Speaking
World renowned couple counsellor and family therapist Virginia Satir identified five key “Postures” that her clients adopted. Stereotypes, which powerfully communicate non-verbal messages.
You can use these postures to
increase your “presence” both on stage and off.
Powerfully use your physiology (the 55% of any communication) to send
non-verbal messages that back up your verbal one, thereby doing what I call
“Communicating at 100%”. You can also
use these to control the energy in the room, raising it, lowering it or
maintaining it depending on your outcome.
They increase your authority and assertiveness, and women in business
can use them possibly more effectively than men can.
On stage they help you deal with
hecklers, or to invoke states in your audience.
They also answer the question of “How do you stand, what do you do with
your hands?” Most speakers do the Fig
leaf, the Prince Charles, with their hands clasped in front or behind, or
worse, hands in pockets. These are much
more powerful.
There’s nothing worse than a
distracting speaker who paces around, or fiddles, or whose attention is clearly
in his or her own head and not on you in the audience. You end up watching them for their weird
behaviours and not for what they’re teaching.
Ooops!
Non Verbal Communication
The five Satir categories are the
answer to “what do I do with my hands?” or “How do I stand?”. Each category is an instantly recognised stereotype,
and you’re doing one or more of them unconsciously anyway! They affect your state, and that of the
audience. Remember that physiology is
55% of the message. You often see these
on book covers as the author has been coached in how to pose for the
camera. Here’s how to do them, and what
they do.
THE COMPUTER
Weight on one leg or evenly
distributed
Arms folded, one hand on your chin
The thinking pose
Looks authoritative, like you are
the wise one. Helps you
Deal with a threat so it’s
harmless.
Says “I’m pensive, thinking it
through, I’m the expert, I’m the authority”
Thoughtful, cool, calm and
collected. You can hide your
Self-worth behind big words and
intellectual ideas
Completely rational.
Good to use when people ask you
questions.
Common in Cerebral people
Be reasonable beyond limit, and use
polysyllabic words
Statement tonality – fairly
monotone
THE LEVELLER
Weight evenly distributed, feet
shoulder width apart
Hands sweep down and out as if you
were sweeping snow off a wall
Says “Here’s the deal, this is how
it’s going to be”
Asserts authority and calms things
down, especially if you leave a pause after it
Commanding tonality, straight
talker
Brings energy down
Common in Kinesthetic people
Congruent, the body matches the
words, telling the truth
Good for apologising whilst
maintaining your dignity
THE PLACATER
Weight evenly distributed, feet
shoulder width apart
Palms up hands moving up, open and
vulnerable
Says “Help me out here, please?”
and “I’m sorry” and “Tell me what to do”
Suggests openness and trying to
please, so that the other person doesn’t get angry with you.
Useful to open a questions and
answers session.
Makes the energy more emotional,
safe, gentle
Questioning tonality, higher
pitched voice
Common in Kinesthetic people
Agree with the other person – be a
“yes” man or
Woman
Remember the helpless “Smeagol”
character in
The Lord Of The Rings movies
THE BLAMER
Weight on one leg
One foot in front of the other,
pointing the finger
Says “It’s your fault, on your head
be it” or “I’m in charge, right?!”
Usually disagrees with people and accuses.
This is the accuser, acting
superior, looking strong
Useful for ramming a message home,
emphasising, or telling someone they’ve done really well
Brings energy up
Loud command tonality
Common in visual people
THE DISTRACTER
Weight on one leg, or lock your
knees together
Everything moving, angular,
diagonal, arms and
legs going out in all directions.
Says “Don’t ask me, I’m an airhead,
I’m dizzy”
Think dumb bunny, bimbo.
Useful for defusing tension,
distracting hecklers, or adding comedy.
Comedians often use Distracter with their punch line.
Ignores any threat in the hope that
it’ll vanish
Releases stuck energy
Voice going up and down
Common in Auditory people
Words make no sense
EXERCISE
I want it to be that when you do
move it has intention, and it has impact!
Try talking about your hobby or your career for a few minutes, or
something you know a lot about. Adopt
each category for 30 seconds at a time, so 30 seconds in Computer, then 30 seconds
in Leveller, then 30 seconds using them all together
You might start doing this in
normal life. These still work while
you’re sitting down, as you use the top half of your body. But think about it. What if you became more assertive?
Women in business – try and avoid
Placater and Distracter. They make you
look vulnerable and weak. Instead use
Leveller and Computer. You’ll come over
far more assertive, and you’ll probably freak the men out with your authority!
Remember that you cannot not communicate,
so make sure what you’re screaming non verbally agrees with what you’re saying
with your mouth. And train up the ones
that feel awkward and unfamiliar, to increase your behavioural flexibility.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Glasgow business networking group - Why invite visitors to Club Five55?
Well hello there, my name is Jonathan Clark and
welcome to a quick training video on how to maximise your return to GET THE
MOST out of your business networking.
This is a quick how to video to help you build your
network, so you can reach your goals faster and more easily. So you’ll make more valuable contacts who can
introduce you to more potential clients, making your life easier.
Today’s topic is about inviting guests to take a
look at your group.
QUICK STORY...
The other day I got a Cold caller at my door, with a
clipboard
I let him do his script… then I had to tell him I’m
not really in the market for what he’s selling
But then I asked him - tell me, do you like knocking
on doors and pounding the streets?
You’ll be really glad you came to my door… cos I
know a better way to get clients…
Why
you should invite guests
Yes you get points for bringing a visitor. Yes you get points if they join. But beyond that there are several reasons why
you ought to invite people. Let’s talk
about the bigger picture
New people are the lifeblood that keeps a networking
group buzzing and healthy, therefore every group needs guests
More people in the room = more referrals. You make more money. Everyone benefits.
You need to talk about the benefits of business
networking with other like-minded business owners
A visitor is always a good result for a group, even
if they don’t join – someone ends up doing business with them. So they may turn into paying clients.
Also You can’t do everything on your own – the more
people who can help you, the easier it gets.
You need to build your contact sphere – the number
of other business owners that you have at the other end of the phone.
Networking groups lose members, so it’s vital we
bring in new blood to keep the group vibrant and healthy.
It’s also great PR when a local business visits the group
and hears what it’s all about, who we all are, chats with several members and
takes away all of our business cards.
Does that make sense?
What it means
The fact is - The average visitor spends money with
the group, regardless of whether they join or not. Someone usually ends up doing business with
the visitor.
If they join, great - you now have a new member to
build a relationship with and share each other’s connections
There’s always somebody in the room that can help
you reach your goals, and you can help someone else reach theirs.
Statistically If you grow a group by 10 members, the
referrals should double!
There are plenty of people to invite to the meeting
Average business person has 1000 contacts- Between Your
phone, your clients, your Facebook friends, your little black book, your
suppliers, your LinkedIn connections and your Christmas card list.
When I started, if someone had given me the chance
to stand up in front to 20-30 local business owners and decision makers I’d
have sold my granny for the chance!
How to invite?
Let me give you a script to help you invite people
to look at this group.
Are
you in a position to handle more clients?
Great
- I am working with a group of local business owners who are looking for a
professional [category] to pass referrals to.
Would you be interested in meeting them?
Always remember to tell them to bring lots of
business cards.
Now you can run that script by Text, email, phone call,
face to face, or private message on LinkedIn or Facebook
Be as brief as possible, get them along to the
meeting [pick them up and bring them if need be] and let the meeting do the job
for you. People need to
experience a good structured meeting, meet the members, hear the presentations
and see the professionalism to be able to judge.
One
veteran networker I know used to tell a story of helping out at a Cumbernauld
group
There’s
his next door neighbour
What
are you doing here?
I’ve
been coming for a year now – half of my clients come through this group.
Had
been scared to invite him. Pre-judged
him – oh he won’t be interested.
Wondered
where you were going all suited and booted at that time of day
You can always invite cold - Postcard adverts on
supermarket notice boards, local directories, van signage – but I’d rather
bring in people I already know, like and trust.
What
If You Did?
Realise that YOU’RE DOING THEM A FAVOUR by inviting
them.
The average member makes money from being part of
the group! You can help them add money
to their bottom line.
You’ll soon come to realise that most long term networkers
look at other local business owners and think they’re BONKERS to say no
What if your group grew by 2 or more new members
every month?
You can actually see how the energy goes up when there’s
a guest in the room – everyone ups their game
If you’re already a member, have a think about who you could
invite for next time.
If you’re a guest – now you know how you got here! But if you’d like to tap into the power of
having a ready-made sales team acting as introducers for your business all year
round, then speak to us at the end of the meeting.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
What's Your Goal For Your Networking?
Well hello there, my name is Jonathan Clark and welcome to a quick article on how to maximise your return to GET THE MOST out of your business networking.
This is a quick how to article to help you get clear on why you’re there and the value of building your network, so you can reach your goals faster and more easily.
So you’ll make more valuable contacts who can introduce you to more potential clients, making your life easier.
Today’s topic is about setting an income goal for your networking.
Now that reminds me of a quick story...
I launched my own business in 1997 and I was a shy introvert who found it hard to say hello to people I knew. I’ve been to a lot of networking events in that time and most of them didn’t work. What I mean is, I didn’t get any business from them. It took me a while to realise why – it wasn’t to do with the group or the people - it was that I just wasn’t doing it right. And I certainly didn’t have any real goal or target in mind when I went.
So why is this whole goal setting thing so critical to your business?
You took time out of your day to get here and made the effort to chat to new people and introduce yourself. That takes confidence and can be challenging. Well, we’re here to make sure you get a good return on your investment for the time, money and energy you spend talking to people at networking events, so you should get more business and make more money. We’re going to discuss how we’ll get you there.
So it’s essential that you have an outcome for being here. You have to ask yourself “How much money do I want to make from networking? Now I know you probably haven’t been asked that question before, and that’s a good thing, because that means this is going to make an impact.
But just think about it - How can you hit a target you can’t see?
Every ambitious business owner sets goals, and must continually keep track of their progress towards that outcome. If that little voice in your head isn’t telling you a clear figure, alarm bells should be ringing. We’re all about generating income for our members, and the freedom and security that that offers you, so it’s vital you have a figure in mind.
Now, the world famous sales trainer and motivational speaker – the late Zig Ziglar – once said “You can’t be a wandering generality, you have to be a meaningful specific.”
We train our members to become very good at the process of networking effectively. In fact, at the time of recording this video, 70% of my clients have been referred to me by members of my network.
Statistically the average business person knows about 1000 people – if you take your mobile phone contacts, your Facebook friends, your LinkedIn connections, your Christmas card list – you actually know about 1000 people. But how many of them act as introducers and talk about you to their friends, family and colleagues?
So let’s get you to decide a specific amount of money you’d like to earn in the next 12 months
Just ask yourself - What would be a good target – how much money do you want to make from networking in year one?
You might want to write a number down.
Let’s get something concrete – tangible.
Do you want to add an extra £10,000 to your bottom line? £25,000? £100,000?
Get a figure on paper. I’ll give you a moment to seriously get your head around that question.
Now, think about what an average client is worth. In real terms.
How much is an average sale in your line of work? What do you take home in cold, hard profit?
OK so now divide the big target figure by the average sale value = that will quickly give you the number of referrals you need in the next 12 months to smash your target.
You see, we’re not happy for you just to break even, so we want to be crystal clear on exactly how much you want to make from this vast referral network you’re now part of.
Look at what the average referral is worth to you? The bread and butter client? Imagine how much a GOOD referral would be worth? And what would a dream client look like? Just suppose you focused on the big ticket clients…
Now paying clients is just one way to hit that target. There are in fact 17 ways you can make money from networking – we’ll reveal what they are in a future article.
Picture yourself getting warm referrals from the members of this network, not having to search for new business so much and freeing up your time to focus on the things you want to do
So after 25 years of being in business, I now walk into a room with a plan, a target, I have a strategy and because I was also trained to keep track, I know that three quarters of my clients come from business networking events. But I don’t just go networking, I USE networking. So I’d end with this question – are you just going to networking events or are you using networking events?
If you’re already a member, this is probably the first time you’ve thought about it like this. You might want to look back at your membership and total up exactly how much money your business has earned as a direct result of networking.
If you’re a guest and you’d like to tap into the power of having a ready-made sales team acting as introducers for your business all year round, to help you accelerate towards that figure, then speak to us at the end of the meeting.
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