5 Ways Writing Your Book Will Build Your Marketing Nous

Writing a good book is the first step. The next step is actually selling some copies! Gone are the days when the big publishers scheduled book tours for you,  booked you television interviews, and secured radio appearances. Big name authors still get these perks, but most "mere mortal" authors are responsible for their own marketing activities, so having a game plan up front gets you out there, and might even land you a publishing deal.  

Here are 5 things you can do...

1. Get yourself in the spotlight. No more skulking behind the keyboard if you want to make book sales! Be proud of what you’ve achieved and tell the world. Nobody will know about your new book unless YOU tell them about it, using your social media channels, maybe a press release, and any other publicity events you can manage. And a quick reminder: You can’t please everyone so keep your target audience avatar in mind. Don’t listen to the prophets of doom - pay attention only to the feedback from your fans.

2. Well written press releases and buzz-worthy news. What better way to tell the world about your new book than to write a press release. But to prevent your press release from getting forgotten at the bottom of the pile, learn how to write one so your book is seen as newsworthy. In media pitches, mention how you are different from the competition and why you’re the best choice as the ideal interview guests. Of course you want the publicity, but craft your releases and pitches so they come across as a win-win relationship.

3. Practice your diary management. Scheduling interviews, in-person book readings, book signing events, a book launch party, and social media promotion takes a fair bit of planning and patience. Add some travelling into the mix and you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant and/or travel agent to handle flights and accommodation. Guest interviews can be cancelled or booked at the drop of a hat so your plans can change with one email. Always have a Plan B if a scheduled event is cancelled so your time isn’t wasted.

4. Continue connecting with your social media fans. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to growing followers online. It’s all about know, like and trust so your fans feel that you are credible and not trying to 'buy' them. Build that relationship, share parts of your personal life and/or business, be human, and naturally enthuse about your book. Just don’t post "buy my new book" every 5 minutes.  Show them behind the scenes [ in-to-me-see]  that you’re a normal, approachable person who cares about helping them more than about book royalties.

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We have a programme that turns you into a published author with your own book, your own webinar, your own social media presence, your own online course and a whole lot more.  Get our £150k treasure map at 

https://instantedge.lpages.co/guru-factory/

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5. Start planning now and use a mind map to structure your marketing plan. Authors need to market as hard and as long as they wrote.  If you want to sell books and expand your fan base, a marketing strategy is important. Start early by brainstorming your ideas and then decide which of these ideas you do in which order for your book launch. Consider outsourcing any tasks you don’t know how to accomplish so you can do what you're good at. Save those tasks that you love or at least know how to finish for yourself.

If you’re overwhelmed by this solo marketing approach, consider hiring help, either an assistant with marketing and publicity experience or a Marketing Coach. Stick to a budget but make sure you get news of your book out there in as many ways as you can.

Final point - if writing is part of your business, remember its best selling book, not best written.  Amazon doesn't care about the content, it cares about number of sales first, reviews second.

Beginner's Guide To Zoom Part 6 - Creating A Meeting

For anyone still trying to get their head around Zoom

Beginner's Guide To Zoom Part 5 - Adding free users

Beginner's Guide To Zoom Part 5 - Adding free users to your paid account

Business Networking For Introverts - Part 1

Business Networking For Introverts - Part 1. Extract from my "Turn Your Contacts Into Contracts" online course, which applies as much online as it does offline.

Beginner's Guide To Zoom Part 4 - Calendar Your Meetings

Nifty way to turn normal diary appointments into Zoom meetings

Beginners' Guide To Zoom Part 3 - Meeting Settings

Here's part 3 in my Beginners' Guide To Zoom video series  -this time looking at your meeting settings

Beginner's Guide To Zoom Part 2 - Zoom Plans and Pricing

Here's the 2nd video in the series of beginner's guide tutorials on how to use Zoom to make video calls, create information products like online courses and hold webinars.   Please comment if you found it useful, like the video and share it with anyone who needs to keep in contact with friends, family and colleagues using video conferencing.

Beginner's Guide To Zoom - Part 1 Overview

If you're looking to stay in touch with people right now, you might be hearing about Zoom.  Here's a quick overview that I made a year ago to help Zoom newbies

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

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. 

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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

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/T7HLF8T

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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

https://instantedge.lpages.co/7-ways-challenge/

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? 

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.

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/

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.

 

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/

Glasgow business coaching

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

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!”

  Now I’m not a psychiatrist or psychologist – but I have spent 25 years in personal development helping people transform their lives – I’ve learned and taught advanced techniques like NLP and Hypnosis.  But after a while I got frustrated with the lack of depth, there was something missing.  There had to be more….do you know what I mean?

  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

1. Don’t know that it resides inside you behind a locked door
2. Don’t have a key!

My job was always to tentatively reveal some elements and core essentials of this approach to these people, and take them through some safe and gentle ‘training sessions’… ‘tentatively’ because I was unsure how easily they would accept the truth.

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

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.

Instant Edge Podcast Episode 2 - 3 ways to grow your business

Instant Edge Podcast Show Is Live!

Get the 9 Positioning Strategies interview at http://www.instantedge.co.uk/positioning-interview/

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.

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.