Fear-Based Decisions Are Bad for Business

At one point, every business owner will find him or herself in a troubling situation. Revenue is down. New clients are scarce. Profits are falling, and a peek at the financials is enough to bring on a full-fledged anxiety attack.   

Unless you’re Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates, chances are you’ve experienced that sinking feeling of a business that’s trending downward, too. But how you handle it can mean the difference between continued success and business-killing burnout.

Here’s where a lot of business owners start to self-sabotage. They start to worry about money, and that worry leads to poor decisions that ultimately have a negative impact not just on finances, but—maybe more importantly—on morale, too. Or feeling surrounded by competition and giving up the ghost.   Maybe you know what I’m talking about.

Wasting hours of your life enduring Business Networking meetings and coming away with nothing to show for it.  Or fruitless meeting after meeting and you dreading coming home for you partner to ask how it went…

You Take On the Wrong Calibre Of Client

Let’s be honest here – we might hate to admit it, but we all know there IS a difference between low-end clients and high-end clients. In my experience, the customers who plead poverty and haggle prices with you cause you the most grief and are the most demanding.  The clients who didn’t even ask about price are prompt, do their homework and are delightful.  [Makes you wonder what kind of customer YOU are…]

Now when money is tight, it can be tough to keep your ideal client avatar in mind. Instead, you jump at the chance to work with anyone who comes along. The trouble with this scenario is you are so desperate that you pounce at the slightest whiff of a sale.  There’s an old saying that “Bad salesmen have skinny kids” because the client can smell your desperation.  That also makes you feel awkward and sleazy in case you’re coming across like a predatory double glazing salesman from the 70’s.  Then you can find yourself with a roster full of clients who:

·       Aren’t willing or able to do the work you ask them to

·       Spend all their time telling you why your ideas and advice won’t work, or finding fault with every detail

·       Drain your energy and make you dread your office, or cringe when their name appears on your phone.

True story - When I wrote my first book “Ignite & Unshackle” in 2006 I had this one chap who hounded me to get one of the first copies.  I mean he emailed me daily, phoned every other day, chasing chasing chasing… for 3 weeks.  As soon as the box arrived I carefully packaged the book up in its cellophane wrapper, inserted a thank you letter and the 3 free CD’s that went with it into a padded jiffy bag and took it to the post office, paid extra to send it recorded delivery and emailed him to say it was on its way. 

Three days later I got the book back in the mail, still in its cellophane, with a post it note saying “I changed my mind.”  But he kept the free cd’s!  Jeez man if you just wanted the cd’s you could have asked for them!

You Stop Creating

And who can blame you? With profits down, you have to pull back. You can’t afford to spend time and money creating new programmes or offers, so you recycle the ones you’ve already produced.

Now, this would be ideal if you were repurposing with a positive intent. Turning your e-book into a group coaching course? Perfect! But that’s not what your fearful brain is telling you.

Your fearful self is saying, “Just re-release this same product again, so I don’t have to have new sales copy written or record new videos.”   And while this might help bring in a bit of cash short-term, it won’t do anything for your reputation or your self-esteem.

Errr… no. That’s no way to operate a business, but that’s just what a fear-based mind-set can do to you. Better (much better) to make a MINDSHIFT and hold out for that perfect client. And while you’re waiting, take what you’ve learned from your drop in sales and create the killer product your audience is clamouring for!

That’s what I’ve done – I’ve used the last few weeks to put together a FREE Cheatsheet and video called “Why They Buy – How To Attract More Paying Customers” which goes into the psychology of what makes people buy stuff and gives you the exact criteria you need to pull in more eager clients who are ready to buy from you.  Email me at admin@instantedge.co.uk if you’d like a copy because it absolutely can transform your customer base if you let it. 

No more wasting time on low probability prospects who just use up your time or suck you dry.  These 7 factors will get you more yes’s, make selling feel more like helping  and fill you with confidence knowing you’re helping your ideal clients solve problems which they gladly pay you for. 

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.

How to be a highly-paid author, speaker, coach, seminar leader, or online marketer.

I have a question for you - How do you take your life story and the advice you have for other people on how they can improve their life and build their business and build a 6 figure income from it?  Well it’s something I figured out how to do over the last 20 years. And I’d like to share some insider secrets with you.

In this video I'm going to teach you 5 advanced strategies

If you want to become the next guru in your field then take out a pen and paper cos you’re going to want to write this stuff down.

You can opt in to get your copy of "The Licence Unlocker Letter" and learn more about the Guru Factory programme at 

http://www.TheGuruFactory.co.uk

Did This Help You? Any thoughts or questions?  If so, I would greatly appreciate if you commented below and shared on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/thejonathanclark

http://www.twitter.com/JonathanClark

If you enjoyed this post, share and comment please..

Give Me Just 5 Minutes And I'll Show You How To Make A Difference

I've just loaded a sneak preview of my latest [and the one I'm most proud of] programme --The Guru Factory -- on Youtube, and the video is below...

A lot of people have been asking me questions about this programme, so I thought I'd answer most of them below...

What is The Guru factory?

It's a 2 day LIVE event followed by a 90 day programme where I work with you to monetise who you are and what you know. Together we will build you a recurring revenue as a highly-paid author, speaker, coach, seminar leader, or online marketer.

The system is designed to show you exactly how you can easily create engaging content that will attract your target market to you and position yourself as an expert.

We go beyond the theory and rather than show you exactly how to do it, WE ACTUALLY DO IT TOGETHER.  AND we provide you with the tools you need to get rapid results without being a techie.

Are you ready to implement and take action on what you learn? If you aren’t, that’s OK, but if you are willing to take action and build an engaged audience who sees you as the expert, then we are ready to show you how.

You can make money as fast as you implement the tools and take action. In my previous "Fully Booked Bootcamp" and "The Alchemy Challenge" programmes, we have had students literally take what they learned during our pre-training and use that information to close deals with it.

If you are deliberate about implementing what we teach, and if you follow the action steps, we know you will see results.

CONCERN: Is it Easy? Can I Do This?

SOLUTION: A couple of you said "I don't want another thing on my to do list". One of the great things about our process is that it is so easy to implement. In an afternoon, we'll show you how you can turn the knowledge in your head into podcasts, livecasts, webinars and books.

CONCERN: What if I fall behind? Or miss a lesson?

SOLUTION: Don't worry - you will have access to each lesson after they originally happen. Everything will be recorded and you can go back and rewatch any lesson or watch it for the first time on your own schedule. You may even find that you get so busy implementing what you learn in the first couple lessons, that you want to pause the training so you can get the assignments done. Our format will let you do that. If you are watching recorded lessons, you can go in any order you choose so you can focus on the parts you want to see again, or go directly to training on a section you want to implement right away.

CONCERN: What if I'm just lazy and unmotivated?

SOLUTION: Well, is that really the case? Or is it that you’ve never had someone hold your hand and show you a step-by-step system on how to build an engaged audience?

We are even going to work with you 1 on 1 to make sure your tools get set up right away. If you are truly lazy, unmotivated, and won't take the steps necessary to turn your expertise into great content, then don't join. If you're willing to do some work, study, and implement, then this will work for you.

CONCERN: What if I am not an expert?

SOLUTION: If you have ever helped anyone solve a problem, you can provide a service as an expert, and get paid well for doing so.  Can you answer 10-20 questions about a topic? Then you can execute on what we teach. If you can’t pull out the expertise from yourself and run with it, then we’ll show you how you can borrow other’s peoples expertise and facilitate for them, and how you can interview other experts to build an audience.

The truth is no matter what business you're in or want to be in," your business isn't different." All businesses need leads. All businesses need customers. Every business can benefit by having a strong engaged audience online.

Regardless of what you sell, positioning yourself as an expert and building a platform for leadership and change in your industry by publishing improves your connection to your customers and will help generate leads for your business and attract the right customers to you. You’ll also learn how to turn those interested in learning into real leads you can follow up with and close.

CONCERN: How easy is it to learn to use? I’m not very technical. I’m not an experienced writer.

SOLUTION: I’ve designed the system to be easy to use even if you are not technical. You’ll get step-by-step training inside the system as well as a systematic approach to creating books for the purpose of building a business and strategies for expanding your platform. We have help videos that literally walk you through everything. On top of that you can schedule a 1 on 1 session with me to help you get everything setup.

CONCERN: What if I don’t even have a business yet?

SOLUTION: You don’t need a business to start engaging with an audience and start building a list. We’ll show you how you can take the knowledge you have about your business, something you are passionate about or want to learn about and use it to create an engaged audience.

CONCERN: What if I don't know how to write or publish a book?

SOLUTION: That is exactly what this course will teach you. We have templates and structure created right in the course to take you through the whole process from beginning to end. In fact I have had 4 clients so far who have gone through the programme without any book writing experience and in less than 30 days completely written and launched their books

CONCERN: What if I fall behind?

SOLUTION: This is a fast-paced course and this is YOUR PRODUCT. If you need to take a break, the materials will all be here when you come back. However, we encourage you to stay on track with our curriculum to build momentum and get the maximum benefit out of the programme. Also by staying up with the sessions you’ll be able to ask questions Live when they are recorded.

You'll have access to the complete programme so you can come back as often as you need to review the training materials and access the resources.

CONCERN: What if I try it, and it’s not for me?

SOLUTION: I stand by this course with a 100% money-back guarantee. I’ve tested these techniques and strategies extensively and I have proven that they work. I have success story after success story, so I can take on the risk myselfs. Try the course out for 30 days and decide if it’s right for you. However - and this is important - only join if you intend on implementing what you learn. This course is not just to give you a bunch of information. You’ll need to take action to be successful. If you do decide that it’s not for you just ask for a refund in the first 30 days.

CONCERN: What if I don't know where to start?

SOLUTION: One of the great things about this system is we take you by the hand and show you step-by-step how to start and where to get started…even if you have no idea how to get leads...or even how to get started. We even get on a 1 on 1 joint call with you to help get you going.

CONCERN: What if I don't know anything about marketing, technology or product creation?

SOLUTION: No problem. This programme is designed for anyone who wants to build their platform, increase their value and start making money by publishing and building a business off of their book, podcast or publishing to other media. We have people in this programme with very little to no experience in marketing, technology or product creation as well as more experienced customers. You will learn everything you need to know, step by step.

Where can I learn more?

Just visit www.TheGuruFactory.co.uk

Did This Help You? Any thoughts or questions?  If so, I would greatly appreciate if you commented below and shared on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/thejonathanclark

http://www.twitter.com/JonathanClark

If you enjoyed this post, share and comment please..

Here's One I Prepared Earlier...

Do you remember Blue Peter?  Do you remember when they would build a doll's house or a rocket made from a Fairly Liquid bottle?  And sometimes you could send away an SAE and get the instructions.  Well, when I saw the Action Man Quartermasters Stores, I was hooked!  I convinced my mother to part with a 1st class stamp and an envelope, and when that sheet came in I started on my project immediately.  Sticky wood-effect paper for the flooring, half a ping pong ball for the light shade, and the rifle rack that I already owned.

But here's the interesting part to this story - for me anyway.  While I was building it, I was also teaching an invisible audience how to build it at the same time!  I mean, out loud!

In NLP they call this modelling.  

At 10 years old I was replicating what I'd just watched the week before - I was building something and teaching an audience how to build it as I went along...

I guess once a Coach, always a Coach.

Many years later I spent 7 years studying martial arts - in particular Lau Gar Kung Fu.  Of the 64 of us that enrolled in that first class, after 7 years we were down to one - and it was me!  The disadvantage was that I got a lot less personal tuition than the rest of the class - it made sense for the teacher to teach all the other grades and spend what time was left with me.  The advantage was I got to teach, and that I really enjoyed. And all of my pupils went on to pass their gradings and win their next belt.

Skip forward to 2007 and I launched The Fully Booked Bootcamp.  This was a 12 month programme for people who had an idea for a business, and my job was to teach them how to launch it, market it and make it profitable in year one.  We had a room full of students, including Brian Costello, Jackie Walker, Brian Larkin.

Brian Costello launched Headstrong.  Jackie went on to become The Divorce Coach.  Brian Larkin won a BAFTA.

A couple of years later I did a 6 month "virtual" Bootcamp called The Alchemy Challenge - this was a webinar programme designed to monetise whatever knowledge or skills the students brought to the table.  Most of them implemented what I showed them and made money.

The Platinum Challenge came later - this was a follow up to Alchemy, but in particular on how to run your own Teleseminars, the best way to do product launches and a whole training on creating your own profitable membership sites.

After all this, I came to the following conclusion - I'm very good at making other people successful.

Whether its turning around a suicidal client, or Coaching someone into a better career, or helping teachers activate all the training they've ever had, it seems that the more I focus on my clients getting THEIR desired outcome, the better it works.

And before anyone quotes Zig Ziglar, the gist is switching from achieving my own goals to helping others get their's. All the best ideologies teach that principle, and I suppose that's how the principle has shown up in my life.

So its time for the next programme, and I'm gathering data on who needs help with what.  if you haven't completed my online [and anonymous] survey yet, please do.  Its at 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VD9BF68

Watch this space.  Now, where's my double sided sticky tape?

Did This Help You? If so, I would greatly appreciate if you commented below and shared on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/thejonathanclark

http://www.twitter.com/JonathanClark

If you enjoyed this post, share and comment please..

Lead generation and small business marketing course

Small Business Coaching Marketing Strategy