Sit back. Turn your speakers up. Enjoy the ride…. :)
Yeah, there’s a marketing lesson in there. This is a brilliant lesson for changing perception and getting reach via viral video marketing. Instead of talking much about that now, just simply enjoy it!
Chris.
You have heard this before: “Do what you are passionate about and the money will follow”
It’s very smooth and soothing and has inspired many to go after the things they love. Who wouldn’t want to pursue a passion as opposed to grinding your life away sitting behind a desk doing something you really don’t like?
Doing something that’s un-interesting is a drain. It saps the living life out of you. So, yes, you will be much more energized and excited about the possibilities by pursuing your passion.
… but, there’s one thing missing that is imperative you know to avoid massive financial failure and misery
Not knowing this has caused people to fail faster than missing this.
What is it?
Well, first of all, they don’t tell you to make sure there’s a market for it. If there’s no market, then there’s money to be made. If there’s no money, well, I think you know what happens. So make sure there’s a market, and a big enough market so you can get paid enough to make it worthwhile to you. Otherwise, your passion will fizzle.
The other thing they don’t tell you about following your passions is that if you don’t know how to effectively market and sell yourself, you will have to leave your success up to pure luck working for you. I don’t know about you but I like it when I’m lucky, I also like it when I have more control over my financial future and what I can accomplish. John Maxwell said that “hope is not a good strategy”. You can also say that “luck and hope are not good strategies”.
So, yes, pursue your passions, whether it’s photography, painting, art, starting your own business, creating a 2nd business – go after what is in your heart. Just make sure you invest time, money and energy in learning how to market and sell yourself.
And we all like to do things on our own. I mean the world and society tells us to be a self-made man (or woman!). It has great appeal to it. Who wouldn’t want to be known as that?! Pictures of fame, fortune, recognition, stardom go along with it. It also drives me insane.
Show me a self-made man and I will show you a man that hasn’t made much of himself.
Why do I say that?
Everyone I know who has been successful has had a variety of things come into play… they have received a “lucky break” along the way – usually in the way of having a wise mentor impart a piece of wisdom or making a much needed connection. They have also been coached and mentored by greats that have gone before them, whether it’s in the form of books, audios, videos or mentors and coaches. Or more often than not, a combination of them.
There are 2 ways to gain wisdom – mistakes and mentors.
If you don’t want a mentor make many mistakes and take the long road to your goals.
But why not find a mentor that has experience in the area you want to grow in? … this is a true shortcut to your goals and living in your area of passion.
Oh, and by the way, you have special gifts and talents. People need what you have. Lives are waiting to be touched by your gifts and your story.
Follow your passions. Learn to market and sell yourself. Find a mentor or coach that can impart wisdom to you. Then work your buns off and leave the results to God. (that’s a story for a rainy day :)
Be great eh!
Chris
For those of you that have been hanging around here for a while, you will see that today’s topic is a little different… or is it?
You know that I’m am against “bright shiny objects”. The things that everyone in marketing makes you believe that you “absolutely have to have this magically wiz-bang gadget or gizmo to really be successful”. I agree with all the great minds, that true progress comes from changing your thinking… “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
Along this lines, this article fits brilliantly. It is written by my sweetheart and my wife, Naomi. She is truly gifted.
Whether you are for or against homeschooling, that’s not the point. What’s important is how you think and not getting sucked into as Naomi describes “The Phantom Holes”.
… here’s the article, enjoy….
Have you ever worried about the phantom “holes” in your child’s education? You know, the important lessons, connections, and facts that we might miss by not using the nationally sanctioned public school curriculum?
I especially worried about these “holes” when I realized my six year old didn’t know the days of the week in the right order! What else was I missing? What horrible damage was I doing to my child?
The feeling only intensified when I talked to people entrenched in the educational system. There was always worry, concern and anxiety surrounding their talk of education and the importance of consulting with “experts” on all matters. It’s the same tone I used to get from my teachers in public school: Sure, you have great ideas and thoughts, but these things are decided and determined by the experts, and really it is above your head. You only need comply and acquiesce to get along well here and get ahead in life. Just follow the system and everything will be just great.
Ugh! Makes me want to grab my kids and run for the hills.
But what of that seed of concern they planted in my mind? What of the phantom holes? Are they really a concern?
Charlotte Mason, a British educator whose philosophy and methods are growing in popularity with homeschoolers and educators alike in America today, in Vol.3 of The Original Homeschooling Series wrote:
“Our aim in Education is to give a Full Life.––We begin to see what we want. Children make large demands upon us. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. Thou hast set my feet in a large room; should be the glad cry of every intelligent soul. Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking––the strain would be too great––but, all living; that is to say, we should be in touch wherever we go, whatever we hear, whatever we see, with some manner of vital interest. We cannot give the children these interests; we prefer that they should never say they have learned botany or conchology, geology or astronomy. The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
So what do we want for our children then? What is our aim? Is it to cover every topic, read every book, and get involved in every program? Is it to make sure we ‘get it all in there’?
Or do we want our children to know how to think and also care about the things he learns?
I read somewhere that Henry Ford once filed a libel suit against a newspaper that had called him ignorant and uneducated.
After being embarrassingly questioned on textbook facts like the fundamental principles of government, the dates of the Revolutionary War, etc. Ford grew tired of this line of questioning. He explained that if he wanted answers to those questions he could summon any number of men who could answer them by simply pushing a button on his desk.
He then said, “Now will you kindly tell me why I should clutter up my mind with general knowledge for the purpose of being able to answer questions when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I require?”
I guess my question is, in this day and age when any and all information is readily available at our fingertips; does it really matter if we miss a thing or two?
We’re not talking about the three R’s here – that’s covered. And obviously I’m not talking about specific conditions that would need outside expertise like dyslexia, autism, etc.
What I mean is, won’t a child, with your help, or the help of another, be able to figure out the days of the week when they become necessary to her? If we can’t answer yes to that, there’s a problem.
So back to the question, what it is you truly want for your children? Is it to fill every hole with bits of information? To pack it all in and make sure nothing is left out, nothing is missed?
Why not set aside the fretting and instead give your children the chance to dwell in great literature, to think on the ideas of great minds, to share what they have learned using their own voice, and enjoy them in the process?
I think I opt for a child who knows how to think for himself- one who has been given the freedom to discover, whose desire to learn hasn’t been squelched. A child who has feasted on a banquet of living ideas, not a child stuffed from without on what a panel of so-called-experts who don’t know my child, who I’m almost certain I don’t see eye-to-eye with, who are more concerned about a politically correct and socially acceptable curriculum than they are about valuable ideas for my child, has decided was good education!
To have a fresh idea is novel. And in our decision to homeschool, we have the opportunity to allow them to have real ideas and to follow their passions, to investigate their curiosities. It’s not our job to worry over what they miss, but to pray over what to include. So as you’re planning this new season of learning, pray over your child’s education, and don’t fall prey to every “good” thing on the market. Save some time to explore those holes!
Post your thoughts below.
Ahhhhhh, if you like David vs. Goliath tales, you will love this…
In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didnt deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say no to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world. United: Song 1 is the first of those songs. United: Song 2 has been written and video production is underway. United: Song 3 is coming. I promise.
It’s a great story of how a little guy took on the indifferent corporate giant, but the numbers behind the story are just as interesting.
Check this out…..
Video #1: 8,191,077 views
Video #2: 946,871 views
Video #3: don’t know how many views, it was launched on his website. My bet it was more than 500 views!!
In case you didn’t see Video #1, here it is….
THIS VIDEO GOT OVER 8 MILLION VIEWS!!!!!
The big points here are:
There’s no way to know exactly how much we’re talking about here. What is important is to focus on taking care of your customers.
Just this week my family was at two different restaurants where we were given gift certificates to. Both restaurants consider themselves as high-end restaurants catering to higher income individuals. Here’s what happened…
… Restaurant #1 – a high end Italian restaurant – the owner came out and angrily threw the gift certificates back at me saying he refuses to honour them. This happened while I was holding the food AND TOOK PLACE IN FRONT OF MY KIDS!!! My kids looked at me and asked what was going on, why he was so mad at me and if we were going to be able to eat. Yes, I was highly irritated. If we were on the ice (playing hockey) the gloves would have come off. I questioned his reasoning for a few minutes and he refused to accept them. And to his defense, after he very angrily threw them back, he did calm down and looked at my kids and said he would “take the loss” on these and pay for our dinner for the kids. I’m sure his intent was pure.
… Restaurant #2 – a Teppan & Sushi restaurant – my wife was coming back from a long day with the kids. Kids were tired, my 2 year old was loooooong over due for her nap and was fussy on the verge of a meltdown. I had suggested to my wife that she pick up some food from this restaurant. I have eaten there many times, spent a lot of money and referred numerous people there. I even paid for meals for many friends and clients there. So my wife ordered and when it was time to pay, she gave the gift certificates to the cashier and was instantly denied.
My wife being VERY driven and hungry, did not want to get the run around. C’mon, she had a long day with the kids, anyone that has kids understands what that’s like. She asked for the manager – no manager there. No solution offered. Not one to settle and being quick on her feet, she asked to phone the manager. She got the manager on the phone and after several minutes of reasoning with the manager, got the ok to accept the gift certificates. The manager said she would have to eat in the restaurant – NO WAY! Not with a 2 year old on the verge of a major meltdown!!!
3rd round of reasoning with the manager and the manager finally conceded saying they would do this as an act of goodwill since they were under new management and wanted to “be nice”
Can you believe this garbage?!!!!
What are the chances I will ever go to either one of those restaurants? Or ever refer anybody there? … being Italian, the food at the Italian restaurant was tasteless and just plain bad. Kraft dinner tastes better than most of their high end pasta dishes.
Here’s the takeaway – how are your customers being treated? How are your competitors customers being treated? How can you use this to create an “unfair advantage” in your business and win and keep more happy clients?
… or …
Maybe you are a song writer and want to help me write a song.
Maybe you have had similar things happen to you….
Love to hear your comments or stories below.
Be great eh!
Chris.
P.S. Dave Carroll is Canadian too!! :)
Its a beautiful sunny day and I’m sitting outside feeling the warm sunshine on my skin. Kids are on a field trip at nature study today. And there are signs of activity in the local shopping center as several new businesses are moving in.
The sound of a jackhammer confirms that. Its a much welcome sound around here.
So many local merchants had been moving or going out of business that it was starting to look like a ghost town.
The local merchants that were left were deeply concerned as there was more vacant spots than occupied ones. Not a good sign.
All of a sudden 2 new businesses are set to move in and there are signs of others following.
My question is: What happened?
It seems odd that right after there was a change in the management company that handles all the leases that vacancies started being filled.
Or maybe not…
Maybe the new leasing company, Cushman & Wakefield (verify spelling) are professionals and know how to get things done. I don’t know for sure but it sure seems that way doesn’t it?
When a professional steps in, things get done and results flood in.
That’s a major trend that is going on in 2010. In 2009 there was a major exiting of ‘B’ players. In 2010, only the strong, the professionals will survive.
No longer can you cut it by being “good enough”, no you must find innovative ways to market and sell your products or services. You are leaving serious money on the table if you are not breaking your marketing message into niches and sub-groups. This is the easiest way to create a strong and powerful advantage and to separate you from competition.
I have been saying for over a year now that the competition has become fierce. Businesses are more savvy. Their marketing smarter. Gone are the days when just being online was good enough to win in your market.
I was talking to someone that said that in sales it is brutal for someone that doesn’t know what they are doing or has only had basic training.
In marketing & advertising, the “one-size-fits-all” approach is not working. With email marketing running rampant, the open rates, click through rates and opt-in rates have being plummeting while costs are soaring.
If you’re offline, don’t worry, the same thing is happening in postcards, ads and mail pieces. Results have been getting worse for you too.
What’s going on?!!!??
Consumers are being wiser about what they are buying and how they are buying it. Which translates into more work for you to get them to buy. You cannot be lazy or lackadaisical in your message or your market.
With the use of technology and so many businesses being online, you need a targeted approach. (If you’re not online its like showing up to a knife fight with no knife – you will get killed. At least give yourself a fighting chance and get started… Email me for different resources that will help you according to your budget)
According to Google, over 82% of all searches start online. In technology driven California and other parts of the country I bet its even higher.
Yes people are searching using more specific search terms. And the vocabulary they are using is unique and must be sought out. Simply guessing at keywords will end in failure and waste.
5 Key Points to avoid getting creamed in 2010 and ensure your business will survive and thrive…
Any of these points are a good topic for a future article eh?
… keep coming back, more to come….
Be great eh!
Chris
P.S. Post your comments below, love to hear you thoughts and other observations you are seeing.
As you may know, I am an Engineer, sales professional and advertising executive… I know, it’s a rare and possibly dysfunctional combination eh?!
… as an engineer, I like real answers, data and no hype or B.S.
… as a sales professional, I like helping people make decisions best for them and profit in a win-win situation
… as an advertising executive, I know all the games that go on in the advertising world, and I know the things that work and don’t work.
Combine all 3 and you get someone that knows how to play the marketing and advertising game, is passionate about helping people, and likes data to help make wise decisions. And, yes, I will also admit that I am a big believer in being the best at what you do and profiting from it too.
I recently was invited in to do a talk for Dan Kennedy’s GKIC Inner Circle members at their Orange County meeting. And by recently I mean last week.
… it is a topic I have had a lot of interest from business owners. I have been telling people that big wins come though small changes… you can see some examples and more information on what you can expect using this approach at https://www.chrisgoegan.com/programs/engineered-marketing-consult
So many people are trying to swing for the fences and make big gains in one fell swoop. And I see many people worried and uncertain whether their business can survive in this economy when there is so much fear and chaos all around them. Maybe you have felt this way. It is easy to feel this way.
My advice is to gain more control over your future by really knowing and understanding your business. Knowing and understanding the numbers in your business. When I consult with clients I show them some tools that helps explain this. One is understanding their TCP – the 3 Circles Of Wealth In Their Business. TCP stands for Traffic, Conversion, and Profitability.
In my 20 years of working with small to mid sized businesses, when businesses focus on these 3 areas they can expect to see their profits increase 25% in 3 months; when they don’t they experience a downward spiral. I have developed 5 Micro Tools to help businesses right their state and stabilize their business and become profitable.
One of the parts that will help you turn your business around in your Customer Experience.
I was just reading an article in the Orange County Register saying that bad customer service cost businesses $83 Billion Dollars last year. Here are some more stats from that article:
Here’s what consumers are looking for in the way of service:
I haven’t personally verified these numbers but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that customer service has gone down the proverbial drain in the last several years.
Here’s a story about what my wife experienced recently… my wife was on the phone with our cell phone provider because one of our brand new Blackberry’s didn’t work properly when we received it. They said it would cost us $10 to ship a new one to us – keep in mind the phone was brand new, it was defective AND we have been a loyal customer for 6 years and have paid them in excess of $10,500 not including referrals. So for $10 they told me that my loyalty meant nothing to them. Not only that it took us quite some time to get a live knowledgeable voice on the phone.
This is not uncommon. Many businesses are poor at answering the phone and handling calls professionally and efficiently. I recommend all clients to call their own business from time to time to make sure everything is working they way they think it should.
And if you really want to blow your customers minds and thrill them so that they will give you lots of repeat business and referrals, I recommend reviewing and re-engineering or choreographing your entire sales process to create the ultimate customer experience. Find little ways to thank them for being your customer, create loyalty rewards programs.
Here’s what most businesses do… they make a sale and rarely or never talk to the customer again. BIG MISTAKE! You should constantly be in front of your customer using different media to give them new value so they will want to buy and refer more. There are 5 very easy ways to stay in front of your clients that every business should be using. Do you know what they are?
Make it a great week eh!
Chris
P.S. I have a new FREE Report coming soon… called “12 BIGGEST Mistakes Businesses are Making In Their Sales, Marketing and Advertising – And How You Can Avoid Each One” … keep checking back to this site to download your copy. The information in there is valuable – how valuable? … if your business is making $1Million/year, you can add $200,000 profit in the next 3-6 months.
Ok, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver are over. And what an exhilarating Olympics it was!!
Being from Canada, I gotta say there were 3 big highlights for me…
There are so many athletes that were a joy to watch. Shameless confession, I watched many of the curling matches and was on pins and needles watching Canada defeat Norway for the Gold – I did fall asleep several times as the tape delay didn’t show the match until around midnight. My wife laughs at me that I actually like that sport AND watch it. You may be saying “is Curling even a sport?!!!”
So, no matter what you are facing in life – high’s or lows, work everyday for your Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal, which is how you live your life. Because whether you realize it or not, there are eyes that are easily influenced that are watching you.
Be great eh!
Chris.
Holy Smokes eh!!
We are at the halfway point of the first month of the year. That means we are 1/24th of the way through the year.
Quick quiz:
If your answer is yes, congratulations, you are well on your way to blowing it out this year!
If your answer is no to any of these, here’s what I want you to do:
Holy smokes, how’s that for being nice eh?!! :)
Obviously I’m joking here… but not that much.
I talked with several people in December that said they have BIG goals this year. I politely listened and nodded my head. They said they had a plan and come the new year they were going to make it happen.
When I checked with them to see how it’s going, only a very small amount had actually made changes. The majority are still “getting ready” or “analyzing options” or “still getting clear about what I want, THEN I will make it happen” … blah, blah, blah.
Here’s the deal. Life is short!
I am reminded of this constantly. I lost my dad to cancer almost 3 years ago – he was incredibly fit and only 67. I have 3 good friends that have cancer.
My oldest daughter Riley turned 8 last month. Seems like she was just born yesterday. She is almost at the halfway point of me seeing her every day. If you have kids you will relate.
Life is short. Understand this, grasp it. Let this thought breathe life into the goals you have kept locked up inside you.
I am very passionate about moving forward in the direction of what you want in life.
God put special gifts and talents in you.
… don’t play small
… play big ~Contact.FirstName~
… set some goals that excite you, that light you up
… get out of the stands and onto the playing field of life
… always remember, there are people out there counting on you. People need to hear your story. There are people that need what you have
Yes I get fired up about this stuff. My blood bubbles and I feel like William Wallace running across the battlefield with sword drawn, gaze focused, senses heightened & ready to fight for a new freedom. A new level of life.
And what is sorely missed in business today?
Candor.
Dictionary.com defines candor as the state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression; candidness: The candor of the speech impressed the audience.
That is my promise to you. To always speak with candor.
I look around and see so many people saying things to make a buck. I see B.S. flung without thought. I see prospects buy crap because a salesman put a pretty spin on things and shaved a few bucks off the price.
I have always been asked how come my clients love me so much. It comes back to candor. One client just told me how much they enjoy working with me because they know that I am always thinking of their best interest first and foremost.
Imagine what it would be like if the B.S. in life went away.
I know that this will never happen in the world.
But I do know that it can happen in your world.
And it starts with you.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out exclaiming “Wow! What a ride!!”
Here’s to slidin in sideways!
Post your comments below.
Be great eh!
Chris.
First of all, Happy New Year!
Hope you had a fantastic holiday and are ready to get rolling this year.
One of the things you want is to make 2010 better than 2009. Some of you 2009 was your best year, some you limped through and were happy to just be above ground.
And obviously if you don’t want a repeat of last year you gotta make some changes.
And one thing I think you want is more freedom… not a lack of business, or money or choices and the stress that comes along with that.
And to help you get there, I’m going to keep this really simple and give you 3 things to do to make this an amazing year:
Let me share briefly some things I’m focusing on this year… I will focus on list development and providing resources to help small business owners. You guys have it tough and deserve a break. I will continue to provide high value free information and will also start rolling out programs and products you can purchase. You would not believe all the requests I get and I also have some people get mad at me because I have not put out programs they can buy. I will continue to stay away from hype and fluff and give you substance.
I look forward to a great year with you.
Please post your ideas below on how you will be making 2010 a beauty.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out exclaiming “Wow! What a ride!!”
Choose to be a professional and not an amateur. Choose to be great rather than settle.
It’s only your life at stake.
10,000 hours gets your greatness in your field and sets you among the elite of the elite.
Do you want to be average?
… live an ordinary ho-hum, settle for life?
… wonder “what if” … being old and gray and looking back and wondering, “hey, what if I went for it. If I truly went after my passions in life. I wonder what would have happened?”
For me, the pain of looking back in regret wondering “what if” was greater than the pain and fear I faced in moving forward. So I moved forward. I pressed on. (a lot of times it was like 51%/49% :)
The rewards are there if only you dare going after them.
I saw a great video on this… 3 minutes and 53 seconds.
If you haven’t already, come out of the stands and get into the game of life.
The pace is different. You will get bloodied and bruised.
But you will FEEL ALIVE!!
Post your comments below. Heck, post your story.
Be great eh!
Chris.
Helping good people
build great businesses