One of the aspects of working on and in the context of personal evolution is that I am constantly in evolution in both senses of the word–”in it”, as in exploring the context and in the process of my own personal evolution as well–because you see, it is never over. Our evolution, which is really about allowing the greatest depths of ourselves to unfold and manifest in the world, is never over–because our depths are infinite. If who we are is a manifestation of the divine–an outpouring of Spirit, and the Kingdom of God is Within [and I believe it is] than there is no end to uncovering, clearing, and allowing that beauty to unfold in the world.

And I never ask my clients to do anything I have not done myself and am applying in my own life. Period. As such, this post is a little more personal for me to demonstrate that.

After my divorce, and the year long self-reflection that followed, I realized that for the most part, what consistently happened in my romantic relating was a zero-sum type of dynamic. That at the end of my relationship with a woman, she was tangibly more empowered, more comfortable with herself, more fully embodied, and proud of her womanhood.

Partly because it was my constant practice to be sure she felt loved, had per positive qualities acknowledged somehow on an actual daily basis [not the same ones, but what authentically struck me in the moment as I appreciated her at some point], that she not only had a daily reminder, with full connection and presence of my love for her [and what I loved about her and why] but that she blushed with my acknowledgments.

It was conscious. Intentional. And the relating really cost me dearly. I was psychically drained, more dis-empowered, and frankly, less of a man by the end. It was, in fact, a zero-sum game.

It was not the things I was doing that drained me. They were rewarding to just do it. It was the lack of any reciprocal expression, I think. And I other things they did that I lacked facility around.

The contrast had never been so great than after my divorce–and the dynamics never so clear as in that marriage.

Now, I never planned it that way, but once I noticed it after the divorce, I ended up having a zero-tolerance policy for romantic relating that was not about synergistic upward spirals where both people were winning–and the relating was winning too. A triple win game. Both parties were winning–AND the actual relating was winning too. It is healthier for me to just be alone and fully empowered McClain-Ness than to be in unfulfilling and relating that ultimately cost me energetically. Although it took me a while to adjust to that, and sadly there was one relationship in which she ended up being drained…but it is all a process–and sometimes that is about the pendulum swinging the other way before it swings back the middle to finally rest upon the golden mean.

But back to zero-sum…

Let’s face it–people who have little or no self-respect choose bad and even abusive relationships over being alone. Me? I would rather wake up alone, be in the company of just myself, than be in an unhealthy or un-fulfilling relationship. And I never have [and never will] just go from one relationship to another. Takes at least 6 months or so for self-reflection and the integration of the learnings before we can be responsible with another’s heart, But that is all romantic…

Six years later, I am just now getting to really make sure that is generalized into all relating–not just romantic.

This is all part of how I have been consciously going through ALL of my friendships, free of sentimentality or attachment, and shrewdly examining if they are rich, dynamic, healthy, and fulfilling–or if they are just habits. And then explicitly ending the friendship or deepening and continuing the friendship with more connection, engagement, and intentionality. Regardless of how much I love the individual I am in the friendship with I may be ending. The relating must also be fulfilling. and one of the most important things for me that has the relating fulfilling is emotional engagement…rather than fear and detachment. But real engagement–yet also free of identification or enmeshment.

SOMETIMES that means me making decisions for other people when their relating with me is not serving THEM. I used to refuse to do so, thinking I was availing them of the growth opportunity to declare boundaries, make those choices themselves, develop confidence in communicating their needs, etc. But given that most people are deficient in true esteem for the self, and self-respect [part of which is demonstrated by drawing boundaries] is one of the core components of esteem for the self [along with self-efficacy] but I stopped doing that. I am now quite comfortable making choices for others when they continually demonstrate they incompetent to do for themselves–so long as it is about relating with me.

That is quite enough of the why and the what. But what about the “how” Jason?

It is all about values and forms.

One of the exercises I have clients do in Phase 2 of the Personal Evolution program [and occasionally in the professional evolution program as well] is a full life, all context examination of what is important to them [values] and how they would know if it were being experienced by them; what would they be seeing, feeling hearing, doing, and experiencing that would prover to them they were experiencing value X, Y, or Z? Conflict often happens in the form [which is why politicians are scant on policy papers before the election]. Values [freedom, security, justice] are things that everyone can agree on–we all want that. The HOW of carrying them out? Conflict arises sure as the sun also rises.

So in seeking friendships or romantic relating, it is not enough to express that “communication” is important to us. For some that will mean asking about your day. For others that will mean that if you are bothered by something, no matter how small, you share your internal process. Communication is the value, but the form is different.

Anytime we are upset, barring an unresolved event from the past or a pervasive self-esteem issue, we must look to values. So this becomes a tool for elegant communication to have your needs expressed [and met] as well. One that avoids conflict or having the other person be wrong. One that has intimacy and a deeper level of understanding arise.

But that is a story for another time.

For now, do this:

Take 3 major contexts in your life [romantic, career, community] as ask your self what is important to you in those contexts. You will know it is a “value” if it is conceptual, abstract. If you can put it in a wheelbarrow or touch it or smell it, it is NOT a value, but a form. To “chunk up” higher to the value, ask, “what’s important to me about that?” If you are looking at forms, then it MUST be able to be put in a wheelbarrow–measured, touched, observed. If it can not, and it is an abstract value, then you can “chunk down” to the form by asking, “If I were experiencing _______ how would I know? What would I be seeing, feeling, hearing? What would my evidence be?”

I recommend 3 to 5 values in each context. And for each value, 3 forms or pieces of tangible evidence of that value being realized in the context.

The truth is that if you do this exercise, you might be terribly confronted by the relationship or the career you are in–or you will be relieved to have a conscious and explicit answer as to why you are not fulfilled–or you are drained, or their is conflict you can not understand.

If you are not in one of those context currently [you are single, or you are laid off, or looking for a gig] then this becomes a wonderful tool to overlay onto the person or organization. So you can consciously choose a relationship or organization that truly and consciously suits your values. Otherwise, the spiritual costs are immeasurable. No matter how great the compensation package, or how much chemistry, the spiritual costs of un-fulfilling contexts [where your values are not fulfilled] are immeasurable.

At the same time, be cautious that you are assessing others *through time*. If you only have a snap shot of them, and you are saying they do not suit you personally or professionally, you may be more living out a stage 1, low self-esteem ego game by being right and “justified” than by actually seeing a conflict of values, but that is also another story for another time.

Choose the conscious, fulfilling path. I beg of you, for you and for your Spiritual expression. while this may seem liek a lot of work, it is even more of a burden–and more insidiously so–to be in unfulfilling contexts.

So, ask yourself ::: are you in a habit, or in a relationship?

Communication, Uncategorized, emotions, inter-personal dynamics, intra-personal dynamics, organizing principles, relationships, self-esteem detachment, emotional freedom, facility with self, identification, organizing principles, self-esteem

Part 1 from last week is HERE. Go there to read it for the fist time or to refresh your memory before reading part 2.

Live a Life of Service

There are two components to getting paid what you are worth.

• A foundation of service and contribution
• Skill with creating more accurate and more effective value perceptions

Make a Choice Today–if you have not already done so–to live a life dedicated to assisting others. To be of service. To be an agent in overt operations designed to assit others in reaching their pinnacle–or at least the next plateau and vista. This is the foundation you must come from to act ethically with tools of influence—and to be justified in greater latitude in the type of influence you use.

Why is this important?

It is important for two very different, yet deeply related reasons:

1. Coming from a place of service–only serving another’s need and goals–your communication dynamics will be cleaner. You will not be trying to get what you want–from or for–the client; you will be assisting the client in reaching the higher fruits they find appealing. You are in partnership. There is no call for conflict. This and one other organizing principle I operate by as a practitioner has yielded me only 1 hostile client situation in a pool of 200 clients over a span of nearly 5 years.
2. If you are truly being of service to another achieving what they want–and it is an outcome or goal that does no harm to any living thing, it then becomes your duty–yes, duty–to leverage them beyond their limitations. What that means to you is that your grounding of service, coupled with the permission you receive, or context implicitly set by walking into your office is the gateway to free reign with tools of influence. If what your desire creeps in, or more subtly, you desire for them to set a goal or an outcome that you think they should want or that you see as possible for them, you have lost your footing and your just cause—unless you enroll them in that and gain their permission to influence them towards that end.

You must be genuinely coming from assisting them in creating the life they want. You must not appear attached–and hopefully you do the intra-personal work to actually BE unattached. Otherwise you will seem desperate. And in romance, politics, and in business, desperation is not an aphrodisiac. Either way, consider your service to them as your organizing principle: how would your behaviors show up? How far would you go to inspire or help them? Would you care about them? To what degree? How would you relate to their opinion or their experience of you? Your approach should be determined by what serves them as an individual. Some need loving care and safety. Some need a kick in the tush. I can call upon any style that serves them–and I encourage you to take that on as well.

Whatever the truth of your situation and concerns, you must act as if you do not need them to sign anything. The best way to do that is to put your concerns out of your head, and focus on theirs and theirs alone for at least the time you are together. Your concerns for your own life are simply irrelevant for that hour. Pretend to set them down next to the door right after you hang your coat up, or boot your computer, or whatever ritual you conduct in your office when you walk in.

They are not in service of you and your needs. They are not lucky to have you. You are lucky and honored to be in their service. Act that way. The referrals will pour in. You are in service of them living the life they dream of. Continue to help people attain what they envision for themselves, and you will eventually have everything you could want.

You will be far more spiritually fulfilled. If your life and your business is about helping others–that is your livelihood is sourced in assisting others in realizing and attaining a higher level of excellence in any context in their lives–you can not help but be fulfilled.

How does one shift away from a subject-object orientation to an orientation of service in support of another’s vision? A relational orientation. The organizing principle and the effective method is simple: you are not trading time for money–you are not really selling a service. What you are selling the prospective client is their vision for how their life could and will be.

If they achieved their stated desired results working with you, How would their life be different? what would that be worth?

Of course, when you ask the question of them, you may want to say “will have achieved” not “if”.

I wish I did not have to stress this, but you also want to be sure before you go any further that your service will, with an overwhelming percentage of certainty, give them what they need to achieve their outcomes.

It is probably priceless. That is certainly the answer I receive more than any other–so valuable to their life It is certainly worth more than your fees. In fact, your fees are insignificant compared to what any client would say the experiencing of achieving ABC or resolving XYZ would be worth to them.

You can ask further:

• How would their relationship with their spouse or significant other be positively impacted
• How would they feel about their life and themselves?
• What would that make possible [or] what would arise in their life as a result of these changes?

These are not rhetorical questions. You must openly guide them to answer explicitly–several times–to get clear on why they would purchase your product or service. That is the value perception you would ask them to consider while reviewing any agreement. I do so openly as I hand them the agreement. After they answer the questions, I hand them the agreement saying:

“That is the value you are considering this agreement against–the context you are to hold as you review it.”

That is why I maintain rigorous integrity to my policy of not discussing rates or fees before the exploratory session. Until they know what they want [of prospective clients do not know what they want they do not r for services before we meet. If I tell them a number--whether it is $30 or $300 dollars it means nothing. I do not know what they want in full yet--and neither do they until they meet and I ask extensive questions--they do not really know what I do as I have not explained it yet. And last I heard there was no "going rate" for an Evolutionary Guide except the one I am currently charging. They certainly have not considered what the services would make possible and what that is worth. I have only ever had one client in nearly 200 clients that has considered it fully before I inquire specifically.

Not only do the numbers mean nothing at early stages of the process--worse, they are comparing it, in their mind, to commodities they could buy with that amount of money. Are they "worth" the same? Of course not. You can not get more love in your life and connectedness and intimacy by paying a car lease, or buying groceries, or a new suit. You can not improve your embodiment of your spirituality by buying a second house.

Yet that is what we encourage them to do by telling them a number up front. They are looking at how many groceries or car payments your fees compare to.

The outcome is inevitable. They start to price shop. And you have assisted them in misunderstanding the true value of your services. You have done them a disservice.

If you truly want to be of service to them in improving their lives, it is irresponsible of you to discuss money or rates before you meet, AND before the appropriate time during that meeting; near the end of that exploratory session. After they have met you, after you have inquired about their desires and outcomes in full. After you have then explained what your approach is--and how it can assist them in getting what they want. You should not selling in your presentation--you are just demonstrating competence and establishing unimpeachable credibility. And finally, after you have addressed any questions they have about the process or your offering, but before they see the agreement and your rates.

And really, the be of service, money should be the last thing you or they are concerned about. It should certainly not be your primary focus.

It is this approach that has me with a consistently full business of one-on-one clients [over 20 a week] and a 98% success rate of converting prospects to clients for 5 years running.

As you look at the above stats, know that I do not re-new clients. We complete at the end of 6 months. I am talking about constant new client acquisition.

With the one-one-one clients it is my general policy to only renew them under special circumstances. I am not just renewing them automatically–and do a full inquiry into the purpose behind doing so. That means I go through this process at least 3 or 4 times a month with a virtual stranger. It works. And I want you to be able to have that kind of confidence in your results–and to turn your practice into a business so that you can live a financially prosperous life as a result of your spiritual principles and living a purpose filled life. Rather than in spite of or in conflict with your spiritual life.

In nearly 5 years of being in this business full time, I have never once had this backfire on me–no one has ever declined to meet me for an exploratory as a result of this policy. I have twice had people in which were not financially qualified, but they were not financially qualified for anyone. And that is the risk I am willing to take for the benefits of this approach.

So HOW do you use this organizing principle?

• Have a firm and unshakable resolve to not discuss your rates. Put it in your FAQ and declare it to the world on your web site. Then, keep your word about it. [check your local laws and regulations if you are a licensed therapist]
• Discuss rates only at the appropriate time–after they say what it would make possible in their life, and right before they are handed the agreement
• Use these formulations to ask that question:
  • “If you had XYZ, what would that possible in your life?
  • “Once we achieve all of that together in this program, what would that open up for you in
    • Your relationships
    • Your emotional life
    • Your professional life?

Follow up with this question several times: What else would it make possible?

Get three or 4 out. Unless they go to something universal and spiritual that brings tears to their eyes–in which case, stop right there, it will not get any better than that. Also–be transparent. I usually add, “and that is the context you hold, and the value you are weighing this agreement against”. Sometimes I am even so transparent as to say, “Ok, time for me to do ask a silly sales question–because it is my duty to leverage you beyond the limitations you came here to resolve…that experience it makes possible? What is that worth to you if you could put a price on it?”

The more you hear the mind-blowing answers people give, the less you are fearful about raising your rates for new clients–and finally getting paid what you are worth; getting paid more in alignment with the differences you are making in their lives.

Of course, this is one small component of the larger structures you will need to have in place to become more effective at new client acquisition, but it is an important one. I look forward to sharing more with you and being your Guide as you turn your practice into a business in the 21st Century Marketplace.

21st Century Marketplace, Coaching Resources, Communication, Evolutionary Sales, Purpose, coaching practice tips, organizing principles, sales and marketing tips coaching practice tips, communication skills, Purpose, sales

One of the challenges I see so many coaches and solopreneurs struggle with is what they should charge for their services. Most do not know what they should charge. Many charge what they think they can get. Some charge whatever the next coach or practitioner charges. That is–”the going rate”. Many charge what they would be willing to pay themselves. Most charge less than they are worth–while improving the lives of others dramatically.

But why? And what are the solutions to this travesty of value? Read more…

21st Century Marketplace, Coaching Resources, Communication, Evolutionary Sales, Purpose, Uncategorized, coaching practice tips, featured, inter-personal dynamics, organizing principles, sales and marketing tips, spirituality marketing tips, practice tips, Purpose, sales tips, value perception

We have already covered errors in philosophical grounding, lack of skill, and a failure of implementing a sustainable structure for your business–and for the scope of your clients’ needs.

What is next?

More nuts and bolts rather than philosophical grounding or mindset:

Mistake: Having only 1 stream of prospects

Most coaches and solo-preneurs rely on word of mouth. Word of mouth is critical. In the 21st Century marketplace there are hyper-empowered and talkative people. This is good for you. However, it is not enough. Make a decision now to take control–to be the locus of responsibility–for the success of your business. While word of mouth is critical, it is only one of at least three prospect streams the successful solo-preneur must establish for themselves. What are those three?

Solution:

• Formalized referral systems [two of them]
• Speaking engagements and free evening talks
• Word of mouth

The two formalized referral systems?

• An affiliate program with a percentage or fee for referrals
• Write a referral clause into your client contract–requiring two if the client is happy with your services. While you do not want to be heavy handed about this, it does set their intention and focus their awareness on a more formal approach to referrals

The evening talks?

• Make it explicit in your marketing AND in your introductory remarks that you are there for two reasons:
  • to provide value to their lives–first and foremost
  • to expose people to and offer an introduction to your services

Word of mouth?

• Consider this a great backup and occasional unexpected icing on the cake when those unintentional or random referrals occur. And occur they will.

If you do this, and you consider them in this order of importance, you will always be in control of your flow of clients and prospects–and they will flow in. Your sustainable prosperity will follow.

Mistake: Failure to leverage contact points and the opportunity they hold

Solution: many

• Consider any contact point you have with a prospect [be it an initial session, an email, or a phone call] an opportunity for you to leverage them beyond their current limitations emotionally or mentally–an opportunity for your to expand their world. An opportunity for you to be of service.
• Do not give “free initial coaching sessions”
  • Many coaches and many prospects think it is beneficial to give away services or to experience the practitioner directly. I have never found this to be effective in a prosperous business. If you want to turn your practice into a business then offer a complimentary exploratory session–and consider it an information gathering session for you and a sales presentation for the prospect. Let them get a sense of you, but do not give them free coaching. You are not part of a buffet. You want them to commit to a more fulfilling experience. A full 3 course meal. Be sure to show them the menu and explain the dishes and presentation–be sure to demonstrate your competence, but be careful you are making sure your contact point is leveraged to its full potential–for their sake in finally having a better life–and for yours in creating a sustainable and prosperous business.
  • Have them make a decision one way or the other in that exploratory session. If you let them “think about it” then they will get less and less clear on what you presented, and therefore less and less clear on what it will make possible in their lives and their fear and limitations kick in. The very habit patters of the mind that they are coming to you to resolve take over. It is your duty to guide them to a choice in that session. Yes and no are both fine answers–but require an answer. I will often ask a prospect who wants to “think about it” if that is the thing that stops them elsewhere in their lives. That is usually all I have to say in those situations for them to sign the agreement in front of them.
  • Be respectful with their experience–set context–and make sure when you chat with them on the phone for the purpose of setting up the exploratory session that they are aware of the process–that they know you will clarify what they want, then explain your approach, and then if it is a fit–have them review a contract. Those contact points are critical for your guidance of the client to changing their lives.
• When a client sends you an email raving about your contribution–or when they acknowledge you verbally communicating the difference you have made for them–ask them if you can quote them. Turn that acknowledgment into a testimonial for your marketing materials.

There are more examples I could give, but remember, if you want to have sustainable prosperity and truly be of service to a larger and larger portion of your community, and therefore be an agent of change rippling out to assist in creating a better global condition–consider every contact point an opportunity.

Mistake: Considering Your Service a Commodity

There is a reason I do not publish my rates.

My services are not a commodity on the shelf to be price-shopped. And no one else does what I do, really. And consider that you offer something unique that no one else does. In discovering that you will not only feel better about your “fees”, but you will also have take the first step in being able to communicate the value of your services to your clients and prospects in such a way that your fees seems insignificant and nearly irrelevant when measured against the value your service will bring to their lives.

And really–just between you and me–do you really feel that a number, no matter how reasonable or how unreasonable it may seem communicates the scope and richness of the difference your service can provide in their lives? Unless you have nothing unique to offer–you do your prospects a disservice by buying into their mindset that they can price shop.

I have never lost an opportunity or had a client not want to work with me as a result of this approach. In fact, it is one of the secrets of my success–selling from vision and value and having the money be a formality–but an afterthought.

Mistake #7: Did I say 6?

I guess there is at least one more: “Healing” that which you need to resolve in your self and in your own life by healing others

I am going to say something harsh here and say that I consider it unethical–yes, “unethical” for coaches, therapist, or “healers” to work on the same issues with clients that they have not resolved within themselves.

While you may still be able to provide solutions–at least be honest with your client that you have not handled it in your own life. And make a choice now to only provide services that you feel competent, resolved with, and apply to your self in your own life.

If you are a relationship coach–have a great relationship. If you are a coach around self-esteem, have a well developed ego [in the positive and healthy sense]. If you are an addict who is still smoking, drinking, or doing drugs, do not counsel others on that. Do not look to heal your wounds through the wounds of others. There is a danger of projection, and even more so–how can you charge someone to solve something you have been unable to demonstrate as being solved in your own life?

I hope this article helps you in your desire for sustainable prosperity. Read, listen, learn, and thrive.

Communication, Purpose, sales and marketing tips

Be sure to read Part 1 of this article here.

Taking Responsibility

The more you take responsibility—for your emotions, your actions, your life the more you build self-esteem. It is not the person who upset you, it is that you became triggered—or that you lost facility. It is not that the cost of living is too high; it is that you are not generating enough income. It is not that someone treats you poorly; it is that you are ineffective at drawing appropriate boundaries. The locus of responsibility—and therefore power—is within you. Nothing is external. To blame someone is to give them tremendous power over you. When you forgo blame in favor of responsibility, you give up comfort, but you reap tremendous rewards—gaining power and building self-esteem.

Sadly, I have even experienced people whose ego structure [development of self-esteem] is so insufficient that they will severely distort facts to make themselves look better—all unconsciously. That is, they are not even aware they are doing it. Their ego is so small and fragile it can not include possibilities that do not put them in the most positive light. They also cannot hear feedback. They take things personally that take great leaps of irrationality to do so. They will also have trouble telling the truth of their experience—they are too fearful. And they have a strong — and at times desperate — need for approval and acknowledgment from others.They are in egoic hell.

Fortunately, the solution is simple. Not easy, but simple. And the more you do it the easier it gets and it is the only sure fire way to build your rational self-esteem; taking responsibility for your part in all things inter-personal. Seeing and examining your part—and ignoring the part the other person had to play in it. Blame serves no one. Responsibility gives you tremendous power.

“Do you want to be on the results side of the equation, or the excuses side of the equation? –Christopher Howard

Let’s leave that for now and move to identification. When you identify with an aspect of your experience: possessions, reputation, job, relationship, etc. you will experience extreme fear and perhaps panic if you think it may be taken from you or lost. You will then make choices and take actions out of a fight-or-flight state. Likewise, if it actually is taken from you or lost to you, you will experience loss, perhaps confusion, pain, at times even grief. Often depression and despair are not far behind.

Both of these emotional experiences: fear and loss are clear indicators of identification; a case of mistaken identity. Who you truly are is that which is experiencing all of that. Pure awareness. The Witness.

The ultimate spiritual practice is dis-identifying from that which you think is you.”—Ken Wilber

Taking a step back, let’s look at this in more practical terms. The Witness is simply another perceptual position. As we discussed in the Rapport Module, there are at least 3 that you want to become facile in navigating: self, other, observer; or first, second, and third person perceptual positions. Witness is akin to an associated observer. I like to think of the first three as concentric circles, and the Witness as an intersecting circle that crosses all three.

Mastery of this and the other perceptual positions will allow you to experience massive internal facility, emotional freedom, and the ability to relate to and understand many and multiple perspectives—even if you do not agree with them.

You will have a greater scope of resources emotionally. You will have greater flexibility mentally. You will bounce back from unexpected events far more rapidly, and you will react less and less and respond more and more. Ultimately, you will foster the kind of flexibility and fluidity necessary for the 21st Century Marketplace and frankly, be happier, physically healthier, and more productive.

Your clients and prospects will sense the difference—even if they lack the linguistic structures to navigate it or explain it—and that will translate to results for you.

So that is what it is and why it is important, and what it makes possible…but how, Jason? How?

You have to learn the set of skills that will allow you to observe your experience. That is: to have your experience without your experience having you.

Just as in learning a new language, immersion is best at first if you are serious about learning the skill. There is a practice that I recommend.

As in all things I recommend to you, I have either done it, am doing it, or practice it continually. I have experienced this particular immersion six times now. It is a meditative practice that has been working for the purpose of teaching witnessing faculties for 2,500 years now. No matter your religion, spiritual beliefs, or lack thereof, you will reap many benefits and those around you will take notice. And soon you will realize how critical a skill it is indeed and how positive its results can be.

Find out more about scheduling this kind of immersion for yourself HERE.

And then you will truly be an Evolutionary professional.

Communication, ego, emotions, intra-personal dynamics, spirituality

Every successful business person is a marketer and a salesperson first. If you want to be successful, you should consider that as your primary organizing principle. If you want to thrive, rather than just survive, then your primary focus needs to be on generating business and leads—and then opening those relationships.

• Are your marketing dollars working for you? How do you know?

One of the biggest mistakes a small businessperson can make is not being able to track their marketing dollars. That ad you placed—did it get any response or not? How do you know? That yellow page placement-is it increasing your business traffic? How do you know? Are your dollars well placed with the print advertising, TV spots, radio, or other form? How can you know? Did it even pay for itself? The key words you purchased on google or yahoo search—are they effective? Are they garnering traffic?

That person you are paying 10$ an hour to stand on a street corner and pass out fliers—are they even asking any questions, or just silently trying to thrust the paper into people’s hands to get rid of the fliers–bacause, you know, you pay them for how many they pass out, not how many leads you get from it.

What are you paying per lead generated with these methods? How do you track the efficacy of your advertisement and marketing and therefore make informed choices as to whether or not your dollars are well placed?

There are several ways:

• Place a landing page.
  • In the age of the internet, you simply MUST have a “landing page”. A landing page is a web page accessible to only those who would have seen a specific marketing piece. An example would be: http://YOURDOMAIN.com/magazine-name-where-the-ad-is-placed.html and the like. In this way, you can look at the referral logs of your web traffic counter and see just how many hits and clicks you are getting as a result of a specific ad placement or marketing prong.
    • Site Meter is a good one, as is Google Analytics, and if you are running google adwords cvapmaigns, you may want to have all of those resources in one place
  • You can also set up a specific toll-free number to take messages specific to that marketing piece
• Test your ad copy. Just because you did not get as much response as you would have liked does not mean the venue in which you placed the ad is ineffective. It may be your ad copy, or often more importantly—the headline of the ad—that could be more effective.
• Use a tracking code. If you have someone handing out fliers, put some sort of tracking code on the flier so you can use that number, or landing page, or phone number to track your dollars to leads ratio.

The worst example I have recently seen of wasted marketing dollars was for a chiropractic clinic. They had people handing out fliers—but you would never have known what it was for. The flier distributor was standing on a busy financial district street corner—a location where there were probably plenty of prospects who could use an adjustment. However the person hired to hand the fliers out was simply attempting to thrust them into people’s hands. No engagement. No rapport. No questions or offers. No return on invested marketing dollars.

How much were they being paid by the clinic? How much more effective could those marketing dollars have been if they simply asked: “would you like to relieve your stress more effectively?” or some variant, and ONLY hand the fliers to those who said yes. How many people who needed the service walked on by because they simply did not want an unknown piece of pink paper in their hands?

We will never know—and neither will the clinic that hired them. What we do know is that there were plenty of wasted marketing dollars in that marketing endeavor.

Be sure to avoid their mistakes. Stop flushing your marketing dollars down the toilet. Begin now by following the simple steps above to make the most of your marketing dollars.

Cross posted @ Personal Life Media.

Communication, Evolutionary Sales, coaching practice tips, sales and marketing tips advertising, marketing, sales, tracking

Imus of Imus in the Morning, one of the original morning shock jocks, has been fired by CBS. He was released from his contractual obligations for an abhorrent offense: referring to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy headed hos”.

Unlike other times in the recent past, CBS did the right thing. We should not tolerate this kind of derogatory language. And the market adjusted—sponsors pulled their advertising, money was being lost, and so CBS made the appropriate political as well as financial and business choice. They fired this tone deaf man.

Just another reason to love the free market.

They did so after an initial 2-week suspension by MSNBC for the simulcast. CBS did so after the black community came up in arms and grilled him, quite appropriately, for his words.

Having said that, it was interesting to watch the professional racists come out against subtle racism. From Al Sharpton to Jesse Jackson to Al Sharpton [again].

I guess it’s okay to be a racist as long as you are black.

Read more…

Beliefs, Communication, emotions, inter-personal dynamics imus, politics, racism, responsibility

As I have written recently, there has been a shift in the marketplace. In the 20th Century marketplace sales people talked about “closing deals” at best. At worst they talked about “shooting their prospects down like they were ducks in a shooting gallery”. This is not exactly a metaphor we should be living into as we evolve as a culture–and not a metaphor the leading edge of the marketplace will any longer support in the profit centers of the global marketplace, or the Functioning Core, as Dr. Thomas Barnett would say.

I actually had a CEO [my boss] one time tell me that I should “pound their door down” to get a meeting. While people who watch me walk often ask if I was a football player, I responded: “how ’bout I dance my way through it?” He barked back: “I don’t care how you do it, just get the client!”

That CEO had a team of incredibly skilled top producers from other organizations. All of us were highly developed and into personal development as a lifestyle. Some of us had already led courses–even though we were barely 30 years old. We all left for other endeavors as a result of his management style. Not long after the company was in disarray and its assets and database had to be liquidated. That process only took two years once he had assumed control and had the sales team report directly to him.

Welcome to the 21st Century Marketplace. Evolve and come from a foundation of support and contribution, or wither away.

I have even recently heard sales trainers speak of manipulating your clients or “hypnotic” sales and other language that speaks of your treating prospects and clients as if they were objects, rather than a trusted adviser and powerful guide in improving their life, department, results, etc. Rather than a guide in assisting them in making their own dreams a reality. This subject-object way of relating to people is old thinking and it is sales for the last century.

I talked at length in the prologue about this shift in the marketplace–as well as the foundation you need to come from to be at the forefront of sales professionals and the evolving 21st Century Marketplace. Be sure you have listened to that prologue to get the most from the Evolutionary Sales podcasts. You may even considering listening to it over and over again.

In Episode 1 and 2, I talk about your emotional foundation and give you powerful tools that have been developed over the last 30 plus years to rapidly shift your emotional state to be of service to your clients and prospects. Not that your life still will not have ups and downs–it will–but you will be able to more rapidly move through them. Move through them more rapidly than many people even think possible.

And for what purpose?

Obviously, so you can produce greater results. But for what purpose? And what is “Evolutionary Sales”? Evolutionary Sales is defined as such: “inspiring another toward their vision of what is possible, and using advanced tools to leverage them beyond their limitations”. Once you are in service of a vision of what is possible with your product or service that comes from their own mouth, it then becomes your duty to leverage them beyond their limitations. That, my friends, is Evolutionary Sales.

This foundation allows you to use some of the most influential linguistic and interpersonal dynamic skills currently available while still being of service to them–and they will feel, see, hear, smell, and taste the difference. At least for now. I envision a time in the not-so-distant future when truly effective sales professionals and trusted advisers will need to be capable of truly trans-personal states. But that is another story for another time.

Why should you care? You may already be very good at motivating and influencing people such that you prosper well. The reason you shoul care is if you are already good, you will inherently be involved in improving, developing, and yes, evolving your self. But even beyond that, you will feel more fulfilled and frankly happier if come form the deeper structure of the Evolutionary Sales Process.

That is the purpose. To have a more fulfilling experience for yourself and provide a more fulfilling experience for your clients and prospects. Move from success to signifigance. Move from subject-object thinking to relational thinking. Move from the 20th Century Marketplace to the 21st Century Marketplace.

Want to start now? Subscribe to these podcasts. Don’t want to wait a year to get all the information? Buy Evolutionary Sales now and own the whole system as well as an opportunity to have me coach you directly on how to integrate it into your daily sales practices. Whether your challenge is how to be comfortable on the phone or how to increase your opening [used to be close] ratio, I would be honored to be your Guide.

Communication, Evolutionary Sales, Purpose, emotions, inter-personal dynamics, relationships, sales and marketing tips, spirituality evolutionary, marketing, nlp, sales, web 2.0

Communication, Podcasts: Evolutionary Radio, audio, inter-personal dynamics, relationships Communication, enneagram, hypnosis, nlp

[If these I.D.E.A.s interest you, be sure to attend this event.]

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Have you ever experienced the spark and inspiration of synergy? Of course. We all have. It is part of what drives us to want to be in relationship. Whether it is the muse of romance or the creativity that comes form a new business partnership, or the increased power of community and intentionality…we strive for synergy. And yet do we always experience synergy in relationship? Of course not. And at the other end of the spectrum we experience conflict.

There are so many approaches to relationships in these post-post-modern times. Not only are there different forms of relating that have become socially tolerated, if not often fully culturally acceptable, but also, so many ways which we can experience those forms, depending on our evolutionary stage of development.

At the same time, there is a way to approach relating with another human being that is most responsible, takes a fuller view into account, and provides balance, insight, and wisdom.

That approach is to view all relating as quantum relating.

In the quantum world in which we live, do one and one always equal two? No. They do not. Conduct this simple experiment: place one gallon of pure grain alcohol in a container with one gallon of distilled water. It will never equal two gallons. It will never equal two gallons because of the way the two properties interact.

So it is with people and with relationships. If two people come together and they experience synergy, then one and one equal more than two; “greater than the sum of its parts”. If two people come together and they experience conflict, then one and one equal less than two: conflict. We think because we know “one” and we know “one” and one and one equals two that we therefore know “two”. However we forgot to conduct a study of “and”.

Quantum relating is about understanding the “and”. Read more…

Communication, ego, inter-personal dynamics, relationships