In the past, I have scoffed at the idea of affirmations. You know, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me.” That sort of thing.

I don’t feel that way anymore, because I have realized every human being on the planet practices affirmations. It’s simply that most of us do it unconsciously. Most of us didn’t even take the affirmations we use.

Here’s what I mean: it seems to me that most of us have certain phrases, thoughts, and thinking patterns that we inherited from our nurturing environment as we were growing up. From our parents. From our peers. From our teachers. And those phrases ring in our minds no matter how old we might be today. Some common examples:

• “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
• “Look before you leap.”
• “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
• “Haste makes waste.”
• “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

I’m not here to debate the truth of any of those statements, I’m just illustrating that we all have phrases we repeat to ourselves over and over throughout our lives. There are, I believe, many other such phrases (and unconscious patterns of thought) that we repeat on a daily basis. We are unaware of these patterns, for the most part. They may be subtle, or they may be quite obvious (like the examples I’ve already given).

The spooky part, at least as far as I’m concerned, is the fact that most of us didn’t choose these affirmations. We are not even aware of them. We simply accepted them without critical evaluation. You might want to let that sink in.

As a business owner or entrepreneur, you’re automatically thrust into a leadership position. Others look to you for example. Don’t you agree it’s valuable to be aware of what you are thinking, day in and day out?

Suggested exercise: pay attention to repetitive patterns in your speech and thinking today-and ask yourself whether those patterns are helpful, or perhaps not so helpful.

Comments or observations? Leave them here on this page, please!

I’m not usually a fan of “what if” questions. That’s because most of the time, those words (”what if…”) usually precede negative prophecy about something. Negative prophecies like,  “What if nobody comes to our new store? What if nobody likes the new product? What if none of our salespeople makes a sale today?” Those are probably not productive questions that will put you in a resourceful state conducive to getting things done.

However, I think it is useful to ask a totally different kind of “what if” question. Think of this as the “proactive what if” question. Here are some examples you might like to try:

• What if we had the best customer service of our entire industry? What would that look like? What would it do for our business?
• What if we found a way to do everything for half the cost, at double the speed, and double the quality? How would we do that? What difference would it make to our customers?
• What if we discovered a way to not only solve our customer’s main problem, but solve several other problems at the same time? What ways can we improve our product that would have that effect? What would that do to customer loyalty? What effect would that have on repeat purchases?
• What if we had to totally reinvent our business from the ground up -  tomorrow? What would be the very first thing we would do? Why would that be the first thing we would do?
• If there were no limitations, and no risk of failing, what is the one thing we would do that which had pulled our business to the top of its category? Why aren’t we already trying to do that? What if we did?

You get the idea. I bet you could make up some of your own. What if you gave it a try today?

I ordered a sandwich this past week at McDonald’s, from the drive-through window.

After pulling out of the drive-through lane, I discovered that my sandwich was cold. The bacon was uncooked. I circled back through the drive-through lane, and explained my dilemma to the young lady at the window. She distractedly held out her hand, reaching for the bag, looking away from me as she muttered, “Pull around front. We’ll get you another one.”

I understand that these things happen, especially at a restaurant run by children. I wasn’t really upset as I returned my sandwich – I just wanted it cooked properly. But I can’t help but reflect on the different feeling I would have about McDonald’s right now, if that young lady had bothered to look me in the eye and simply say something like, “I’m sorry about that. If you pull around front, we will be happy to get you another one. And this time I promise we’ll cook it correctly.”

That would’ve made all the difference-just a simple bit of courtesy. It’s magic, especially in business transactions.

I work from an office outside my home. I shuttle relevant working materials back and forth (between home and office) in a small backpack.

Today I noticed I have a curious habit of carrying more items in my backpack than I will actually use. If I’m carrying the bag home, for example,  I take more books, files, and papers than I could possibly use before I return to the office. The same is true when moving from home to office-I take more stuff that I actually need.

What I find puzzling about this is: it is a consistent behavior, and I absolutely know I am carrying items I will not use. So why do I do it? Is it because I want options? Is it because I’m worried I might need something and not have it? Is it because I overestimate what I will actually do with the materials I am carrying once I reach my destination?

I tend to think it’s that last thing. I overestimate the work I will actually do using the materials I carry. I do the same thing when I take trips; I take too many books, papers, devices.

I find this behavior odd, counterproductive, wasteful, and divisive of my attention. In short, I believe I would actually get more done if I brought home only one item – the item that I actually intend to use before returning to the office. If I brought with me only one file on a business trip-the file I actually will use while on that trip.

I plan to pay a lot more attention to this phenomenon, starting today, whenever I am packing a bag. Whether that be to take the bag home for the night, to take on a business trip, or even if I’m packing my motor home for a long road trip. (Yes, I took too much stuff with me on my three-month journey over the summer in a motorhome. Way too much stuff.)

I wonder if I’m the only person who experiences this phenomena? Because I think it has a direct correlation to business and professional life. My theory is we carry too much “stuff” with us in those contexts, too. And because we do, we are faced with too many choices-too many options-and thus our decision-making ability and our productivity are hampered. What do you think?

As much as I have used the word “secrets” in my own marketing, I guess I should be embarrassed to tell you this.

But…

…there are no real secrets.

Just information you don’t have.

The big PILLARS of success in any business are simple and clear:
1. Find that group of passionate people
2. Find out what they want
3. Make what they want
4. Sell it to them

And as long as you do that, you’ll make money.

Now, are there refinements?

Are there little tricks, tweaks, and tactics that can get you where you want to go… FASTER?

Yes.

But those aren’t secrets. You can get access to the information – either free (sometimes time-consuming) or for pay (sometimes the best way to go FASTER).

Still, no matter  how you get the needed information, it’s not “secret”… it’s just information you don’t yet have.

If you’ve ever visited a Walt Disney Park, you are familiar with waiting in line.

Disney is famous for its long lines. What is not so well known is a feature Disney added a few years ago called “speed pass”.

A speed pass simply allows you to cut line. You arrange for in advance, and you come back at a pre-appointed time, and get to board the ride a lot faster than the  poor schmucks who just showed up and decided to stand in line.

Probably even less well known is the fact that you can hire a personal guide to usher you through the park, give you plenty of commentary, and taking you straight to the front of the line. Talk about VIP service!

What is this got to do with your business?

In every industry, almost without fail, there is some version of the speed pass. Or even the VIP tour. Meaning there’s almost always a way you can shortcut the years of paying your dues that most people think is necessary.

Now what I am not saying is that it’s possible to get something for nothing. That is not true. What I am saying is there is usually a fast way to achieve the success you desire, and then there is a slow way. Most people take the slow way, never realizing there was a speed pass line available to them simply for the asking.

Something to think about: where is the speed pass line (or even better a VIP tour line) in your business? Are you willing to take advantage of it? Will you?

A lot of different kinds of people read this blog.

From time to time, I am asked some version of the following question: “Why do you write the blog, and what exactly is it you do for a living? How do you make money?”

For those who are curious, here are some answers…

Why I Write This Blog

While I doubt this question can be answered completely in a few simple sentences, I can at least give you a fairly accurate, if somewhat incomplete answer. Here are a few of the reasons why I write every day:

• I write because I feel compelled to write. There’s something about expressing my ideas on paper that leaves me calm, cool, and collected.
• I write to prove that I know I’m talking about (and lest you think that is a shallow motivation, please note that this is not about ego gratification: it’s about the development, training, and getting of clients and customers.)
• I write to develop a relationship with my readers, to dialogue with them, and to learn from them.
• I write to develop material for my books. My next book will be published in November, and I have plans to publish no less than four books next year. If I wasn’t writing every single day, it would be difficult to keep up such a grueling publishing schedule. My books, incidentally, are a key component of my marketing machine and designed to feed into my overall strategy-everything I do is designed to build credibility, establish my expertise, train and develop potential client and customers. You would be well-advised to pursue a similar method of operating.

How I Get Paid

I do very little direct work for clients these days, preferring to work in partnership with other entrepreneurs, and to develop my own business properties. However, I do derive a substantial amount of income from the writing of copy for clients, and the giving of advice to clients. The reason that I say I do “very little direct work” is because I do a lot of work for a very small number of clients. This is by design.

When I started in the business of writing direct response copy, and providing consultation services, I juggled as many as 8 to 10 clients at a time and produced a voluminous amount of copy. This quickly took a toll on me mentally and physically, so I raised my prices so that I could devote more quality time to fewer projects. It’s a course of action I recommend to anyone who’s interested: I promise you it’s a healthier, more profitable way to do business.

Now, because I know this next is the question that is really on your mind, I will answer it… with some misgivings. Maybe this is a mistake – time will tell. I’m  sure I will attract some criticism because of what I’m about to reveal. So I guess I will just pinch my nose, jump into the deep end of the pool, and see what happens. Here’s what I charge…

Profit Strategy Retainer: $120,000 and 10% of gross revenues.  This usually means I’ll be helping to manage a product launch or similar campaign for a client with an established business and track record. This arrangement typically lasts for a full year. For those who can’t afford this kind of arrangement…

Profit Strategy Coaching: $12,000 per year,  payable in advance.  This is a small group of hand selected coaching students, whom I deal with by telephone and Internet almost exclusively, helping them create profit architecture for their business that is superior to what they may have been able to achieve on their own.

The Apprentice Program: I also oversee a small number of apprentice projects, which means copywriters who have been trained and approved by me do the actual writing work for clients who are seeking my advice but cannot afford to pay my direct fees. I have oversight on the copywriting project, offer critique and direction and final stamp of approval for any work that is done, and this proves much more economical than having me do the work directly. Even though this allows me to work with more clients, there are still only a limited number of these projects I can oversee, because my schedule is very full.

Information product publishing: I produce a number of information products, training programs, and online classes each year. These training programs and products are offered at a variety of price points, delivery methods, and time intervals. This is the area of my business that provides me with the most leverage, and is also the area of my business under the most scrutiny at the moment. I’m developing a strategy for expanding and multiplying this particular income stream.

Book publishing: my first business book will be published in November of this year, and as I’ve mentioned previously I will be publishing no less than four books next year. This is a new arm of my business endeavors that is designed to bring more clients and customers into our marketing funnel, and I’m pursuing it with a vengeance. Don’t be deceived; this is part of a larger strategic initiative, and should not be attempted by the faint of heart nor the ill-prepared. Publishing books as a sole means of producing income is not a very good way to make a living. In fact, it’s a very good way to stay broke and frustrated. However, publishing books as part of an over-arching strategy for building a financial empire, however, is a very good way to make money. I’m sure I’ll have more to say on this in the near future, but for now the overview should suffice.

That’s probably enough self-revelation for the time being.

I get lots of questions about these sorts of things almost constantly, so I’m offering this posting as a bit of an experiment: if you’re truly interested in knowing more about how I run my own business, I’m happy to share (up to a certain point). However, I don’t want to be boorish and spend too much time talking about myself-so you’ll have to let me know whether you want more of this kind of information or not.

Stop and think about how much of your life is the same as it was five years ago.

I’m not talking about your specific income, which is probably gone up at least due to inflation, nor am I talking about the clothes you wear, the car you drive, or even the job you have.

I’m talking more about the things that define who you are as a person. The people you associate with, the books you read, the movie you see, the television you watch, the activities you do during your discretionary time, and how you spend your discretionary income.

How many of those things have changed? If you’re like most people, the answer is, “not many.”

If you truly want to change your life, change the things that matter. The superficial things will take care of themselves.

There is an unflattering view of entrepreneurs that is promulgated by many. You are no doubt familiar with this view.

Entrepreneurs are portrayed as selfish, greedy, money-grubbing scoundrels.

Something to think about: without entrepreneurs, who would provide the jobs that pay for the comfortable life most people enjoy in the United States?

Who creates the new industries? Who creates the new jobs? Who discovers new technologies, new systems, new processes that pave the way for a better standard of living for every human being on the planet?

Is it government officials? Is it politicians?

No. It is entrepreneurs.

Undoubtedly, there are some wealthy entrepreneurs who have abused their position at the expense of others. As a group, entrepreneurs are not perfect. But as a group, it is my contention that no group has done as much to advance the physical standard of well-being of the human population that entrepreneurs have done.

The point of this line of thinking, in case it is not obvious, is that for any one entrepreneur to become wealthy, it is necessary that other people become wealthy. It is necessary that consumers benefit from the use of a new product or service, or from the better distribution of an existing product or service, in order for any entrepreneur to make money.

Everyone benefits. The customers. The employees. The vendors. Everyone.

Entrepreneurship is not an individual sport, and when played at the highest level it benefits everyone who participates. Often, it benefits even those who don’t-for instance, critics of entrepreneurs.  If it weren’t for the entrepreneurs, the critics wouldn’t be able to make a living because they wouldn’t have anyone to damn.

Snuggle up to the computer, Constant Reader.

Your ‘Ol Uncle Ray is about to give you something that will put money in your pocket. It’s a wee bit of advice. And it’s worth listening to.

For many entrepreneurs, the only thing standing between then and a 20% to 30% increase in profits is a little bit of planning.

I’m going to help you close that gap in your own business right now.

You do need a couple of specialized tools to do this planning, and you need some specific knowledge about how to use those tools. I’m going to give you both in this article.

Ready? Good.

First, here are the tools you’re going to need:

• The calendar used to plan your life.
• A legal pad and pen.
• About 30 minutes.
• Your brain.

Yes, those are all the tools you need.

And I’m going to assume you have products or services that you are already selling. I’m further going to assume that you probably have products or services that you could sell but are currently not selling; you’ve forgotten about them, gotten bored with them, or feel the need some kind of updating.

Doesn’t matter.

To perform this exercise all you need to do is answer (on paper, using your legal pad and pen) the following questions. Answer them as much detail as possible.

1. How much money would you like to make?

2. What products do you have that you can sell, or you could sell with just a little bit of work and preparation?

3. How much does a single unit of your chosen product cost the consumer?

4. How many units would you have to sell to hit your monetary target in item number one above?

Now take a look at your calendar and ask yourself the following question: how many promotions (whether it be via e-mail, telephone, direct mail, whatever) would you have to do in order to sell the number of units you just came up with? For example:

• Let’s assume you sell a consulting service that costs $5000.
• Let’s also assume that you decided in question number one that you’d like to make an extra $50,000.
• That means you to sell 10 consulting packages. Stick with me…

Now let’s make another assumption: you know that every time you do a promotion for this particular consulting service you can expect to sell two units.

You now have enough information that should be obvious that you need to do five promotions in order to make your extra $50,000 (5 promotions, with 2 sales each, at $5,000 each sales = 10 sales and $50,000).

The next step is simple and should be obvious…

Schedule those promotions! Just put them on your calendar right now. Write them in ink (because the palest eight is better than the strongest memory or best intentions).

By taking this simple step, walking through this easy little “elementary” exercise, you have instantly elevated yourself into the top 5% of entrepreneurs. Because the sad fact is most entrepreneurs don’t do even this kind of rudimentary planning.

Remember this: income is not an accident.

It happens because someone planned for it.

Have you planned for the income you hope to make during the next six months? If not, you could do worse than to perform the exercise I’ve described in this article.