Not that long ago I was in the radio business.

And I saw the handwriting on the wall that told me radio was in big trouble.

I began running around telling all my radio comrades that we needed to change the way we did business, or we were in big trouble.

Of course, they didn’t want to hear that – so they didn’t.

In fact, I was told my fears were silly – iPods and Satellite radio and the Internet were no threat to radio at all. That’s what my corporate bosses told me, anyway.

And when I tried to explain that it wasn’t fear that was motivating me, but rather the recognition of a trend that was inevitable… well, some of them laughed.

They’re not laughing any more.

I’ve been out of the radio business for almost 4 years now, but hardly a week goes by that one of my old comrades doesn’t call me and tell me how the margins are continuing  to shrink, listenership continues to drop like a lead balloon, and corporate failures and layoffs are coming at an ever-increasing rate of speed.

There is good news in all this.

Radio’s answer is a simple one… but not easy.

It’s the same answer I was touting 5 years ago when I decided to get out that game altogether.

Here it is: make a better product.

So what does that look like?

• Pay the expense to hire good talent – and let them make radio shows that are compelling and entertaining.
• Stop playing so many commercials (in fact, I suggest you stop playing any commercials and invent a new revenue model… but that’s an entire post of its own and, I’m sure, too scary for radio folks to even contemplate)
• Decide you’re in it for the long haul, and stop managing to next week’s “revenue number”
• Forget the ratings game and focus on the results you get for your clients instead
• Serve the community you operate in – with real community service, not the usual “lip service”

That ought to get you started, radio folks.

And it applies to almost every other suffering business or industry; you probably already know what you need to do.

The problem is, it’s simple… but it’s not easy.

Chris Guillebeau made a home-run post on his Art of Non-Conformity blog today. Here’s a taste…

Sorry I was rude to you the other day, someone said. I’ve just been so busy.

Guess what: we’re all busy!

Every one of us. It’s not a very exclusive club.

And here’s another reality check…

Click Here To Read The Rest

Lots of people want a simple “step by step guide” to making money online.

In the words of Pink Floyd, “I got some bad news for you, sunshine…”

There ain’t one.

At least, not one that works all the time, every time.

You can learn steps that help.

You can learn models and structures that will help you short-cut the hard parts.

But no system, method or model is going to work every time.

And for darn sure it’s not going to be easy.

Now that you’ve had a dose of harsh reality, here’s the good news:

Yes, you do have to work hard to succeed online – but not nearly as hard as you think. The closest I have found to a “sure fire formula” (absolutely free):

1. Find a group of people with a common problem that causes them deep emotional pain.
2. Find a solution to their problem.
3. Put the solution in front of the people.

There’s more to it, of course… but those are the basics.

Get busy.

My answer: never. Here’s why…

Disputes of almost any kind always seem to devolve when one party questions the motives of another party.

The funny thing is, it’s virtually impossible to know for certain someone else’s motive for any given action or statement.

“Thought experiment” to see if I’m right: the next time you think you know why someone says or does a particular thing, stop and see if you can come up with 2 or 3 other explanations for why they may have said or done that same thing.

An even more interesting (and instructive) “thought experiment”: try coming up with explanations that are only positive in the motives you attribute to the other person… and then come up with an equal number of explanations that are only negatively motivated. Compare the two lists, and ask yourself: which ones look like the motives I most often instinctively ascribe to other people?

What did you learn?

A million reasons.

Most notable: people don’t read them.

Marketers, take note.

Because if people don’t thoroughly and attentively read the instructions that come with something they’ve already paid for… what makes you think they’re going to thoroughly and attentively read your ad?

Something to think about.

A lot of business discussions include the phrase, “all things being equal”.

According to Wikipedia, this phrase comes to us from the Latin C?ter?s paribus which  literally translates as “with other things the same,” or “all other things being equal or held constant.”

When used in business discussions, it’s usually code language that means, “If everything goes our way” or “if nothing unexpected happens”.

And it usually precedes making a decision in favor of mediocrity or compromise. Often both.

Don’t fall for it.

Proceed on the assumption that all things are never equal – because they rarely are.

These are worth thinking about as we enter the New Year.

1. The transmission of information does not equal  the creation of understanding.
2. More time does not usually create better decisions.
3. The message you are preaching is not nearly as persuasive as the message you are living.

You probably know who Clark Kent is.

He’s the fumbling, bumbling, mild-mannered newspaper reporter who wears the big geeky glasses.

A nice guy, but not exactly a role-model for manhood.

After all, we can ALL identify with Clark.

But when an emergency arises, Clark sheds the glasses and the business suit, revealing a being of extraordinary strength and power: Superman.

The Man of Steel.

The “strange visitor from another planet … [who] … fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way!”

You don’t really need me to explain Superman to you.

And that’s the point of this piece.

If you’d like to really amplify  your marketing message, one of the best ways to do it is to become the superhero of choice for your prospects.

Here’s how you do that…

Identify The Villains Your Customers Face

These could be economic villains like rising interest rates, or psychological villains like poor self-esteem, or even health-related villains like arthritis. Once you’ve identified the villain – get specific and identify the villains superpowers and weapons.

Name Your Hero And His Powers

This could be you personally or your company – but you need to have a “title” or “superhero name”. Something that sums up who you are and what you’re about. It should be short, catchy, and self-explnanatory.

Clearly State Your Mission

Superman’s mission statement is a great model: “Superman … fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way!”

Build  your own mission statement – it should be short (ideally one sentence like Superman’s – more like a “slogan” than anything else).

A Real Life Example

VILLAIN: Anemic Advertising. This creepy character sucks the life our of small business advertising budgets – by spending all your money on ads that get very little response. Ad dollars go out, but revenue doesn’t come in. Leaves victims penniless and discouraged. Destroys many businesses.

HERO: Captain Copywriter. Magically transforms limp, lazy, lackluster ads into profit-pulling powerhouses. Multiplies revenue while at the SAME TIME slashes your ad spending. Produces sales, profits, and peace of mind.

MISSION STATEMENT: “Captain Copywriter fights a never-ending battle for better ads, producing more profits, more often.”

Use Your Identity

So how do you use your “superhero identity”?

Well, first of all, start “living it”.

If you were a copywriter who had now become Captain Copywriter — how would the Captain behave?

How would he talk?

What would his costume (web site) look like?

Does he have an insignia?

What are his sayings and catch-phrases? (Superman had “Up, up and away!” – what would YOURS be?)

Even more important than all of this: once you start putting yourself into the state of mind of your “superhero character”, you’ll easily start thinking like he would think!

Let me prove it.

If you came across a bank robbery in progress, you might not know what to do (other than maybe call the police).

But let’s say you were Clark Kent and you came across that same robbery in progress. NOW what would you do?

You’d intervene, of course.

You’d duck behind a door or into a hallway, put on your super-suit, and then move into action.

See how simply IMAGINING a super hero identity gives you access to superhero strategies?

The only thing you need to do is step into the ROLE of your business superhero… and then just as yourself, “What would Captain Copywriter do about this?”

And then walk it out.

So.

What are you waiting for?

Take off those glasses, snap on that cape, and commence your crusade!

Just when I thought I’d seen it all…

I came across a website today for something called “Laughter Yoga”.

My first question was, “What the heck is ‘laughter yoga’?”

Turns out it’s exactly what it sounds like.

People get together in a Yoga-class type setting, and they LAUGH.

There’s even a “Laughter Yoga Home Study” set, which is a bunch of DVDs that will set you back $195.

I kid you not.

Now after a little Google research I found out that doctors and patients say that this weird kind of yoga relieves stress and anxiety and could even strengthen the immune system.

It seems kinda like a stretch to me, but a lot of people swear by it and are willing to pay their hard-earned money for it.

Just Google “laughter yoga” and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

So what can we learn from this?

It’s just this: making money is simple if you remember that all people really want is to FEEL BETTER.

I mean, c’mon.

If people will pay $195 to earn how to do “laughter yoga”, doesn’t that say a lot about what people really want?

How about diet books?

We all know (don’t we?) that most people who buy diet books (or “get out of debt” books, or “get a better relationship” books, etc.) don’t every really lose weight (or get out of debt, or get a better relationship, etc.).

So why do they buy those books?

TO FEEL BETTER.

The book makes them feel better about themselves. It makes them feel like they COULD go on the diet, or the budget, or whatever.

Now, I think your product or service should provide real value. So that if your customer actually USED the product they would get the result.

But you should also think about making certain that your product itself provides a way to feel better.

And for darn sure, you’re marketing and sales material should absolutely make the prospects feel more positive, more focused and more hopeful.

While I don’t think any of us should be selling “false hope”, I definitely feel we should be selling “hope”.

Because hope makes people feel better, and that is ultimately what most human beings want.

Just to feel better.

That’s what I think – but what do you think? Is is good to sell “hope” to prospects… to make  them feel better? Post your comments below…

I’m reading a book about Teddy Roosevelt.

I wanted to share something with you I just read from President Roosevelt.

Stick with me, Hoss – it’s worth it.

If you’ve ever been falsely accused…

If you’ve ever had anyone spread lies or deceit about you…

Celebrate!

Vocal critics are sending you a signal…

The signal is: you’re on the right track.

Don’t take my word for it – here’s what Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt had to say about critics:

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

Now don’t get me wrong.

I’m talking about UN-JUST criticism.

I’m assuming you’re doing good things, with right intentions, and you’re being honest and fair in your dealings.

If you’re doing BAD things, you have bigger problems than being criticized.

So let’s say you’re creating value.

You’re being honest and fair.

And then for some reason – WHAMO! Somebody you never even met starts criticizing you.

Congratulations!

The only reason you’re a target for these trouble making complainers is… you’re DOING something.

Most people never do ANYTHING.

Especially the critics.

In fact, in my mind, the letters of the word “C.R.I.T.I.C.” actually stand for:

C – an’t
R – eally
I – nvent
T – hings
I – nstead
C – riticizes

And rest assured, the only way to be sure you’re never criticized is: don’t do anything.

CERTAINLY, if you’re having any success at all, you’re going to get criticism.

Welcome it.

And remember the business twist on all this that President Roosevelt certainly understood.

Your place “shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

’nuff Said,

Ray Edwards