Karmic Consulting

Give it Away

by ian

Do you find yourself struggling to come up with the perfect price point to give away your coaching, or sell services that you KNOW in your bones are more valuable than your current community is willing to pay?

Give it Away!

(and start working on attracting an ideal audience who can afford what you are truly worth..;-)

If you are NOT on my email list, here is something I just sent out a few moments ago that I thought would be worth sharing on my blog as well.

If you embrace the idea of urgency and the importance of what you truly value – and apply spirit of creativity in coming up with ways to be compensated by your contribution – not only will your clients win – but you’ll win as well.

Check out the full email below for more

Hey

Hope everything is well!

I wanted to share a few quick thoughts that I hope you find helpful, maybe a little inspirational if I’m lucky…….and 1 simple “trick” or technique that you can use to quickly earn amazing money as a coach, consultant, teacher or trainer….even by giving your services away.

One of the really common fears that people seem to have online – especially when it comes to teaching or training others in something they LOVE to do and do well – is the assigning of a monetary value to what they have to offer.

In other words – charging people for what you really feel called to do.

In my own business, years ago now - when I first started “coaching” people in the entrepreneurial niche, even after having a lot of success in the “offline” direct response business as far back as my early 20′s ….I still was still nervous.

I was confident I could crush it as a coach – but yet, still apprehensive about the unknown.

The unknown was…….

I had a growing number of regular readers every day and people really seemed to resonate with my message -

Yet -

I didn’t know how to properly quantify what I did in a way that would make other people want to pay for it.

So other than a few half hearted, insomnia fueled late night bursts of ideas and inspiration that invariably flamed out fast……

I did nothing with my “craving for contribution” for quite a long while.

I didn’t know how to be affordable enough to be accessible to a general audience, and yet still competitive enough to honor and acknowledge the value I was determined to deliver.

As a result, I wasted a few years swimming in that no mans land between 2 options that were equally unappealing.

(one to my potential clients – and the other to me

One day, after growing sufficiently bored of making my living selling affiliate products yet again…….I decided to try something a bit different.

Nothing incredibly deep, or insightful or even all that original.

I created a 7 question survey.

I took 30 minutes, wrote a simple sequence of questions and stuck them in a survey, wrote an email that looked a lot like this one, and asked my subscribers what “must have” tools they planned on buying in the next 90 days, to fuel their business.

Not guru’s or gadgets or gimmicks that were destined to disappoint.

But rather the REAL products and services that are part and parcel of every online based business.

Some people said hosting.

Others said a certain type of keyword tool, or an autoresponder like Aweber, or other similar software programs that were popular at the time.

Next, I simply applied to be an affiliate for the most popular programs in that list.

(some of which I already was and some of which, especially the hosting and continuity based offers, had commission structures over the course of a year that paid MORE than I would have charged for a coaching consultation on my own)

Then -

I simply segmented everyone in the list based on their responses….and mailed them a FREE offer that was too good to refuse

Basically, I just built a bridge between MY offer, and what they previously told me they needed to buy to thrive.

These were the things they identified in their own words – in advance – as “must have’s to survive and thrive online”

I simply offered to trade 45 minutes to a few hours of my time – for stocking their shopping cart in my affiliate basket.

(which I provided in a clean and neat marketing menu and proactively prepared PDF

I get paid while working for free.

My clients patronize products and programs they empirically need to succeed.

My clients get 100% free coaching – and a new paradigm, or perspective, or point of view that hopefully adds a lot of value to their lives.

Everyone is happy.

The truth is, while super duper simple – this basic idea radically re-invented my coaching business in 2 major ways:

1 – It exponentially expanded my personal exposure to my ideal audience.

And it allowed me to give away complimentary coaching to people who would have never paid for it on a cost basis objection alone.

And ultimately, it has blessed me with the opportunity to create many long lasting relationships with subscribers who took me up on those offers years ago – are still on my list…..and still reading emails like this one right now – 4, 5 and even 6 years after the fact.

(several of which have grown into real friendships as well)

2 – More importantly, it inspired my imagination to come up with creative ways for my CLIENTS to provide similar types of services and find analagous offers in THEIR markets, so that they could overcome the same challenges.

I don’t care how green you are, how unprepared you may feel, or how far away you are from diving in and DOING it…….

If you truly feel a sense of passion and purpose and really want to wake up the world with your work…..

the time is always NOW.

Next month, next year or your next birthday is one next too late.

Be resourceful.

You can literally jump into the fire…..green and raw – with nothing but hope and a deep desire to help to guide you.

Give it away for free.

Find out what people who love the same things you do – or who want to excel in an area that you have expertise – or have a problem you’ve already overcome on your own – find out what they know they need – what they’re buying right now – what’s on THEIR list of “must have to survive and thrive” and give them the opportunity to get it from you.

(and in exchange – give them them back your BEST and most passionate advocacy for leap frogging the learning curve and high stepping the challenges that are holding them back)

Not only will these people often become your friends – and your best clients – quite often, they’ll be the first to share the love about YOU.

Several of my recent LAUNCHiT! subscribers are using this strategy to make powerful progress in the direction of their dreams.

One of my favorites is a woman who began using this approach a few months ago in her spiritual life coaching practice.

She leverages an affiliate offer that pays her $100 + per sign up up – on a well known and reputable service that charges HER clients and customers a fraction of that amount of “trying” them first.

Everybody wins.

Her clients LOVE it. (they get an hour of HER spiritual counseling for free, a low cost spiritual counseling session from one her partners for a deeply discounted rate, and she gets a minimum of $100 to do what she loves for a living for each new person she speaks with.

Others are using the same approach, in other markets with equal amounts of excitement and enthusiasm.

When there is a WILL, there is a way.

The truth is, the world is in such sad shape……we NEED people of passion and purpose and those willing to step up and stand out and go out on a limb, and take the chance to do something remarkable.

I spent hours and hours this week on the phone with LAUNCHiT subscribers – some individually, others in small groups – some of whom I’ve known for a long while….others I’ve just “met” these last few weeks.

But to a person……

It amazes me how people who truly believe in something BIG – and have an idea, or an inspiration, or an illumination that they TRULY believe can change the lives of others for the better…when properly channeled – how electric that energy and excitement can be, and how transformed those of us who hear that enthusiasm become.

If you feel like you would benefit from LAUNCHiT, I’d love to hear about it.

Let me know how I can help you - what your goals are – what you’d like to accomplish – and where you’d like to be in 30 days – and if I am able, I’ll go out of my way to make it happen.

(we also have a LAUNCHiT lite that will be announced this weekend on my blog….a half priced, hyper condensed, 14 day process that is perfect for aspiring authors who want to write their first book THIS month, or folks who want to have their first coaching product or program completed and for sale by Memorial Day)

If you want the drop and details – simply reply to this email and I’ll fill you in before it’s publicly available to all.

Most of all,- whether the above applies to you or not, I challenge you to embrace the idea of urgency with everything you love.

I’m constantly reminded how precious time is, and how when it comes to dancing in the direction of your dreams – RIGHT NOW is really the only moment that matters.

2 Article Marketing Tips For Product Launches

by ian

Everyone I know has a LOVE/HATE relationship with writing articles.

On one hand – they are free, and are a foolproof way of generating new traffic to just about any style of offer under the sun.

On the other hand – who wants to spend their day creating content when Psychic Kids marathons are on? Not me, that’s for sure.

The good news?

Article marketing is still one of the best ways to promote a new product or service in 2013 – and if you are trying to LAUNCH something new, probably the best ROI you are going to get on 100% free traffic as well.

It’s funny because……while answering questions over the last few days about LAUNCHiT, and some of the various ways to drive traffic to a new project that uses this approach (of which there are 19 here), I get 2 very different types of questions about article marketing, and creating content for traffic overall.

Can I write articles to promote my LAUNCHiT product, promotion or project?
Do I HAVE to write articles to promote my LAUNCHiT product, promotion or project?

Half see it as an EASY way to get an avalanche of new eyeballs in front of their site, service or offer.

The OTHER half see it as an obligation, and an obstacle to getting new readers, subscribers and sales.

From my vantage point, the key is to find a few simple traffic strategies you like, that are specific to your own skills and strengths and simply exploit them to your full advantage.

If you hate writing articles – DON’T do it. (although you have to have some sort of content marketing strategy to succeed in most online enterprises – it’s certainly something you can outsource if need be)

For those of you who LOVE content creation like I do – here are 2 very simple rules that I pay particular attention to in my own.

1 – Focus on the RIGHT marketing metrics.

While getting tons and tons of new readers is great for your EGO, when it comes to article marketing, the only metric that matters are the clicks that emanate from your content. (e.g. – the people who actually LEAVE the article directory and visit your site or service via the resource box links you are allotted)_

I’d rather have an article read by 50 people that generated 25 visitors to my offer – than 500 that resulted in 10. (and both scenarios WILL happen)

2 – Always optimize, improve, tweak and critique your resource box.

My goal is always, 20% or better…especially in a large niche.

You can constantly make small improvements in your resource box text that yield MAJOR improvements in the amount of visitors your content creates.

The difference between a 10% CTR and a 20% CTR on a large campaign of 100K readers or more…..can be the difference between quitting your day job and doing what you LOVE for a living….and struggling for scraps while working for a guy with a bad toupee and a passion for polyester.

(like my first boss at Payless Shoes who sabotaged every mall job I applied to for 2 years after I tried to make a upwardly mobile move to Thom Mcann)

Not cool, Mr Shero. And not forgotten.

How to Sell More Books on Amazon (Without Selling Out)

by ian

“This isn’t about PASSION. This is about selling. And selling out. Yuck.”

And this was the nicest part of the email I got a few weeks ago from a Woman who apparently didn’t like my book.

The funny thing is – she is really right. And she taught me something super simple, glaringly intellectually obvious but that I tried to blissfully ignore anyway.

There are ONLY 2 rules when writing anything for sale.

1 – Know your audience. Understand your audience. And write specifically for them. (don’t get cute)

2 – See Rule #1

While my recent book is certainly about my PASSION and hopefully YOUR passion too……at it’s core, it’s really about transmuting that sense of excitement and energy and enthusiasm for what you LOVE into a living. (and a good percentage of the book deals with strategies for doing exactly that)

But somewhere deep down in my own psyche and spirit, I really crave a deeper connection with people of genuine purpose and passion, and not the “how to make money online” crowd.

Somewhere deep down, I want to be Eckhart Tolle with a better tan and whiter teeth.

So I decided to focus my own energy and intentions in getting the book into the hands of folks who probably are not my ideal audience – and rather than targetting, tagging and categorizing PASSION for online entrepreneurs who I usually seek, I tried to sneak into the wild and wonderful and often wacky world of self help and spiritual success seekers.

My intentions were good. And on some level it seems to have worked (as I’ve received about 10 emails just in the last few weeks from these sorts of people who now want to “DO” what they love) I’ve also had a mixed back of some other surprises as well.

Including, as of about 2 and a half weeks ago – about 8 or 9 “refunds” as well.

Before this book – I never had anyone ask for a refund for anything I’ve ever written or published for sale before….and to be honest with you, at first….it stung.

(and I thought at first- is that a “1″ in my refund column or a small, thin, vertical scratch on my computer screen?)

That denial works for a day – until you realize that “2″ is far too complex of a shape for a scratch to emulate.

And while it’s still a very small fraction of the transactions overall, it was painful to think that 8 people read my book….and then thought – “Not only was this NOT worth 2.99 – I’m going to ask Amazon for a refund. ”

A 3 dollar refund.

Until I stepped back and really took an honest look at the book – what it was REALLY about – and who was REALLY for – and what my own ulterior motivations truly were.

So rather than stay stuck in that space – I doubled back – re-edited the book with MORE online marketing and entrepreneurial ideas rather than less – and simply re-categorized the book back to where it belonged and embraced my ideal audience once again.

No more refunds. (fingers crossed)

No more Dali Lama fans wondering why they need to write articles, build a list or need power words for converting their content into clients.

Here is a pretty good article below on some simple techniques for selling more Amazon books – (including a good section on categorization, as above….with which, I now totally agree – and the idea that having multiple books for sale in highly related areas of interest, or expertise -is really a key ingredient for driving future success. (e.g. – in my own case – every time I start selling more of ONE book – the other goes up as well – and when I’ve given away FREE copies of the former…..I see a dramatic “bump” in the latter overnight, too)

Check out the full article at the link following the short excerpt below.

this will help your target reader find your title—but only if you’ve categorized it in the places where he most likely will be searching for your kind of book. In addition, if you can get your book to show up prominently on some Amazon subcategory bestseller list, it will further boost its visibility to readers.So, how do you do this? When you first publish your book, Amazon allows you to list it in two separate categories or subcategories. But to make it easier to discover, don’t just list it in the broadest, most generic categories, like “Romance” or “Mysteries” or “Thrillers.” Dig down into the less-populated subcategories with fewer titles (e.g., “Romantic Suspense,” “Technothrillers,” “British Mysteries”), where your book will stand out better.You want to choose subcategories that, first of all, are most likely to be searched by your target reader. But then, to make it easier for your book to get onto some subcategory bestseller lists, pick appropriate subgenres with the fewest competing titles. You can find out exactly how many books are listed in each genre category and subcategory by searching the category “tree” on the left side of many Amazon book listing pages. And if you have trouble listing your book in the subcategories you want, just email Amazon. Their staff will be more than willing to help you.

10 Winning Marketing Strategies for Your Self-Published Book | Robert Bidinotto, The Vigilante Author

Tags: amazonrefundrates, selfpublishingtipsAmazon,

Forgive Yourself

by ian

How do you deal with disappointment?

What happens when you let yourself down…..off the hook, or give yourself a pass from making progress in the direction of your dreams, goals or overarching objectives?

What does that inner voice say?

Do you wither away or get up to fight another day?

One of my favorite chapters in writing “PASSION!” was about the art and science of self compassion and forgiveness…..and finding (and facing) your future self with skillful strategies that support following through…ESPECIALLY when you face that first day of feeling like a failure.

(e.g. – you break your diet, you DON’T run a mile, you sneak a cigarette, you DON’T work on your blog, etc)

For most of my life, I’ve been a “start again on Monday” sort of person

(usually a comitment I’ll make on a Tuesday)

The reason?

I’ve always been my own worst critic – and when I’ve broken a promise or a plan and didn’t follow through on something I set out to do – it was almost like I felt I needed a brand new slate to begin again.

Learning to disrupt this pattern – and to transform negative self referential mental processing – (e.g. – this sucks – I suck - this goal isn’t worth getting….and it sucks too) has been incredibly helpful in more ways than I can possibly count here. (which I credit largely to lots and lots of mindfulness meditation – which is an invaluable tool for seeing – and then silencing that voice once and for all)

Here is an excerpt from PASSION – and something that – if you struggle with similar feelings – is well worth reading as well.

What do you DO on day # 2?

That’s the question you ought to be asking if you’ve found yourself always getting stuck halfway up the mountain.

Because that’s the REAL secret of success.

Not how you feel when your ducks are all in a row and you are ready to go.

Instead – the first time you fail, or fall, or don’t live up to the lofty expectations you set for passion project, how do you respond?

Do you forgive yourself and continue on?

Or do you get so down and disappointed that you disappear into doubt and despair and watch your enthusiasm ebb away?

One of the really interesting things I’ve learned about achieving goals in my own business and experience with the people that push through – is that it’s very rarely about how passionate you are, or your clients are – when you first set sail.

Instead – it boils down to how you respond when you FIRST fall or fail.

I love the science done on the power of positive psychology, goal setting, willpower and self compassion.

If you want to get inspired and excited about some of the ways you can amp UP your output, check out some of the work done by Dr. Kelly Mcgonigal at Stanford University.

Why?

Because they’ve demonstrated that everything from diet to quitting cigarettes, to developing a yoga practice, to building a successful soloprenuerial business can be traced back to what you do on that very first day….when things DON’T go your way.

How do you respond to personal setbacks?

What do you tell yourself when you don’t even show up?

Are you a fan of forgiveness?

Or do you prefer to punish yourself for not following through?

Be careful when you think about this…it may have MUCH more to do with getting your goals than all of the passion in the world.

Reams and reams of willpower and goal setting success research reveals that…..

Having a compelling BIG PICTURE perspective that keeps your eye on the prize is the secret to staying ferociously focused on the future.

That being a kind boss to the internal employee that is YOU, is key.

(forgive and forget and focus on the future)

Remember the eye in the sky, and that you are bigger than the blips, bumps and bruises along the way.

No single achievement – or failure – along the way….is big enough to define that version of yourself.

I really can’t stress enough how important this idea has been in my own life….and far beyond the scope of business.

How many times have you tried to go on a new health kick, had ONE single setback, and said to yourself afterwards….

Screw it. I cheated. Now I have to have to start over.

And of course, you’ve got to wait till Monday to begin again, right?

Strengthening your achievement muscles

Try this simple exercise:

See yourself at a place in the future where you are actually living the life you imagined.

Whatever it is that YOU love, that which you would be over the moon to do every day for the rest of your life and get PAID for it…….whatever that gift you have to give to the world IS – picture doing that every day, 90 days from today.

See it.

Feel it.

Smell it. Taste it.

Allow yourself to be immersed in the experience of really living a life that makes you FEEL empowered inspired and excited.

And then identify the steps, using the system you’ve picked, to reverse engineer yourself to that space…starting today.

What do you have to do TODAY to feel that feeling in the future?

Years ago…NLP practitioners used to call this process of feeling a goal “future pacing”.

In my own life – when I’ve forgotten this simple exercise – I can’t even count how many times I’ve started an auspicious personal project that I’ve been stoked about, only to press up against that first failure….and slowly slide back into the abyss.

Why?

Simply because I let the distraction of a daily disappointment derail me from my big picture goal.

For example?

I promise myself I’m going to run 90 miles in a month.

3 miles a day, every day.

No excuses.

Starting Monday.

(Because everyone knows all goals worth getting start on Mondays)

Monday I get up and run 3 miles.

I’m pumped, primed and can’t wait till Tuesday.

Tuesday, I pop out of bed and do my best impression of Usain Bolt for 3 miles if he was slow, white and had bad bed-head.

Still rocking.

Wed morning I get up, and something doesn’t quite feel right.

Maybe I slept funny.

Maybe my back is sore.

Maybe I’d rather continue the dream I was happily having before my alarm clock so rudely intervened and Jessica Alba and I were exploring Asia together, with only our backpacks and a AAA map to guide us.

For whatever reason, on Wed, I don’t get up.

And I don’t run my 3 miles.

After a cup of coffee or two and I start my work day, guilt starts to set in.

And then a sense of apathy about the goal.

Is it really all that important?

Why 90 miles?

Why 3 miles a day?

Why can’t I just run 4 miles a few times a week, when I feel up to it?

And then a sense of futility about the goal.

Now I have to run an extra fraction of a mile every day to make up for it.

What is that all about?

Who has time to do the math every time I miss a day?

The whole 90 mile idea is silly, anyway.

Just run when you can and worry about being healthy.

And this folks, is how the sausage of stagnation is made and the seeds of success sorrow are sown.

It works the exact same way in business -

I’ve had clients where I’ve simply said

“Look, you want your first paying client in 2 weeks? Write 4 articles every morning for 90 minutes the next 10 days – follow THIS specific formula – and if you do this, that and this……by day 11 you’ll have a small list of 30 subscribers, 4 follow up email messages and probably, your first paying client.

Let’s re-convene on the 10th day and measure.

Okay?

Ok!

Okay:-)”

Invariably what happens is, day’s 1 and 2 they write the 4 articles are riding high.

Day 3 they write 2 and think they’ll make it up the next. (after all…who is watching?)

Day 4 they write none.

Day 5 they try to write 9 and don’t.

Day 6 they write 1, hate it, and tear it up in frustration

Day 7 the whole thing feels strained, stressed, no fun and all mucked up.

By day 10 – there is a whole new dynamic to deal with, & it’s usually disappointment, self criticism and the shell of confidence that has begun to crumble

And it’s always that first “derailment day” that causes all the chaos.

Because it turns out – on Day 3….that eye in the sky who is watching is YOU.

And the voice of the impostor….that silent critic within, begins to squeak.

Instead – what you need to do is:

Forgive yourself.

Forget the failure.

And focus on what you know is next.

Stress Testing your Goals.

Document your disappointment in advance.

Write down everything that will happen when you DON’T do what you promised.

How will you respond that first day that you don’t update your blog?

What will you do that first time you don’t write a new article, or add a page to your new website, or find 3 potential JV partners?

Whatever it is that you are planning on doing…whatever SYSTEM you are using to achieve your goals, stress test it in advance.

Feel the failure….and have a plan in place for exactly what you are going to do on day 2.

For example….

If I knew, in advance that the first day I got up and didn’t run the 3 miles, I wasn’t going to punish myself.

I wasn’t going to guilt myself.

And I wasn’t going to anguish about why I’m not where I want to be.

Instead, because I looked into the future and watched as my normal human frailties showed up on the path

I simply said –

“Hey Ian – when you have a bad day – and you will – feel a little self forgiveness and compassion. Don’t forget – You are human – and it happens to everyone. All you’re going to do when you face your first crisis of conscience is put your running shoes on the next day and keep moving forward.

Why?

Because day 31 is coming – and when it does – you want to be that faster, leaner and healthier living version of yourself that you know is waiting to shine through – and you WILL be if you remember that your long term health and happiness is more important than any one day’s disappointment, distraction or dubious decision”

Period.

Future pace your failure.

Describe how it feels.

Notice what you notice.

And then understand that missing a day doesn’t define you.

It’s simply part of the experience of getting to where your going.

It works wonders for me – and I’ve watched it help people who are perpetually “Start again on Monday Motivational Mavens” pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and continue on the path of progress AFTER they’ve missed milestones that would have derailed them before.

No more Monday morning motivation and new clean slates.

Dust yourself off and and re-focus exactly as you are, where you are.

Try it.

It works.

How To Launch a Coaching Practice in 3 Simple Steps (on a boostrap budget)

by ian

Q: What is the easiest way to start coaching? How can I turn my passion for my niche into a profitable business….without having to spend a ton of money, buy a whole bunch of nonsense or learn a whole hodge podge of new tips, tricks and techniques? Am I better off trying to begin with a blog….or are there alternative launch strategies which work better?

One of the most common questions and concerns that has come up since announcing “LAUNCHiT” to my list on May 1st, has been burnout. Blog burnout. Information overload burnout.

That terrible sense of tired that sets in when you THINK you’ve tried it all….and to no avail. The sense that you’re super skeptical that there is anything out there at all that is going to be able to give you that gentle nudge in the direction of doing what you love.

The truth is, you CAN launch a coaching business around something you love, and you certainly don’t need LAUNCHit to do it. (even though I obviously hope you will

The key is, if you’re stuck like chuck and overhwlemed with information……..to boil the blueprint down to super simple steps.

Chunk it down. Take baby steps.

You need a traffic source. (I’ve identified 19 of them you can use right here)
You need an offer. (what kind of coaching, teaching, training or information you offer that makes people BETTER, and allows you to do what you love while helping your ideal audience improve their lives in the area you have authorioty, experirence or expertise)
You need a list. ( a community of people who are paying attention….and who resonate with YOU, your marketing…and your message)

That’s really it.

If you have those 3 things, which can be created in a short weekend, you have everything you need to succeed.

Identify your traffic source.

Don’t learn all of them. Pick a few you’re good at….will enjoy, and just dive in and do it.

Use that traffic source to grow your community. (by joining your email list)

And then follow up fearlessly with ideas, information, offers & opportunities.

I know it sounds too simple.

But that’s because it truly is.

Content.
Community.
Conversation.
Curriculum.

And then conversion. (the natural process by which folks who like you, and need what you’re saying or selling, say YES

That’s all you need.

It can be done largely for free.

If it scares you…..

Pick 2 or 3 traffic sources from the list above that speak to your skills and strengths and just dive in and do it.

Focus on the MATH…and NOT the marketing.

As a coach – let’s say you have a $300 a month phone/skype or one on one consulting offer in the area that you have expertise.

It could be diet, it could be dating, it could be credit, clairvoyance or cooking.

It really matters not.

Your only challenge is traffifc.

You need people to KNOW about what it is that you have to offer though, right?

People who either share your passion but don’t have your expertise…..or have a problem and don’t have your experience to fix it.

Let’s say you start an article marketing campaign that takes drives 100 people directly to your newsletter page everyday……

It takes you 2 hours and change every day to do.

And 1 out of every 4 of those people sign up for your newsletter…….

You are adding 25 people a day to your list.

And if one out of every 25 people (4%) of those people sign UP for what you’re selling, you have a business in a box that’s ready to scale.

It’s really quite simple.

Don’t overcomplicate it.

I still write articles every month. And they still drive traffic to THIS blog, who sign up for my list, each and every day. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been at this for months, years or decades….or just starting today.

The same simple rules….still rule..:-)

Check out LAUNCHiT here to see how we can help you make maximum momentum in minimum time…..OR, as we continue to push this forward, simply ask me anything about YOUR specific situation, and I’m happy to see if i can help. (whether or not you think you’re a good fit for what we’ve got

Tags: howtolaunchabusiness

The Perfect Product Launch

by ian

Q: What is the easiest way to launch my first product? What are the most important elements I should plan first? How important is my logo……website design, or color combination?

Do I need affiliates? If so…..how do I get them? Should I buy traffic? And if so…..from whom, and for how much? And what if I don’t know every single detail about my product….or my plan? Should I wait until I get every last detail nailed down, or should I just close my eyes, get excited, take a big deep breathe and put myself out into the world?

I really believe that the biggest enemy of achieving anything signficant in life is the perpetual pursuit of perfection – the idea that it’s never going to be ready until it’s 100% air tight and guaranteed to be great…..and unfortunately, as we all know about the best laid plans, that’s very rarely the case with any goal worth getting.

Nowhere is this more evident, or obvious, than in the “launch” phase of any inspired entrepreneurial idea – and more people paralyze themselves by over analyzing their options and opportunities….rather than just dive in, get their faces muddy with mistakes…but making progress nonetheless.

I remember hearing someone say once, at one of these cheesy marketing conferences of yesteryear – and I paraphrase, but it was something like:

“a C grade marketing campaign actually implemented is infinitely better than an A + plus idea that never leaves the brain space of the entrepreneur who dreampt it up”

It really is very true.

Or – as Goethe said far with far greater grace and style:

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” .

Early next week I’ll be officially offering a brand new viral LAUNCH platform for bloggers, brand builders, authors, artists, coaches, consultants, teachers, trainers, marketers, mentors and enlightentened entrepreneurs who have procrastinated for one day too long.

It’s called LAUNCHiT – because most of the other good names were taken, and I was in a rush to call it something.

But if you have inspired ideas but haven’t been able to get them out into the world just yet………..LAUNCHiT captures the exact spirit of what we want to help YOU do…:-)

It will allow just about everyone we work with to quickly and easily create the STRATEGY, STRUCTURE, SEQUENCE AND STORY that is essential to creating buzz for your blog, brand and business….and will be a great and affordable solution for getting your big ideas out into the world in rapid fire turn around time, using a true “viral” marketing method that is super easy to apply.

We’ll have all kinds of unique, affordable and services as well – from email marketing to content creation and curation campaigns, to product creation, to helping you test and track the very BEST offers to incentivize your ideal audience to get them instantly engaged with your content…your community, and your launch campaign, and of course… a lot more.

The objective is actually quite simple -

Affordable product launches for the people

Maximum momentum.
Minimum time.

I’ll also be sharing a whole bunch of launch strategies – ideas that I’ll be using for both my own stuff (books, blogs and more) as well as publishing a new book on Amazon, too.

And some ideas for how you can use these very same approaches in your own local community to become a lead generation or viral launch strategiest yourself as well. (it really only takes mastering a few very simple concepts to do some pretty impressive things for your clients, and it’s a very lucrative industry as well)

So stay tuned for that.

Or drop an email to LAUNCHIT@karmicconsulting.net for details beforehand.

Or, if you want to read some of the sorts of things we WON’T be recommending…….check out some more random thoughts on launching your first (or next) product from around the web….at the link following the excerpt below.

(NOTE: Most of these tips are a bit self evidently silly if you are a new business on a budget , but they ARE the “mainstream” types of things that many people I see THINK they’ve got to do to be successful, and in most cases, unfortunately just leads to more procrastination, rather than progress, and the sorts of things we’re going to be leapfrogging completely with the LAUNCHiT process, too)

Enjoy…and if you’re interested in learning more – don’t forget to drop me an email for beta details before we make the service available to all.

# * .#3Implement a unique slogan. * Prepare for your product launch by creating a catchy and unique slogan that will be used to identify it. The slogan should consist of simple language and could rhyme or contain words beginning with the same letter to make it more memorable.#4Know your competition. * Research products similar to the one you’re planning to launch that are already well-known by consumers. Use this information to direct the attention of your launch at ways that your product is different and better than the competition.#5Consult a public relations firm. * Work with a public relations agent with experience in your industry or in marketing new products. An expert can help you solidify your target audience, determine the best forms of media advertising and plan promotions.#6Write a product sheet. * Create a list of product features and details. This should explain the product to consumers while still making it attractive. Include general usage, product components or ingredients and any relevant safety warnings or liability information.

9 Tips on How to Launch a New Product – wikiHow

Tags: howtolaunchaproductonline, viralproductlaunchideas

Will Passion Make You Hungry?

by ian

And by hungry I don’t mean, like….hungry for sharing your flare with the world, or hungry to do what you love for a living.

Instead, I mean, will pursuing a PASSION as a profession make you more likely to be hungry in the simplest sense of the word? (as in….not being able to afford to eat as much you’d like?

I’m doing a lot of reading these days on the POWER of passion, the transformative art and science of really indulging what inspires you to come alive.

(not to promote my recent book – but instead, as I continue to dance in the direction of my own dreams with my work as well – both personally and professoinally alike)

I bookmarked about 200 articles on Passion a few weeks ago – some I wanted to read while I was writing the book for some perspective – and of course, due to time contraints (and the fact that most of them were painful to read) I only got to like 3 of them.

Today, as I’m catching up and cleaning up a bit….I started to leaf through the pile, and other than the airy fairy, rah-rah, “You can DO it!” style stuff that permeates the professional publishing passionsphere, I’m starting to notice another trend altogether.

The cynical perspective on pursuing passion for a living.

The “you aren’t all that special” so don’t believe the hype stuff.

The middle management, low risk route is the right one strategy.

And while I hate all of the “you are a rock star” puff pieces out there that do more harm than good, I find it a bit more troubling to read all of the pragmatic perspectives of those who’d advise you to settle as well.

Here is a good example post – you can check out the whole thing at the link following the short excerpt below – but encouraging people to follow the safe route – or to say -

“Unless you’re a true star (brilliant, driven, great personality, or have great connections), give it up.”

I think is really, really offputting.

Or – under “Advice I’d Give My Child” -

“Just remember is this one rule: Don’t innovate. Replicate. Copy a successful simple business.Innovations are too risky: Your product might not work, may not be popular with the public, or a competitor could beat you to market. Why be a guinea pig? Unless you have deep pockets or are truly brilliant, the risks are too great.”

I’m so glad my own parents didn’t give me that advice. And not because being entrepreneurial – or thinking that you can do great things is a guarantee of actually doing it – and certainly not because it’s the safest path to any sort of success……but there is something scary – and sad – and sort of pathetic even…… about thinking about life – and a career – and contribution – and your legacy through this lens.

Check out the whole blog post at the link below.

In contrast, if your job is mundane, for example, marketing manager for the Western Widget Company, the employer knows there aren’t hundreds of competent people champing at the bit for your job. So, to keep you, the employer is more likely to offer decent working conditions, reasonable work hours, kind treatment, opportunities for learning, and pay you well. Those are the things that—much more than being in a “cool” career– lead to career contentment.You say you want status? Unless you’re a true star (brilliant, driven, great personality, or have great connections), give it up. Status is often the enemy of success. You’re more likely to find career contentment in a not-high-status career. In my mind, someone who’s an honorable assistant manager for the Western Widget Co. is more worthy of respect than many lawyers, investment bankers, and business development VPs I know. If someone thinks less of you because you’re job isn’t high-status, they don’t deserve to be your friend.Advice I’d Give My ChildIf you’re entrepreneurial, I recommend starting your own business. Yes, I know, only 20 percent of new businesses are still in business after five years, but you can beat the odds. Just remember is this one rule: Don’t innovate. Replicate. Copy a successful simple business.Innovations are too risky: Your product might not work, may not be popular with the public, or a competitor could beat you to market. Why be a guinea pig? Unless you have deep pockets or are truly brilliant, the risks are too great. Many people have ended up in poverty because of their innovations. Even Tivo, a wonderful new product lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the first few years. Last I checked, you don’t have oodles of money to lose. Leave the innovations to corporations or the independently wealthy.

Do What You Love and Starve?

Leadership & The Butterfly Effect

by ian

This is a really great, short TED talk on the power of leadership….and how seemingly small actions can have such huge ramifications on the lives of others.

It’s so easy to get sucked into the trap that we need to do huge things to make a difference.

Go big or go home.

Massive action for maximum momentum.

Maybe that’s not 100% true.

Maybe leadership is simply a way of being in the world

Instead, maybe simple things we can each do everyday, often that require very little effort or expense, can have some of the biggest benefits.

In my own life, I’m often amazed at how it’s the small things that change my day, or brighten my mood, or energize my enthusiasm to do this, that or the other….a simple smile from a stranger, or a short conversation with someone on the street, or even an unexpected exchange with someone you’d ordinarily overlook.

Well worth watching for 7 minutes of inspiration.