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Archive for January, 2011
Praying for Rain
Posted in: Blog by scott_manning on January 26, 2011
By: Scott Manning
You betcha, that’s what they were doing when I was in Orlando last week. Heck I bet they’ve got all the Indians from some Disney Movie in the back dancing and prancing around just trying to bust those clouds open.
And it worked, at least it seems to work just about every day in Orlando. Perhaps Walt knew what he was doing when he picked that spot.
So, why do you suppose they want it to rain so bad. You’d think an outdoor amusement park would fear for rain wouldn’t you.
Of course, unless, people travel from all over the world to come to your park and aren’t about to let a little water stand in their way. If that’s the case, as it is in Disney, why not just find a way to profit from it.
Try the $7.50 Disney Rain Poncho. Sold by the thousands… but who’s counting.
In every business there’s a ‘rain cloud’ that can be turned into profit, in some cases literally.
None the less, after I broke down and purchased my poncho, it sure enough stopped raining in about 5 minutes. Hey, I had a blast though. Nope, couldn’t make it over to the Magical Kingdom, but I enjoy Epcot like a kid in a candy store. Very interesting. And believe me, I studied. Talk to Cast Members, watched people, check price points. Wow, what an experience.
Dan Kennedy swears by the fact that any serious Entrepreneur should visit Disney at least once each year, without the kids, because there’s just too much to learn. Oh, bring the kids, but on another trip.
And I’ll say, I’ve made that commitment to get back there this year.
I’ll give you 3 quick lessons from being at Disney and a couple quick comments about Winners Weekend.
#1 – They hold you hostage, keep you captive, and surround you with EVERYTHING Disney.
If you’ve been, you know what I mean. Know this, you’ve got to stay “on-site” it’s just a world of difference, you get the full effects, you see the magic happen.
Literally, you forget the outside world exists.
What are you doing to take your customers out of ‘everyday’ life and let them escape into your world. They all do want escape, you know that, don’t you?
#2 – Next up, the Cast Members know everything, every question, they are ready for it.
I’m not going to talk more about this, but really you could have fun trying to stump them. Where to eat, where’s the bathroom, how much is that, any thoughts about this, and on and on – they were sharp, well trained.
In your business, are you letting details fall through the cracks, any slip up in your process, with your people, etc leaves room for customers money to stay in their pocket and the satisfaction to diminish.
#3 – Lastly, for now, since I spent so much time at Epcot and the World Showcase, I have to tell you it was amazing. Every single person who worked within a “country” in the World Showcase was from that country. No, not in the past, I mean right now. They were picked up shipped over, part of a cultural college work program or something.
Bottom line, the strategy in and of itself is genius. But, I believe even if no work program existed, Disney probably created it, but if it were impossible, they would still hire only people from the individual countries.
Because that’s what should happen. It’s about being authentic and creating the experience that exceeds expectations. Amazing.
In your business where do you cheapen the experience…you shouldn’t. If you must raise your prices, but give customers what they deserve, give them what others can’t, give them reason to step back and say, AMAZING.
Now, for Winners Weekend, Ryan and I had a wonderful time. Great people, sharp and HUNGRY winners, hungry to be there, hungry to improve, hungry to soak up the experience.
It was fun. And I’d like to publically thank Bill and Dan for putting it on and showing us all a great time, great leadership, and great hospitality. Above and beyond, just like Disney.
You may or may not know that I host my Private Clients and Top Level Coaching Members at a Retreat once each year in the Summertime, that was similar to what we did in Orlando. It was nice to be the recipient and sit back and enjoy.
As for breakthroughs – I’ll save them for another time.
But, one overall comment about everyone there, and what I think will help you the most.
If you don’t look for bigger opportunity, you won’t find it. Most people get stuck in their business doing what they do, and it becomes a cycle, even if growth occurs, it’s gradual at best, maybe multiplied, but when you hang around the likes of Dan and Bill (and me) you discover expansion opportunities, exponential opportunities, often time using what already exist in your business… but change certain variables.
It could be changing: Who, How, What, Where, even Why – you sell.
One of our biggest breakthroughs was changing “who” we focus on and “what” we sell, long-term.
Do you give this much thought, ever? I hope so. And if you hang around here enough, pay attention, it’ll rub off on ya, believe me.
The best way to make that happen is to show up at our Monthly Chapter Event in Indianapolis.
Scott
January 2011 Marketer of the Month
Posted in: Blog by admin on January 24, 2011
Register for The February Chapter Event Now
Magical Link to the Money
Posted in: Blog by scott_manning on January 19, 2011
By: Scott Manning
Today, as you’re reading this, I’m sitting in the Disney Boardwalk Resort in Orlando (hopefully sunny Orlando), I’m busy churning out work for various projects and clients I’m responsible for.
Ryan and I are participating in what’s called “Winners’ Weekend” with Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer. The place each year where various “marketers of the year” and other contest winners come and spend a few days with the captains of the GKIC International Ship.
It’s an honor to be here and for being voted as the “Best of the Best” Business Advisor in the country – a contest held at an annual summit put on by Bill, Dan, and Howard for all of the Advisors.
Anyhow…I’ll give you an updated next week about our experience.
On to you… and “creating magic”
I have no doubt that by the time you read this, I’ll have experienced “creating magic” in more ways than Mickey Mouse in Fantasia.
Last week I said to our Chapter Plus Group…
(where we focus on implementation, and taking action before you leave each Monthly Chapter Event, and where I personally take you by the hand, answer questions, and help you build a plan based off our Event)
I said that, we must always be focused on being in the “creation of money” business.
So many people are always ‘expense’ oriented… not MONEY focused.
At Disney, where I’ll be for the next few days, this magical place is known for its ability to create money too. And I’d say these go hand-in-hand.
Money and Magic, Magic and Money – that’s what you ought to be scheming and plotting, planning, and orchestrating each and every day in your business.
As you go back and review your “Goals-to-Money” Blueprints we went through last week, be sure you are always applying each action, strategy, and idea directly to that magical money link.
Homework: catch yourself whenever you start thinking about “expenses” rather than opportunity, investment, and money creation. Don’t let yourself start thinking about limited beliefs and things your customers would cringe at if they knew.
I’ll give a full report from the happiest place on earth next week – but know this – Disney makes magic for its customers and money for itself, because they go all out to ensure that BOTH happen.
One without the other, impossible.
Where should you be, can you be, will you be focused on CREATING MONEY and opportunity in your business this year, and how will you be making magic happen for your customers and clients?
Here’s a dose of pixie dust and a wave of the magic wand, POOF, GAZAM, PRESTO –
May your magic money making creation powers make 2011 your best year ever.
Scott Manning
An off topic email about football
Posted in: Blog by scott_manning on January 12, 2011
By: Scott Manning
You ever wonder why some teams are pretty much always good, or at least always ‘in the hunt’. Sadly, perhaps, I think a lot about this. And I’ve got answers.
I’ve narrowed it down to THREE, count them, 1, 2, 3, major reasons why this is the case. And it just so happens if you apply these principles in your business, and especially focus on them now in the New Year, you’ll find the same consistent success they have.
1. They PLAY/COACH to Win. All the time. There’s no ‘down-time’, or ‘take-it-easy’ plays, quarters, or games. They are in competition with themselves as much as the other team. So they drive hard and fast even when it’s not necessary.
If there is one thing that I see more Entrepreneurs fail or simply never win in their businesses, it’s because of this reason right here. They play as if they are trying not to lose, instead of going full out, all in, and marketing, selling, running, etc their business to win and succeed.
For example, just the other day someone said to me when asked about what marketing they were doing, “I’m just waiting to see how people respond and what the word-of-mouth will do before I put money into other marketing.” And of course, you know me, I HATE when people say ‘word-of-mouth’. I say to myself words I can not repeat in this email.
2. They ADJUST immediately and ADAPT fast. To save you examples, this means that when something doesn’t work they do something different, they don’t think about it, wait on it, dwell for weeks, or even plays, they just adjust. In fact the best teams are looking for ways to adjust to improve effectiveness all the time.
We might call this, “testing” in marketing and sales. Also, it’s making decisions quickly, having back-up plans, and staying the course with adjustments on the move versus pausing, delaying, or taking a break to figure something out. No time, not for winners, movers, shakers, and money makers.
And, by the way, this means you have to expect to change, adapt, and adjust. No one gets it perfect and pretending that’s what you want or expect is simply amateur and immature.
3. This one is hard to explain so you’ll have to try a little harder here. What I notice about the ‘winning teams’ is that the Coaches and Players are like one. They understand each other. They don’t overpower each other, they have balance. They work together. They apply the first 2 rules as a unit. It’s more of an entrepreneurial situation.
Other teams it’s quite obvious the coaches are more ‘executive’ like, not seemingly ‘in the trenches’ as the Players.
Coaches that were fired this year, in my opinion, fell victim to this rule. And it’s why they didn’t and don’t cohesively win.
About you, well good news, You’re the Coach and the Players, even if you have employees, you’re still a player in one form or another. Certainly if you’re solo-entrepreneur you are.
Either way, you must learn this balance of being entrepreneurial while being a leader, a coach. You are ‘in the trenches’ because that’s where the action is. Embrace it, enjoy it, profit from it.
So, what’s this have to do with anything else. A lot really. There are rules or commonalities as you should know, for everything. And since we’re in the month of January the 1st month of the new year, there are specific things you must follow if you want to make the most of this year and in fact, make it your best year ever.
Here’s 3 success traits for the new year in addition to how to be a consistent winning football team…
1. Raise up your environment that you spend time in and the people you hang around
2. Invest more time implementing less time thinking about what to implement
3. Set yourself up for success with a plan and a place where you can go to make that plan happen
All three of those you can knock out in one shot by getting involved in and being at our New Year Edition Chapter Event.
Here’s to making 2011 your best year ever, follow these rules and enjoy your success.
Scott Manning
The TRUTH About Goal-Setting
Posted in: Uncategorized by scott_manning on January 5, 2011
The TRUTH About Goal-Setting
By: Scott Manning
I’m going to attempt to hit you straight between the eyes today, with this message, about goals.
Flat out, I think just about everyone goes about it all wrong. Especially those bee-bopping around pretending to teach people about “goal-setting”.
To me, and I think to any successful person, we believe in “goal setting”, but we’ve got a different name for it.
It’s called – Goal DOING.
I know, a revolutionary concept. (Good news, we’ll be talking about this crazy idea next week at our GKIC Indy Chapter Event)
Here’s the lowdown on goal-setting in 3 parts.
1. People talk about goals, write them down, and do all of that part fairly good. Problem is, they talk about them as if they are ‘dreams’, ‘hopes’, ‘wishes’, not GOALS. You know the saying, I’ll just remind you here, “a goal without a plan is just a dream.”
And sure, that is part of it. Writing them down is important. Have a plan to make them happen, even more so.
The big thing everyone wants to ignore is that most people say, even write down, their goals, because it’s make them feel good. Feel productive. Feel like they are ‘on their way’.
Then, when weeks, months, years go by, and the frustrations builds, the disappointment mounts. Not to worry… we’ve created a way to handle that too – it’s called…
CHANGE YOUR GOALS. Seems silly huh. But in reality, it’s the cycle we all fall victim to from time-to-time.
Part 1 is, Yes, you should write them down.
2. Next, and I know you’ve heard this too. Having S M A R T Goals. Which is great, and certainly an advanced strategy.
Specific / Measurable / Attainable / Results-oriented / Time bound
And there are slight variations to this, such as “relevant” or “realistic”, but all in all, those 5 things are great in terms of setting the goals, that might actually happen.
Still, if you notice, there’s one piece missing – HOW WE ARE GOING TO PULL THEM OFF.
More than the Plan, it requires Action.
Part 2 is, follow the SMART goal setting philosophy.
3. Now, for the important next step. Part 3. First, let me remind you that most people think goal setting in and of itself is ‘accomplishment’.
So, the first thing you have to do is, realize and accept the fact that goal-setting is the beginning, not the end. If you don’t ever plan to actually achieve (doing whatever it takes) the goal, then don’t waste your time setting it in the first place.
But, if we’ve decided you’re serious, then here’s what happens next.
REVIEW:
1. WRITE down your goals
2. Make SMART
3. Now create an IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, or a ‘realization’ plan if you will.
You don’t always have to know how you’re going to finish, but you must know how you’re going to start. What are the steps you will take, the actions you will put in motion, all the resources you will employ.
Here, let me give you a few ‘trigger’ words that will hopefully help. This will give you something to apply to your 2011 goals, right now. But you’ll get full scope, the secret “goals to money” blueprint next week.
I – immediate, do something immediately
M – motion, get in motion
P – purpose, act with purpose
L – leverage, look for leverage
E – employ, employ all available resources
M – momentum, build momentum
E – expect, expect to have to make adjustments
N – next, always ask (and be thinking about) what’s next
T – today, no matter what, think about what you can do, TODAY
I hope that gives you some ideas on turning your goals into realities.
Just don’t settle for the warm and fuzzy feeling of simply having goals.
Make them with intention and dedication.
And remember, while the majority of people don’t even set goals, the majority who do, never accomplish them.
Either way, even if you set goals, if you don’t actually achieve them, you’re still sitting amongst the majority, that I’d like to stay away from if I were you.
I’m sure you’d like more details on this, and a little ‘take-you-by-the-hand’ support, and that’s exactly what I’m going to give you next week at our January GKIC Indy Chapter Event.
And if you show up (by clicking here, http://www.NoBSIndy.com/chaptermeeting) then, I’ve got good news… 2011 will be the year you go beyond GOAL Setting to Goal DOING. And you’ll be pleasantly rewarded for your new approach.
The “Goals-to-Money” blueprint is yours to keep, free, next week. Click here, http://www.NoBSIndy.com/chaptermeeting
See you then.
Scott Manning