The biggest pitfalls in business aren't the obvious ones. The ones you see. The ones you are prepared for. The ones that have your guard up.
The most painfu ones — that can really delay (or even destroy) your business — are the ones you can't even see. That fly under your radar. That come disguised at virtues. When they are really vices.
The ones that cloak themselves as goals to shoot for. When in reality they are torpedos that can shoot your business down.
And one of the most insidious. And destructive is called …
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If you are an entrepreneur or business owner, there is one thing you know: There is nothing more powerful. Or more intoxicating … than a profound, powerful dream of success.
Some folks call it: Your million dollar idea.
Unfortunately it can easily become your million dollar nightmare.
Because as I work with more and more business owners to build their own amazingly profitable businesses, I run smack dab up against the same confounding question. That strikes at the core of much of your frustration in trying to build a business:
Why do some entrepreneurs succeed, sometimes wildly, with stunning speed, while others struggle? Even when the ones who struggle have more raw talent and more things going for them than the ones who succeed?
Well, I have uncovered a powerful answer.
- Its not how they use Facebook.
- Its not how they design their opt-in pages.
- Its not whether or not they take the latest guru course.
- Its not how beautiful their website is.
First, a warning: What you discover in the next few paragraphs may piss you off. And not just a little. But I am willing to risk it because it just might prevent your own crash and burn catastrophe.
While there are a number of factors, one seems to be coming through above and beyond the others. Loud and clear. Over and over.
Its this:
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OK … going to blow off a little steam here. (In a nice way). But I have a very important question for you:
Why, oh why are you doing this?
Because if you're an entrepreneur or business owner (or find yourself struggling to become one) there is a good chance you are doing something fundamentally wrong.
And its absolutely, positively, undeniably killing your business.
The good news is: There is one thing you can do to arrest this downward spiral. And accelerate the profitability of everything you do. That will kick in literally as soon as you get it done.
The bad news is: There is a good chance you are fighting it. And will continue to fight it. Tooth and nail.
Even though it requires no technical chops. Is something anyone can do. And it can have an epic impact on your bottom line.
But if you're tired of fighting … and ready for more success: listen up.
And this simple but powerful idea is this:
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Yep, its that time of year:
When I know you're getting alot of email cards. Wishes. Happy talk. Things reminding you how special you are.
Things that, in the past, I have avoided these like the plague.
Its not that I'm a Scrooge. Its just that alot of these greetings come under the category of:
"I really want to tell these people I care about them but I don't know how." And unfortunately you end up creating something that's remembered. For about 10 seconds. And then forgotten.
Well, I wanted to do something that would stay with you the entire year. And maybe longer. Crazy. I know.
Well … courtesy of someone in the complex where I live … I discovered a "grin-from-ear-to-ear" idea. That you won't just delete. You won't just say, "That's nice" and move on with your day.
This one definitely goes up on the fridge. And it will stay up all year long.
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Everyone knows … when it comes to what's hot … Facebook is king of the hill. Unfortunately … its also what might be killing your business.
Because while its true:
- Facebook is a phenomenon
- Its growth has become legend
- And its causing alot of sleepless nights over at Google
Alot of you are finding the results don't match the hype. And I'm not talking followers. I'm talking dollars.
There are two questions you have to ask yourself if your results have been less than stellar. Before you follow the rest of the lemmings into the sea:
- How many of your ideal really prospects hang out there?
- Is there another venue that attracts more of the people who actually have the money to pay you?
I recently discovered a stunning answer to both questions that made my jaw drop.
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Want to know a simple fact that will make you a ton of money?
People love stories. Its the reason why movies rake in the big bucks, year after year. And why people become fanatic fans of television shows. We are instinctively hooked by a good yarn. Even when we know how it ends. (Yep the Titanic sinks.) That didn't keep the movie from raking in almost $2 billion.
So now that you know how powerful they are, why let Hollywood types have all the fun? Why not put this "take-it-to-the-bank secret" to work in your business?
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Every now and then you're lucky enough to stumble onto some pure gold.
One of the things I have been fortunate enough to do recently is work as an associate coach in a large coaching program.
It like getting a crash course dealing with every business building predicament imaginable. As you can imagine, I have seen a few people succeed with their products and offerings. But I've seen alot more people fail.
Its daunting to see how much people struggle creating profits from their products. Especially when they are starting out. But the biggest shock comes when you realize the struggle has absolutely nothing to do with the product.
In fact, you can get two different entrepreneurs in the same room with the same prospect pitching the same product. One will walk away with a sale. And the other won't.
Because there is a secret to actually making money – big money – with the products your create.
And its so powerful you could run this experiment a thousand times. And a thousand times the one who applies this secret will walk away with the sale. And the one who doesn't won't.
The one who applies this secret builds their business. The one who doesn't keeps their day job.
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Its one of the biggest complaints I hear. And one of the biggest challenges you face.
Its a fear that is so inbred in many of you, that it short-circuits what could be an outrageously profitable business. Before you even get started.
Its technophobia – An overwhelming fear of the increasing pace of technology.
Now there's a problem: Doing business online by definition involves dealing with technology. Yearning for a successful online business without embracing technology is like wanting to be Broadway Musical Star when you hate New York. Or wanting to be a pilot when you're afraid to fly.
The thing to remember is that the benefits of technology FAR outweigh the problems.
And more importantly … literally anyone can do it. Think I am joking?
Then check out this stunning video clip that reveals just how true this is.
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I have always been bananas about a site called Slideshare. Its like YouTube for PowerPoint presentations.
And the amazing thing is, its easier to get exposure on Slideshare than most other online platforms. Including YouTube!
So you can imagine that I had to share a visually stunning presentation called
10 Ways to Be a Marketing Genius Like Lady Gaga.
Its been viewed almost 80,000 times. Its been shared hundreds of times on social media. And its brought in work from around the word for its creator:
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It used to be nearly impossible to create top notch, professional videos. With super cool effects. That capture attention. And make it look like you have George Lucas on staff.
That was before Animoto – an amazing online video creator that automates 96% of the most challenging part of video production. (I should know – I used to do that challenging stuff for a living!)
Well Animoto just streamlined their interface.
And we have a cool video tutorial that shows just how your videos can look like a million. In just minutes.
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