Ray Edwards Show

This week we will continue with listener questions. As you may remember, we just completed our first ever Annual Reader/Listener Survey for this site (and podcast). We got some interesting and surprising results in that survey…  and lots of feedback, comments, and questions. We will answer more questions and comment on more comments. Also on today's episode… Tip of the Week I address the overreaction to my comments about “radical grace”. Would you like to be in a mastermind with me? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: Looking for a copywriting gig? Send me a one sheet “sales letter” on why you would be a perfect copywriter for me to hire. 800 words maximum. Also send along any samples you think would convince me you are brilliant. Make the subject line of your email say only: “Blue Fondue”. Send that email to the address I provided in the podcast, and listen to the podcast audio for instructions about what happens next. If you email me with questions, I have not listened to the podcast instructions, I won't be able to answer you. Starting this week, every person who submits an audio question for the podcast will receive a free gift (if, and only if, we use your question on the podcast). Click here to submit your audio question. Meanwhile, if you would be interested in the possible one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… And if you're not just “interested” but you already know you want to do it,  fill in this form. If it looks like you would be a good fit, I will call you myself.  (If you just want the “details”, listen to the podcast. I explain all the “details”.) Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA JV Alert: The Perfect Game April 24-27, Denver, CO SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week   Stuck In Customs Copywriting Corner This is the official kickoff of one of your suggestions from our listener survey: that I include a copywriting tip in each episode.  Each week I will include a tip on how to improve the power and persuasiveness of your copy. In other words, I will help you write copy that moves people to action, whether that action be to buy a product, to opt into a list, or to adopt an idea you are “selling” to them. This week's tip: the easiest and fastest way to influence anyone is by using what is already influencing them. This is a restatement of Robert Colliers classic advice: you must enter the conversation that is already taking place in the mind of the reader. But how do you do this? To get into the mind of your prospect, you need to have tea.  No, it's not a beverage. It's a visualization exercise, for which I have coined the term The Empathy Amplifier (T.E.A.). Here's how to do it: Gather all the actual data you have about your prospects (the people to whom you are writing). Get into a quiet place. Perhaps even have an actual cup of tea. Now visualize yourself stepping into the body and life of your prospect. (This is not some form of demonic astral projection, it simply you using your sanctified imagination to understand another person's life better.) Walk through every detail of their day that you can imagine: when they wake up, how they wake up, what they see/hear/smell/feel… What they have for breakfast, the kind of car they drive to work, the neighborhood they drive through, the waiter greeted at the office, the emotional state they feel throughout the day… Right up to the moment they walk through the door of home at the end of the workday and collapse onto the sofa to watch TV. Or whatever they do. Take your time. Do this exercise thoroughly. Think about what their fears, frustrations, and anxieties are. What is their dominant driving emotion, most of the time? When you have bathed yourself in the wash of their experience… Now you can start writing some copy. Try it. In fact, I would love to share some reader examples with everyone else. So if you do this exercise, and write a paragraph or two of copy, and you know there is a difference-send me that copy! I'll share with the world! Spiritual Foundations Last week I talked about those who resist a “radical grace” approach to the gospel. I mentioned that some people are afraid this is an error, and refer to it as “cheap grace” or “greasy grace”.  Their concern is that this teaching that Jesus has already paid the price for our sins… past, present, and future, is a perversion of the gospel. That it gives people license to sin, and makes them bitter, arrogant, and prideful.  I said that Grace is not a license to sin. It is what empowers us to overcome sin. I also knowledge to that some use the word “grace” as an excuse for their sin. But we don't know (a) whether that person IS or IS NOT a true believer… and (B) how and/or when that person will be overcome by God's Grace and led out of a life of sin. Let me assure you that I got the same objections from more than one person. So if you objected, and you are hearing this, please understand that I am not directing this only at you. I am, in the best way I know, lovingly offering you a different way of considering this issue. I reached my conclusions on these matters based solely on Scripture. I can defend them based solely on Scripture. But that would take an entire podcast to even begin to scratch the surface. So let me summarize this quickly, and perhaps allow some people to rest easy, by saying this: The grace that Jesus Christ offers lets you completely off the hook for sin. It settles your sin problem once and for all. Past, present, and future. It is not necessary for you to beg for forgiveness every time you cross the line in sin. Even if you do it willfully. Grace is much more powerful than that, and creates within you a new heart that makes it more and more impossible for you to sin. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2:11-12, NIV Grace does not increase the desire to sin. Preaching this radical grace does not cause people to sin more. What causes that is the very spirit of “religion” which so desperately wants to bind people to rules and regulations. It is this religious spirit that causes well-meaning believers say things like, “Yes, grace is wonderful, but you got to be careful… you've got to make sure you balance that teaching with an emphasis on holiness…  and following God's commandments.” I humbly disagree. We are not under the law, but under grace. Let's see what the New Testament has to say about the Law.     Acts     The law is an unbearable yoke. (Acts 15:10) Romans     The law reveals sin but cannot fix it. (Romans 3:20)     If the law worked then faith would be irrelevant. (Romans 4:14)     The law brings wrath upon those who follow it. (Romans 4:15)     The purpose of the law was to increase sin. (Romans 5:20)     Christians are not under the law. (Romans 6:14)     Christians have been delivered from the law. (Romans 7:1-6)     The law is good, perfect, and holy but cannot help you be good, perfect, or holy. (Romans 7:7-12)     The law which promises life only brings death through sin. (Romans 7:10)     The law makes you sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)     The law is weak. (Romans 8:2-3) 1 Corinthians     The strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56) 2 Corinthians     The law is a ministry of death. (2 Corinthians 3:7)     The law is a ministry of condemnation. (2 Corinthians 3:9)     The law has no glory at all in comparison with the New Covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:10)     The law is fading away. (2 Corinthians 3:11)     Anywhere the law is preached it produces a mind-hardening and a heart-hardening veil. (2 Corinthians 3:14-15) Galatians     The law justifies nobody. (Galatians 2:16)     Christians are dead to the law. (Galatians 2:19)     The law frustrates grace. (Galatians 2:21)     To go back to the law after embracing faith is “stupid.” (Galatians 3:1)     The law curses all who practice it and fail to do it perfectly. (Galatians 3:10)     The law has nothing to do with faith. (Galatians 3:11-12)     The law was a curse that Christ redeemed us from. (Galatians 3:13)     The law functioned in God's purpose as a temporary covenant from Moses till John the Baptist announced Christ. (Galatians 3:16 & 19, also see Matthew 11:12-13, Luke 16:16)     If the law worked God would have used it to save us. (Galatians 3:21)     The law was our prison. (Galatians 3:23)     The law makes you a slave like Hagar. (Galatians 4:24) Ephesians     Christ has abolished the law which was a wall of hostility. (Ephesians 2:15) Philippians     Paul considered everything the law gained him as “skybalon” which is Greek for “poop.” (Philippians 3:4-8) 1 Timothy     The law is only good if used in the right context. (1Timothy 1:8 – see next verse for the context)     The law was made for the unrighteous but not for the righteous. (1 Timothy 1:9-10) Hebrews     The law is weak, useless, and makes nothing perfect. (Hebrews 7:18-19)     (As an aside – that's some fighting talk – no wonder the author of Hebrews remains anonymous to this day!)     God has found fault with it and created a better covenant, enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:7-8)     It is obsolete, growing old, and ready to vanish. (Hebrews 8:13)     It is only a shadow of good things to come and will never make someone perfect. (Hebrews 10:1) This list of scripture, and the commentary, was supplied by my good friend Phil Drysdale. I recommend you read Phil's blog at PhilDrysdale.com Let me answer clearly this accusation that there is such a thing as “greasy grace”: no, no, no! Grace does not cause disregard for holiness-your religion does. As a final thought on this subject, I will quote the well-respected Bible commentator Martyn Lloyd Jones, who wrote the following  in his Commentary on Romans 6: The true preaching of the gospel of salvation by grace alone always leads to the possibility of this charge being brought against it. There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do; you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. If my preaching and presentation of the gospel of salvation does not express it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the true gospel.” Your Further Comments More emphasis on selecting niches and keywords. This is my biggest problem. I prefer to read the transcription of a podcast. Broadcast listener questions I like the short format the best. I really like the podcast. It would be nice if all blog post were able to be listened to. Your Further Questions Do you have live hands-on workshops about Writing Riches for those of us who could use a tutorial? I believe in your message and impressed by you as a person — so my question would be “What can I do to help you be successful Ray?” What is the best way to get content and products created without bogging down and missing the market? Do you think it's possible to create an income with “just” a Dad blog and podcast? Is it really that easy to charge big money for common knowledge? (or maybe I know more than I think I do) More details about how you include God in your daily business activities. Very few people mention God and business together (that's why I love your posts/Podcasts). How do you specifically include prayer in your business activities? What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question: how are you doing on your goals and resolutions so far in the new year? Click here to leave your comments.

I promised this week would be about the most important subject I've ever covered. That subject is… you. We just completed our first ever Annual Reader/Listener Survey for this site (and podcast). Boy, did we get some interesting and surprising results in that survey…  and it's all about you. I also received a ton of comments and questions. Many of them flattering, some of them not so much. On this weeks podcast I'm sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Also on today's episode… December's comment contest winners. Status of the updated copywriting course. Gadget recommendation: the perfect digital camera. Does teaching “radical grace” give people license to sin? Would you like to be in a mastermind with me? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: The winners of access to the updated copywriting course are:  Dan Black (37)  Eric Dingler (7)  Todd Liles (7)  Paul Jolicoeur (6)  Adam Collier (4) The copywriting course itself is going to be released a bit later than originally planned. Stay tuned to find out why. Looking for a copywriting gig? Send me a one sheet “sales letter” on why you would be a perfect copywriter for me to hire. 800 words maximum. Also send along any samples you think would convince me you are brilliant. Make the subject line of your email say only: “Blue Fondue”. Send that email to the address I provided in the podcast, and listen to the podcast audio for instructions about what happens next. If you email me with questions, I have not listened to the podcast instructions, I won't be able to answer you. Starting next week, every person who submits an audio question for the podcast will receive a free gift (if, and only if, we use your question on the podcast). Click here to submit your audio question. “Permission to Prosper” event originally scheduled for April has been postponed… Mainly because I haven't finished the companion book yet! We will update you soon. Meanwhile, if you would be interested in the possible one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… And if you're not just “interested” but you already know you want to do it,  fill in this form. If it looks like you would be a good fit, I will call you myself.  (If you just want the “details”, listen to the podcast. I explain all the “details”.) Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA Tip Of The Week  As you may know, I have taken a deep interest in digital photography. After extensive research, reading many reviews, and looking at many, many cameras, I settled on the Sony NEX-7. the main reasons I decided on this camera are: Digital SLR's are on the way out, and mirrorless compact cameras are the future of digital photography. This camera is about five times lighter than the equivalent DSLR. While megapixels are not everything, the NEX-7  is a 24 megapixel camera, and also has a relatively large sensor (which is more important than the number of megapixels) There are not as many lenses available for this camera as for others, but pretty much all the lenses I would ever need are available. It's about half the cost of equivalently powerful DSLR. I find the electronic menu system quite easy and intuitive to use. This camera shoots fantastic video, and shoots it at 60 frames per second (wow!) If you're interested in knowing more, check out this review by Trey Ratcliffe. If you want to buy a Sony NEX-7, get the best deal here at Amazon. Spiritual Foundations When we talk about the radical grace of Jesus, some people become concerned that this will encourage others to sin freely. This is not the case. Grace is not a license to sin. It is what empowers us to overcome sin. Do some use “grace” as an excuse for their sin? So it seems. But we don't know (a) whether that person IS or IS NOT a true believer… and (B) how and/or when that person will be overcome by God's Grace and led out of a life of sin. Resist the temptation to judge people, and resist the temptation to diminish the power of the Gospel. For that is what we do when we throw around terms like “cheap grace” or “greasy grace”. There's no such thing. God's grace covers all of our sin. ALL. You won't win people to the Kingdom by bearing them over the head with the 10 Commandments. You win them by showing them the grace of Christ. “Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me…”  Survey Results And Listener Questions The votes are in, the polls are closed, and this is what I learned (thank you for sharing). 77 % of you are 40 or older. 44.87% have a Bachelor’s Degree; 31.03% have a Masters or Doctorate 82.14% of you make over $50,000 per year; 48.21% make over $100,00! 87.5% of you are Christians, and 96.43% say your faith is either “Important” or “Very Important” to you. 69.64% say I write and talk just the right amount about faith; 25% say you wish I would talk more about faith. 81.9% of you are business owners, entrepreneurs, or corporate leaders. More of you prefer the podcast to the blog (this was a shocker!) The most popular topics you want to hear more about from me are (in order of popularity): making an income online, productivity, copywriting, and spiritual topics. That’s a topline selection of some of the most significant data we collected. Were still sifting through some of the open-ended responses. The Most Surprising Result We did ask a follow-up question about what product or training you would most like me to create for you next, and frankly I was shocked by the results. I felt certain the number one choice would be a new, revised copywriting course. I felt so certain, in fact, we had already started working on this. But… By a healthy 3-to-1 margin, the most desired training is “how to package, promote, and profit from what you already know”. The people have spoken, and I have listened. We are working on this very training right now… more to come on this soon. (Never fear… The copywriting course will be next on the agenda!) So what does all this data mean, anyway? How will it affect the content we publish going forward? What We Plan to Do First and foremost, I want to make this blog more useful for you. A better investment of your time. More helpful to you. Let me be clear: even if you never do business with my company, even if you never buy a single thing we have to offer, I want to make sure we offer value to you. Based on what we learned in the survey, here are some things we plan to do: Take a bolder stance for being disciples of Jesus in the marketplace. The spiritual foundations of success will take an even more central role. Clearly, we have not been hiding this one “under a bushel”, but the hunger for guidance in this area was made clear by the many comments we received. I plan to respond to this need as a top priority, because that’s what you told me you wanted. Focus more on the topics you are most interested in. That means you’ll be getting more podcasts and articles on how to create your own online business, how to be more productive, how to write more powerful copy, and the spiritual foundations of business success. Provide more tutorials and “how to” pieces. It’s clear most of you would like more “how to” and tutorial material. We plan to provide this, much of it for free, in the coming year. Develop a community. If one thing has become obvious to me, it is that you (the readers of this blog, and the listeners of this podcast) are a powerful, connected, talented, and gifted group of people. I believe one of the greatest gifts I could give you is to connect you to one another. We are exploring exactly how would be the best way to develop a  community where we can make that happen. Offer practical help for simplifying complex lives. I was pleased to see that so many of you are well educated, already-successful entrepreneurs and professionals. I have also realized, through reading the free-form questions and comments, that those of us in this position facing unique set of challenges. We have to juggle many responsibilities: family, children (and grandchildren), employees, business partners, etc. Many of us don’t feel completely free to make radical changes in our lives without carefully weighing the consequences and ramifications for other people who depend upon us. I plan to spend more time focusing on solutions to these problems. Your Comments Add a copywriting tip to each episode. You have a skill that so many want. This would be tremendously helpful. Would love more blog content apart from the podcast notes, but the podcast is soooo good that it's enough to keep me hooked! i liked it longer – you were able to delve deeper into concepts…! Consistency in what day(s) you will post articles to blog. Seems that each week/month is different. And don't need too many articles: 1-2 articles besides podcast/week is sufficient. I love the current format of the podcast, but perhaps you would consider more frequent blog posts? Your Questions What's your strategy when you launch a new product? Why did you stop the Spiritual Foundations Podcast? How do you handle any negative feedback you get from people who say you wear your faith on your sleeve too much. I would like to know more about how you figured out your talents and if you have any suggestions for others to figure that out. Who was the person that opened the door for you to go to the next level in your business? What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question: how will YOU engage un more of a conversation with your customers this year? Click here to leave your comments.

Michael Hyatt is my guest on the first podcast of 2014, and we discuss how to set effective goals for the new year.   What To Do Now Click here to get Michael's Goal-Setting Videos, and I will invite you to a small, private, “Mastermind call.” If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What goals will you set for the New Year? Click here to leave your comments.

Stephen King. He is the Charles Dickens of this century. People either love him or hate him. My churchgoing friends are often shocked to learn that I read his work, and admire it. In today's show I share some business lessons I have learned from King. Also on today's episode… Are you a Madman? Or a Madwoman? Copywriters wanted. And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… I will announce our winners next week. Next week's show will be about what could be the most important topic I have ever covered.  Don't miss it. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA Tip Of The Week – Again! Digital Photography School. A great site for all things photo. Spiritual Foundations 1 John 4:18: “perfect love casts out fear.”. Have you ever been told by someone that you should have more of the “fear of the Lord”? The implication is that your Christian walk cannot be correct unless you're constantly afraid that God is going to “whack you” when you screw up. It’s true, The Bible talks about the “fear of the Lord”. Let's take a look at what it actually says. As believers who live under the new covenant, and followers of Jesus, we should let Jesus himself define what the “fear of the Lord” actually is. When the devil tempted Jesus in the desert, and asked Jesus to worship him, Jesus says, “it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God…”. You'll find that in Matthew 4:10. If you have a modern Bible with cross references, you'll notice that Jesus is actually quoting from the Old Testament. He's quoting his favorite book of the Bible (the book he quoted most often), and the passage he's pointing to is Deuteronomy 6:13. That passage says, “you shall fear the Lord your God and serve him. But wait a minute! That's not what Jesus said… He said you shall WORSHIP the Lord your God. What's going on here? While there are plenty of theologians who will argue with me, it seems clear that Jesus is explaining what the passage in Deuteronomy actually means. To fear God is to worship him. I trust the theology of Jesus more than I trust any other earthly theologian. He has interpreted the “fear of the Lord” for me, and that settles the matter. One last point worth noting: every single time the disciples were afraid of Jesus, he said the same thing. “Fear not.” Seven Lessons From Stephen King Stephen King is a writing and marketing machine, having accomplished the unusual feat of being successful as a craftsman, and as an entrepreneur.  He has sold well over 350 million books, and spawned countless movies and television shows. His latest novel-to-screen adaptation is Under The Dome. How? I have written extensively elsewhere about writing for the purpose of strategic influence. I can point to no better model of how to do this right than King. There are seven key lessons you can learn from Stephen King, and the way he conducts his business (the business of writing). And for those of you who are offended by my saying “the business of writing”… perhaps if you thought about your writing as a business, you wouldn’t be so easily offended. Food for thought. Learn your craft. Whether his subject matter is always to your taste or not, you would have to be willfully ignorant to declare Stephen King anything other than a master of the art of writing stories. He has honed his craft to a fine edge, and without this particular weapon in his arsenal, the rest of what you’re about to read would not be possible. You must master the craft. Be prolific. King has stated that he writes every day, including his birthday and Christmas day. He has since admitted that this might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. His ethic of working every day is plainly demonstrated by his amazing output. You don’t publish 50 novels,  five nonfiction works, and over 200 short stories by goofing off.  you do it by applying liberal amounts of fingers to keyboard. Be real. One reason people are often uncomfortable with King’s writing is that he tends to bring heavy doses of reality into his stories. I’m not talking about the vampires, giant spiders, and ghosts, of course. I’m talking about the sometimes embarrassing, sometimes offensive, sometimes infuriatingly irrational ways that people talk and behave. King unabashedly presents people as they really are. And this makes his detractors uncomfortable… And his fans love him. Have a personality. When King began his career, he decided to be exactly who he is. I have no way of knowing this, but I’m pretty certain this was a conscious decision made in the full knowledge that it might backfire financially. He could have been more “respectable” by writing that vaguely named thing called “literary fiction”, but instead he chose to write what fascinated him. Be fearless. Stephen King has never shied away from the potential criticism he might get from atheists, believers, Democrats, Republicans, or  the League of Decency. He’s written some ugly scenes, and seems that many writers would have shied away from because they didn’t want to be associated with that material. For better or worse, that fearlessness has catapulted him from the mass of mediocrity to the pinnacle of literary success. Try new things. King was one of the first to take advantage of the digital publishing medium. He was one of the first to publish a novel in serial form online. He has branched out into music, comic books, and of course films and television. Some of his experiments have fallen flat. Others have been a meteoric success, both critically and financially (remember Stand by Me and The Green Mile?) Do many things simultaneously. One of the ways King manages to stay so prolific is that he is doing many things simultaneously. He’s always working on a new book or story, and usually has more than one project cooking in the background (a movie, a TV series, and audiobook, or the radio stations that he owns in Maine). While you may or may not ever be his equal on the bestseller lists (he has a pretty strong head start on most of us), you definitely can learn from the career and methodologies of Stephen King. Question: what have you learned about writing, or the business of writing, from Stephen King… Or any other modern writers? Share below… What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What worked, and what didn't work, for you this year? Click here to leave your comments.

In this weeks podcast I will reveal to you what worked for me in 2013…  as well as what didn't work. You get to profit not only from my success stories, but even from my failures. Also on today's episode… Are you a Madman? Or a Madwoman? Copywriters wanted. An exciting new guide on how to form your own mastermind group… reduxe. What is the truth about so-called “greasy grace”? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… win free access with your comments between now and Christmas. Next week's show will be about what could be the most important topic I have ever covered.  Don't miss it. The return of listener questions! How to promote yourself on my show! Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week – Again! One of the most powerful things you can do to accelerate your success in 2014 is to form an intentional mastermind group. Click here and take a look at Dan Miller's new course on how to do just that. It's worth 10 times the investment he's asking. Spiritual Foundations Is the so-called “new grace movement” cheapening the concept of grace? Is it promoting something we know as “greasy grace”? In the podcast, I give my answers to these questions. Feature Segment:  What Worked (and What Didn't) In 2013 I share my most successful… and also my LEAST successful business moves in 2013. Here's where they'll mean to you and your success in 2014… What worked: This podcast.  High leverage, high engagement, premium content delivery vehicle. Facebook.  Believe it or not, this was my number one source of traffic in 2013. Premium pricing.  Over 80% of the revenue we generated came from the most expensive 5% of services and products we offer. What didn't work: Busyness.  Over committing led to me making a few poor tactical decisions, and was a severe drain on my mental focus, emotional well-being, and physical health. Complexity. Complexity is the mother frustration, and the father of fatigue.  Rugged individualism.  It's an American ideal.  It's romantic. It feels heroic. The only problem is, it doesn't work. What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What worked, and what didn't work, for you this year? Click here to leave your comments.

When your blog is the cornerstone of your business (as it is for mine, and I recommend it be for yours), creating  enough content can be a challenge. In today's episode, I will share 10 different ways you can create more content, more consistently, and more easily. Also on today's episode… How to get my newly updated copywriting course for free. How to become an apprentice and work directly for me. An exciting new guide on how to form your own mastermind group. Answer the question: why are Christians so cheap? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… win free access with your comments between now and Christmas. Want to finally finish your book, and get it published by New York publisher? Want to get that accomplished before the end of January?  Click here and fill out this application. We'll talk. Next week's show will be about what worked great for me in 2013, and what didn't work so well… and how you can directly benefit from some of my embarrassing admissions. The return of listener questions! How to promote yourself on my show! Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week One of the most powerful things you can do to accelerate your success in 2014 is to form an intentional mastermind group. Click here and take a look at Dan Miller's new course on how to do just that. It's worth 10 times the investment he's asking. Spiritual Foundations Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.” Proverbs 11:24 In a recent discussion, a couple of my friends brought up the fact that selling things to the Christian market is not a good idea. Christians, they said, are cheap. One brought up a statistic they heard from a retail bookstore owner, who said the number one category of books that are stolen our Christian books. Three questions: Is this true? If it's not true, why is it so widely believed? Either way, what should we do about it? In the podcast, I give my answers to these questions. Feature Segment:  10 Ways to Create More Content The cornerstone of your online business is the creation of great content. But that creation is not always easy, especially if you have a goal of producing a lot of content consistently. Here are 10 ways to produce more content, more consistently, and more easily. Especially when your ideas are running dry. See a movie. This can result in posts like “The Hobbit's Guide to Online Marketing” or even “What Ironman Can Teach You about List Building”. Tell a personal story. Make a list of the most exciting, shocking, or embarrassing stories that have happened to you. This list should give you the starting point for many a blog post. Be the interviewer. Pick the people you would most like to learn from, and set up interviews with them. Write a review. You can review a book, a training program, a seminar, software… Anything applicable to your audience. The more detail, the better. Publish a how to. We love tutorials, especially the granular, step-by-step kind. Ask your audience. Just ask what they would most like to hear from you about. Other great ways to phrase the question include: what's your biggest problem? What's holding you back? What your number one question? Curate some content. Simply collect and share links of your 10 favorite blog posts on subject X. Variations: “The 10 Best Posts On…”, “Four Distinctly Different Views About…”, “Seven Approaches To…” Case studies. They can be your clients, or they can be other companies. Talk about what they're doing right, why you think it's right, and summarize some takeaways. Opposite day. Make a list of your most popular posts, and ask yourself, “what if I took the opposite view on this?” Guest posts. Solicit for guest posts on your blog. Just make sure what they write will be interesting to your audience. But if they come from your audience, they most assuredly will be. What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:  Which of these ideas can you put into practice and use today? Click here to leave your comments.

What most people do this time of year: run around in a frenzied chaos, and slide into the finish line of the current year battered, bruised, and confused. I have discovered three crucial actions that if, intentionally taken, can quite literally multiply the success and fulfillment you enjoy in 2014. Today, I'll share with they are and how you can use them.  A favorite productivity app revisited… and why.  Why I love sinners.  And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… win free access with your comments between now and Christmas. Seats available for Strategic & Tactical Influence (STI) — dates January 14-16 in Phoenix, AZ. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week   There's nothing like a little peer pressure to get you to do the right thing. Like exercise, for instance. Listen to the podcast to find out why I'm revisiting a favorite productivity app, with renewed vigor ( the app is Lift.) Spiritual Foundations And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.” Luke 7:37-38 I love sinners –  here is why and how. Feature Segment:  3 Crucial Actions To Prepare You For 2014 There are three actions that, if taken, will dramatically shift the experience you have of 2014. Most to listen to this show will agree with these actions, and proceed to never take them. How about you? Pause Ponder Prepare. What To Do Now Grab your calendar and schedule a spot for each of these three. Then, if you wouldn't mind, report back your experience here. If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:    What did you discover when you took time to pause, ponder, and prepare? Click here to leave your comments.

What if you could influence people before you even met them? Would that be a valuable skill in business? Not only is it possible, you can engineer it with intention. And you should. In today's episode, you'll discover:  The difference between strategic and tactical influence, and when to use each.  The three key factors we need whenever we feel we've heard a special calling from God.  My very favorite photography app.  And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… win free access with your comments between now and Christmas. Seats available for Strategic & Tactical Influence (STI) — dates January 14-16 in Phoenix, AZ. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week I've recently taken up photography as a hobby. My current cameras are my iPhone 5S, the Canon A1400, and an old Nikon DSLR that I'm borrowing from my son. My dream kit is a Sony NEX-7. But one thing I've learned is long before you need a new camera, you need better skill with the camera you have, and you need some finesse and how you process your photos after you take them. Which leads me to the fact that I own many, many photography apps. But the one that consistently produces the best results for me is snapseed. Even though it gets a lot of complaints, it seems fairly easy to use to me, and I have produced some pretty nice photos using. Above are three examples. Spiritual Foundations The key to taking a word from God in bringing it into manifestation usually lies at the intersection of three circles: Spirit, Soul, and Strategy.  The reason people are often disappointed when “God's word” doesn't come true for them might be because they've missed one of these three. Feature Segment: The Unconventional Guide to Influence What is influence? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “the power to change or affect someone or something : the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen.” When you have strategically crafted your influence in a particular sphere, you can affect change without direct communication. Change the atmosphere around people, and you change the atmosphere inside people. Get clarity on what outcomes you seek to achieve. Reverse engineer the required influence to produce the outcome. Discover who you have to become in order to exert such influence. Codify your wisdom in a way to is easy to distribute to other people; the most powerful way is to write a book. Practice and enhance your communication skills so that you are able to transmit your message in an effective, powerful, and memorable way. Become skilled in the science of causing your ideas to spread; in common parlance, we call this “marketing”. Develop an intentional process that causes others to want what you have; transform your ideas into cash. What To Do Now The development of the seven steps has both a Strategic and a Tactical component. At our three-day workshop in January, not coincidentally entitled Strategic and Tactical Influence we develop both of those components, and we work through all seven steps in the system, producing a distilled, Big-League Idea born out of your knowledge wisdom and experience… Developing this into a full-fledged outline for your Big-League Book (and even finishing the book, if you choose to opt for the upgrade)… Developing your talking points for media interviews, etc.… And devising a customized, intentional cash flow funnel for transmuting your ideas into income. The investment for this workshop is not cheap, but for the right person this is the bargain of the decade. We have a handful of seats left; if you would like to reserve one, if you are serious and you want to know more,  click here to fill out an application. If it looks like you might be a good fit for the workshop, we will get back in touch with you. If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:    What's your plan for developing more influence in 2014? Click here to leave your comments.

It's just the right time to start thinking about your plans for the new year. It's just the right time to get started early. Today,  I'll explain how to really set yourself up for a great new year-the best year yet. By the time were done, you will have discovered: Why online backups are not enough, and the two hidden “gotcha” they all contain. How to know if you're growing spiritually 7 steps to setting up your best year so far Announcements: Answer the reader's poll, and be blessed in return. I am updating my copywriting course… stay tuned for more details coming soon. The coming comment contest, and why you should start commenting now. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week In which I explain the two hidden “gotchas” of all online backup services. Spiritual Foundations All spiritual growth involves discomfort. It is abnormal for a believer not to have an appetite for the impossible. When we are born again and open the Bible and start reading about Jesus, we all want to do the things that Jesus does. Unfortunately many of us fall prey to disappointment or bad teaching and that appetite goes. This desire that was birthed in us at conversion gets buried by disappointment, by things which didn’t happen as we thought they should have, or teaching that said it wasn’t supposed to be like that. And yet we don’t have the luxury, we don’t have the right, to lower the standard of scripture to our level of experience. The responsibility of every believer is to look at what is possible and then in the secret place with God contend until there is breakthrough, until we manifest the very things that Jesus said should be manifested in our lives. That is the privilege of a believer.” Bill Johnson, Manifesto For a Normal Christian life Feature Segment: 7 Steps To Your Best Year so Far This is the perfect time to be planning your new year. In fact, if you wait until after Thanksgiving, I think you may already be under the gun. Here are 7 steps you can take right now to set yourself up for your best year so far. Evaluate your progress for this year, and for the last quarter. Create a fresh Life Plan. I recommend Michael Hyatt's free life plan book. Click here to download it. Plan your priorities using annual time blocks. Identify your 3 Keys, and how you will track them; establish annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily tracking. Invite wise counsel, and do not despise it. Honestly evaluate areas where you need to improve, identify “Keystone habits”,  and commit to those habits. (for more on “Keystone habits”, read The Power of Habit By Charles Duhigg)  Start today, right now. What To Do Now All seven of these steps can be implemented immediately-and should be. Join me in committing to complete the seven steps before the Thanksgiving holiday. If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   How will you plan your success in the coming year? Click here to leave your comments.  

What if there was a way to cut through the fluff, the chaos, confusion, and just flat out fix your business? Well, there is. Today,  I'll explain how you can stop worrying, start living, and learned to love discipline. By the time were done, you will have discovered: Why you do stuff you don't want to do, and don't do stuff you do want to do. How to stop that.  How to use your laptop's power cable to increase your productivity. The key to releasing power into the lives of others. And of course, five specific ways discipline will make you rich. Announcements: Answer the reader's poll, and be blessed in return. I am updating my copywriting course… stay tuned for more details coming soon. The coming comment contest, and why you should start commenting now. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week How can your laptop's power cord increase your productivity? In the podcast audio, I reveal this arcane secret… Spiritual Foundations If what you are saying does not impart grace to the people listening,  it's better to be silent. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give cgrace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 We can do terrible damage with what we say, or we can bring life. Speak only life, and watch what happens. Feature Segment: 5 Ways Discipline Will Make You Rich Wikipedia says “Discipline is a course of actions leading to a greater goal than the satisfaction of the immediate. A disciplined person is one that has established a goal and is willing to achieve that goal at the expense of his or her immediate comfort.” Add this book to your list of must-reads: The Ultimate Sales Machine, by Chet Holmes. If you haven’t read it, move it to the top of your list. If you have read it and haven’t yet implemented every single strategy inside its covers, read it now. Again. Probably my favorite passage from Chet’s masterful business work is one that most people read without understanding its import. In the early pages of the book, Chet points out that most people will read his book, agree with its precepts, and still not do them. He says this is the “reverse psychology” section of the book, in which he attempts to prod the reader into doing what needs to be done. In Chet’s words, “I’m goading you into applying a powerful force for creating success from what you’re going to learn… and that force, my friends, is pigheaded discipline and determination.” Pigheaded discipline is the subject of this post for very good, and simple, reason. That reason being the fact that this is the most-lacked skill in over 90% of entrepreneurs. In my experience, what stands in our way, what holds us back from our potential, is usually not some external force (such as competition or marketplace conditions)-it is, rather, our own inability to say no to the things that distract us from our most profitable activities, and our continued inability to say yes only to those activities that produce the results we seek. It is as if the world conspires against us to lead us down this path to destruction. Most of our peers, and certainly most of our employees, are happy to tell us what we should be spending our time on-and almost without fail their advice is dead wrong. It usually doesn’t come packaged as advice, by the way – it usually comes packaged as a meeting… a phone call… a personal plea… or some kind of interpersonal conflict. None of which are, perhaps, designed to take us off target- but all of which inevitably do. Guard your heart carefully, eternal entrepreneur, and focus only on the things that expand the kingdom. Employ pigheaded discipline. There are at least five ways cultivating more discipline will make you rich: Discipline measures activity instead of intent. Discipline measures results instead of reasons. Discipline cultivates stewardship. Discipline produces accurate thinking. Discipline practices the Pareto principle. What To Do Now Here's how you put these five points to work right now, starting today. Reverse engineer the daily activities needed to achieve your objectives, schedule them, and then do them. Meticulously track the results you achieve, and continuously adjust your approach until you reach your objective. Carefully examine your finances, your relationships, your health, your spiritual foundations. If there are any areas where you are not being a good steward, you already know what to do. Do it. Today. Evaluate every area of discontent in your life, determine the cause, and decide what is required to fix it. See things as they are, then see them as you want them to be, then make them how you see them. Ruthlessly eliminate activities and relationships that do not move you forward toward your objectives. Begin today, by making a list of at least 10 things to eliminate from your life. If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:  What have you learned from conferences that has changed your life for the better? Click here to leave your comments.