Ray Edwards Show

I just attended the single best business conference I've ever been to… and it has nothing to do with my being one of the speakers! Today, I share my notes from this week's Platform Conference. By the time you listen to today's podcast, you will have discovered: The real secret to stress-free productivity How to get your business cards imported into your smart phone for free Why you procrastinate and how to stop doing that A simple formula that allows you to WOW your customers The secret that allowed Jeff Goins to build 100,000 readers for his blog The simple method for building an intimate connection with your tribe that will surprise you The altar you are probably worshiping at that will eventually kill you, and what to do about it Why it's important for you to make as much money as possible And much, much more! Announcements: The Return of the Lifestyle Business Segment, and listener questions. Our first ever annual readers poll is coming tomorrow.  Next week I'll be offering a free video training series on writing powerful persuasive copy. Be looking for it. A new listener comment contest. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Private Client Meeting, Dec 2-4 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 Cardmunch is a free iPhone app that turns business cards into contacts. Spiritual Foundations We accomplish the most from a place of rest. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 Rest does not equal in activity. It means that we are able to be active without fear, doubt, or emotional striving. We become peace inside chaos, we are the call my at the center of the storm. Feature Segment: What I Learned From The Platform Conference Nearly every significant turning point in my life has been marked by attending a conference.  which is not to say that every conference I have attended was a life changer; but even at the “poorly produced” conferences, I always learn something of value. This week, I  had a life-changing experience at the single best business conference I have ever had the privilege of attending, the Platform Conference in Dallas, Texas. How does this affect you? As always, I seek to learn everything I can and then bring it back here to share with you. While not every one of the ideas I'm going to share is necessarily be applicable to you, I believe many of them will. Here are some (not all) of the most valuable things I learned at this year's platform conference. The absolute imperative of building your own platform. “Platform” is a metaphor for the stage you construct from which you share your ideas, insights, and advice. As Michael Hyatt says in his book Platform, building a platform is how you “get noticed in a noisy world”. I write frequently about creating strategic influence; which means to exert influence in the lives of people who have never even met you. The mechanism by which you do this is your platform. Although I have long been a proponent of platform building, after this week's conference I am absolutely convinced it is of paramount importance for anyone who has something important to say, or something useful to sell. The dynamic tension between excellence and procrastination. Michael Hyatt started us off with a powerful presentation that reiterated the five-part framework of his book. (Incidentally, for all my students and coaching clients, that book is required reading.) Michael teaches that we must start every project by “baking in WOW”. The key to creating the “wow” experience for our readers and customers is to exceed their expectations. I came home with a long list of things I need to do to bake more “wow” into everything we do at my company. The other side of the coin is, it's easy to use this commitment to excellence as an excuse to never get anything off the ground. Seth Godin makes it clear it's important that we “ship”-that we get a project out the door and into the hands of our audience or tribe. Perfectionism is the mother of procrastination.” -Michael Hyatt Ken Davis offered a startling perspective on creating  “WOW”. Ken is  a best-selling author, frequent radio and television guest, and one of the country's most sought-after inspirational and motivational speakers,  Ken's premise is that WOW is “found at the intersection of pretty, practical and personal.” He shared compelling examples of this from real-life advertising and marketing campaigns. Apple Computer is, of course, the primary example of a company doing this right. Think about it. Every product they introduce has all three of those elements. Yesterday I got my new iPhone 5s. I assure you that it is very pretty, it is extraordinarily practical, and my password is actually my thumb print: you can't get more personal than that. Also, implicit in Ken's brilliant instruction was the importance of being interesting and entertaining. This is something Ken teaches at his SCORRE  conference, which I plan to attend next May. Jeff Goins, who writes a frustratingly beautiful blog at GoinsWriter.com (frustrating only because he makes writing brilliantly look incredibly easy), inspired us with his session. I took many notes from Jeff's talk, which was about starting from scratch and building a platform with words, passion and people. My big take away from Jeff's talk was this: the key to succeeding at platform building is not about “who you know”, it's about who you can help. This includes not only helping other influential speakers, authors, and bloggers… More importantly, it's about the tribe of readers you help. Focusing on that will eventually bring you the attention your message merits. As I stopped chasing attention, more people began paying attention to what I had to say.” -Jeff Goins Cliff Ravenscraft, the founder of the podcast mastermind, has produced over 3100 podcast episodes. He has helped thousands of people and organizations launch successful podcasts. While Michael Hyatt inspired me to start my podcast, Cliff provided me with the practical knowledge, tools, and advice that have allowed me to succeed as a podcaster. Cliff made it clear in his talk that the opportunities and benefits of podcasting can dramatically shift your success as a platform builder. While I am obviously a proponent of podcasting, it was only after watching clips presentation that I realized what an incredibly powerful “secret weapon” podcasting is for building your platform there is no other way to build such an incredibly intimate connection with people. And at this point in time, competition is very thin in podcasting. While I knew in principle this was true, I don't pay much attention to my chart rankings in iTunes. But while listening to Cliff speak, I checked and discovered my own podcast ranks in the top 25 in the world for business and marketing advice on iTunes! Thanks Cliff, for the reminder. Lysa Terkeurst, The New York Times best-selling author and president of Proverbs 31 ministries, knocked me off my feet with her presentation. Lysa is a bona fide celebrity, and yet she is the most humble and approachable person you'll ever meet. I'm a bit of  word nerd, so when Lysa started sharing her copywriting techniques for writing value propositions, I swooned.  She was inspiring, smart, and entertaining. She was also incredibly generous and although she shared. Amy Porterfield is a friend I only met in the “real world” just this week. Amy and I first met a few years ago, when she was still working for Tony Robbins. She was actually the person in Tony's organization who hired me to write copy for Tony. Since leaving his organization, Amy has built an amazing business, created one of the most successful podcasts on the subject of marketing (click here for the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast), and authored a book called Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies. Amy gave a stunning presentation on her Facebook advertising secrets. I promise you I'm already at work implementing her ideas for my own business. But, that's not the most valuable thing I learned from my friend Amy. I watched her while an audience full of seasoned business professionals was held captive by her stark and transparent admission of how overwork had almost wrecked her life… and how setting a new standard has given her freedom, satisfaction, and even more success. When you worship at the altar of “hustle” you say yes to everything because it never feels like you're doing enough.” -Amy Porterfield Amy Porterfield, you did in fact change my life this week.  I hereby renounce my worship of the idol called “hustle”. Derek Halpern is the creator of the well-known blog Social Triggers. Derek is a brilliant business thinker, and approaches marketing with the attitude of a scientist. He dives deep into scientific research and finds ways to apply it to social media, blogging, and online marketing. He has influenced the marketing approach of thousands of business people, and host one of the top marketing podcast on iTunes. He also dresses like a boss. Derek may have been the most prepared presenter I've ever encountered (well, other than Michael Hyatt!) I was most impacted by a simple statement from Derrick: “Don't sell often, but when you do, so hard.” By “selling hard”, Derek does not mean to be and of noxious pushy salesperson… he carefully studies the desires of his marketplace, and tailors every nuance of his marketing and selling specifically to the people who need what he has to offer. Powerful stuff. Stu McLaren is the co-founder of WishList member, the membership site solution for WordPress that now powers over 43,000 online communities. Stu is of course a great friend of mine, and we are perfectly aligned when it comes to the moral rightness of prospering in business. I took more notes during Stu's presentation than anyone else's, but without a doubt the single most powerful thing he had to say (at least in my opinion) was this: “The more money you make, the more impact you can have.” Amen, Stu McLaren. Michele Cushatt was the MC of the conference, and her bright and cheerful personality said just the right tone for the entire event. But that was only the precursor to what had to be one of the most powerful talks I have ever heard. There was a moment in her speech that had the entire room in total silence, except for an occasional sniffle… because she also had managed to bring tears to the eyes of most of the attendees. Those tears were not generated by some trite emotional device, but by a powerful moment in which she revealed the truth about why many of us struggle with achieving our full potential. I hesitate to say more, because when you get the chance to hear Michele speak (and you will, because her star is rising), I don't want to spoil this special moment for you. Suffice it to say, Michele, if you are reading this… I have promised myself to dive deep into life. Thank you, my new friend, for how you contributed to my experience of life. 3 Powerful Takeaways From The Conference Itself. I know I've already shared quite a few insights, but it's only a fraction of what I took away from the conference this week. When I zoom out another level, I also learned some valuable lessons from the overall conference experience. And for this learning, I have to give credit to Michael Hyatt, Ken Davis, and their amazing team, who crafted a framework that allowed this event to have  such impact. Here are three of the many learnings I gleaned from the overall conference experience. WOW is in the details.  Michael and Ken  pay close attention to every detail of this conference, from the choice of venue (it was beautiful and comfortable), to the way the rooms were set up, to the number of people staffing the event making sure things were happening happening smoothly, to all the printed materials that accompany the event. Every element was high quality, with attention being paid to design and the experience that the attendees had. In fact, from beginning to end, this can conference embodied the intersection of pretty, practical, and personal. For me, the Platform Conference raised the bar on how these things ought to be done, and you will see the results at my upcoming Permission to Prosper event in Spokane next year. Community multiplies the benefits of training. It was not lost on me that connecting people to one another was carefully engineered into the entire conference structure. There was a networking reception the night before any of the conference activities began, there was ample space between sessions for people to connect the network. We took many meals together, there are few things more powerful than breaking bread with other people to connect and bond you to one another. Is it more expensive for the promoter to provide such opportunities? Undoubtedly. Does it provide a deeper more fulfilling experience for attendees? Absolutely. Devotion to your participants is primary in importance. I have never been asked to do more as a speaker at a conference that this one. And I have never been more delighted with my conference experience than at this one. I attended every session, I was present at every networking meal, and made myself available every waking hour to meet with attendees. It was tiring, hard work… but it was so rewarding. I'm sure that sounds noble, but I have to be honest, I feel the person most rewarded was me. I met so many brilliant, loving, powerful, and remarkable people. My life will be forever changed by those I encountered and had the privilege of getting to know. I'm absolutely convinced I made several new lifelong friends at this event. The environment that fostered these kinds of relationships (not just for me, but for everyone who attended) was intentionally produced by Michael and Ken, and will be incorporated into any future events that I myself produce. What To Do Now How can you benefit from my notes? Pick three of my takeaways and use them.  Decide exactly how you're going to incorporate them into your business, and then schedule it on your calendar. I look forward to hearing the results you produce. 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.  

I will never forget the day I heard the bad news about copywriting. And now, I'm about to give you that same bad news.  I heard the news from an off-the-wall copywriter in Utah, who had miraculously survived a brain tumor. I'll tell you the whole story in today's episode. And what it means to you. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Platform Conference, Nov 3-5 2013, Dallas, TX Private Client Meeting, Dec 2-4 “The Forge” 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 This week, my tip of the week is a simple exercise… a short question that can totally revamp your perspective on your business, and even your life. Spiritual Foundations  God wants us to build people up, not tear them down. “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 grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 This is only possible when we begin to see other people the way God sees them. And he saw enough in them, even the people we are fear or we hate, to actually die in their place. “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?” 1 Cor 3:3 Feature Segment: 7 Things You Don't Want to Hear About Copywriting Here are the seven inconvenient truths about copywriting: It takes work. Not everyone is good at it. Even the best have flops. Sometimes it's not necessary. It works almost like magic. Long copy usually works best. The most effective copy probably will embarrass you in front of your friends. 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:    Do you write your own sales copy, or do you have someone write it for you? Click here to leave your comments.  

My consulting client was facing a tough season. None of her marketing was working. While considering the problem she was facing, it became obvious what was missing. Since that time, I've developed a short checklist that can almost always cure marketing woes. Today I'll share the checklist. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Ray's Platinum Mastermind Oct 28-29, 2013, Las Vegas, NV Platform Conference, Nov 3-5 2013, Dallas, TX Private Client Meeting, Dec 2-4 “The Forge” 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 This week's tip is once again a book, this one by my friend Joel Comm. The book is called “So, What Do YOU Do? Discovering the Genius Next Door with One Simple Question”, and it features people from all walks of life who are passionate about what they do. The goal is to inspire readers and demonstrate that it’s not just the so-called “gurus” who have something to say. There is tremendous value all around us if we just stop long enough to listen and discover what others are all about. Spiritual Foundations  Would you like to know how you can be stronger, healthier, more at peace, and experience more of God's blessing? “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11 The more aware we become of what it means to be righteous through Jesus, the more we will see a renewing of life in all areas.  How we gain this awareness? By reminding ourselves of biblical truths. Feature Segment: 5 Marketing “Musts” If your marketing fails to produce results, chances are it's missing one of the following five “musts”.  In any complete marketing system, you must have: Credibility Congruency Connection Competency Consistency 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 Five Areas Do You Excel In, Which Do You Need to Strengthen? Click here to leave your comments.  

There is a dangerous reason why you don't achieve your goals. There's a good chance you are committing this mistake yourself, even if you do lots of good stuff. In today's episode I will share with you how to go about fixing this problem. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Ray's Platinum Mastermind Oct 28-29, 2013, Las Vegas, NV Platform Conference, Nov 3-5 2013, Dallas, TX Private Client Meeting, Dec 2-4 “The Forge” 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 The In-Between by Jeff Goins The Entrepreneurial Author by  David Hancock and Jay Conrad Levinson 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller A Question of Faith by Tor Constantino The Blog of Mike Morrell Spiritual Foundations I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Galatians 2:20 What does it mean to have Christ living in you? It's really an astounding concept. I don't really know how to explain it fully, but I know that Apostle Paul meant something by it. A good place to start might be simply asking the question throughout the day, “If Christ is living in me, what is he doing right now? And am I cooperating?” Another good step would be to check out this discipleship course by my friend Frank Viola. If you click this link, I receive a small commission. If that makes you uncomfortable, please click this link. It won't change your price, but clicking the second lake means I will not be compensated financially. Feature Segment:Why You Don't Achieve Your Goals, And What to Do about It I've noticed two key distinctions in almost every one of these conversations. The individual in question does not have an accurate definition of success. The individual in question has not clearly defined how they will KNOW if they have achieved their desired outcome. THESE TWO POINTS ARE NOT THE SAME THING.So often, people get distracted away from these two stark realities, by substituting activity for accomplishment. For many people, this begins to look a lot like “buying the latest information product” or “attending the latest seminar”.In other words, accumulating more information. What we NEED is not more “learning”, but more “earning”.Take a little time to write (preferably in your journal) about the following: Decide what you want. The lifestyle you want your business to provide. Determine the necessary steps to achieve what you want. Determine the price of doing what is necessary. Commit to pay the price. Ruthlessly track your progress through data, not through storytelling. 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 Do You Objectively Measure Your Progress Toward Your Goals? Click here to leave your comments.  

It's harder than ever to get people to share their email address. Nobody wants more spam in their inbox. What's a marketer to do? The solution to the problem is surprisingly simple, and increasingly difficult. But it's well worth the effort as I will demonstrate in today's episode. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: The Wisdom Thesis Workshop, October 9-11 Private Mastermind Group, October 28-30 SCORRE Conference, October 14-17 Platform Conference, November 3-5 Private Mastermind Group, December 17 NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014 “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014   Tip Of The Week Drafts for iOS is my new mobile text editor of choice. For the past week I've been traveling using only my iPad as my main computer. Spiritual Foundations Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1–2 All over the world, men and women are looking for wisdom. If you want proof, just visit the self-help section of the bookstore. I've often said that self-help is no help, and it often becomes shelf help. I don't mean to say there is no wisdom in those books. The fact that the Bible urges us not to sit in the “counsel of the ungodly” means that the ungodly actually do have counsel. But it also tells us that those who meditate on Jesus day and night “shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Keep your eyes on Jesus, seek out his wisdom and counsel, and the counsel of others who follow him. It will cause you to prosper. Feature Segment: How to Create Lead Magnets That Attract Prospects By now, you are certainly convinced that you must build an email list if you want to succeed in marketing online. You may be a little more advanced, and understand that it's only partially true that “the money is in the list”… You may have realized that the money is actually in your relationship with the list. The relationship starts with how you acquired the list. Purchased emails are at the bottom of the barrel, as they are almost certainly spam. Opt in for a “free newsletter” or even a “free report” are somewhat higher up the food chain, but not much. Yet some people manage to create lead magnets that draw people like a gravitational field. How do they do this, and more importantly, how can you? Know your customer Know the customer's FFA's Develop a unique solution Solve their problem with power, elegance, and finality Communicate the value of your offer Deliver on what you promise Provide the answer in each modality, with excellence The fortune is in the follow-up 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 have you used testimonials to help market your business? Click here to leave your comments.  

We all know we should be using testimonials to help sell our products and services. But there's another, less obvious use that can boost your bottom line. This week's episode, I'll explain how you can actually make sales by giving testimonials to other people… Even your competitors. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: The Wisdom Thesis Workshop, October 9-11 Private Mastermind Group, October 28-30 SCORRE Conference, October 14-17 Platform Conference, November 3-5 Private Mastermind Group, December 17 NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014 “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014   Tip Of The Week TextExpander allows you to type less, while writing much more. Spiritual Foundations Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Acts 2:46, NIV Holy Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is how we access the life of Jesus. When you break the bread, remember that he took the punishment in his physical body so that we could be completely healed. When you drink the wine, be reminded that Jesus has already paid the price for every sin. The point is to be reminded that what matters is not what we do, but what Jesus has already done. The more we can be aware of this, the more his grace we will see manifested in our lives. Feature Segment: How to Market With Testimonials I'm not talking about using testimonials where people proclaim how useful your product is, or how great you are. Those are important, and you should use the. But there is another way of marketing using testimonials that is less obvious. I'm talking about giving testimonials to others, and being strategic about what you say when offering those testimonials. Make your testimonial truthful, to the point, and inspirational. Be as specific as possible about results. Pay attention to production quality. Make it useful to the recipient. Strategically embed your USP and your web address. Remember the “Before – during – after” framework. Use a powerful closing statement. Make your testimonial easy for the recipient to use. Be proactive in offering testimonials. Example Testimonial 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 have you used testimonials to help market your business?Click here to leave your comments.  

Productivity is about more than the right day planner, a particular methodology, and certainly more than having a good “to do list”. In today's episode, I interview one of my favorite podcast hosts, Erik J. Fisher of the Beyond the to Do List Podcast. Other highlights coming up in today's show… I give you my initial read on iOS7… the good, the bad, and yes… the ugly How you can be sure God is not mad at you. At least three powerful takeaways on productivity from Erik. And then we have the ever popular, “much, much more.” Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: The Wisdom Thesis Workshop, October 9-11 Private Mastermind Group, October 28-30 SCORRE Conference, October 14-17 Platform Conference, November 3-5 Private Mastermind Group, December 17 NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014 “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014 Tip Of The Week I have been using the new iOS7 since the day it came out. Here are my initial thoughts. (You have to listen to the episode to get my thoughts!) Spiritual Foundations Your sins will not be played for all to see on Heaven's big screen television. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12 Feature Segment: Interview With Erik J. Fisher In today's episode, I interview one of my favorite podcast hosts, Erik J. Fisher of the Beyond the to Do List Podcast. 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 do you get “beyond the to do list” and boost your productivity? Click here to leave your comments.  

What is the one secret that can accelerate the growth of your business, and every other area of your life? I believe it is the crucible of companionship. This weeks episode is all about how to create your own Mastermind Group. Here are three good reasons to keep listening… If you want to compress time, and achieve more in 12 weeks than most people can achieve in 12 years… If you want to avoid pitfalls, perils, and mistakes… If you want to achieve more success, with less stress, and less effort… Then this episode is definitely for you. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: SCORRE Conference, October 14-17 Platform Conference, November 3-5 Private Mastermind Group, November Tip Of The Week A free set of videos that are a kind of “short course” on how to launch a product on the Internet. These will be available for a limited time, so grab them now. Click here for the videos. Spiritual Foundations  If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or hopeless… help is on the way. Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you. So don’t be afraid: I’m with you. Isaiah 43:1-5 Feature Segment: How To Start Your Own Mastermind Group One major key to any success I have enjoyed has been the principle of the Mastermind. Mastermind Groups have played a big role in propelling my business forward. What are the benefits of a Mastermind Group? Positive peer pressure Different perspective the Hawthorne principal  How to Start A Mastermind Group Determine Your Purpose Create a Dream List Of Members Draft a Proposal Invite Your Dream Team Provide Leadership Set Regular Meetings Establish Ground Rules Provide Order and Structure Avoid “Creep Factor” Recommended Resource: Dan Miller has a product called Creating Your Own Mastermind Group, which I highly recommend. 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 do you make use of “Value Creation Marketing” in your business? Click here to leave your comments.  

The pressure is on. You need to come up with big ideas for a client, or for your own business, or just to get yourself out of a problem. But being under the gun for a big idea is just the kind of environment that seems to stop the flow of said big ideas. Today show is about how to get big ideas on demand. Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: The Wisdom Thesis Workshop, October 9-11 Private Mastermind Group, October SCORRE Conference, October 14-17 Platform Conference, November 3-5 Private Mastermind Group, November NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014 “Permission to Prosper” April 8-10, 2014 Tip Of The Week Slideshark for making presentations on your iPad. Spiritual Foundations For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14 Feature Segment: How To Get Big Ideas On Demand Ray's Big Idea-Getting Formula: Clear your mind Clear your desk Turn off distractions Whiteboard it! Use a process (like Wisdom Thesis) Cross-pollinate Evaluate For a complete description of the Wisdom Thesis, register for Friday's webinar (WARNING: no replay). 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 do you come up with your best ideas? Click here to leave your comments.  

Would you like to know the marketing concept that will attract the most buyers, for the least cost, in the shortest period of time? Today's show is all about something I call “Value Creation Marketing”. Reasons to listen are the fact that “Value Creation Marketing”… Attracts buyers before they're even thinking about buying. Closes a bigger percentage of sales. Fills the pipeline faster. Just makes the most money. So this episode is only for you if you want the least expensive marketing method, that works faster, with less human effort, and yields the best customers Announcements: Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: SCORRE Conference, October 14-17 Platform Conference, November 3-5 Private Mastermind Group, November Tip Of The Week Many thanks to Ernie Lansford, who forced me to try a Mackie mixer. This week I'm testing the Mackie 1402VLZ4 … and I love it! 5 Reasons I Prefer the Mackie 1402VLZ4 Over My Previous Mixer It's built like a tank. Visual ease-of-use. Pure clean sound. 2 additional channels. 6 XLR inputs. Get your own Mackie 1402VLZ4 by clicking here. Get Cliff Ravenscraft's tutorials on how to set up your studio equipment by clicking here. Spiritual Foundations Jesus took what we deserved so we would get what he deserved. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 1 John 4:17 Feature Segment: What Is “Value Creation Marketing”? Today's show is all about something I call “Value Creation Marketing”… and why you should be using it… “Value-Creation Marketing” is the least expensive marketing, that works faster, with less effort. Click To Tweet Value Creation Marketing: Overcomes resistance Attracts buyers before they are buyers Closes more sales Gets you higher fees Builds a board audience Honors people at all levels Follows the rule of the farm Question that come up: So, how do you do it? What if your business is “different”? If you give away everything for free, how do you make money? 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 do you make use of “Value Creation Marketing” in your business? Click here to leave your comments.