One of my teachers and mentors, Peter Woodhead, has just published his "top 10 tips for success in 2009." And, I wanted to share them with you, my follower:
"Tip # 1 You Must Have the Right Mindset
You must have the right mindset. Without this - forget
it!
Sure, you want to succeed but maybe you think it's
easy (which it isn't always). Maybe you think you are "different." Or maybe you think it will just
happen for you.
It's none of those. But if you have the right attitude,
I guarantee it will happen for you.
You will already know if you have the right mindset.
Are you teachable? Or are you a know-it-all?
Are you a good listener? Or do you think you're beyond
all of that?
Are you open-minded? But not gullible.
In the New Year I will introduce you to a program that
will help you get the most out of what you have.
Sorry, I can't give you too many specifics right now,
but I promise to keep you informed.
You'd better have got plenty new socks for Christmas
because this program will blow most of the others off.
Tip # 2 Set Your Goals
I know this sounds "old-hat" but, if written correctly,
goal setting does work.
There is a phenomenon known as "visualization." Which
has been scientifically proven to work. How? Why? I
don't know, but it works. Maybe something to do with
quantum physics - a subject I know naff-all about.
But for your goals to work they must be worded correctly.
And the correct wording has to be in present tense.
Each of your goals should begin with the word "I."
That way, the visualization process is so much easier.
And the more detail in there, the better. Here's an
example:
"I own a silver XJ aluminium Jaguar. It has dove grey interior, burr walnut dash, automatic transmission,
cruise control, reverse control, and air conditioning."
Of course, you may not yet own whatever it is, but the
idea of writing your goal as if it has already happened,
is very powerful .
And the visualization of you goal, for example if it's
a car, can be looking onto to your drive and picturing
your goal sitting there.
Finally, at least one of your goals should be about you.
How much you believe in yourself and your confidence.
For a detailed explanation of visualization and goal
setting, you owe it to yourself to visit:
http://www.success-engineering.net/
Tip # 3 Study the Classics
Read something every day.
It has been said that if you read for one hour every day
on a choice subject, then after one year you will be an
expert in that field.
Just imagine what you could accomplish if you read for
2-3 hours a day!
If you want to succeed in marketing to your niche whether
it be online or offline (or both), then you need to study
the classics.
By "classics" I don't mean Shakespeare or Mark Twain
(although these are a good read). I mean marketing
classics and other notables.
I list below a selection (there are many others) that I consider to be required reading:
Scientific Advertising Claude Hopkins
My Life in Advertising Claude Hopkins
Tested Advertising Methods John Caples
My First 60 Years in Advertising Maxwell Sackheim
Tested Sentences That Sell Elmer Wheeler
The Robert Collier Letter Book Robert Collier
Ogilvy on Advertising David Ogilvy
Psychological Triggers Joe Sugarman
Influence, the Psychology Robert Cialdini
Of Persuasion
Breakthrough Advertising Eugene Schwartz
Psycho Cybernetics Dr. Maltz
Think and Grow Rich Napoleon Hill
Don't just read them. Study them.
Here's what David Ogilvy had to say about Scientific Advertising:
"Nobody should have anything to do with advertising
until they have read Scientific Advertising at least
6 times."
The fact is, each time you read these classics another
gem pops out.
And it's no coincidence that all of today's top marketers
have read these classics over and over again. That's
where they go to get their ideas.
Get hooked on Classics!
My free chronological study of advertising can be found
at:
http://www.lostsecretsofmarketinglegends.com/
And in the New Year I will be introducing you to a new
program that will add to the above list. Hint: it's a
program about the man who inspired ALL of the above
authors - and many others besides.
Tip # 4 Listen to Tapes/CDs
I do about 25,000 miles in my car each year. I find it extremely boring.
But, I can honestly say that, with few exceptions, I
turn off the radio and plug in some audio CD. This may
be some kind of self-improvement kind of CD or something specific to do with marketing or Internet related.
Whatever.
But what it does for me is that I get a "College Education"
as I'm driving along.
I consider time spent in the car "dead time" and all
of our time is so precious. Once it's gone, you can't
get it back. It's gone forever.
So put it to good use.
I have a library of CDs (and tapes) which I continually
listen to. I could never have too many.
I've even created my own audio products for some of
my projects.
You're wasting your valuable time if you don't use
audio as a medium for your continuing education.
A good source of CDs (and tapes) is Nightingale Conant
and there are always special offers being made on the
Internet from time to time.
Choose what's right for you and learn.
Tip # 5 What do You Want to Do?
You need to make your mind up what exactly it is
that you want to do.
Do you want to market on-line or off-line? Or a
combination of both?
Do you want to sell information products or physical
products? Or a combination of both?
It's your choice.
There's enough niche topics and enough potential
customers out there to satisfy all of us.
The Internet is a medium for finding information. So
it makes sense to provide information products.
If you want to learn how to create your own information products, go to:
http://www.milliondollarpublisher.com/
Producing information products is probably the best
way to start and then maybe move on to selling physical products at a later date.
But whether you choose to sell digital products or
physical products you will still need a means of marketing.
Having a web presence will be essential. And whether
you do decide to market online or offline you will need
a persuasive "direct response" sales letter. This is called "sales copy."
Tip # 6 Learn How to Write Good Copy
To have any chance at all at selling any of your
products you will need to learn how to write good,
persuasive sales copy.
But to write your own copy will take time. Rome was
not built in a day.
A whole new industry has spawned called "copywriting."
Because it has become clear that good copy sells.
Period.
Most people, try to skip this part. For some unknown
reason they think it's not important . Maybe they're
too eager to get the rest of their sales process
finished and "out there."
Big mistake.
It is a monumental mistake to gloss over your sales
copy.
Whether you are marketing online or offline. You
simply must have good sales copy.
You may have the best product in the world. You may
get thousands of visitors to your site. But if your
copy sucks - you won't sell many of your products.
You have 2 choices. You either pay someone to write
the copy for you or you learn how to write your own.
The former can be cost prohibitive as good copywriters
charge anything from $15K upwards for a single piece
of copy.
It makes sense for you to learn how to write your own
copy.
! In fact it's a necessity !
You will simply not get very far without it.
It will not happen overnight. It's something that
will come with practice.
Maybe you'll never become a top copywriter but you
must become an accomplished copywriter.
And the best way to learn is to read the classics and
to study the copywriting of successful marketers.
Guys like Yanik Silver, Ted Nicholas, and Matt Furey.
Tip # 7 Apprentice Yourself or Get Yourself a Coach.
If you know what you want to do but don't quite know
how to achieve it - apprenticing yourself to a mentor
could well be your jump start to success.
This need not cost you a fortune.
There may be just one aspect that you require help with.
For example, copywriting, or building a website, or
setting up a shopping cart. Or maybe you require help
with all of it.
There will be someone available to help you with
whatever it is you're stuck with. Look online. Search
in your local Yellow Pages. Go to your local technical
college and sign up for a short course on how to use Dreamweaver (or FrontPage) if building web pages is
your weakness.
An alternative is to listen in to our teleseminars
and webinars.
Next year I plan on hosting a lot more of these. I'll
keep you posted.
Tip # 8 Time Management
This sounds as if it's obvious, almost irrelevant.
But I can assure you that it's so important. And I'm
the first to admit that I do not employ my time to
the fullest (although I am improving).
Time is that precious commodity that we all take
for granted.
It's the one common denominator we all have. Rich
or poor. When time passes we cannot get it back.
It's gone.
That's why you need to plan each day. Maximise the
time that you have.
There are many books on the subject to help you
manage your time better. I've read several but one
I have read, really impressed me. It's by Dan Kennedy.
It's called No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs
and is available from Amazon.
I aim to improve my time management in 2009 by at
least 100%.
Tip # 9 Keep in Good Health
All the previous 8 tips are useless to you if you
don't keep yourself in fine fettle.
You need to eat well and exercise regularly (says I
who eats really well and exercises not as much as I
should)
A healthy body helps you to be successful. You feel
less lethargic. You have more energy. And you tend
to focus better.
If you are overweight (like me) do something about
it in 2009. I do something every day, like walking.
My goal for 2009 is to lose a modest 3 pounds a month.
Even I can do that!
Tip # 10 Do One Pro-active Thing per Day
The way to true success is to focus. Focus on your
project in hand.
Be persistent and be consistent.
It is far, far better to do a little every day than
it is to do a lot every two weeks or so.
It doesn't matter what you do, however little, but
make it a habit to do something every single day.
It may only be one hour of reading or watching a DVD
or researching a project. But it's a great habit to
get into.
Make it your habit as well.
After one or two months you'll be amazed at the
progress you've made.
It's important not to "skip" a day and reckon on
making it up later. You won't. When that day's gone,
it's gone.
The only person you'll be kidding is yourself.
But if you've got what it takes from tip # 1, this
will just come naturally to you.
If you've been a member of my Million Dollar Publisher
program then you should already know all about being
pro-active - that is, if you've been completing the
assignments each week.
If you are not a member then schlep on over to:
http://www.milliondollarpublisher.com/
This program is designed to drip feed information to
you in bite-sized chunks. So that you can do something
every day and monitor your progress.
I sincerely hope that you take at least some of tips
above onboard - if not ALL of them.
Do that and watch your progress improve throughout
2009.
And it goes without saying - but I'll say it anyway -
may I wish you all that I wish myself for 2009.
Grandpa Peter
(Blogger's note: Peter just became a grandfather righ before he posted this)
P.S. Have a really great New Year and start 2009 as
you mean to go on. "
Same from me to you - let's get started !!!!!
Dick Hale
PS - Peter mentioned "Think and Grow Rich."
I've got a free copy of it for you if you're interested:
http://www.shagmiser.com//mustreadbooks/index.htm
Presslink Publishing
Suite 191, Clifford House
7-9 Clifford Street,
YORK, NY
YO1 9RA
