Just gave the blog a face lift, as I have a lot to share in 2010.
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Tony
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Tony
Tony Robbins’ stamp of approval
You know you’ve done something right when Tony Robbins interviews you on the topics of success, wealth and having breakthroughs, as he recently did with two of my mentors, Frank Kern and John Reese.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Frank and John, they’re two of the most accomplished and pioneering Internet marketers around.
Two big things I reflected upon after watching this was that the roadblock for SO MANY, is not having the ideas, it’s not the resources either, but the fear that we’re faced with that causes us to get stuck is often so great, that it paralyzes us.
Personally, I realize that I would have never made the gains and breakthroughs if I didn’t have a support group, friends and partners to help me see the big picture, when I was too close to the subject matter to see objectively. This is where the importance of mastermind groups and coaching comes into play…if you aren’t involved in either and you’ve hit a roadblock, it’s seriously time to consider.
Secondly, this is mainstream validation for the skeptics that Internet marketing is something that ALL business owners intent on having success from this point forward (even if you’re already successful) must include in their bag o’ tricks.
Whether you run campaigns yourself or outsource everything, you need an effective online business strategy that is in alignment and congruent with your core business — and this is relevant to all offline businesses. I’m blown away when I tell someone a bit about online marketing and they mention, “Yeah, that’s pretty powerful stuff, it just doesn’t fit my business model.” BS! Unless telephones, business cards, yellow page listings, word of mouth communication (I could go on and on) don’t fit your business model either, you’re totally missing what Internet marketing is all about.
Admittedly, the third thing was I thought it was cool that just a couple months back I was spending a weekend sitting next to both Frank and John, as Frank led his final mastermind session down in La Jolla. I had the great fortune to be invited, learn and hang out with this small, elite group of good people and brilliant minds. And what my wife reminds me about it is that I’m now just one degree of separation from Tony Robbins…someone I’ve studied and followed for very long.
Check out the interview, it’s good stuff!
Enjoy,
Tony
Tony
A marketing lesson from a master
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| Photo by azrainman |
Truth be told, for years, dating back to waaaaay before he got much media attention, I couldn’t stand the late, great Billy Mays. Yes, the ultimately likeable guy who was just in the midst of a surge in popularity due to his hit show, Pitchmen. Yet, for the longest time, the sight and inescapable sound of him made me cringe.
At the core of my issue with Mr. Mays, I don’t like being shouted at, and here was this burly guy with his neatly trimmed beard bellowing about Oxyclean and Orange Glo like I cared.
Even his name, Billy Mays…was that a bait and switch play off of the great American baseball hero, Willie Mays, I’d think to myself.
Well, in the end, I was wrong about the man. And, in retrospect I’ve learned much in the way of brand positioning and presentation — two areas I’d consider strengths of mine.
Billy obviously lived by the noble and logical theorem that if you had a legitimate product, good or service that could help others out in some way, then you’re actually do a complete dis-service by not stepping out in a big way.
No selling from the heels for Billy, he put it out there and MILLIONS of people became satisfied customers. His products became iconic, as did he. He achieved massive success, for a guy who started out as a street pitchman, hawking products to passersby on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Now, he’s left a legacy as a pop icon, a true salesman, and where it truly counts, a good guy and father.
I have nothing but love for Billy these days, and I actually have to credit another excellent salesman, businessman and all-around good guy, a friend of mine named Joe, for changing my mind on Billy. Joe once said to me in response to a rant of mine on Facebook, “How can you dislike a guy who’s always smiling?”
I can’t…haven’t been able to since Joe said that to me. Billy appeared to love what he did, loved the people he encountered, and loved life, living it voraciously.
And when I saw this YouTube video a few months back, I became a raving fan of the Pitchmen star.
In the end, I know Billy is smiling down on everyone who is bold enough to stand tall and provide value to those who need it. Sales is at the heart of all business & commerce, and the negative connotation attached to it is unfair. As the saying goes, everyone loves to buy, but no one likes to be sold.
Billy was so charismatic that you were entertained to the point of forgetting that he was even selling. People do like to be sold when they don’t realize it (read: people like to buy from people who have a passion for what they do, belief in their brand, especially if they like and trust them. They don’t like slimy salesman that aren’t there to service their clients first, but rather are just focused on making a few bucks for themselves.)
There are many lessons that I’ve touched on in this post, and many others not mentioned, but I guess I’m writing to pay my respects, and as a way to say “thanks” to the charismatic pitchman that made us all smile. Make THAT your brand and you can’t help but succeed.
mfz is discussing. -
mfz
Tony
Mass Control – The Mass Influence of Frank Kern
 Quick Video Marketing Report |
After having a week to reflect on everything I observed at Frank Kern’s Mass Control 2.0 seminar in San Diego, it’s pretty easy to see how influential Frank is to his audience — not a new revelation, but something deeper struck me.
Not only does his following hang onto his every word when he dishes out strategy (of course, in a highly entertaining way), but the ones serious about it go out into the world and make it happen.
That was the common theme amongst those who, like me, attended both last year and again this year. If you “get it”, you know it’s not all that difficult, but you have to take action. I can go ahead and re-phrase that statement in about six different ways, but here’s the bottom line…take action.
My favorite example of this is my good buddy, Jeff “Herschy” Schwerdt. In two years of pedal to the metal, no messing around fashion, he’s managed to generate over 1 million dollars. Overnight success…luck…I don’t think so. The dude doesn’t play. He straight up makes things happen. (THEN he goes and parties like a rockstar…and he doesn’t mess around there either LOL)
Anyway, he’s Frank Kern’s protégé and delivers in a way that makes Frank proud. Check out the awesome, 40 page report he put together on how he went from having his dream career as an F-16 Fighter Pilot and Instructor torn away from him, to where he stands today as the go-to guy when it comes to using video online.
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http://insideroutline.net
Frank is great and I have read alot about him. His ideas are amazing!
Tony
Do-it-yourself Consumer Warning
With the mindless talking heads spreading frightful thoughts of swine flu, I thought this picture was both funny and relevant to the times 
Don't make out with the medical staff from the Twilight Zone, "The Eye of the Beholder", and you'll be good.
Tony
The Economy of Fear
 photo by Julie Lindsay |
Welcome to the Great Anxiety (not the new Depression). It’s no secret that were facing a serious economic situation throughout the country, with global repercussions.
A lot of fingers can be pointed in a lot of different places for total and what got us here. But none of that matters, to be honest. What matters is recovery, IMHO.
In order for there to be financial security, we must come from a place of stability. And herein lies the heart of the matter. How can we expect to get to that place a financial security when every media outlet is crying like Chicken Little that the sky is falling?
While I’m not one to point fingers at who started this mess, I am happy to point out that the media and politicians love the attention of a crisis. Kind of like how you get suckered into reading the headlines of those trashy tabloids that you see while you’re in line at the grocery store. Our media and politicians aren’t much classier.
The point is that there were not in a great place economically, or financially, we’re not going to turn things around if we continue to pay attention to all the fear that the would-be puppet masters are trying to inject.
How come no one has pointed out that (the basic economic ideal) of buy low? Wouldn’t that mean that opportunities are a plenty for the bold and the brave? Instead, we hear rants of how things are just getting worse.
What do you think would happen if there was a bit more consumer confidence? Meaning, those who still have their jobs, haven’t lost or still have time to build their retirement savings went about things, as normal – Not with fear of financial doom lurking in their subconscious?
Perhaps they would buy a few more gifts and/or services for their friends or loved ones, or they would treat themselves to a tree here or there. All the while, if you small businesses rack up a few extra sales. While it might not sound like much, never underestimate the power of compounding — meaning role this scenario out to a large-scale and we would already have some financial turn around, as small businesses may have healthy enough margins to cutback on cutting back, and perhaps even grow a bit. This, my friends, is economic stimulus and our ticket out of this down economy.
As simple as this sounds, it is very real. I hold the media and many of our appointed government officials responsible for this mass injection of fear and the downfall in consumer confidence, ensuring continued ratings and headlines for them, and tough times of struggle for the average person.
So, turn off the TV, stop reading the headlines, and get back to doing the things that you would do if we weren’t all stricken with anxiety. And for the risk-takers out there, opportunity is always around, just keep your eyeballs open.
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Nichelle
This is great info to know.
Tony
You give salesmanship a bad name
No, this post is not nearly as much about Slippery When Wet era Bon Jovi as the above title might almost indicate.
What I do want to focus on is a general world view that’s held by many in our society, related to business. See, recently a friend of mine referenced me in his blog post and joked about my inherent salesmanship. Interestingly enough, that kind of struck a curiosity chord with me, as I’ve never held an official sales capacity in my entire stint in corporate America, used car sales aside. (I mean, I surely didn’t think the heinous 3 months during summer break of my early college years when I worked at a used car lot would haunt my into my 30’s…and let’s hope that wasn’t what he was talking about.) 
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| photo by rick |
It was interesting to me, because I realized that to the people who know me – my coaching clients, good friends and colleagues I mastermind with – I am a salesman. I’m an idea person…and I’m always winning people over with new ideas. I pitch suggestions, ways to improve results, efficiencies, boost traffic, conversions, training methodologies, better branding, yada yada.
While I would admit to my enthusiasm over these topics, I just never thought of it as selling.
Which is the main purpose behind today’s triumphant return to the blogosphere after working covertly on other projects for the past few months, neglecting ole’ TZ.com.
Every communication we have with anyone and everyone is selling of some sort. When we were kids, we had to sell yourself as someone fun, cool or exciting to hang out with in order to make friends. To our parents, teachers and other authority figures, we had to sell the idea that we were responsible, trustworthy, respectful. When we met someone of the opposite sex, we had to sell the idea that we were interesting, good looking and whatever else thought it was they were looking for.
And so it goes, throughout life…at job interviews, at daily/weekly meetings, at social gatherings and family events. We’re always selling something…an idea, a message, a persona. What’s being sold is at minimum, what we’re about and how we’d like to be perceived. Usually it’s more than that, but never less.
So, why is the sound of “salesman” (or if I was trying to be PC — “salesperson”) like nails on a chalkboard to many of our ears? Simply, it’s how we’ve been conditioned by being whacked over the head by too many lousy salesmen who use ineffective, in-your-face, overt selling strategies on us, in a commercial heavy society. That’s why. If more people learned to sell in a manner that was congruent with their personality (ala Frank Kern — an absolute master of this strategy), selling would come off as natural, much more powerful and with much less disdain from those being sold to.
But, just think about the core of what “selling” is really about, and you just may have a new found appreciation for sales (if you didn’t already)…and just maybe, even realize that it’s a crucial success skill for anyone who would like to get what they want out of this invigorating world we live in.
Tony
Thanksgiving is for turkeys
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Alright…before you peg me as some ungrateful fool, I just want to clarify the title of this post, on this day of celebrating thanks in the US.
First off, I love turkeys! They’re entertaining when they gobble and taste great!!
But in all seriousness, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday (and I’ve found myself telling a bunch of people this story already, as I’ve felt obligated). I like it so much for a very simple reason…the basic meaning behind it – be thankful for what you have. And when you really do think about all there is to be thankful for, it’s overwhelming, no matter if you’re in a good place or striving for more.
What a tingling message on this special day. What a great way to feel good about life, the people in your life, the places, experiences and things that give (and have given) you happiness and inspire you to have more to share.
The only question I have is…
Why Do We Only Do This Once a Year?
Why not wake up and go to bed and give thanks for the beautiful things that enrich your life, each and every day? There’s no rule saying you can’t….in fact, many very successful (and by “successful” I mean people who are happy, fulfilled and satisfied by life) make a habit, a ritual, a practice of visualizing all of the things they’re grateful for on a daily basis. I encourage you to give it a try; if nothing else it will brighten your day.
Top 10 Things I’m Thankful For:
- My wonderful, beautiful, funny and awesome wife, Monica!
- My small (but incredible) circle of close friends
- My mentors and teachers
- My family – Zayas’, Faia’s, Patryn’s, Scaffide’s and the rest
- My country
- Rock music
- Good health
- Laughs
- The ability to hold a memory close
- Turkeys
Follow me on Twitter and see what I’m up to!
Tony
Psychological Triggers and Survival
Take this political season, for instance. A bit further out, candidates were focusing on a variety of issues and their respective takes and proposed plans…la-di-da. Within the past month or so, we’ve seen the focus shift towards one thing: The Economy. Why? Well, the mortgage companies provided tremendous fodder for this huge shift, but Bill Clinton did the same thing when he ran against Bush 41 in ‘93 – “It’s the economy, stupid!”
Of course the economy is important, especially in the midst of a global financial meltdown. But, the real reason it’s effective for politicians to talk about the economy is because it can be used to induce psychological triggers that either a) remove pain and increase pleasure (i.e. promises of a brighter future, turn the economy around, take care of the working class, etc.) OR triggers can be used to anchor the politicians opponent to the opposite b) increase pain and remove pleasure (i.e. suggesting that opponent will raise taxes, get the country into costly and dangerous conflicts, spend on unnecessary programs). Effectively moving voters either closer to comfort or away from comfort.
Pain vs. Pleasure – It comes down to emotion.
Human instinct is based on emotion. That’s why pain and pleasure is so important to us. We either want to move away from pain, or towards pleasure. And most of the time, we’d be more proactive in staying away from pain than from getting pleasure, especially if getting involves some work!
But the bottom line is that we all, at a very core level, think the same way. We make decisions based on emotion, then justify them with reason. Comfort can often be a crutch, an excuse, so you have to tread carefully.
To me, this is what makes the study of psychology, marketing, influence and persuasion all so interesting. There really are formulas to tap into that work like clockwork once you understand how to apply them.
I’ll leave it at that for now, but let’s just say that part 2 of this post is coming soon – the piece that any one of us can implement to help break these triggers, break out of their comfort zone and get so much more done in a day. We’ll discuss this success principle can make you a bundle, done correctly, and how, if not followed, the same principle can break you…especially in the world of web 2.0 marketing where there’s a ton of busy work at any given time that can be done.
Tony
Video Podcasting To Improve Branding, Search Engine Rankings and Traffic Generation
As YouTube is currently listed as the #3 most visited site on Internet, grabbing just under 20% of global Internet users per day (according to Alexa.com), it should come as no surprise that video has revolutionized the way communication occurs online. The power of video lies in that it allows video publishers to form powerful relationships with their visitors, as it is possibly the next best thing to direct, in-person communication, arguably even more so than talking over the telephone. Though such obvious benefit of utilizing video online is easily understood, many often overlook the various distribution models, including perhaps the most effective yet underutilized method for video syndication — video podcasting, also know as vidcasting.
Easy Video Syndication
In today’s world of rapidly emerging hand held technology, video is easy enough to capture with simple, yet decent quality producing devices such as mobile phones and digital cameras, in addition to more traditional methods, such as camcorders and webcams. Once created, these informative, persuasive or personal videos can be easily hosted through video sharing sites, such as YouTube, Google Video, Viddler, Veoh, Yahoo Video and Revver to name just a few services that will host and stream video.
But while all of these sharing sites are a great way to syndicate content, video podcasting has it’s own unique benefits that go beyond what streaming video offers, such as the ability for viewers to watch podcast episodes on their hand held devices such as their iPod, iPhone, BlackBerry or one of the many other video enabled mobile phones, or through their computer via a podcast aggregator, with the ultra popular Apple iTunes as the most prevalent example. Viewers can subscribe to a video (or audio) podcast, in which case viewers will be automatically notified of subsequent episodes, thus creating a powerful relationship and branding opportunity for publishers. Video podcasting is allowing anyone with basic video capability the ability to create what essentially equates to free Internet TV shows.
Boost Your Search Engine Rankings
The search engines aren’t ignoring the fact that video is a hot commodity online. In fact, videos hosted at sharing sites such as the Google-owned YouTube, tend to get indexed with the search engines with staggering quickness. It isn’t uncommon to see videos ranking in the top pages of the search engine rankings for relative keyword searches, and this is sometimes seen within hours after the video is uploaded. Though Google, Yahoo, MSN and the others are working on technology to interpret video content and rank accordingly, it’s important for video publishers to include descriptive, keyword-rich titles and summaries for their videos, as this is how videos are getting picked up by the search engines. Once again, video podcasts up the ante, as podcasts are being picked up in record time by Google and the other search engines. Podcasts have been seen indexed and shown in Google search results in less than 4 minutes!
Increase traffic and subscribers
High rankings in the search engines and widespread distribution means more visitors for the video podcaster, which leads to more exposure and subscribers. In turn, podcast publishers can build strong relationships and brand themselves as experts in their given field to a larger number of higher-quality audience than ever before. Podcast directories such as Podcast Alley, are becoming more popular to increase exposure, making podcasts even easier to find.
For those who mind find this exciting, yet a bit intimidating, take comfort in knowing that there are plenty of free tools and resources that are making video podcasting easier and easier. A great example is the free WordPress plugin, PodPress, which makes creating a video podcast a snap for bloggers.
Though video podcasting has been supported in some way, shape or form since version 4.9 of iTunes, video podcasting is still perceived as relatively new, so there is still opportunity to gain first-mover advantage and benefit from everything else that video podcasting offers!
Great food for thought!
Oh, and I think it’s time I try Oxyclean!