I was out driving recently in Los Angeles and saw an amazing sight.
A famous hot dog stand called Pinks had a line of people outside that went half way around their entire building.
The question is, why?
Is it because their hot dogs are so amazing?
Well I’ve eaten there and while they’re good, a hot dog is a hot dog. There’s only so much you can do with it.
Is it because they spend a fortune on marketing?
No way. In all my time in L.A I’ve only seen one ad for Pinks.
Is it because they cost less than other hot dogs?
On the contrary, they cost more than many of their competitors.
No, in my opinion the reason Pinks has people waiting for an hour just to taste their dogs is because of a factor far more strange and subtle.
People line up outside Pinks because they see other people lining up.
They assume that because so many are lining up the hot dogs must be amazing, and so they decide that they too must visit this place.
So it becomes self perpetuating.
There’s a term for this in behavioural research – it’s called Social Proof.
Humans tend to get more interested in things when we see that other humans are interested in them.
So, think about this:
How can you create the appearance that lots of people love your company?
If you could just achieve that, then you too would get an ever increasing number of people desperate to buy from you.
As I see it, there are three ways:
1. Get lots of testimonials.
When potential customers read about other customers that adore your products, their desire for your stuff will dramatically increase.
2. Initiate a PR campaign about popularity.
Plan a campaign of hitting the media outlets with stories about the fast growth and popularity of your company, product or service.
3. Create shortages.
Consider occasionally making your product unavailable or booked out, due to high demand.
None of these strategies cost much money, but together they will go a long way to creating the impression that your company is powering, and that your product is something really special.
Pretty soon you could end up like Pinks.
Not selling hot dogs, but selling hot products.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Sunday, August 07, 2011
My dad's advice on gratitude...
A number of years ago, I was visiting my dad when he asked, "Son, how are things going?"
I answered, "Well, I've expanded my office, so I had to pay the cost of renovating, and right now I'm short of capital. I just bought a diamond ring for my wife, plus a new car, and we recently went on a vacation to Hawaii. We just got a new house and a whole bunch of things are going on, and it seems it is all happening at once. With all this spending, we don't have as much cash as usual, I'm totally overwhelmed and every part of me is stressed."
He looked at me with stern eyes and said, "Son, that is not stress. That is blessings!"
A little shocked by his response I asked, "What do you mean?"
He explained, "John, what you have accomplished in a short period of time is more than I've done in 30 years. Your mother and I never did go to Hawaii. We still haven't got diamond rings, we just have simple gold bands. And by the way, the idea of expanding your office is incredible. The extra taxes and things, just consider that a blessing because it means you have earned some money."
He took every single thing I thought was a stress and made it a blessing. This was not about positive thinking. It was recognizing the so called 'stress' was simply a part of having the things I had aspired to. I was not willing to accept that the things I thought would make me 'happy' came hand in hand with drawbacks. As a result I was slowly making myself miserable, and missing out on enjoying life and all I had achieved.
This is a common experience for many people around the world. The words "I will be happy when..." echoing in the back of their minds and constantly driving them to seek new things and experiences that they desire. Where many of us get it wrong is failing to recognize everything comes with a price to pay. This is not a 'good' or 'bad' thing, it just is.
I grew up hearing my mother talk about counting blessings, but I'd gotten so caught up in my daily life that I'd forgotten her real meaning. From the time I was four years old, my mother would say as she was putting me to bed, "Son, count your blessings tonight, for those who do will have more to be grateful for, and more opportunities in their lives than those who don't."
Those who count their blessings, who are grateful, have more blessings and fulfillment in life than those who do not. This is a simple principle. Yet it has the power to change your life.
When people experience love and appreciation, or in other words gratitude, the brain and heart become energetically integrated. Brain and heart waves synchronize and the power of human intent is maximal. You have the ability to create! When you're grateful, and when you have love in your heart and poise in your mind, you also have an integration of your left and right brain. They become synchronized, too. Your heart's intuition and your brain's reason become one, congruent, centered. You have a power that cannot be shaken and in most instances no matter what the obstacles, you accomplish your objectives.
Ingratitude on the other hand is gravity and it weighs us down. Our immune system runs down, our spiritual life feels like hell and our mind becomes clouded. Our financial situation is likely to become stagnant and change for the worse. We isolate ourselves from people because at the end of the day why would you want to stay with someone who doesn't appreciate you?
So how do you become a 'grateful' person? Keep in mind there is a big difference between true gratitude and temporary elation. Many people assume gratitude arises when they can easily and superficially count their blessings because things are going their way. These same people assume that ingratitude is a natural response when things are not going so well and they can easily count their curses. But this is not the whole picture. The reality is, true gratitude only arises when we take the time to acknowledge the perfect balance residing in our lives, when both support and challenge and all other complementary opposites are recognized as occurring simultaneously. This is the moment true gratitude spontaneously emerges and is the moment we access our most powerful source of love that gives rise to - the gratitude effect.
In order to witness the perfect balance I suggest you take the time to ask yourself insightful questions to a point where you can see the other side of any situation just like I did so many years ago after speaking with my father. How does the credit crunch serve your life? What are the benefits of your failing relationship? How does the extra weight you have gained this winter serve your life? Keep asking until you have the answers. I am certain they are there.
I answered, "Well, I've expanded my office, so I had to pay the cost of renovating, and right now I'm short of capital. I just bought a diamond ring for my wife, plus a new car, and we recently went on a vacation to Hawaii. We just got a new house and a whole bunch of things are going on, and it seems it is all happening at once. With all this spending, we don't have as much cash as usual, I'm totally overwhelmed and every part of me is stressed."
He looked at me with stern eyes and said, "Son, that is not stress. That is blessings!"
A little shocked by his response I asked, "What do you mean?"
He explained, "John, what you have accomplished in a short period of time is more than I've done in 30 years. Your mother and I never did go to Hawaii. We still haven't got diamond rings, we just have simple gold bands. And by the way, the idea of expanding your office is incredible. The extra taxes and things, just consider that a blessing because it means you have earned some money."
He took every single thing I thought was a stress and made it a blessing. This was not about positive thinking. It was recognizing the so called 'stress' was simply a part of having the things I had aspired to. I was not willing to accept that the things I thought would make me 'happy' came hand in hand with drawbacks. As a result I was slowly making myself miserable, and missing out on enjoying life and all I had achieved.
This is a common experience for many people around the world. The words "I will be happy when..." echoing in the back of their minds and constantly driving them to seek new things and experiences that they desire. Where many of us get it wrong is failing to recognize everything comes with a price to pay. This is not a 'good' or 'bad' thing, it just is.
I grew up hearing my mother talk about counting blessings, but I'd gotten so caught up in my daily life that I'd forgotten her real meaning. From the time I was four years old, my mother would say as she was putting me to bed, "Son, count your blessings tonight, for those who do will have more to be grateful for, and more opportunities in their lives than those who don't."
Those who count their blessings, who are grateful, have more blessings and fulfillment in life than those who do not. This is a simple principle. Yet it has the power to change your life.
When people experience love and appreciation, or in other words gratitude, the brain and heart become energetically integrated. Brain and heart waves synchronize and the power of human intent is maximal. You have the ability to create! When you're grateful, and when you have love in your heart and poise in your mind, you also have an integration of your left and right brain. They become synchronized, too. Your heart's intuition and your brain's reason become one, congruent, centered. You have a power that cannot be shaken and in most instances no matter what the obstacles, you accomplish your objectives.
Ingratitude on the other hand is gravity and it weighs us down. Our immune system runs down, our spiritual life feels like hell and our mind becomes clouded. Our financial situation is likely to become stagnant and change for the worse. We isolate ourselves from people because at the end of the day why would you want to stay with someone who doesn't appreciate you?
So how do you become a 'grateful' person? Keep in mind there is a big difference between true gratitude and temporary elation. Many people assume gratitude arises when they can easily and superficially count their blessings because things are going their way. These same people assume that ingratitude is a natural response when things are not going so well and they can easily count their curses. But this is not the whole picture. The reality is, true gratitude only arises when we take the time to acknowledge the perfect balance residing in our lives, when both support and challenge and all other complementary opposites are recognized as occurring simultaneously. This is the moment true gratitude spontaneously emerges and is the moment we access our most powerful source of love that gives rise to - the gratitude effect.
In order to witness the perfect balance I suggest you take the time to ask yourself insightful questions to a point where you can see the other side of any situation just like I did so many years ago after speaking with my father. How does the credit crunch serve your life? What are the benefits of your failing relationship? How does the extra weight you have gained this winter serve your life? Keep asking until you have the answers. I am certain they are there.
How to Build Business Relationships in 1 minute - Siimon Reynolds
I had lunch yesterday with a highly successful TV commercial producer.
He told me of an incredibly quick, yet powerful way that he deepens relationships with clients and potential clients.
I thought I’d share it with you today.
It’s this simple: Whenever he emails somebody, he writes just one or two lines about their or his life outside of the business world.
Maybe he asks how their family is going. Sometimes he tells them what he’s been up to in his spare time. Often he follows up about some aspect of their personal life they mentioned previously.
It’s not much, just a line or two.
But he believes it has transformed his business.
As he put it, “As clients slowly open up about their personal lives, they begin to view you not just as a supplier, but as a friend. And people prefer to buy from friends.”
He thinks this one small technique has transformed the profits of his business. I think he’s right.
So instead of just asking clients to buy stuff from you, invest a little time to find out about them. Their lives, hopes, aspirations and even troubles.
Over time, sharing these little personal things with clients will make a big difference to your bottom line.
It will also enrich your life immeasurably.
He told me of an incredibly quick, yet powerful way that he deepens relationships with clients and potential clients.
I thought I’d share it with you today.
It’s this simple: Whenever he emails somebody, he writes just one or two lines about their or his life outside of the business world.
Maybe he asks how their family is going. Sometimes he tells them what he’s been up to in his spare time. Often he follows up about some aspect of their personal life they mentioned previously.
It’s not much, just a line or two.
But he believes it has transformed his business.
As he put it, “As clients slowly open up about their personal lives, they begin to view you not just as a supplier, but as a friend. And people prefer to buy from friends.”
He thinks this one small technique has transformed the profits of his business. I think he’s right.
So instead of just asking clients to buy stuff from you, invest a little time to find out about them. Their lives, hopes, aspirations and even troubles.
Over time, sharing these little personal things with clients will make a big difference to your bottom line.
It will also enrich your life immeasurably.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Why Entrepreneurs should behave like Sport Stars - Siimon Reynolds
I often ask myself the following question:
What will the top business leaders be doing in 50 years time?
I figure if I can guess that, and start doing those things now, I should lead the pack over the next couple of decades.
Let me give you one of my answers, it may well help you build a better business, faster.
I believe that the elite business people in 50 years will train like sports stars.
In the following 3 ways.
1. They will use the mental training techniques currently used by sport stars.
For example, almost every major Olympian today regularly rehearses in their mind, seeing themselves performing perfectly.
This mental rehearsal has been shown in countless studies to improve performance.
So why don’t we in business world do the same? Is it not likely that it could improve our performance in sales presentations, time management and our interaction with clients?
Of course it would. The brain is a magnificent computer that can be programmed much like any other computer.
Just read books on neuroplasticity like ‘The Brain That Changes Itself’ or ‘Rewire Your Brain’ for examples of how deliberate imaging of superb performance can literally change the structure of the brain and improve our performance.
When you think about it, it’s crazy every ambitious business person isn’t using these techniques daily. I certainly do.
2. They will use focusing statements like top sport stars do.
Focusing statements are short, sharp summaries that many top sports men and women use to remind themselves of what they need to focus on, just before they perform.
For example, the great baseball hitter Alex Rodriguez,uses this focusing statement : ” I hit the ball solid with an accelerated bat head.” For a sprinter it may be something like, “Stay low, stay relaxed.” For a football player it may be a sentence as simple as the following: “Confidence and aggression.”
The bottom line is that focusing statements like these have been found to be highly effective for all manner of sport stars. They concentrate your mind on what matters and take it away from negativity and distracting thoughts.
Couldn’t every entrepreneur get value out of using one of these focusing statements?
You bet they could.
3. They will learn to relax like sport stars.
The top sports players all value relaxation and down time. They take their breaks seriously, because they are intimately aware of how overwork harms future performance.
They make sure each break is a quality break. They monitor their sleep patterns, ensuring they get enough rest. And critically, they work in quick intense bursts, followed by recuperation.
Now you may think that you couldn’t possibly behave like that in the business world. But according to the Human Performance Institute in Florida, you’d be mistaken. In over a decade of studies , Dr Jim Loehr and his team have categorically shown that business executives perform best when mimicking the work patterns of sporting stars: Intense work followed by frequent short breaks and lots of sleep.
So there you have it.
Three ways you can improve your business performance by using the techniques of sporting champions.
Try them. You may not win a gold medal, but in business you can still win plenty of gold.
What will the top business leaders be doing in 50 years time?
I figure if I can guess that, and start doing those things now, I should lead the pack over the next couple of decades.
Let me give you one of my answers, it may well help you build a better business, faster.
I believe that the elite business people in 50 years will train like sports stars.
In the following 3 ways.
1. They will use the mental training techniques currently used by sport stars.
For example, almost every major Olympian today regularly rehearses in their mind, seeing themselves performing perfectly.
This mental rehearsal has been shown in countless studies to improve performance.
So why don’t we in business world do the same? Is it not likely that it could improve our performance in sales presentations, time management and our interaction with clients?
Of course it would. The brain is a magnificent computer that can be programmed much like any other computer.
Just read books on neuroplasticity like ‘The Brain That Changes Itself’ or ‘Rewire Your Brain’ for examples of how deliberate imaging of superb performance can literally change the structure of the brain and improve our performance.
When you think about it, it’s crazy every ambitious business person isn’t using these techniques daily. I certainly do.
2. They will use focusing statements like top sport stars do.
Focusing statements are short, sharp summaries that many top sports men and women use to remind themselves of what they need to focus on, just before they perform.
For example, the great baseball hitter Alex Rodriguez,uses this focusing statement : ” I hit the ball solid with an accelerated bat head.” For a sprinter it may be something like, “Stay low, stay relaxed.” For a football player it may be a sentence as simple as the following: “Confidence and aggression.”
The bottom line is that focusing statements like these have been found to be highly effective for all manner of sport stars. They concentrate your mind on what matters and take it away from negativity and distracting thoughts.
Couldn’t every entrepreneur get value out of using one of these focusing statements?
You bet they could.
3. They will learn to relax like sport stars.
The top sports players all value relaxation and down time. They take their breaks seriously, because they are intimately aware of how overwork harms future performance.
They make sure each break is a quality break. They monitor their sleep patterns, ensuring they get enough rest. And critically, they work in quick intense bursts, followed by recuperation.
Now you may think that you couldn’t possibly behave like that in the business world. But according to the Human Performance Institute in Florida, you’d be mistaken. In over a decade of studies , Dr Jim Loehr and his team have categorically shown that business executives perform best when mimicking the work patterns of sporting stars: Intense work followed by frequent short breaks and lots of sleep.
So there you have it.
Three ways you can improve your business performance by using the techniques of sporting champions.
Try them. You may not win a gold medal, but in business you can still win plenty of gold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)