The More Clients Blog

Marketing Change or Marketing Transformation?

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

I've spoken about shifting paradigms in this eZine before. These days this is the main thing I'm thinking about - both as it relates to my life and to my marketing and business.

We're seeing a lot of change these days, but a paradigm shift isn't just about change. Change is the end result of a paradigm shift. A real paradigm shift is about transformation.

Change is about doing things differently; transformation is about thinking and perceiving differently. Change results in different methods and different technology. Transformation results in different attitudes and different mindsets.

Change rarely leads to transformation, but transformation always leads to change. That is, all real paradigm shifts start with the way we think, what we believe, and our underlying assumptions.

And so it is with marketing our businesses. We think that a paradigm shift in marketing would mean things like the Internet, smart phones, blogging and social media.

And if these changes, these new tools help us grow our business, that's fine, but it's no big deal. There will always be new tools that change the way the game is played.

"The more things change, the more they remain the same."

But transformation happens in the mind and in the heart.

That's the paradigm shift that really counts. And if you don't have a paradigm shift or transformation in your marketing, you'll be caught in the same old struggles as before. Your business will be stagnant and your efforts will yield meager results.

What would this transformation look like?

Something I used to say at the beginning of talks was, "Does anybody here wake up in the morning, excited and enthusiastic about connecting with total strangers about what you have to offer in your business?"

I didn't get a lot of hands!

But THAT is what transformation would look like.

You'd have no fear, you'd be excited about getting the word out. You'd find the time and you'd take the risks. You wouldn't be obsessively concerned about being rejected or making mistakes; you'd be fascinated about how to communicate your value in ways that got your prospects' attention.

This would be a paradigm shift from "dreaded activity" to "exciting adventure." It would feel like a fun and challenging game, not a distasteful chore.

And with that transformed mindset, you'd find all kinds of ways to do things differently. You'd embrace change, adopt technology, and apply new strategies and techniques. And your marketing would take off in unexpected, exciting directions.

You'd actually apply all those marketing techniques and strategies I've been talking about for the past 25 years! There's nothing really hard about these techniques and strategies. But your mindsets MAKE them hard.

It's not just one mindset you want to transform. In working with clients over the past few years I've identified these FIVE that give us the most trouble:

Fear - perfectionism - scarcity - overwhelm - impatience

And they manifest in these ways and more:

Fear - "I'll be rejected, I'll do it wrong, I'll be ridiculed."
Perfectionism - "I can't start until I know exactly what to do."
Scarcity - "I don't have enough time or money or skills or..."
Overwhelm - "There's so much to do, I don't know where to start."
Impatience - "I want it now, and I want things to be different."

Transforming these isn't that hard. In fact, like everything else, it's easy if you know how. What would your business, your marketing, your life be like on the other side of these five mindsets?

On Thursday the 21st, I'm doing two teleclasses on this topic. But I'm not going to give you the link; they're already filled to capacity. But on Saturday, I'll give you the link to the recording.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: If you want change in your marketing (i.e., faster and easier ways to attract more business) the first place to look is transforming the mindsets that are holding you back from implementing these changes. Transformation makes change easy. And transformation is easier than you might imagine.

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What's the mindset you'd need to transform to take your marketing to a whole new level? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the Comments link below:

Embracing Your Shadow Self

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

Today I interviewed John Scherer for the Action Plan Marketing Club. It will be posted on the Club site next week.

John's book, "Five Questions that Change Everything" taught me some things I had never even thought of before. More specifically, he taught me that my dark side or shadow was where my greatest opportunities for growth lie.

In today's interview we got into this topic in some depth and I'd like to share the essence of what we explored together.

John asserts that we all have a "persona" and a "shadow." This "persona" is our winning formula, all the good stuff we try to project to the world. He suggests not putting a lot of effort into trying to improve that. This is what we've been doing all our lives.

But the shadow is a different story. This is the stuff that we're trying to hide from the world. This is a conglomerate of negative characteristics and beliefs.

John went on to explain that a great way to have access to your dark side it to find a famous person (living or dead) who embodies the shadow side. This is the last person you'd want to be (or associate with, for that matter).

I picked Donald Trump. I see him as manipulative, self-centered, greedy, arrogant and full of hype.

Now as marketing coach and consultant to professionals, I don't see these as positive characteristics. Neither do most of my clients. They don't want to be seen as "high-end used car salespeople," which is how many people perceive Trump.

But then John turns the tables on this. He said, "Robert, now you want to look at Donald Trump, and if you stripped away all that was despicable about him, what would you have left?

Well, I'd see a lot of positive things. I'd see that he was a good dealmaker, and was good at building an organization and delegating. He's good with his people and has many loyal employees. He gives a lot of money to charity. He took big risks, many that have paid off. It's not to hard to see a lot of very positive attributes in Mr. Trump.

Then John told me to make a list of all those negative characteristics that I didn't admire and that were such a turnoff, and to find the positive part of those characteristics.

For instance, if you scale back "manipulative" you get the more positive aspect which is "results producer." They are simply two ends of the same stick. One end is detested while the other end is admired.

But here's the thing. If manipulation is an issue for you, even being results-oriented can also be an issue. Your style will be to just let things happen. So producing results consistently is a stretch for you. This is an area you want to develop.

So your shadow side is pointing out to you where you need to grow and stretch if you want to go beyond where you are now.

Let's look at some of the other Trump characteristics.

Self-centerdness. Let's turn down the volume a little and you get to "taking care of your needs." This is something a lot of self-employed people have problems with. It's give, give, give until you hit burnout.

Greed. Greed is seen as negative but scaled down you get "abundance and sufficiency." There are a lot of self-employed people who haven't saved a dime. They are so focused on others that they often fail to handle the basics - like a savings and a retirement account.

Arrogance. This is a turnoff but at the other end is "boldness and confidence." In our resistance to arrogance, we fail to demonstrate much self-confidence in the fear that people will think we are too full our ourselves.

Hype. This is a big one when it comes to marketing your services. At the other end of the spectrum is, "clear and interesting communication." Certainly a good trait to develop, but in our resistance to hype, we tend to market blandly and boringly.

Now Trump may not be your nemesis, so take a minute to think who it is that really turns you off. It might be a past president, an entertainer, or a business person.

And then go to school on that person. First, strip away the negative and look at the positive that's left over. That's what you have to work on, to aspire to.

Next, make a list of all the negative characteristics of this person and find the "crucial stretches" of each characteristic. You are not looking for the opposite. For instance, the opposite of arrogance is nice. But you're already nice!

Is that really getting you where you want to go? The stretch is boldness and confidence. And that (and other stretches) can take you to wonderful new places in your life and business.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: This conversation about one's shadow and discovering the crucial stretches that are essential for growth, is an important one for self-employed professionals. If you are resisting marketing, avoiding taking risks, communicating with little excitement, and fearing rejection, it may be because you are denying your shadow self.

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What are some of your shadow characteristics and what are your crucial stretches? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the Comments link below.

Big Mind Marketing

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

I've been reading some great books lately, and the most recent one by Genpo Roshi, "Big Mind, Big Heart" is groundbreaking.

I'd like to share the essence of this book in today's 25th anniversary eZine and demonstrate how you can use the Big Mind process to take your business and marketing to the next level of success and fulfillment.

Yes, marketing and enlightenment. You knew I'd get to this sooner or later!

First of all, Genpo Roshi is a real live American born Zen Master and had been for many years before he discovered this process. He says that it's the biggest breakthrough in Zen thinking in 2,500 years. Quite a claim.

But like all brilliant things, it's stunningly simple.

Roshi asserts that we all are essentially a collection of personalities or voices, if you will. We tend to become identified or attached to many of these voices without really being aware of them. They speak us more than we speak them.

For instance, some marketing voices you may be familiar with: Controlling, Procrastinating, Fearful, Confused, Struggling, Don’t Know How, Don’t Have Time, Must Do it Right, I’m Not Worthy, I Can’t be Rich, I’m Not Marketing Type, This Won’t Work, I Can’t Succeed.

Roshi doesn't recommend you try to get rid of these voices, but to accept them and get to know them by dialoging with them.

But perhaps more importantly, you can get to know and dialogue with your more expansive voices as well: Allowing, Proactive, Fearless, Clear, Ease, Know How, Have Time, OK to Do it Wrong, I Am Worthy, I Can be Rich, I Am the Marketing Type, This Will Work, I Can Succeed.

This is not about affirmations. Far from it.

It's an exploration where you discover new worlds that were already there but inaccessible to you. The key is for a facilitator to simply ask to speak to that voice and for the voice to answer. >

Let me give you an example. Let us take a voice that may not be in your everyday experience, but that is right there for everyone, ready to express its truth. We'll call it Big Mind Marketing.

Facilitator: May I please speak to Big Mind Marketing?

Big Mind Marketing. Speaking, I'm here. How can I help you?

Facilitator: What is your purpose, your job as Big Mind Marketing?

Big Mind Marketing: My job is to communicate true value to the world in a clear and authentic voice. My job is to get the attention of those who could benefit from my services and demonstrate the difference my service will make to them.

Facilitator: Aren't you concerned that most marketing is seen as hype, as dishonest, or at least as stretching the truth?

Big Mind Marketing: Some people see marketing that way. But that's not the way I see it. And if I worry about that I'll just get distracted from my true purpose. And that's to make a lasting contribution.

Facilitator: Isn't marketing self-serving, though? Isn't it to enrich yourself, more that others?

Big Mind Marketing: It's an honest exchange. Yes, you trade your expertise and time for money but ultimately it's about forming mutually rewarding relationships. A service that is high quality and provides something that is needed by people is worthy of communicating about. Hype isn't needed, but clear and honest communication about the value is.

Facilitator: What about word-of-mouth marketing? Isn't that the best? 

Big Mind Marketing: It's very important. But to get word-of- mouth business you also need to communicate about your services with clarity, and demonstrate to your clients why it's a benefit if they direct their friends and associates your way.

It becomes what someone dubbed a "virtuous circle" where value is given and received and those who receive naturally share. Then you facilitate the sharing to make it easy for your clients. 

Facilitator: Doesn't marketing one's professional services take a lot of time, effort and money? How can someone really make it work for them?

Big Mind Marketing: If you're committed to the value of your service, you'll find the time to communicate about it. Ever notice how someone who is authentically excited about what they are doing is naturally magnetic? Marketing isn't about pushing something down someone's throat. When you are speaking from Big Mind Marketing, it's less effort and takes less time.

Facilitator: How can your subscribers use the Big Mind Process to help them with their marketing?

Big Mind Marketing: Just like I've done here. Interview Big Mind Marketing. Ask him/her how to make it work. Don't think it out, just answer naturally. This interview only took a few minutes. It didn't come from the small manipulative mind or the scare mind or the fearful mind.

Facilitator: And everyone has access to Big Mind Marketing?

Big Mind Marketing: Absolutely everyone. It's natural. It's an internal knowingness that everyone has.

Facilitator: And how will this really help one's marketing? 

Big Mind Marketing: When you are in touch with your more authentic voice, your attitude shifts, your tone shifts. You see possibilities. You see opportunities where there once were obstacles. You are open to learning and risking. You step out of fear and into fearlessness.

You will actually experience marketing yourself differently. Your marketing will be transformed.

Facilitator: Thank you Big Mind Marketing.

Big Mind Marketing: You're most welcome!

P.S. "Big Mind, Big Heart" is available at Amazon. Highly recommended if you really want to understand and use this powerful process to expand your life and business.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Big Mind Marketing is a place you can come from about your marketing. It's your choice. All you need to do is give it voice. From a big, expansive place, tell the truth about marketing and it will become real for you. Your fears, hesitation and doubts will tend to dissolve.

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Tell us about your Big Mind Marketing. Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the Comments like below.

Harry Potter Marketing - Pt. 2

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

As I said last week, marketing action plans are like magic wands that produce wondrous results if you know how to use them.

Once you've created the foundation for your plan (see last week's issue on the blog - http://tinyurl.com/pot-mkt ), your next step is to develop the actual action steps.

I went to the new Harry Potter movie last week and it validated my theory: Exact steps get predictable results. Harry found a book of magic potions that had been altered by a student (The Half Blood Prince) with some startling results. 

The Half Blood Prince had made copious notes in the margins of the book with his tweaks or improvements on the potion formulas. Harry followed these directions to the letter and got better results than any of his classmates.

The lesson here is that even if you are given a plan, you have to test and tweak it yourself. It's all about the details.

So as an action plan example, let's work on a marketing action plan for Speaking Engagements.

Step One - Target Market: Identify and contact ideal organizations that could host your talk. Make a list. A LONG list and be persistent in contacting them all.

Step Two - The Outreach: Ideally, call these organizations by phone and tell them that you have a talk on "Growing Your Business in a Down Economy." Make it results oriented. If they are interested, they'll ask for more information.

Step Three - Written Materials: Send a "speakers kit" by mail or email as mentioned in last week's eZine. Make sure they look professional. Lots of benefits and no typos!

Step Four - Follow-Up: Call or email a few days later to see if they got the materials and if they have any questions. If your topic is current, interesting, and valuable you're likely to book some talks from this approach. Again, contact many organizations.

Step Five - Prepare the Talk: There have been books written on this so all I'll say here is write out the whole talk, create an outline for participants, and practice it out loud several times. I am not a big fan of PowerPoint.

Step Six - Promote the Talk: This is the job of the organization but you can help them by writing the copy for their announcement. Make sure it includes all the benefits that people will receive from the talk.

Step Six - Give the Talk: Make it exciting, dynamic and fun. Engage the audience. Do an exercise or two. Make three or four "pithy points" instead of giving a long laundry list of ideas. Make time for questions at the end.

Step Seven - Call-to-Action: This may be the most important part of the talk. Find a way to collect cards for follow-up after the talk. My favorite way: "Here's an article I've written that covers the key points from today's talk. Who would like a copy? Great, please give me your business card and I'll send it to you."

Step Eight - Follow-Up: After the talk, send a pdf of the article to everyone who gave you their card. From there you can make offers for your service, invite them to speak to you, etc. Don't leave out this vital step or you'll get very few new clients for your efforts.

OK, that's a pretty detailed step-by-step marketing action plan. You can produce similar plans for networking, social media, joint ventures, direct mail, etc.

The difference between a marketing action plan and most marketing activities is that it's systematic. One thing leads to another. From initial contact to final follow up, you have a direction and a purpose. You are proactive, not passive.

But remember, no formula will do it all for you. You design the steps the best you can and then test and tweak until you can produce a consistent result every single time.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Just like Harry Potter's potion formulas, marketing action plans follow a definite sequence. That's the key. If these steps are followed randomly with no clear intention to produce a result, you can be certain that they won't.

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What marketing action plan will you develop and implement? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments link below.

Harry Potter Marketing - Pt. I

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

If you're into Harry Potter (as I am), you may be intrigued by the use of wands. Sure, wands have amazing power, but you need to know how to use them to get results. You need to point them in a certain way, you must have a clear intention, and you often need to use certain words (spells) in order to get the desired result.

I know this might sound dumb to you, but I think of planning as a magic wand. You create an intention, wave the wand, take action and produce a result. And if you have the right wand, you can consistently and repeatedly produce the results you want.

I have a magic planning wand I use all the time.

It's called the "marketing action plan wand." And it indeed does produce consistent results: a never-ending stream of clients and customers.

But I've also noticed that Independent Professionals have a tremendous fear and resistance to using this wand. Why? Because they don't know how to use it. They don't have an instruction manual. So it doesn't produce the desired results.

Imagine Harry Potter having no instructions on how to use his wand. He'd wave it around randomly and it would tend to produce haphazard results such as breaking something or hurting someone.

This is what happens when people don't have instructions on creating marketing action plans. They try to put them into action and they also create all kinds of haphazard results. Either they attract no clients or they actually push clients away.

So we give up the magic of creating marketing action plans and retreat to the default plan: "Do a great job with existing clients and pray for referrals." (Notice how well this has worked!)

If you're tired of that, here's a basic guide for creating effective marketing action plans.

1. Define the service you want to offer. Marketing action plans aren't for "general services" but for specific services such as "A six-month coaching program," or "A complete business makeover program."

2. Target Market. Who are your ideal clients for this particular service? What are their specific challenges and needs?

3. What is the price for this service? Also how will it be packaged and delivered? What does your client actually get?

4. What marketing activity will you choose to implement? Will you use networking, speaking, email, joint ventures? Pick just one. Each marketing activity needs a plan; you may have several plans that are similar, just don't mix them up.

5. What is the main objective or outcome you want to produce with this marketing activity? It should always be a specific result related to generating more business. I.e., "Through giving speaking engagements I want to attract 10 new clients this year that each pay me an average of $10,000."

6. What additional results do you want to produce with this activity? Other than immediate financial results, with speaking you might also accomplish the following: Increased personal confidence, better exposure in the community, build your brand and reputation as an expert, increase your email list, expand your business network.

7. Materials required. For speaking you may need the following: A web page describing the various talks you give, a list of organizations where you could speak, a "speaker's kit" with a talk outline, biography, testimonial list, and perhaps a CD with a sample talk. You'd also need handouts for the talk, and a form for participants to fill out if they were interested in your services.

8. Resources required. Resources include, time, money and manpower. So you'd have to budget a certain time to contacting organizations and giving the talks. You'd have to spend a little money for your speaker's kit and perhaps hire a writer and/or a graphic designer for your materials.

These eight steps comprise the initial planning stage.

You now know what you're offering, who you're offering it to and what it will cost. You've chosen a marketing activity and have outlined the main objectives and results you intend to produce using this marketing activity. Finally, you have determined the materials and resources required to put this marketing activity into action.

You now have the foundation for your plan.

Next are the action steps to actually get the word out, connect with prospects and set up appointments with those who are qualified to purchase your services. I'll cover these steps in detail in next week's More Clients.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Like Harry Potter with his wand, to get consistent marketing results, you need knowledge and a plan. First you need to understand the basic steps of creating an effective plan that will produce the results you intend. If you don't follow these steps, nothing will happen.

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Do you follow a marketing plan process in any systematic way? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the Comments link below.

Is Your Marketing Too Basic?

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing 

Last week I talked about making your services more tangible.

This week I want to expand on this theme as I did on the teleclass I led last week on this topic.

In developing this teleclass I became aware of a new distinction about marketing for Independent Professionals. What I realized is that Independent Professionals, if they are marketing themselves at all, are primarily engaged in Basic Marketing.

Basic Marketing includes these three components:

1. Development and use of a Marketing Message. You clearly communicate who you work with, the challenges they face and the solutions you provide.

2. Development of Marketing Materials. You have a web site that effectively communicates about your business and your services.

3. Marketing Activities. You are regularly engaged in implementing one or more marketing strategies such as networking and speaking.

That's Basic Marketing. And of course, some do these three things a lot better than others. What most don't realize though, is that Basic Marketing is essentially passive. That is, you communicate to the best of your ability about your service and then wait for prospects to contact you.

In a good economy, Basic Marketing can work, often quite well. In a down economy, it's not enough. You need to be more proactive. Advanced Marketing takes things to the next level.

Advanced Marketing includes these three components:

1. Your Marketing Message is much more outcome based. You don't just talk about what you do, but you make promises of what your clients will get if they work with you.

3. Your Marketing Materials outline tangible services and programs. You don't just "help managers become better leaders," you have an in-depth "Leadership Transformation Program."

4. Your Marketing Activities are not a random collection of strategies designed to "get you out there." Instead, they are intentionally designed campaigns which qualify prospects and consistently convert them into paying clients.

Look, I understand; Basic Marketing is hard enough! And Advanced Marketing can be lot harder. It takes more thinking, planning and acting.

One thing to understand is that Advanced Marketing is built on the foundation of Basic Marketing. It's virtually impossible to jump into Advanced Marketing if you first don't have the fundamentals in place.

If you want to maintain your business in a down economy you must continually work on improving your Basic Marketing. However, if you want to actually increase your income, you need to add some Advanced Marketing approaches to the equation.

To solidify your Basic Marketing:

http://www.actionplan.com/actionplanclub.html

To move into Advanced Marketing:

http://www.actionplan.com/paradigmshift.html

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The More Clients Bottom Line: The days of just doing great work for your clients and praying for referrals are over. In a challenging economy you need to communicate about your business with even more impact. Make a commitment to master the fundamentals of Basic Marketing and only then will you be ready to successfully tackle Advanced Marketing.

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What results are you getting from implementing Advanced Marketing in your business? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments link below.

Intangible Services or Tangible Programs?

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

Imagine walking into a car dealership looking for a new car. As usual, a bunch of salespeople are standing around and one of them comes up to you and asks if they can help you.

You say you're looking for a new car.

And they respond as follows: "What we sell here is transportation. We provide an enclosed metal vehicle which is powered by an internal combustion engine. This technology was developed in the early 1900's and now has advanced considerably. How much transportation are you looking at getting today?

You: Well, I'm just looking for a car. Can I take a look at some?

Salesperson: First we'll need to talk to you about all your needs, the specifications for ideal transportation and then put together a proposal that would meet your needs. We'll have that within a week and then help you choose the best transportation options.

You: Er... let me think about it. (to self: get me outta here!)

I know this is ridiculous. You'd never sell cars like that. But if you really think about it, this is very much how professional services are are marketed and sold.

What was missing in our example was an actual, tangible car that you could see and touch and test drive.

And what's missing in marketing and selling services is something tangible, measurable, and even test drive-able.

One of the things you should strive to do in marketing and selling your services is to make your services more tangible. When they are tangible you'll tend to see the following results:

1. Clients and customers will make decisions more quickly. They will know what they are getting, and it will be less confusing to them. You can more easily demonstrate what they'll get.

2. You will sell more of whatever service you are offering. A tangible service usually sells faster because it feels simpler. You'll also increase your word-of-mouth.

3. You will save a lot of time because you don't have to keep re-inventing the wheel. Sure, you can still customize services (as you can a car) but there is always a base package.

4. You can sell at higher prices in many cases. A tangible services is seen as a more valuable service. In addition, you can get longer commitments from clients to work with you.

5. Your overall cash flow and success will increase. Because you are packaging and offering high-end services, your business will become more stable and predictable.

I'm sure that this is exactly what you want in your business. But how do you go about making it happen? Here are the basic steps:

1. Commit to packaging at least one of your services. Work at developing that package or program. Who are the ideal clients, what are the main outcomes, what is the structure and process and price? This could be anything from a 2-day workshop to a one-year program, or anything in-between. What will give your clients the results they are looking for?

2. Write a detailed description or sales letter for that program. Tell your prospects exactly what this program is, why they need it, what they get, and how it works. When you go through the process of writing about your program, your focus, clarity and excitement about the program will increase.

3. Develop a step-by-step marketing plan to get the word out about this program. This can include everything from networking and speaking, to PR and publishing. But remember, when you have a specific program to promote, your marketing is both easier and more effective. You can launch focused marketing campaigns to sell that particular program.

Yes, all of this takes some time and serious effort.

What follows next is implementing some of the zillion marketing ideas I've presented in this eZine for years. But those ideas are useless if you don't have something valuable and tangible to sell.

What program or package of services will you design, develop and market? When will you start? How about NOW!

Please Note: I am doing a TeleClass on this topic on Thursday, July 9. The title is "Three Keys to Increasing Your Income in a Down Economy." You can make a reservation at this link:

http://www.actionplan.com/tc_increase.html

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The More Clients Bottom Line: If you think you're in the business of selling coaching or consulting or financial planning etc., it's like being in the transportation business. That's not a business. It's not real or tangible to your clients. Be in the business of offering a particular package of services or a program that is designed to produced a measurable outcome.

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What intangible service will you package into a tangible program? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments link below.

Who Are Your True Heroes?

By Robert Middleton, Action Plan Marketing

With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, all the media hysteria and hype, it kind of makes you wonder who our heroes are.

Jackson was certainly a talented and creative performer. Apparently he was a very kind and giving person as well. And yet we've all been witness to his self-destructive tendencies and over-the-top behavior over the past few years.

But a hero? Well, not to me.

Yesterday, I went to a memorial service, a celebration of life, for someone I didn't know very well. My wife and I had spent some time with him and his wife socially over the past year. He passed away after battling cancer for seven years.

His name was Larry Dandridge. As his family, co-workers and neighbors shared about Larry's life, I realized that it's ordinary (but extraordinary) people like him who are the true heros.

Born in South Africa, raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), he moved to the U.S. about 30 years ago. He got a degree in electrical engineering and moved to the Bay Area.

His first boss liked him so much that he invited Larry to become his roommate. Then he introduced Larry to his sister, Mary, whom he eventually married. He spoke of a long and warm relationship with Larry and how much he appreciated his kindness.

Larry's brother and sister also spoke. They related stories of a man who was full of life fun, and intelligence. The stories brought both laugher and tears (such as when he brewed cherry wine as a young teenager that was as thick as syrup).

Here was a man, only 59, who had lived a very full and complete life. His family and friends were were the recipients of much joy and kindness. His neighbors in Boulder Creek loved him for his community spirit and his yearly "End of Summer" parties.

In the time I knew Larry he was in the final year of terminal cancer yet he didn't complain once. He always had a warm smile and sly sense of humor.

One of his co-workers, emphasized that Larry was, above all, a "class act." It seems everyone he had touched in his life was a better person because of it. I only wish I had known him better.

This celebration of Larry's life was a reminder that true heros are ordinary people who make the very best of life and do their best to make life better for others.

Larry will remain an inspiration to me. He will remind me to be kinder and more patient, to be more creative and involved with my family. Larry's example will even impact my business.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Do you have a hero, a Larry, in your life? What have you learned from him or her? What can they teach you? How can their contribution impact the contribution you make?

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Who are your heroes and how have they impacted your life? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments link.

Are You Swamped?

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

In a conversation today with one of my Marketing Mastery participants, she noted that the predominant experience of a majority of her clients was "being swamped."

What we are swamped or overwhelmed with is information and choices.

For instance, like me, you probably get dozens, if not hundreds of emails a day. Just looking at them in your email box makes you feel swamped. And then you are swamped by choices: "Which ones should I read and respond to?" and "Where do I file this so I don't lose it?"

I just returned from a one week vacation and to an email box with over 1700 messages! But I wasn't swamped. Not because I've learned a secret mental technique that allows me to be calm in overwhelming situations!

It's because I have a system.

In my email program, I have created a series of mailboxes or folders that filter all the email that comes in. All my eZines go into separate folders; all the email from my virtual assistant goes into another; all my online sales notices into another, etc.

This way, I can just glance at the folder, decide if I need to take action or not and then close the folder. Nothing gets lost. It's the ultimate filing system. No more swamped.

I have systems for all my technical stuff as well, because I'm not a technical person. When I have a system, I don't have to think about it anymore; it just gets done.

I have systems for the following:

• Email management (as mentioned above)

• Elist management (how I send this email out weekly)

• Updating my web site

• Uploading files to my web server, like mp3s and pdfs

• Setting Up TeleConfernce services

• Recording calls and teleconferences

• Choosing the best Payment Programs

It would take 8 separate eZines to give you all this detailed information, so instead, I've put this together into my "Action Plan Technology Guide."

It's only 13 pages long but it will save you dozens of hours you'd spend on learning all of this on your own, and hundreds of hours you're now wasting on being swamped.

You can get this Technology Guide for FREE when you join the Action Plan Marketing Club. You can join at this link.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Don't be swamped, use systems. Just the time and hassle you'll save from organizing your email system can change your whole business. Learn and put other simple systems in place and you'll have the leverage to get a lot more done in the limited time you have.

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What systems do you use to save time in your business? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments link below.

Putting Something at Stake

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

Last week I talked about "betting your car" when you are procrastinating about a marketing project and need to prod yourself to take action.

Putting something at stake is the key here.

The problem with the "bet your car" technique is that it only works for a limited time. It may put something immediately at stake and get you moving. But if you are procrastinating, or resisting or fearful, what's at stake has to be bigger than your car.

No, I'm not talking about putting your house at stake.

You really need to put your whole life at stake. And I'm not talking about human sacrifice here! I'm talking about what's most important to you, what's at your very heart.

If you are doing your business just to get by, or even just to be successful, you really don't have a lot at stake. After all, what's the big deal if your businesses isn't that successful? You can let things slip by for a week or a month. New work will come to you; it always does.

You can really have two things at stake. One is external (like the car) and the other is internal. Let's talk about external first.

If you have a mortgage to pay, kids to support and a "nut" to make every month, that's what you have at stake externally. And this isn't trivial.

I noticed that when I got married in 1994, I had a lot more at stake. My whole future was before me and I wanted to do the best I could to provide. I wanted to have a secure financial future and I wanted to live comfortably, not hand-to-mouth as I had for so many years.

Soon after this I launched my web site, this weekly eZine, and created online products to sell. I started to make more money than I could have previously imagined.

But even this has its limitations.

After all, it can soon feel like you're in the rat race, keeping up with the Jones's and never feeling you're making quite enough. Sure, you have something at stake, but it's easy to wonder if all the hard work is really worth it.

There are limitations to this game; doing more, earning more, and being increasingly successful can only take you so far.

Perhaps then you discover that you need to put something internal at stake. Now this can be a dead end, too. Chasing happiness and fulfillment can be elusive. After all, how happy is happy?

My discovery, the thing that ultimately gets me up in the morning, is making a difference, making a contribution. When you put this at stake, everything seems to change. When your focus is the welfare of others, you win every single time.

If I write an article or an eZine, if I give a talk, or help a client, if I share a realization or a strategy, it's all about making a difference.

For some reason, humans are built to get ultimate fulfillment by making a contribution. The timeless golden rule is based on this principle. If you do unto others as you would have them do unto you, you're automatically making a contribution.

Businesses based on this principle thrive. Businesses that don't, ultimately implode. We've seen that a lot recently. "Do for yourself first, (and screw the other guy)" has serious drawbacks!

So the thing to put at stake every day is the contribution you make. "Today I'll run my business, my marketing, my life to make a contribution. What's wanted and needed right now where can I best make that contribution?"

If you get to that place, then procrastination, delay, fears and worries won't have such a big part in your life. You'll write that article; you'll get your eZine done; you'll give that talk; you'll go the extra mile for a client.

What are you going to put at stake?

By the way, it's also important to make a contribution to yourself as well. Perhaps I'll talk about that in next week's More Clients.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: When you put something at stake much bigger than yourself (usually others who mean something to you), motivation won't be a big issue. You'll just find yourself getting the job done.

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What's something bigger than yourself that you'll put at stake? Please share on the More Clients Blog, Just click on the comments link below.