We feel that we don’t really start important projects on our own. We feel that, we start something and if it’s just up to us, we’ll get off track. This could be a fear that comes up for us in working on our own projects. This is probably a challenge for 100% of people. Some ways to work with this are…
Set up a practice. Instead of pushing ourselves to start something, we put ourselves in a regularly scheduled situation where we have only the choice of doing the thing. Eg: “I’m going to write something for my novel from 10am to 11am every day.” We fail at this practice and just keep getting back to it.
Create social pressure. I like to set up a show. tell everyone that it’s happening. then develop the show.
Lower the stakes.
Increase the desire. If we feel that the result isn’t really worth it, we won’t do it.
Bury the excuses. If we have 4 reasons to do something for every 1 to not do it, we’ll be pretty good.
Appreciate ourselves for taking responsibility. If we pat ourselves on the back when we do something we care about, it makes us want to do that more. We want dopamine. Let’s set our rewards in the places that are most helpful
When we leap into a NACA booth, we’re not merely looking to entertain or perform; we’re there with a purpose – to create lasting connections and secure bookings. For magicians attending the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) tradeshow, the key to success lies in mastering the art of creating “advances” with every prospect.
An Advance is like getting part of a contract signed
An “advance” in the context of a trade show represents a proactive and structured approach to lead prospects toward the next stage of the sales process. It’s not about letting them walk away with a vague promise to think things over; it’s about giving them a clear path forward and helping them make a decision.
Why Advances Matter:
Accountability: When we offer an advance, we hold ourselves accountable to the prospect’s needs and timeframe. We take responsibility for guiding them through the decision-making process.
Clarity: Advances provide clarity. Prospects are less likely to feel overwhelmed or unsure when they know what to expect next. It empowers them to make well-informed decisions.
Efficiency: By moving prospects forward with advances, we save time for both parties. There’s no need for endless follow-up calls or waiting for decisions to be made.
Service-Oriented: Offering advances is a service to the prospects. We help them navigate their options, set parameters, and decide with confidence.
Steps to Creating Advances:
Identify Needs: Begin by understanding the prospect’s needs. Engage in active listening to uncover their pain points and what they’re looking for.
Offer Solutions: Present your magic act as a solution to their needs. Highlight how your performance can address their specific requirements.
Set a Timeline: Discuss a timeline for decision-making. Ask questions like, “When would you like to finalize your decision?” This gives a sense of urgency and direction.
Propose the Next Step: Clearly state what the next step will be. For example, “If I get back to you on Monday, can we discuss your options at 2 pm?”
Confirmation: Ensure the prospect agrees with the proposed advance. Their consent signifies commitment to moving forward.
Follow Through: After the trade show, stick to the timeline you’ve set. Contact the prospect as agreed and continue the conversation.
Advances: feel good
Purpose: Advances are about progressing the prospect to the next stage of the sales process. They provide structure, clarity, and accountability in decision-making.
Benefits: Advances help prospects make informed decisions, reduce ambiguity, and save time. They offer a service-oriented approach to guiding prospects.
Outcome: The outcome of an advance is a commitment to a specific next step in the sales process, such as a follow-up call or a detailed proposal review.
Continuations: suck
Purpose: Continuations involve letting the prospect go without a clear next step. It’s a vague promise to think about the offer.
Downsides: Continuations can be vague, causing prospects to feel uncertain and potentially resulting in prolonged decision-making processes.
Outcome: Continuations may lead to prospects becoming unresponsive or indecisive, requiring more follow-up and potentially wasting time.
Our only option in following up on a continuation is nagging the person.
Closes: good and also difficult on first meeting
Purpose: A close involves securing a contract or a definite commitment from the prospect during the initial interaction.
Benefits: Closes result in immediate sales and clear agreements. They are suitable when the prospect is ready to make a decision.
Downsides: Trying to close too early can be off-putting for prospects who need more time to evaluate their options.
No’s: kinda nice
Purpose: A “no” is a definitive rejection from the prospect, indicating they are not interested in your offer.
Benefits: A clear “no” can save time and resources, allowing you to focus on more promising prospects.
Downsides: Receiving a “no” can be disappointing, but it also helps you quickly identify prospects who are not a good fit for your services.
In summary, advances are a valuable middle ground between continuations, closes, and “no”s. They offer a structured approach that guides prospects through the decision-making process, fostering clarity and accountability. While a close can be ideal when a prospect is ready to commit on the spot, advances are a more patient and service-oriented way to move prospects forward. Continuations, on the other hand, can lead to uncertainty and prolonged decision-making, while a clear “no” helps you focus your efforts more effectively.
Case studies are a way of showing that we solve problems successfully. This is especially useful when we do different stuff for different clients. They are objective proof that we have value.
Part 1: Set up the Situation
In this first part, we’re essentially introducing the scenario. We set the stage by providing context, introducing the key players, and explaining the background. Think of it as the “what’s going on” section.
Part 2: Raise the Stakes
Now, let’s crank up the stakes. In this section, we emphasize the significance of the challenge our client faced. What were the potential risks if the problem wasn’t addressed? It’s about making it clear why this was a critical issue.
Part 3: The Problem
Getting down to the specifics, this is where we define the problem. Be detailed and use real data when possible. What hurdles did our client face? What were the roadblocks? This is where we lay out the facts.
Part 4: The Solution
Here, we get into the nitty-gritty of how we tackled the problem. Explain our strategy and the steps we took to address the issue. This is where we showcase our problem-solving skills.
Part 5: The Result
Now, let’s bask in the glory of success. Share the outcomes, the results, and the impact our solution had. Use data, testimonials, or any other evidence to highlight the positive change we brought about.
Examples
Example 1: ROI with Data
Title: “ROI with Data”
Subtitle: “Chuck Lorre Productions”
Details:Legendary Chuck Lorre, the mastermind behind hit TV shows like “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Dharma and Greg,” is known for his quirky humor. At the end of each episode he creates, fans eagerly anticipate his signature “vanity card” – a humorous credit sequence. However, Chuck’s website, which serves as a catalog for these vanity cards, was facing serious issues.Mission: Our mission was crystal clear – revamp the website to efficiently organize, edit, and showcase over 700 vanity cards. Chuck Lorre’s website updates were a nightmare, requiring a team of three and plagued by multiple errors and dead links. Even minor changes often necessitated rebuilding multiple pages. Additionally, we needed to ensure the website was mobile-friendly.Obstacles: The transition to the new site had to be seamless, without losing any data. The challenge was to create an organized, minimalistic design that would truly capture the joy of Chuck’s witty vanity cards.Success: Leveraging a robust PHP backend and a user-friendly Javascript frontend, Scot transformed the website into a sleek, organized, and user-centric platform. Updates became a breeze, with a single staff member handling the process efficiently.Scot painstakingly cross-referenced all air dates and meticulously attached episode names to each card, ensuring data completeness. Rigorous testing ensured the site’s reliability, making it work seamlessly every time. We transformed all cards into graphics, ensuring consistent presentation for all users. The website became responsive and more optimized for Google search results.You can explore the revamped website at chucklorre.com.
Example 2: Curation Capabilities Expanded
Title: “Curation Capabilities Expanded”
Subtitle: “Boobietrap”
Details:Scot Nery’s Boobietrap, the #1 show in L.A. on TripAdvisor and a recipient of “Best Of” awards from LA Weekly & Los Angeles Magazine, presented a unique challenge. Despite its success, Scot and co-producer Meranda had limited time each week to curate the 15 acts that graced their weekly show.Mission: Our mission was to create a streamlined system to effortlessly track each week’s lineups, simplify act bookings and cancellations, maintain performance histories, and ensure show diversity – a true variety show experience.Obstacles: The challenge was to strike a balance between automation and personal touch. The qualitative and quantitative aspects of production had to be clearly delineated.Success: We crafted a system seamlessly integrating with calendars and emails, automating act booking notifications. Scot’s team no longer needed to manually manage contact information, saving valuable time.The system allowed easy act reordering through a simple drag-and-drop interface, with instant updates for performers. Acts were rated and tagged for effortless organization, ensuring balanced show lineups. Boobietrap’s curation capabilities expanded, maintaining its status as a top-notch show.
Example 3: Uniting a Community
Title: “Uniting a Community”
Subtitle: “Jambrain”
Details:In 2007, while most people were abandoning MySpace, bands were still using it to promote their music and tour schedules. In North-Eastern Ohio, Scot’s Dad envisioned a platform to serve the local music community, connecting bands, fans, and venues.Mission: Our mission was to create a comprehensive website for organizing bands, their playable music, venues, and schedules. The site had to be user-managed, incorporating a blog for music scene updates.Obstacles: The challenge lay in the nascent state of technology for such a platform. Many required components had to be built from scratch, and it had to be user-friendly for tech-averse band members.Success: From 2007 to 2013, Jambrain.com evolved into a thriving community hub. Built on a WordPress & PHP backend, it provided bands, venue owners, and administrators a simple platform to list gigs, showcase music, and engage fans.Bands could easily update their profiles, and fans could find shows and listen to music, all in one interaction. Jambrain united a fragmented music community, serving as the go-to gig listing for Northeastern Ohio.
1️⃣ get logical about it 2️⃣ write down the things that make us fearful 3️⃣ remove the things from that list that don’t matter / aren’t true 4️⃣ figure out why we’re doing the thing 5️⃣ figure out the higher reason we’re doing that thing 6️⃣ change the thing to remove some of the scary parts
I had a roommate that cleaned the kitchen to near perfection but left a couple of plates hanging. I didn’t get it.
My buddy had a genius (albeit quirky) approach. By leaving a tiny something undone, he was ensuring a constant stream of good feelings. It felt better to not finish than to finish. He didn’t want to leave the project undone. He did want to feel good about it.
The Satisfaction of Half-Hanging Shirts
I had a eureka moment staring at a shirt halfway out of my laundry hamper. Weirdly satisfying. I felt good about it. I felt better about it than if I completed the task. I pondered, and it hit me – it’s not just about completing the task, but about how completing it makes us feel.
Am I going to bet on a good feeling from finishing the laundry task, or will I feel bad or the same? Most likely, it will be in the hamper. I won’t see it again, or think of it again. I’ll get no trophy.
Fear of not feeling the triumph we crave actually holds us back from finishing. Think about it. We stall because we’re worried that the joy of accomplishment might not hit the mark.
“What if I flop the shirt all the way in the basket and it doesn’t feel any better?” This is an instantaneous micro-thought in my subconscious that tells me, “Danger! Don’t finish it. Things might suck!”
And… you know what? If I put the shirt all the way in the hamper, my reward is that everyone (including me) will expect me to do that every time.
The Brilliant Pivot
Now, brace yourselves for the game-changer – emotional goals. Rather than fighting against our innate desire for emotional gratification, why not channel that energy into something productive?
Step one: Identify the emotional goals that hinder progress. Those sneaky fears of “what if I finish and don’t feel good enough?” Yeah, those.
Step two: Flip the script. We’re talking “I want to feel awesome about acing this task” instead of “I want to finish this task”.
The Fabulous Four-to-One Ratio
Here’s the golden rule: For every unhelpful emotional goal, plant four helpful ones. So, if we’re tackling the living room clutter, our emotional goals might be:
Feel accomplished for taking on the mess.
Experience satisfaction knowing you can now relax in a tidy space.
Empower ourself to move on to your next creative endeavor.
Revel in pride for setting an example for friends and family.
Channeling Fear into Triumph
In the end, it’s all about translating those nagging fears into productive motivation. Instead of letting them hold us hostage, we’re flipping the script and turning them into catalysts for success.
Harness that energy, set emotional goals, and make every project a thrilling journey.
Together, we’ll conquer tasks with a newfound gusto, armed with emotional goals that bring us joy, satisfaction, and the exhilarating sensation of a job well done!
If we’re feeling slackaput, daunted by the future, trapped in a dead-end situation, or bummed about the past, it’s because life isn’t a game for us. This is a quick fix of mindset that can change everything. First the philosophy…
Whatever we’re going to do next needs to be fun. According to game theory, it has to be FUN
F stands for “Philanthropy”
We need a cause / goal / mission that aligns with something we care about. That objective that’s truest and most powerful for us is probably one of Philanthropy – we want to help other people.
U stands for “Ability”
Whatever we’re going to work on next needs to be challenging. Stress is healthy in a game. We want it to be in the sweet spot between boredom and anxiety.
N stands for “Knowhow”
We have to have some kind of control. That means we have to know the rules of the task at hand and we need to know that how we act matters.
Examples of FUN
Example 1: Super Mario Bros
In Super Mario Bros, we want to save the princess (F). It’s tough and keeps getting tougher as we progress through each world (U). There are a few buttons to press and each one does a specific thing every time with immediate response (N).
Example 2: House Cleaning
My friend is coming over. I want to clean the house so that he feels respected (F). There’s a time crunch and, even though I can’t clean it perfectly, I think I can get it done enough to send the right message (U). I have cleaned my house before. I know the parts of the house he’ll be seeing. I know what tools I’m going to use to do it (N).
Example 3: Learning a Musical Instrument
I want to bring joy to others through music, whether by performing for friends, family, or an audience (F). Learning to play a musical instrument presents a challenge . I’ll need to practice regularly to improve my skills and tackle more complex pieces (U). I study music theory, practice scales, and learn different techniques. My efforts directly impact my progress in playing the instrument (N).
Examples of unFUN
“I want to make money. I don’t know how.”
“I suck.”
“I want women to adore me. I am unattractive in every way. Girls want crazy things.”
Transforming anything into FUN
Step 1: Identify the Task
We recognize the tasks we need to complete or engage with. These could be work-related, personal goals, chores, or any activities we need to undertake. Often, this involves thinking about what our next task is rather than dwelling on our past or our shortcomings.
Step 2: Define the Philanthropic Aspect (F)
Let’s find a way to connect the task with a philanthropic purpose, even if it’s indirect. We can consider how the task contributes to our well-being, the well-being of others, or a greater cause.
Step 3: Determine the Challenging Element (U)
Together, we should assess the task to identify ways to make it more challenging. It’s important to strike a balance between boredom and anxiety, ensuring that the task requires our active engagement and effort.
Step 4: Establish Our Control and Knowhow (N)
We can break down the task into its components and determine the rules or steps involved. By understanding how our actions influence the outcome, we can recognize the areas where we have control and influence.
Consider our competition. If we search for our fav keywords and get a ton of great results, overcoming those results will be expensive – either in ad dollars (because high competition words have higher prices) or in time / money spent on SEO boosting.
Here’s an automatic transcription of the video
Hey, I’m Scot Nery. Here’s how SEO and Google search advertising works. Our goal is to bring in more people who will buy from us. And we have to be strategic to do this. It’s possible to get a lot of people through, through showing up early in search results. And there’s important things to think about.
So, I’ve done this very successfully myself. I have… If you search for Los Angeles juggler, you will come up with this and as you can see, I am number three here, then down here, Los Angeles juggler. That’s me. So if you go there, it’ll go to me and you can click on my website. And if you go down here, that’s another website for me.
So I’m. I have three top results on Google for Los Angeles Juggler. And I did this for a very specific reason. I’ll show you my, my Juggler website is geared toward TV productions. I had two different kind of people coming in when I was ranking for juggler in Los Angeles and those two people were people that wanted a juggler for their kids birthday party or and wanted to pay like 200 or movie productions who needed a coach a consultant or a juggler performer to show up on set and be a union performer so I didn’t want the kids shows I just wanted the TV shows and films And so that’s what I pursued.
I set up the SEO in order to rank me so that I would come up for those productions. I made my website. I have different websites. That website is based on the idea of getting hired for those kinds of bookings for TV and film. I ran Google search ads and I found that the keywords that people wanted were magician and not juggler.
Juggler was like one thing in two months, like one search or two searches or something. And magician was like 500. So people know what a magician is. They know what a magic show is. They know what they’re looking for with a magic show. And magic was a great thing to target for SEO and for ads. Juggler was not.
So So, like, we have to consider what’s our goal and we have to also consider what are people searching for. If they’re searching for us, are they going to find us? The primary purpose of SEO is to be searchable for the thing that you are. Because most people are looking for red flags. Most of the use of websites is people looking for red flags.
So, They hear about you, you’re a contortionist, and they search for your name, and either your name comes up, your first, your first result is your website, or they have to search for your name, and contortionist Jim Tucker, contortionist, then they find your website first. That’s what we want. So, the primary The first goal of SEO is to get your name or your company’s name to rank early in the search, probably first.
And then after that, we can start to think about whether it’s worth it to pursue ranking in your category, or are people even not, not really searching for the thing that You have because if they’re not searching for it, they’re searching for a magician, and I have really high rankings for magician. And then they come to me and I can’t do a magic show.
Or I can’t do the kind of show that they want. Then they go on to somebody else. It’s pretty straightforward. So the downside of pursuing SEO when it doesn’t it isn’t necessary is people waste their time. It takes a lot of time. Sometimes it takes a lot of money cause they’re paying an SEO expert and sometimes it makes their website distracting because they’re trying to add in a whole bunch of content that’s going to rank them high.
The way to make SEO work is to be an expert in your field. So like with, with the Los Angeles juggler site, I, I made this webpage to be, The like result for this is where people want to go if they want to know about juggling, jugglers. They have jugglers that they can hire. They have a lesson. They have a DVD.
They have a blog post, a popular blog post with information about juggling. So Google’s views this as a great resource for people who are searching for a juggler in Los Angeles. And it’s not even I haven’t updated it. There’s not a lot I’ve done with it back here. I could rank higher in this if I just had eight five star reviews, probably I would probably be the top result here.
So the problem with like when you try to have all the information, a lot of times an SEO expert will recommend having a blog full of robust information and If you have a blog and you’re not a blogger, you don’t enjoy it, then you’re going to have an old blog, which makes you look dead. Or it can also confuse people because if they’re looking for red flags, they can look through your blog and maybe find red flags like that you perform in the wrong kind of venues or that you do a different kind of work or you have some political view or something that throws them off.
So that can be distracting from. A website that just gives them like, extreme value and a call to action. That’s my take on the SEO. Thank you for joining me. Hope it answered your questions. Please let me know in my blog comments if you want, or send me a message if you have any questions about how this all works.
SEO can be a great pursuit. Most of the cases that I see people wanting to do SEO, they’re trying to do it as a shortcut to getting more clients. And a lot of times it isn’t the shortcut.
