Today, I called a friend I had not spoken with in months. It was great to talk to her again and catch up on what she and her husband had been up to. She has been in one of the network marketing companies with my wife, Mia, and I but took a hiatus to redefine where she wanted to go with her path in life.

She and her husband had been building their new house, taking care of his parents, and making preparations to start an offline business. She told me how she had been considering getting back into network marketing, and attacking it with new focus.

Now, one thing you should know about my friend is that she is very driven, very focused, and extremely bright. Her marketing skills were really getting sharp before she pulled away. In fact, it was a shock to both Mia and I when she announced she was pulling away from business for a while to reassess her path, etc.

Anyway, she asked what Mia and I were up to, asked about our daughter, Callie, and how Mia has been feeling (Mia is 27 weeks pregnant with our son, Max). Since I had last spoken to my friend, Mia and I started an additional network marketing opportunity and it has been amazing.

The point of me recapping my conversation with this friend of ours is that we hadn’t talked in over four months, but yet it felt like just yesterday. The conversation went fluidly and two of our objectives were met.

First and foremost, we caught up on where we were in our lives again. And secondly, I was able to direct a friend to our new business without pressuring her and making her feel uncomfortable. To be fair, this phone call was not intended to be a prospecting call at all, but it highlighted some important clues that I will use as teaching points.

This was not a typical “prospecting” call. I followed the advice of Michael Oliver and his natural selling techniques and I highly recommend this method for both your cold and warm markets.

I have to tell you, this way of approaching a conversation is to say the least, so much more comfortable… Unlike the traditional methods of “selling”, there was no pressure, no attachment to the outcome, and the intention was first and foremost to catch up and secondly to see if she was open to a new opportunity.

If you approach all your conversations, whether you’re friends, they are a member of your family, or you don’t know them at all, you will find that this method will make everyone feel at ease. Here’s the gist of Natural Selling:
1. Set the intention before you pick up the phone that you are out to HELP the other person and that you’re NOT attached to the outcome.
2. Inquire about them, their family, their work, etc. (because it is ALL about them)
3. Ask questions that will see if they are open to an opportunity at this time (After all, this is about the right timing for them).
4. Do NOT be eager to “tell” them everything about what your business when they ask how you are doing.
5. Make sure you give them a website or directions to get the information on their own terms, their own time, with no pressure.
6. Really listen to their answers and respond rather than react (if you react, you’re more likely to be thinking of what you want to say next while they are talking and are too much in your head… therefore you’re not truly listening!)
7. Let the conversation take its natural course.
8. And again, do not get attached to the outcome (Remember, you were calling to see if this opportunity was the right fit for THEM).

Try this approach the next time you feel like stuffing your excitement about your business opportunity to someone else, whether you know them or not, and you’ll walk away a lot more content with yourself and the conversation.
~See you in the next post,
JT

I saw a funny bumper sticker today that read, “The flogging will continue until morale improves”. I’ve seen this quote before, but I usually just laugh it off and go about my day. For some reason it really stuck with me today, though. I thought about it, and how it applies to business as well as life.

I guess the reason the bumper sticker quote stayed with me was because, recently, an acquaintance complained to me that she felt unfulfilled. She complained that, despite her best efforts, life and business were getting the better of her. She felt tired, beat down and defeated. Nothing, she claimed, was working.

Jim Rohn often talks about the importance of ambition and personal responsibility with respect to being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs can’t make the same excuses that employees make; in fact, they can’t make any at all.

Entrpereneurs have to be leaders; employees don’t have to lead, they just have to punch a clock. If the goals, deadlines and commitments are not met, the business fails and the entrepreneur suffers.

The bumper sticker seems to indicate that the flogging—also known as difficult times, trials and tribulations, etc—will continue until a shift in mindset grabs hold of the leader and he or she takes a decided stand against failure and mediocrity.

For the record, I do not fear failure. And while I try not to fail, I see failure is the supreme teacher…IF you posses the maturity and open mind to learn from it.

But repeated failure with a lack of learning; acceptance of mediocrity; willingness to feel defeated when things don’t go your way…THAT is unacceptable, and completely against the entrepreneurial spirit.

So how do you shift your mindset away from that of the “victimized employee”? How does one stand tall in the face of adversity? Where ought one turn when business is slow and the bills are piling up? Here is what I told my acquaintance, only because it worked for me when I used to have the same challenges…

Get Grateful. I do not care how bad you perceive your current situation, there is always someone else who has it worse. Yeah, I know…it sucks to hear that. But it is true. Mia and I sponsor a child in the Philippines, and her family doesn’t even have running water. How crappy is that? Try brushing your teeth, or washing dishes, or staying healthy without running water.

And if that is too dramatic for you, then consider this Jom Rohn quote”
“If you think the grass is greener on the other side, it’s most likely because that field is getting more care the owner.”

Remember; every single person: Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey and even Mother Theresa all had lousy times in their lives. But the strong ones…the winners…refuse to lose. They get resilient by going against that which put them in a bad place to begin with.

By focusing on the things you are grateful for, you immediately shift your body chemistry and begin to transform your brain from the “fight-or-flight” mode to the “vacation mode”.
When was the last time you were running for your life and you thought, “Man, it is sure great to be here. I love this place in life…”?

Probably never.

But by concentrating on the positive aspects of life, you can literally convert nervous anxiety into a restful calm and get back in control of the situation and yourself. Okay, so let’s say you are grateful. Now what? Its time to…

Get E.A.G.E.R. Being E.A.G.E.R. does not mean being an over-zealous spaz. I use the acronym E.A.G.E.R to stand for Enthusiastic Action Generates Exciting Results. Simply put, the more passionate you are about your pursuits, the more successful you will be and the less daunted you will be by failure and setbacks.

Case in point; when I was a kid all I wanted was to be a Navy pilot (that and play for the Seahawks). I ate, drank and slept Naval Aviation. But I struggled in school and despite those struggles, still sought out tough classes and stayed with it.

I even had the Navy tell me I was too old (the age cut-off was like 29…I was 30 when I started flight school). But I found a way to use my prior service time to get a waiver. I made it. Earning my “Wings of Gold” was a huge personal triumph.

Was I unsure of myself? Sometimes. Was I enthusiastically dedicated? Always. And I am deeply grateful for that experience because it has taught me tremendous lessons about business. Get E.A.G.E.R about your life’s pursuits. Ask the experts of whatever field of business you are in how they got successful and mirror what they do. Learn from the best, and then join them! And finally…

Get Coaching. Let me be clear; you do not need to spend tons of money on a coaching program. In fact, you are getting coaching right now. Going to blogs, visiting forums, attending seminars, and reading books are all great ways of getting coaching.

I don’t have all the answers; I give you honest advice from a place of personal experience. Now, if you are serious about success, I strongly suggest you make a modest investment in top-notch coaching. If you would like to contact me about my coaching program, drop me a line at: jt@shiftofmomentum.com

Okay, friends, that is all for now. I am excited to share this information with you because everything you just read came from my own personal experience. It means a lot to me to help successful people just like you. Thanks for being a part of my passion!

See you in the next post…
~JT

If you own a business, how would an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show help you? Do you think you could benefit from that kind of publicity? (First of all, getting on Oprah is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself!)

How about appearing on Good Morning America? Or Larry King?

I know a guy who has done all of that. Well, almost all of it. He came close to appearing on Oprah twice, but…well, I’ll get to that in a minute.

The question you are probably asking is HOW did he do all of this (by the way, he has appeared in local television, radio and print as well as being featured in People Magazine). Okay, so WHO IS IT?!!! Well, his name is Orrin Hudson, and he is one hell of a tough man…

Orrin Hudson is an author, speaker and coach, and founder of Be Someone, Inc.

And he is a tough guy.

What makes him so tough? He is one of the few people who looked at some of the problems that face the youth of our nation and said, “Enough!” Orrin single-handedly started an organization designed to take on the toughest inner-city youth problems and work toward fixing them…with the game of chess.

Yes, chess.

I know what you are thinking, ‘Can this story get any stranger?’ But stay with me here. Orrin is a visionary, really. Instead of looking at the rising teen violence rates, climbing teen pregnancy numbers and staggering decline in graduation rates of inner-city kids and saying ‘Someone should do something’, Orrin rolled up his sleeves and got busy.

He built Be Someone, Inc. You need to see his work; it is truly amazing. Just check out www.BeSomeone.org and see what I mean. Amazing…

So, what does this have to do with entrepreneurs? Well, first of all, Orrin is one of the most successful entrepreneurs I have ever met. He has raised millions of dollars simply by combining two passions: helping others and the game of chess. But it took more than that. It obviously took money. So how does one raise that kind of money?

Through publicity…

Which brings me to my learning point: How would more publicity boost your business? The answer is obvious, but the bigger question is HOW do you boost publicity? As I mentioned, Orrin accomplished this feat by appearing on Good Morning America, Larry King Live, tons of local television and radio (in fact, he often had to TURN DOWN media interviews because he was in such high demand), the pages of People Magazine, and Oprah…almost.

Okay, I’ll explain the Oprah thing.

Orrin told me how the first time Oprah’s people called him; it was 4:30 in the afternoon, the day before they wanted him to appear. He was traveling home from an engagement, and didn’t arrive until late that night. The taping was scheduled for the next morning, and there was logistically no way he would make it. So Oprah rescheduled. This time, Orrin made it, but due to the featured celebrities being too long-winded (way to go Tom Cruise…just kidding) Orrin got bumped. But, he will make it someday very soon, I assure you.

This brings me to what I learned from Orrin. Orrin Hudson prescribes to a very important principle that he teaches his kids, and it is a powerful tool for all entrepreneurs: Excellence Is Not Enough; You Have To Be Amazing.

How does that hit you? Great stuff. That alone propelled Orrin to center stage, but more practically, Orrin taught me that gaining publicity is all about offering value.

Specifically, you must have a solid, yet concise press release. Press releases are huge for alerting the media to your business and the services you have to offer. They have a tremendous readership and it is a great place to go to read other press releases, so you can see how to craft one of your very own.

Second, you need a hook…something to draw interest to you, and make you unique. Orrin teaches troubled kids how to escape a life of drugs and crime through chess. How amazing is that! Obviously Oprah, Larry King and People loved it.

Third, and most important, you must add value. Orrin is insistent on this. If you are not adding value, then your press release will be virtually invisible and your hook will be non-existent.

Giving people value attracts them to you, makes you more marketable, and separates you form the scores of businesses out there just trying to make a buck. Instead trying to make a buck, try making a difference. As Orrin says, “When you give the world your best, the best the world has to offer comes back to you.”

Orrin Hudson is truly and amazing man. Go to www.BeSomone.org and find out more about Orrin and his incredible mission. There you will discover what true passion is about.

What are you passionate about? What if you combined that with helping others? Imagine the possibilities…
See you in the next post…
~JT

Okay, so I promised to give you some insight in my amazing weekend. This will be the first of many installments, but I first want to tell you a little about where I was and what I was doing. I spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Los Angeles at Larry Benet’s Connecting Mastery Seminar. If you have never heard of Larry, or you would like more information on one of the most important skills every entrepreneur should have, check out Larry Benet’s site, www.LarryBenet.com and see what I am talking about.

I will not name-drop here, but to suffice it to say, Larry is connected. Big time. And he shared his secrets to success with us. And, yes, I will pass much of this information on in future posts, but what you need to know first is how powerful having quality connections can be. It is not enough to just drop names. As Larry says, “It is not who you know, it is who knows you”. So let me tell you about an amazing individual that I had the great fortune to get connect with as a result of attending Larry’s seminar.

Joyce Jackson is co-founder of Keeping Kids Safe, an organization dedicated to one of the most important causes I can think of: keeping kids safe from every threat you can imagine (and some you probably haven’t thought of). Check out their website at www.KeepingKidsSafeToday.com. This website is one of the most informative and useful sites I have ever seen, and it is indicative of Joyce and her partner, Preston Jones’ approach to business: be dedicated, be prepared, and be passionate. Now, those are my words, but read on to see what you can learn from this tremendously successful entrepreneur…

Joyce Jackson was a very accomplished architect, living with her family in the Bay Area of California. She worked hard to build a tremendously successful architecture firm, dedicated herself to her career, and worked her way up the top of her field. Long hours, tireless efforts, and more beautiful buildings than I could name still left Joyce unfulfilled. So Joyce did what every single person reading this blog needs to do: she took a long look inside herself and asked the tough questions. What is missing? What am I passionate about? How can I give back and make this a better world? What do I REALLY want to do with my life? For Joyce, the answer was simple: she wanted to help keep kids safe.

Keeping Kids Safe has a clear mission statement: to teach 20 million kids by 2010 to keep themselves safe. Their purpose is to benefit kids directly by developing the core values of confidence, respect, honesty, integrity and dignity in today’s kids to carry with them for a lifetime of safety. So how does one DO something as monumental as that? According to Joyce, it all starts with a plan…

If you want to build a business as successful as Keeping Kids Safe, you must start off with a solid business plan. “Write it out, pen to paper, and then transcribe it to a computer document.” Joyce suggests. “There is a powerful connection between the brain and your hands as you write it out.” It is true; this practice seems to make your plan much more visceral, much more concrete. “Start off simple; just write it out in bullets if that works best for you,” Joyce told me. If you need help drafting a business plan, contact me and I will share Joyce’s wisdom and my own experience to help you draft a solid business plan.

Once you have a completed business plan and mission statement, have someone you trust review it. The idea is to get honest feedback from a knowledgeable source that can point you in the right direction or help sharpen your focus as you need it. This is a crucial step in solidifying the course you want your business to take. This step is SO vitally important, so spend some quality time getting it done thoroughly. Joyce told me that she and her business partner literally sequestered themselves away from their business, their families and any outside distractions for a few days just so they could be 100% focused on drafting a solid business plan. It is THAT important.

After you have a plan and have had it reviewed by someone you trust to give you honest feedback, it is now time to execute it. “After you finish your business plan and mission statement, print it out and post it in your workspace, or wherever you will see it daily,” Joyce suggests. Seeing your mission daily reinforces what you are in business for in the first place. It keeps your focus sharp, and keeps you accountable not only to yourself, but to your grand purpose.

The rest just comes down to execution.

Following you business plan, staying true to your mission statement, and continuing to find new ways to make your business grow through contacts and networking are critical steps towards building a business as successful as Keeping Kids Safe.

I could write for days on what Joyce Jackson taught me about the importance of writing an effective business plan, developing a focused mission statement, and executing both to maximize your efforts. But what I hope you take away from this post is how vital it is for every business owner and entrepreneur to be equipped with a solid business plan. Once you have that plan solidified, post it, share it and live it. Then, TAKE ACTION.

Now that you have read this valuable information, do yourself a favor and go to www.KeepingKidsSafeToday.com and see what you can do to make a difference. Look at how a true professional builds a successful business and is changing the lives of parents and children everyday. Thank you for all you do, Joyce!

In the next post, find out how a tough guy got on Oprah…and how you can too..
See you in the next post…
~JT