Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Fwd: (Weekly Flight Brief) 3 tips to more SPEED and SUCCESS…



---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Ed Rush <support@edrush.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 9:35 AM
Subject: (Weekly Flight Brief) 3 tips to more SPEED and SUCCESS…
To: <stevescott@techacq.com>


Steve,

This week, we're going into the cockpit of the F-18. So strap in and let's have some fun!

Reminder, you can watch, listen, or read (below) the Weekly Flight Brief.

(Say hello on YouTube and I'll say hello back).

Here we go!

image

There is a time in every Marine F-18 pilot's life when he has to land on an aircraft carrier for the first time at night. Notice that I said "has to." The first night landing is anything but a good deal. It is just about the most dangerous thing that I can ever remember doing. However, as a carrier pilot in the United States Marine Corps, I am proud to be in the ONLY country that lands its aircraft on a carrier at night — crazy as it may be.

For me, that first night landing started out on "Cat 1." (The "cat" is the catapult mechanism designed to get your 45,000-pound airplane from 0 to 165 miles per hour in about 2 seconds.)

There I sat on Cat 1 with my knees shaking for what seemed like hours while waiting for the ground crew to finish its final checks on my aircraft.

When all the checks were complete, I ran the throttles to maximum power and gave a salute to the man who held my life in the balance with the catapult launch button.

He pushed the small green button that sent me propelling into the cloudy darkness off the San Diego coast.

Some time, long ago, some Navy guy got the idea that it would be a solid idea to give pilots some extra time in the air in order to get comfortable before making their attempt at the carrier deck. Of course, what this guy failed to realize was that the entire time you are flying over a carrier, you are far from comfortable.

This guy probably got a medal while pilots everywhere spent 30 minutes in anxious anticipation of the inevitable, wondering, "Can we get this over with, please?!"

I spent my own comfort time trying to keep calm, cool, and collected, but of course I was a bundle of nerves.

That said, it really was a beautiful night. The stars were out. The full moon was bright. Everything was quite nice. Well — almost everything. You see, starting at 700 feet above the water and ending at about 1,200 feet, there was a very thick cloud layer.

Normally, this layer would not be too much of a problem. I'd had hundreds of hours of training to teach me to fly through clouds just like this one. Only, on this particular night, the cloud layer would be the source of a significant problem for me.

"No problem," I thought. "I've been here before; just a simple descent on my glide slope final course and I will be out of this cloud in no time."

That's when I almost killed myself.
As I descended into the cloud layer 1,200 feet above the water, I was completely overcome with vertigo.

Let's play make believe for a moment. Pretend that you are standing blindfolded in the middle of a room and someone spins you around about 20 times, then just stops you cold. That dizzy, disoriented feeling is vertigo. Normally, vertigo is just uncomfortable, but in a high-performance fighter it can be deadly.

On that first carrier landing approach, my brain started to lie to me. I felt a gentle rolling sensation to the left telling me to move the stick to the right to correct the airplane.

But just as I was about to turn right, I took a look at my Heads-Up-Display, which is the instrument that tells a pilot whether he is climbing, descending, turning right, or turning left. My instruments revealed the impossible:

I was flying straight and level!

All the while it felt like I was tumbling out of control, in a death spiral to the left. My whole self was screaming, "Roll right! Roll right! You are going to crash!"

Just as I was about to turn the airplane to the right (which would have inevitably led to my death), I heard a small, still voice in the back of my head say,

"Trust your instruments."

That night, I had to choose from the following: trust myself or trust my instruments; trust my instincts or trust my training.

Webster's Dictionary defines vertigo as "a disordered state in which the individual or the individual's surroundings seem to whirl dizzily; a dizzy, confused state of mind."

I define it as the condition that nearly killed me.

Webster's defines training as "forming by instruction, discipline, or drill; to teach so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient."

I define it as the discipline that saved my life.

I listened to my training that night, and it made all the difference in the world. I landed successfully and rolled out of the landing area.

I would like to tell you that the reason I am alive today is due to my quick thinking, my superior piloting skills, and my above-average intellect. I'd love to take credit for the work that I did that night and to pat myself on the back.

I cannot do that.

I must give credit where credit is due. I have a legacy to thank — over 100 years of aviation excellence passed from pilot to pilot, from instructor to student, until it reached me, when my own instructor said, "Ed, when all else fails, trust your instruments."

For those of us who must make life-changing decisions, I am fully convinced that the quality of those decisions is determined well before the day the decisions are made.

The decisions you will make tomorrow are based on the habits and the experience you have built throughout your life. In short, what you decide will be a function of who you are; and who you are will be a function of your training.

So with that in mind, here are 3 quick tips for more speed and success…

1. Focus on the Target.

The "Target" is your mission, your God-given task in life. As an entrepreneur, your job is to know your mission and then to do it. Having coached over 450 entrepreneurs 1-on-1 I can tell you that very few naturally focus on their mission. The fact is, everyone is so busy, it's hard to "focus."

If you want to go deeper, here is a video on achieving more focus.

2. Attract and Repel

Average marketers try to attract "everyone" and by doing so they attract no one. That's because great marketing makes people choose sides. Great marketers speak in such a way to attract the kind of people who stay, pay, and refer. Your job is to communicate boldly what you believe. Then let the chips fall.

When you do that, you'll make lifetime champions. I go way deeper on this point in the video below…

image

3. Go BIG

One of the primary tenets of the 21-Day Miracle is to set completely unrealistic goals. Here is a short snip:

"You've been led to believe that the first lesson in goal-setting is to "set realistic goals." (Seriously, google this. There are like 20 million search returns and 400,000 websites that use the exact words "set realistic goals." Turtles. Don't learn from Turtles.) That's total baloney. Whoever invented that was a Turtle. You should throw that piece of advice out of your car window. And then drive over it a few times just to make sure it's dead.

Who cares about doing something "realistic," "normal," or "possible?" Henry Ford once said that if he had followed conventional wisdom he would have "invented a faster horse."

I succeeded in life because I set completely unrealistic goals, convinced myself that I could achieve them, and then I did. And why not? After failing Kindergarten, I only had one place to go. Up!"

Ok, that's all for now. Go out and implement!

Out.
Ed

P.S. Don't forget EdTalks LIVE airs tomorrow at 10am PST / 1pm PST. I've got a guest coming who went from corporate America to closing 6-Figure deals. Big stuff coming.

Catch me here tomorrow.













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Ed Rush & Associates
P.O. Box 1290
Bonita, California 91902
United States
(619) 292-2599

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Fwd: 5 things every speaker’s homepage needs



---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Bryan @ Agent <agent@growthtools.com>
Date: Sun, Jul 19, 2020 at 11:35 AM
Subject: 5 things every speaker's homepage needs
To: <Stevescott@techacq.com>


Agent

Creating a homepage as a speaker is tough.

When event organizers visit it, you want them to book you.

When event attendees visit it, you want them to join your email list. Or buy your book (if you have one). Or hire you (if you offer services, like coaching).

How do you prioritize it all?

What are the most important elements yours needs to have?

In this email, I'm going to show you examples from 3 in-demand speakers' homepages and pull out the 5 key ingredients you should have on your own.

Let's go!

Homepage #1: Nicole Walters

Niche/Industry: Entrepreneurship

Nicole approaches all those competing priorities a speaker's homepage has by placing multiple calls to action above the fold.

The first two each go to different online courses she sells, the third goes to a page listing affiliate products she promotes, and the fourth lets you book Nicole for your next event.

The background image above those calls to action, however, sends a super clear message: Nicole is a speaker.

You can't tell in the screenshot above, but it's actually a video background that shows a montage of speaking footage and audience reactions.

Showing yourself in a speaking setting is a must if you want your website to help you book more gigs. Even if you don't have photos of yourself speaking because you're not actually getting booked yet, you should at least feature a photo where it looks like you're speaking.

Put a microphone in your hand. Find a stage to stand on. Act like there's a packed house in front of you. Look the part!

Key Elements Further Down the Page:

Social Proof:

The section after Nicole's 4 CTAs showcases logos of media outlets and websites that have featured her. It's smart to have this kind of social proof near any CTA, as it can make the decision to click easier.

Don't worry if you're just getting started and haven't been featured in a million places yet. At the end of this email, I'll walk you through some specific ideas for social proof you can use.

Email Opt-In:

Even if your only goal right now is to get booked to speak, you should still be trying to build an email list as well.

An email list will give you a direct line to your audience, even when you can't reach them from stage. Which means you can continue driving revenue for your business by selling things like:

  • Coaching services
  • Online courses
  • Freelance services
  • Digital products like ebooks
  • And more

Unlike social media, you 100% own your email list. Your ability to reach email subscribers won't change when Facebook updates its algorithm.

That's why you see speakers like Nicole emphasize signing up for their email list so heavily on their homepage.

Nicole's email list CTA is particularly effective because:

  1. Her headline for the section offers a clear benefit: monetize your life. Other benefits like "grow your network" are also swapped into that blue section of the headline.
     
  2. She tells you what you're going to get by signing up: "Join my Richfriend club for inspiring stories, proven tactics and practical tips to grow your income." That's a heck of a lot better than the generic, unspecific copy you see on most websites, like, "Sign up for email updates!"

But...there is one missing ingredient that could help Nicole get more email subscribers: a lead magnet.

If she offered visitors a free resource (like a short PDF guide) for joining her email list, more people would sign up. 

Dedicated Speaking Section w/ Video:

Along with a photo of yourself speaking, a video of yourself speaking is an essential visual element for any aspiring speaker.

My friend Grant Baldwin has helped thousands of speakers book more gigs through his business, The Speaker Lab. Here's what he has to say about making your demo video:

"Like with anything, you start with what you've got. Do you have any speaking engagements coming up? Even just a small workshop, Sunday school class, or boardroom presentation will work. If not, can you find a small environment where you could speak (for free) just so you could film it? Worst case scenario, I've seen some demo videos of speakers just talking to an empty room. Now of course you can't tell that it's empty. You just need footage of you speaking."

Don't let a lack of a video stop you from getting your website up and running. But don't let a lack of gigs and money stop you from making your own video, either.

See Nicole's full homepage for yourself right here.

Homepage #2: Kate Garnes

Niche/Industry: Education

Notice any similarities between this homepage from Kate Garnes and the previous one?

Again, the background image above the fold makes it super clear: Kate is a speaker. Meanwhile, the headline does a great job specifying the benefits you'll get by booking Kate: "I help teens stop making excuses and take their lives back."

This quickly lets event organizers know what Kate does (speakers), who she speaks to (teens), and what she helps them do (stop making excuses and take their lives back).

Below, visitors can watch Kate's video to see her in action.

The only missing element above the fold?

A clear call to action. There's nothing that tells visitors what to do next. If they're interested in booking Kate, they'll either have to scroll alllllllll the way to the bottom of the page, or remember that there's a "Contact" tab in the navigation bar at the top (and even then, "Contact" isn't all that clear).

Key Elements Further Down the Page:

Social Proof:

 

In addition to showcasing logos from organizations that have booked Kate to speak, she also includes detailed testimonials.

This is a great reminder that you should always aim to get positive feedback you can showcase from any event you speak at. If you don't have any yet, make it your mission to get a testimonial from the decision-maker after your next event.

Email Opt-In / Booking CTA:

Like I mentioned earlier, Kate's first call to action doesn't come until the end of her homepage. And while it's great that she's building her email list, the headline and subheadline could use some clarity and specificity.

"Receive news and updates" isn't the most compelling reason to give your email address to someone. What if, instead, Kate offered visitors a guide to helping teens make better decisions? Like Nicole's homepage, I think this one could also benefit from the addition of a lead magnet.

The same thing applies to her booking CTA as well: "Get in touch" and "start the conversation" are vague.

"Book Kate for Your Next Event" would be much clearer.

Check out the full homepage right here.

Homepage #3: Jim Kukral

Niche/Industry: Business/Marketing

Another video background above the fold! (These are popular with speakers right now.) Again, the idea here is simply to give visitors a visual of yourself speaking.

My first instinct was that Jim's headline and subheadline were a little vague, but the testimonial he showcases below them does a great job explaining exactly what he speaks about (and the benefits he offers as a speaker).

This can be a smart technique for your own homepage—if a customer has already done a great job describing what you do, steal their words!

Like our other speakers, Jim then features a video. He pairs it with a strong, clear call to action: "Put My Event Date on Hold."

Key Elements Further Down the Page:

Social Proof:

Like the other speakers, Jim's homepage features logos and testimonials from past events, but he also includes this cool section of video testimonials from event attendees.

Each video is around a minute or less and looks like it was shot on a phone, which makes them feel raw and authentic.

This approach can be a great way to end up with multiple testimonials from just one event—and it's easy for you to do! You don't have to be a professional videographer to capture a quick reaction from event attendees on your phone.

"Why Jim Is Right for Your Event" Section:

I love the idea behind this section.

This would be a great exercise for any speaker: write "Why [Your Name] Is Right for Your Event" in a blank document and then spend 15 minutes writing everything that comes to mind.

You may not want to use what you end up with right away, but continue refining it as you gain experience and learn more about the value you bring to events and audiences.

Email Opt-In:

Again, I have the same advice here that I had for Kate's email opt-in: get specific and offer value!

What am I going to get out of signing up for your email list? How will it benefit me? Make sure you're making that crystal clear on your homepage.

Check out Jim's full homepage here to get more ideas for your own.

The 5 Essential Elements Your Homepage Should Have:

When you explore the full homepages featured above, you'll see that they have way more than just 5 elements.

1. A Visual of Yourself Speaking: You don't have to start with a fancy video background from day one. You don't even need to be in front of an audience! But you should try to get some kind of image of yourself in a speaking setting as soon as possible.

2. An Email Signup Form: It's never too early to start building your email list. Give visitors a compelling reason to sign up (I recommend using a lead magnet) and you'll position yourself to take advantage of any traffic your website gets in the future.

3. A CTA to Book/Contact You: Make it easy for event organizers to book you. Even if it's as simple as a link/button with a "Mail To" link that lets them send an email to your personal inbox. Don't overcomplicate the process.

4. A Speaking Video: It doesn't need to be long (a couple minutes is ideal). It doesn't need to be professionally produced. It doesn't need to be from a paid gig or in front of an audience.

5. Social Proof: Prioritize collecting testimonials from event organizers and attendees. If you haven't booked your first gig yet, look for quotes that speak to the value of your topic. For example, if you speak about artificial intelligence, a quote from Bill Gates about the importance of understanding AI could be a temporary solution until you get your own testimonials. Your goal is to lend credibility to your topic and yourself.

.
.
.

What are some of the best speaker homepages you've seen lately?

Hit "Reply" to this email and let me know!

- Bryan


Bryan from Agent
Built with ❤ by Growth Tools
1910 Madison Avenue Memphis, Tennessee 38104
Adjust your subscription settings here.

Friday, July 17, 2020

Fwd: 3 Ways to Control a Meeting by Saying Less



---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Oren Klaff <oren@pitchanything.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 8:18 AM
Subject: 3 Ways to Control a Meeting by Saying Less
To: <stevescott@techacq.com>


Once I started doing it this way, my problems were fixed
Oren Klaff Logo

From the author of Pitch Anything & Flip the Script

I used to think THIS was how you "pitched" a deal.

Step1: have a 1-hour meeting; give the buyer as much INFORMATION as possible.

Step 2: let all this "great information" REDUCE THEIR CONFUSION about the buying decision.

Step 3: ask boldly ... "any questions?"

That's when they are supposed to say: "Wow that's amazing, I'm IN ... here, take all my money."

Ha.

Information was supposed to reduce their confusion ....

image

This just makes "sense" ... because when someone has enough good information about your product, their mind becomes "clear" that ...

  • you're the best
  • you offer high quality service
  • your product has the most features (and is easiest to use)
  • your technology is way ahead of everyone else.

... and it's obvious how you offer the best VALUE.

And while that was very logical, it wasn't working very well for me.

THE MORE INFORMATION I PROVIDED THE BUYER,
THE MORE CONFUSION I WAS CAUSING.

In fact, Confusion and Information seemed to be connected and make each other worse:

image

Why was this happening? How could well organized examples, solid facts, key metrics and clear statistics not work?

Over time, I began to realize:

Buyer's are rarely "confused" to start with.

In the age of the interweb ...

... a "CONFUSED BUYER" doesn't seem to exist.

Buyers with $10K or $100K or $1 million ..... are smart.

They are well informed.

They've researched the hell out of your product -- and pretty much know what they need.

In fact, they already have a lot of CERTAINTY about what they really want ... before they contact you.

Therefore, your beautiful infographics, your valuable data and your awesome metrics are useless at the start of the pitch because....

You CANNOT change someone's mind with more information.

You can only bore them or confuse them.

THIS is when I came up with the idea to follow the same formula that TV crime shows use

image

Why 'CSI:'? One simple reason. Once you start watching, you can't look away and you stay until the end:

- you're on the edge of your seat the whole time
- you know there's going to be a "surprise"
- and when revealed, you clap your hands and say "I knew it!!" (but you didn't.)

It's a great viewing experience.

That's what I wanted to give my buyers, a great experience.

How did I copy their formula?

..... THEIR SCRIPT ALWAYS STARTS WITH A BIG CHANGE TO 'NORMAL LIFE' (THIS IS 'THE SETUP')

.......... THEN THEY CREATE MANY PUZZLING QUESTIONS, FORCING THE AUDIENCE TO STAY UNTIL THE END (THE INTRIGUE)

.................. AND THEY ALWAYS FINISH WITH A BIG REVEAL THAT USES A CRAZY AMOUNT OF SCIENCE, DATA, FACTS, STATS, METRICS AND DEDUCTIVE REASONING TO 'MAKE THE CASE.' (THE REVEAL & THE CLOSE)

In other-words, they hold the best information and the coolest science to the end (you should do this too.)

BECAUSE THE MORE I DID THIS, in the exact same way as CSI:, the more deals I closed:

image

I know what you're thinking ...

"Hey Oren,

You're crazy. During the day I go to business meetings, I write emails and I attend phone calls, I don't star in a TV Show ...

Don't worry, you can do this!

I have a 1,000+ client's doing this every day. Together, they are doing billions of dollars in revenue.

HERE'S THE CORRECT SETUP

#1. Describe to your buyer how things are CHANGING in the market.
#2. Explain how those changes are going to cause him PAIN & FRUSTRATION.
#3 Show how that pain is NOT GOING AWAY on it's own
#4 Make it clear that you're an EXPERT in the changes happening
#5 And that you have a SOLUTION to discuss.

Next you'll have to...

........ create intrigue and build suspense.

............... and finally, deliver a BIG REVEAL to close the deal.

There's enough info in this email (and my last one) for you to do this on your own. However, if you want to see me go through a few examples and break it down step-by-step, then I'd be happy to work with you:

IN ONE HOUR OF TRAINING I'LL SHOW YOU ALL THE FORMULAS:

image

JOIN ME THIS FRIDAY
JULY 17th AT 12PM PST

I'm giving a rare Livecast event called "THE SETUP"

This one-hour I will show you the CSI formula step-by-step with many examples and turn you into a hardcore dealmaker.

To get into THE SETUP Livecast Event... you have to join Pitch Mastery here.

You can get access to this event: THE SETUP, only from inside Pitch Mastery.

Are you doing this? It's going to change everything you do.

JOIN PITCH MASTERY HERE- and join me on 7-17-2020 for THE SETUP.

Oren

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