Recently, I had Mitch Miller of Opposed Media back on my podcast; Rules of Success for a second time. The first time, he dropped some serious knowledge bombs and gave the listeners a really effective step-by-step guide to writing killer sales copy. He even turned it into a blog post for us after-the-fact. See here.
On this second stint he and I discussed what at first glance seems like a counter-intuitive principle to make a splash in the market. There are many out there that look to the market to consume more than create; to use the resources that are available without any exchange of value. Even worse, there are those that are more concerned about what they can get as opposed to what they can give; only pitching their wares without giving into the universal penny tray.
The principle that Mitch and I discussed was this simple distinction:
In order to get, I must give.
Giving is the key to achievement. It is the key to health, wealth, love and (naturally) success. It’s the fuel of abundance. To give is divine and the only way to reach greater heights is to reach down and uplift.
As Mitch and I discussed this, it became very clear that for most this is a counterintuitive thought.
A feeling of lack causes us to think that we cannot give because we do not have that which to give.
It’s a flawed perspective and one that is simply not true.
We always have the capacity to give; even when there is no appearance of abundance. We are a part of an infinite universe with infinite resources. Because of this, all that is required for us to access these resources is faith that we can access them. From there, we start to understand at a core level that lack is a farce and only a construct of a conditioned mind.
To quote one of my favorite authors; Wallace D. Wattles: “Faith is born of gratitude. The grateful mind continually expects good things, and expectation becomes faith. The reaction of gratitude upon one’s own mind produces faith; and every outgoing wave of grateful thanksgiving increases faith. He who has no feeling of gratitude cannot long retain a living faith; and without a living faith you cannot get rich by the creative method, as we shall see in the following chapters. It is necessary, then, to cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you; and to give thanks continuously.”
Let me break that down more simply:
1. Understand that there is more available to you than you need; regardless of appearance.
2. Have faith that this is true and that the Universe is friendly to your desires.
3. Conjure gratitude for the understanding that this is true, and magnify the feeling of gratitude by acting in abundance through giving.
(I just high-fived Buddha as I stepped down from my soapbox…)
So what does this have to do with the practical application of business principles? Quite simply, EVERYTHING.
“Content, content, content.” – Every content creator in 2015.
I wouldn’t have to search far to pin those words as a quote from some leader in the social media, internet marketing, self-development space. It’s ALL about content. We produce more content on a daily basis in 2015 than we did on a monthly basis just 15 years ago. As a consultant, it is through our content that we establish the PROOF that anyone should give us money! How can people know if our message resonates with them if they don’t have access to it? If we are only concerned about the sale we wreak of one of two things; desperation OR arrogance. Neither are sustainable for a successful business. Who in their right mind would pay someone for help if they had no idea who or what they were about?
You already know the answer; they wouldn’t.
And don’t.
And never will.
You want to get paid?
The answer is simple; money follows value.
Create value in EVERYTHING you do and money will find a way to you. It’s a statistical fact.
I started my professional career many years as a mortgage broker in the state of Utah. I excelled very quickly as a loan officer to the point that my first month I closed 17 loans as a rookie. A majority of my job consisted of being on the phone and assisting those to whom I was speaking see things in a different way. It was my job to sell hope, and then to back it up with the execution of that hope via helping them buy the home they didn’t know they could buy or by bettering their mortgage. I learned early in my career that if I only sold them loan details without giving them something of emotional value I would get no where. I had to address their pain, and then offer to fix their pain; for a fee.
As content creators, we are in the exact same spot I was as a mortgage broker. We sell hope. We receive pain. Our free content provides an emotional response. Our “free consultations” set the stage and give hope for a better result for those we connect with. No matter the content; each podcast episode, each blog post, each one-on-one call hints at a better way for these potential clients. In sales speak, we are addressing their “pain” and providing an answer. Whatever they wanted different is what is described as their “pain.” The quickest answers cost more, but we offer an answer for their pain nonetheless.
Whatever market you are in; look for the pain and how to fix it. Offer free content that gives answers to this pain and then CHARGE for the quickest, most effective answers. But regardless, address the pain for free.
It will transform your content and your business.
