Why Lindsay Lohan Wants Me Bad, or, How I Lost 80 Pounds in 3 Steps

Several people want to know how I managed to lose 80 pounds and become the Charles Atlas of the Internet.

I think Lindsay Lohan is one of them.

I saw her the other night.

I could tell from the way she looked at me through the television that she has the hots for the new me.

She was on Jay Leno, but I know she was thinking about me.

She, like everyone else, wants to know my secret.

Well, I'm not telling.

At least not today.

I'm putting together my story and my system as a new info product I'll offer to the world in '06. I plan to make an infomercial, too. Look out Tony Robbins. Here comes Mighty Joe Young!

I mean, Mighty Joe Vitale!

I did a lot of things to change my life. Some of them were unusual and esoteric. (What would you expect from a guy who wrote Spiritual Marketing and The Attractor Factor?) I also gave up being Italian, but that's a whole other story. For now, here are the three essential keys to weight loss in case you just can't wait for the whole system:

1. Everyone needs an exercise program.

I found my exercise program in the Body for Life fitness contest. Bill Phillips started it, and later sold it for enough money to buy his own planet. God bless him, for he has helped millions of people. His program lives on, now going into its eleventh year. The people who have completed the 12-week program are overwhelming evidence that change is possible and the program works. I looked at all their before and after pictures, all of average folks like you and me, and thought, "If they can do it, I can do it." I've been in four contests so far. They map out what to do and have lots of support. I've added to their support by hiring trainers, such as famous body builder Frank Zane and Body for Life winner Jeremy Likness. See www.bodyforlife.com

2. Everyone needs emotional support.

I knew I had to do something about my emotions, beliefs, and mindset toward weight loss and exercise, or else I'd just be on another diet that wouldn't work. (I was in the Body for Life contest ten years ago but didn't last three weeks. A fitness program alone isn't enough.) I also knew that food is an addiction, but rarely acknowledged as such. We use food for comfort, safety, escape, diversion, reward, release, and more. I've been a food addict. I needed help. I'm forever grateful to Steve Siebold for creating The Mental Toughness Institute for Weight Control. This program elevated my consciousness. I took it three times, mostly for the weekly telephone support and to reprogram my mind. It helped me see that my body wasn't destined to genetic programming, but to belief programming. See www.mentaltoughnessinstitute.com

3. Everyone needs an eating program.

This one can be tricky. A lot of information out there is contradictory. I began my weight loss adventure by simply cutting calories. That was enough to get me going. Then I followed the body builder's advice of eating mostly protein. Then I learned from a dear friend, a physician, that his rule is, "No grain and no cane," meaning no sugar and no wheat. I still follow that one, adding in "No dairy," too. The same doctor introduced me to the Paleo Diet, which is often called the Caveman Diet. The Paleo rule of thumb is this: If a caveman can eat it, then you can eat it. A caveman wouldn't eat a pizza because he could never find one, but he'd eat any animal he could catch. So lean meat is okay. These days I'm living a combination of high protein/Paleo Diet. I also eat something, however small, every two to three hours. As long as I do, I never feel hungry and I'm never (well, rarely) tempted to stray. And even when I am tempted to stray, I don't. See http://www.paleodiet.com/

All of the above are the three essential keys I've found to lose weight.

Of course, I've left a few very important things out. For example...

Motivation.

If you aren't motivated to change, then nothing will work. No diet. No exercise. No plan. No way.

If you have motivation, then any diet, exercise, or program will work.

When you have motivation, you won't be tempted at holidays when desserts are put before you, or at birthdays when the cake is passed around, or at social gatherings where others are forgetting their figure in order to be accepted, or when it's raining out and you don't feel like going for a walk.

Where do you get the motivation to change?

Ah, there's the million dollar question. I wrestled with that one most of my life. And that's why I wrestled with obesity for most of my life, too.

So, where do you get the motivation to change?

I'll reveal that, and the rest of the secret formula for permanently losing weight, in '06.

You didn't really expect me to give away the farm in this free blog, did you?

Unless you're Lindsay Lohan, don't ask!

Ciao!

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS - Get more information about my physical transformation, including seeing before and after pictures, at www.GladiatorGym.com

PPS - If you really can't wait for my system to be released, which means you must already be motivated to change, then go see Harry Johnson's terrific program "Beyond Genetic" at http://www.thehealthandfitnesschannel.com/go.cgi?323355 He's another Body for Life winner, and a wonderful guy, as well. Tell him hi from Charles Atlas. (You know, me.)

Gold in Chaos, or, Finding Old Books Under Thick Dust

I'm neck deep in the de-construction of my office so the remodellers can come in this Wednesday and construct my luxurious new office, complete with two hanging monitors, glass-door bookcases, wooden filing cabinets, floor to ceiling shelving, and much more. The end result will be a work of art I can sit in.

For now, though, my office is chaos.

I haven't completely cleaned out my office yet, but so far there are piles of books and papers all over the floor right outside the French doors. I'm moving stuff from the inner office to the outer library area. What a mess. I didn't even start moving books for an entire week because the thought of it was so overwhelming. Now that I'm working at this cleaning and moving a little every day, it's totally overwhelming.

How did I accumulate so much stuff?

Nerissa reminded me that most geniuses have messy offices. I thought back to guys I knew in college who never cleaned their rooms. They weren't geniuses. Not even close. Of course, leaving your clothes and beer bottles on the floor isn't exactly what I'm doing in my office. So maybe there is a difference.

I do know that since my world is books, it's only natural that I would have a lot of them. I used to go to the library when I was broke. Now I built my own library right here. I have huge collections of books on marketing, fitness, hypnosis, psychology, metaphysics, and magic. Thousands of them. I'd like to say I've read all of them. I haven't. I often read enough to get the gist of a book, and then put it aside. Sometimes I never get to a book, though I long to one day.

There's gold here, of course. I have rare books, signed books, limited edition books; I have books signed by P.T. Barnum, the great showman and circus promoter. I have one copy of his autobiography with a news release he typed up and signed still stuck in it. It's a treasure.

There are many treasures here. Another favorite is How to Turn People into Gold by Kenneth Goode. He wrote numerous books and was well known in the 1930s or so. His book on Showmanship in Business is wonderful. I often wonder what happened to him.

My all time favorite book is The Magic of Believing by Claude Bristol. I have two signed copies of the very early editions of the book, which apparently was first self-published. That classic is still in print today, while Mr. Bristol is long gone.

Of course, anyone who knows my work knows I love Robert Collier. I have every known book by him, including of course his legendary The Robert Collier Letter Book. I was an okay writer before that book; I was a Hypnotic Writer after it. I also have a rare brief biography of him that his daughter sent me decades ago.

Then there are the books by Walter Dill Scott, the early 1900s psychologist who wrote the first books on how the mind works, aimed at advertisers. I still love his classic The Psychology of Advertising.

I also love the old school publicists, such as Harry Reichenbach, who promoted movies with wild stunts in the early days of films. His unfinished auobiography is a real joy to read. It's called Phantom Fame.

I have virtually every book by Alan Abel, a famous hoaxer who today is a friend of mine. He's a true genius at getting publicity for events. Barnum would have loved him and his humbugs. He's the brain behind the old movement to clothe animals -- a fake organization that the media took seriously for five years. Abel wrote about that event in The Great American Hoax. I so respect Alan Abel that I just hired him to come up with a wild idea to promote the living daylights out of my next book (due out March 7th).

The list of gold goes on: I have many cherished signed books by Neville, the mystic who inspired my website at www.AttractaNewCar.com I even have one extrememely rare book by him, probably his first published work ever, signed, that I paid over $500 to grab on eBay. I later reprinted the book. It's called At Your Command. (Amazon sells it.)

There are also dozens of audio packages here published by Nightingale-Conant, the company that produced my own program, The Power of Outrageous Marketing. www.nightingale.com

But by and large, the great population of things over-filling my office are books.

I love books. Obviously. But that's not why I'm writing this post.

I'm writing this post because it's a way to take a break from the chaos. It's a way to escape.

Oh, I know the chaos is here. It's at my feet, behind my back, whispering to me, calling me back...waiting for me to scream out..."I'm coming, already!"

No wonder I'm spending $166 on a bottle of hard booze.

This chaos is driving me to drink.

It's also driving me to eat.

Nerissa and I went out for dinner last night and I had two bites of cheescake -- my first dessert in a year and a half! I didn't lose 80 pounds by eating desserts!

Breathe, Joe, just b-r-e-a-t-h-e.

A clean office reflects a clean mind.

That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

A clean office reflects a clean mind.

Though I think Einstein had a messy office.

Guess I better get back to cleaning this office, less I get drunk and fat and just keeping writing in this blog, forever delaying what needs to be done.

Joe
www.mrfire.com

How Three Monks Made Me Smile, or, The Power of Chartreuse

Well, my $166 bottle of CHARTREUSE arrived this morning.

I didn't open it, though. I couldn't bring myself to do it. It looked too rare, too special, too luxurious to be opened by myself for no good reason at all.

Fortunately I had also ordered a less expensive bottle of the same thing, just aged less. It's a green Charteuse. (That's it, above.) I opened it and am having it right now. All I can say is this...

I've tasted heaven.

I don't know who the three monks were who discovered this fountain of youth in a bottle, but I hope God blesses them.

This is mellow stuff. And potent. Take one sip and you feel warm all over.

Then the tensions of the day ease away.

The your mind relaxes.

Then you start smiling for no good reason.

I think I'm in love. Nerissa had a sip and is in love, too. Hopefully with me. But we both are very impressed with this new discovery: CHARTREUSE.

I did a little more research and learned the following (from http://www.nycgoth.com/more/chartreuse/):

Chartreuse is an herbal liqueur made by the Carthusian Monks near Grenoble, France. According to the tale, the formula for chartruese was invented by a 16th century alchemist as an attempt to create aqua vitae (the waters of life.)

Aqua vitae was believed to restore youth to the aged, endow animation to the dead, and be a key ingredient in the creation of the philosophers stone. Though this attempt at its creation seems to fall somewhat short of the legendary effects, it was promoted as a heal-all tonic by the descendant of the alchemist, and was bequeathed to the Carthusian Order upon his death.

This formula of 130 herbs has been secret for nearly 400 years. Today, only three brothers of that monastery know how to make chartreuse.

Charteuse is made in three varieties; yellow chartreuse, green chartreuse, and VEP elixir chartreuse. Yellow chartreuse is a pale golden color, extremely sweet, and tastes roughly like plum wine with a touch of honey, or perhaps a delicate version of Benedictine (which is probably related.)

Green chartreuse is fiery; the shade of green actually named for this liquor denotes an intense herbal taste vaguely reminiscent of absinthe. Also like absinthe, it has an extremely high alcohol content. VEP elixir chartreuse, the rarest and most expensive kind, sacrifices a small amount of green's intensity for all of the sweetness of the yellow. Only 100 bottles of VEP elixir are produced each year, and it is the variant closest to the original alchemical formula. It is also, supposedly, the most difficult to create.

Though the precise herbs in chartreuse are not publically known, there is a small quantity of thujone, the active chemical in wormwood. This considered, it is no surprise that the intoxication caused by chartruese is both stronger than it's alcohol content (110 proof) would otherwise indicate, and slightly different because of thujone's psychoactive qualities.

Green chartreuse is particularly loved in the goth scene because of it's efficiency; a very small quantity can maintain a buzz for most of an evening, and a larger quantity can take the sharp edges off of everything.

Yes, it takes the edge off everything. A cat just jumped up here beside my keyboard and I'm smiling. Normally I would ask him to leave. I'm waiting for him to type something here, too.

I'm drinking the "green chartreuse" and loving it. I'm not sure what the copywriting or marketing lesson is here, but heck, this is a blog, so I ought to be able to share whatever I want.

Even this.

Maybe tomorrow I'll open the $166 bottle.

For now, I'm verrrrrrry content with the less expensive green one.

To Your Health,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS - You can get the less expensive green Chartreuse liquor (pictured above) at http://store.yahoo.com/randalls/pa37264.html And no, I do not make a dime from telling you about the site. I'm not selling, I'm sharing.

Why I spent $166 on a bottle of booze

I'm a copywriter. I know the power of words. They can be used to start wars, start romances, and of course to start sales, too. For example...

When Mark Ryan and I were in LA at the little Italian restaurant I wrote about in my last post, I asked the owner if he ever heard of a rare green colored bitter Italian liqueur translated as "101 herbs." My second-generation cousin, a Catholic priest in Corpus Christi, Texas, showed me a bottle of it almost thirty years ago. I never forgot it. I also never saw it again. But whenever I meet a pure old world Italian, I ask about it.

The owner never heard of it. But days later Mark did some online research and found something close to it. He sent me the link. It didn't take much time for me to order the bottle -- even though it cost me $166. Here's the copy that sold me:

"Chartreuse is a unique and extraordinary product rich with history and fascinating lore. This herbal liqueur is produced by monks of the Carthusian order whose magnificent monastery is situated in the French Alps.

In l605 the residents of Chartreux obtained a secret formula to make an "Elixir of Long Life" from plants and flowers growing in the mountains. The formula was gradually perfected and, in 1737, the Elixir, which led to today's Chartreuse, was released to the world.

Only three monks are responsible for the production; each monk knows only part of the formula. Chartreuse is the only liqueur to be aged in oak vats - and the only one to give its name to a color! Chartreuse V.E.P. (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolong) is made using the same secret formula as the traditional liqueur, with the addition of extra long ageing in oak casks until mellowed to an exceptional flavor.

Each bottle is carefully closed with a wax-sealed cork, and the back label is wax stamped with the Chartreuse seal, before shipping in a wooden box marked with a branding iron. The most mellow of the Chartreuse liqueurs. Mild herbal and floral aromatics. Flavors of honey, saffron, sage, licorice, vanilla, citrus rind, anise, cardamon, white pepper, and many more linger on the palate in a smooth finish."

Re-read the above and notice what pops out:

• It involves a secret formula from 1605
• "Elixir of long life" (re: fountain of youth)
• Only three monks know the formula -- and each only knows part of it.
• It's shipped in a wooden box branded with a heated iron

This is the stuff of hypnotic copy. Couple the near excellent writing with my long desire to find the rare and mysterious "101 herbs" bottle and you're on the way to a sale.

But what about the price?

Each bottle cost $166.

Why would I spend so much on a bottle I never heard of before?

I justifed the purchase by telling myself my birthday is December 29th, so why not give it as a gift to myself?

I've said this time and time again for over twenty years but it's worth repeating:

People buy for emotional reasons and justify their purchase with a rationalization.

The rare bottle of booze appealed to my emotions. Getting it for myself as a birthday present was my "logical" reason to spend the money.

But look: It all comes down to copy. Had the copy been lousy or incomplete, I wouldn't have spent $166 for a bottle of booze -- the most I have EVER spent -- and I wouldn't be writing this post to you. The words ignited the desire within me, and my mind did the rest to rationalize the purchase.

If you want more sales, learn how to write hypnotic copy. Get my software at http://www.hypnoticwritingwizard.com/ and/or my definitive guide to learning it all at http://www.hypnoticmarketingstrategy.com/

And to get that expensive, rare, secret Chartreuse liquor (you know, for your birthday), see http://www.internetwines.com/rws23800.html

Happy Thanksgiving!

Joe "Mr. Fire" Vitale
www.mrfire.com
www.HypnoticMarketingInc.com

PS - To help you improve your copywriting skills, you might also check out Randy Gage's "Copywriting Secret Manual" at http://www.TheCopywritingCourse.com

Living Bliss, or, My Awakening at the Hands of a Hawaiian Shaman

I'm back from my trip to LA.

It was bliss.

It was divine.

It was beyond all expectations.

It went from visiting the famous muscle beach area of Venice Beach, to dinner at sunset on the beach in Malibu, to discovering a treasured book at a famous book store in LA, to being wined and dined at an upscale LA restaurant, to the deepest and most stimulating conversations with a dear friend, to the actual experience of meeting the Divine in the ho'oponopono workshop, led by the world's most unusual therapist, who lovingly picked on me throughout the event.

Here are just a few highlights...

My friend Mark Ryan picked me up at the airport, running a DVD camera as I walked up to him, filming every moment of my arrival. Nothing like being put on the spot and being treated like a movie star in LA. I should have shaved first.

When Mark realized I had never explored LA before, he became tour guide and took me to Venice Beach. The ocean waves, the people, the clear sky and cool air, were intoxicating. The quaint shops along the beach were fascinating. But the thing I found most interesting (due to my own fitness transformation) was the muscle beach area. This is where some of the bodybuilding legends used to work out, letting spectators watch and admire their bodies. Mark filmed me at this famous spot. (It'll show up on my video blog down the road.)

From there, it was a two hour drive to get to Calabasas, a beautiful city where the workshop was held. It turned out to be convenient as we could leave it and get to Sunset Blvd or Rodeo Drive or Malibu or Pepperdine University or anywhere else we wanted in a short amount of time. The LA traffic was always slow, but it never bothered me. I wasn't driving (being chauffeured is truly wonderful) and during the rides Mark and I had the deepest of conversations, about life, success, the workshop and more.

The only thing I really wanted to see in the LA area was the legendary Bodhi Tree Book Store. It's a giant spiritually oriented store, with one building for new books and another for old ones. We went there Saturday night. I enjoyed it because I love books. But I never expected to find a real gem of a book there, let alone a fascinating author I had never heard of before.

We were wandering the store when a book seemed to leap off the shelf. It's called Think: The First Principle of Business Ethics. It's a collection of lectures by Walter Russell. Now get this: The lectures were given in the 1930s to the employees of IBM. And the lectures were on how to use your mind for success, how to listen to the universe and then take action, how to create your own reality with your thoughts, etc. Whew. This was a mystic teaching sales people how to become whole. He even told them that it was more important to forget money and just serve, than to focus on profit. The book shows IBM began from spiritual roots. I still can't believe I missed that book or that author until now.

Mark knew about Walter Russell and said he was a modern day Da Vinci or Michelangelo. Russell excelled in numerous arts, from painting to sculpture to philosophy to science to writing and speaking. And he taught sales people how to improve themselves in order to profit. And he taught this in the 1930s, the Great Depression years here in America. He was an early practictioner of The Attractor Factor. Amazing.

After the bookstore (which alone was a memorable experience), Mark called a friend of his, a woman who owns the most famous dry cleaning service in LA. (Imagine how good it must be to have that distinction in LA.) She serves the rich and famous. Well, she made some calls and got us into a charming but busy little Italian restaurant in Sherman Oaks called Tiramisu. The owner treated us like royalty. Even though Mark was in cut off jeans and I was dressed causally, the owner said, "This is Southern California. You wear whatever you like."

That owner, Peter Kastelan, was a delight. His service was stunning. I told him about being in Rome, Italy and how the nuns there pampered Nerissa and I and even gave us home made wine and homemade grappa (potent alcohol made from the leaves of grape vines). He went behind the counter of the bar and pulled out a bottle of clear alcohol. "My father made this grappa in Italy," and he poured us a glass. He refilled our cups, too. My world was spinning by the time I got back to my hotel. But oh, was I happy.

After reading my previous post (The World's Most Unusual Therapist), you probably want to know about the therapist, Dr. Len, and the actual event I attended. Well, I'm forbidden to share the details of the workshop. I'm serious. I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement. All I can tell you is this: It is about taking full resposibility for your life.

I know you've heard that before. So have I. But you've never taken it to the all encompassing extent taught in the workshop. Complete responsibility means accepting it all -- even the people who enter your life and their problems. Because their problems are your problems. They are in your life, and if you take full resonsibilty for your life, then you have to take full responsibility for what they are experiencing, too. (Re-read that. I dare you.)

This is a head warping, mind opening, brain cramping concept. To live it is to transform your life as never before. But to even grasp the idea of 100% responsibility is beyond what most of us are ready to do, let alone accept.

But once you accept it, the next question is how to transform yourself so the rest of the world changes, too.

The only sure way is with "I love you". That's the code that unlocks the healing. But you use it on you, not on others. Their problem is your problem, remember, so working on them won't help you. They don't need healing; you do. You have to heal you. You are the source of all the experiences.

That's the essence of the modernized ho'oponopono process.

Go ahead and chew on that for a while.

While you are doing so, I will just keep saying I love you.

Don't get it? I understand. That's why there are workshops to help ingrain this universal truth into us. And that's why so many people keep repeating the workshop, especially the one led by Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len.

Dr. Len (that's him on the right above) is a lovable, grandfatherly, modern day Hawaiian shaman dressed in dockers and sneakers. His teaching method is intuitive and Socratic. He called on me so many times during the three day event that others thought we were old friends. Some felt he was "picking on" me, mainly because he often asked questions I could not answer. But neither could anyone else. So I never felt picked on, and always liked the attention. Dr. Len told everyone to read my book, The Attractor Factor, saying he loved the concept of letting go (the fifth step) in it.

After the event, I asked Dr. Len if I could help him write a book or something about his experiences in that mental hospital for the criminally insane. (See my earlier post.) He agreed, and I'm excited to be following up on that later. That story just has to be told. Imagine: Healing mentally ill criminals by healing yourself.

I could go on and on about the weekend. Everywhere we went we met happy people. I still remember the server at Duke's in Malibu, who radiated happiness. She admitted she was in bliss...and she confessed she had no good reason for it. She was just plain happy.

She understood the secret of the universe.

And to think we were finding this bliss in LA, which is no small Mayberry.

Gee, do you think Mark and I simply attracted all this good stuff?

Finally, here's a funny story to end this post:

At one point a fellow student in the class walked up to me and said, "Did you know you have the same last name as a famous speaker?"

"I do?" I asked, surprised. I thought I would have heard of him. "What does he speak on?"

"He talks about Internet marketing."

"That's me," I said.

The guy was slightly embarrassed and said, "I have all of your stuff and love it. I just didn't recognize you."

Mark piped up and said,"He's lost 80 pounds. He's a new man."

And that I am. Both on the inside and on the outside.

All in all, my trip to LA was heavenly.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

I'm sure you have something to be grateful for.

I do.

In Love,

Joe

PS - Here are some resources for your pleasure:

Walter Russell http://www.philosophy.org/
Italian cafe in LA www.il-tiramisu.com
Bodhi Tree Bookstore http://www.bodhitree.com/
Ho'oponopono http://www.hooponopono.org/
Mark Ryan http://markjryan.com
Dr. Len www.businessbyyou.com
My video blog www.drjoevitale.blogspot.com
Joe Vitale main site www.mrfire.com

The World's Most Unusual Therapist

Two years ago I heard about a therapist in Hawaii who healed people but never saw them.

He worked in a mental hospital for criminals. Patients there were sedated and often even shackled. Staff called in sick a lot because they hated their job, the patients, and the environment.

But this therapist turned all that around. He did it solely by working on himself, doing an updated ancient Hawaiian healing method called ho'oponopono.

It took me two years to accept this story. I was fascinated but thought it was an urban myth. After all, how could a therapist cure anyone by working on himself and not even seeing the actual patients? It didn't make any sense.

I heard about this therapist again this past summer. The story began to bug me so I began to research it. It seemed to take forever to find the man, but I did. I emailed him, asked if I could interview him, and he agreed.

We spoke on the phone for an hour. He's now elderly, lives in California and Hawaii, and teaches people how to do this updated old healing method in private seminars.

He told me that he worked at that mental hospital for two years. He said it's true that he never saw a client. What he would do was look at the patient's file and then look within himself, trying to clear what was in him that created the patient and his condition.

Huh?

The therapist said everything in your life is created from within you. When you change you, the outer world changes.

I've heard this before, of course. I've even written about this in my book, The Attractor Factor. But this unusual therapist was taking the idea of total responsibility into unknown territory. He was claiming that he could heal people --- even mentally ill criminals --- by healing himself.

He went on to tell me that in a few months of doing his inner work at that hospital, patients began to improve. Many that needed sedated no longer needed sedated. Many that were in chains could be freed. And many that had been in the mental hospital for seven years, were actually being released. Even the staff started to get better, beginning to love their job and joyfully showing up to work every day. In fact, so many patients got better, that the hospital closed.

Incredible. Simply incredible.

I wanted to know more. I kept probing to find out how this therapist actually heals himself to heal others. What was he doing inside himself, anyway?

"I just keep cleaning," is all he could say.

Well, I'm leaving today to go see this therapist. I'm catching a plane to LA in just a few hours. I'm attending his seminar. I'll do my best to report what happens at his workshop when I get back next week.

For now, check out this unusual therapist, named Ihaleakala Hew Len, and the updated ho'oponopono process at http://www.hooponopono.org

If nothing else, be sure to read the mind-expanding article at http://www.hooponopono.org/Articles/self_i-dentity.html

Towards the Light,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

The Formula, or, What kind of sites actually sell today, anyway?

A few people have looked at my homemade wine making site at www.dadshomemadewine.com and complimented me on the short, sweet, folksy style of it. While that is flattering, the fact remains that the site doesn't actually sell. Oh, there's a product for sale on the site. But few buy it. Alas. The site is a bomb.

So what types of sites do sell today?

Is there a formula for sites that sell?

Though no one outside of real world marketing likes to hear it, the sites that sell are typically hard hitting, benefit rich, long copy packed, reader focused and easy to read. But no one notices the ease of reading because they are too busy actually buying the product they just read about.

If you want to create a website that sells, don't model my homemade wine site. I was lazy when I wrote it. Instead, model something like the Pelman site that Pat O'Bryan and I have up at http://www.pelmanismonline.com/ That site sells more than anything either Pat or I ever expected or predicted. It still sells. Why? Study the site and see. And then compare it to www.dadshomemadewine.com

I just had http://www.moneybeyondbelief.com/ rewritten because the original copy for it sucked. So it's not un-common to have to rewrite sites so they actually make sales. We all have to do it. Even me.

But what about an actual formula for money-making websites?

Is there one?

Yes, there is a new trend in creating sites that sell that you need to know about. I'm probably nuts to share this with you for free, but here goes.

Here's the exact formula:

Step #1. Today it's wise to first have a squeeze page where people get teased about your product. You are essentially "squeezing" contact info out of visitors. They can't get more info unless they part with their email address. This site can be short, sweet and even folksy. The idea is to collect email addresses so you can follow up with people later if they don't buy today.

Step #2. After they give you their email address, they are taken to the actual website, which more often than not will be long copy, benefit rich, and structured to make the sale. This is typically where old school online marketing began. What you are doing now is assuring a follow-up. If people see the site and still don't buy, there's always...

Step #3. Because you now have their email address, which they voluntarily gave to you, you can send follow-up sales pitches (usually by autoresponder) to these visitors until they either buy, die, or unsubscribe. Believe it or not, up to a whopping 70% of these people will end up buying later if your product, offer and copy are right.

Pat and I are using this new formula right now at http://www.milagroresearchinstitute.com/mmm01.htm

Go take a look to see how this new 3-step strategy works.

I've just given you a proven formula for making websites that make money. I ought to charge for this, but here I am, giving it away. I just hope you use it. At least test it.

To Your Success,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

About Kevin Hogan's upcoming "Influence Boot Camp"

The following is from my friend and mentor, Kevin Hogan. He's the master of persuasion. I suggest you attend his event. Details are from him below. - joe

Influence Boot Camp, February 16-19 at Bally's/Paris Las Vegas

Three nights at the luxurious Bally's/Paris Resort in Las Vegas are included in the Influence in Selling event of the year!

Boot Camp Registration
or
https://plus33.safe-order.net/kevinhogan/securedinfluencevitale.htm

Personal Sales and Business Growth You Wouldn't Have Thought Possible

Should you be at Influence: Boot Camp this Year?

Maybe...

I was sick of selling "10%."

It was 1984.

"It's a numbers game, Kevin."

Heard it all the time.

Hated it.

It was a mantra of how meaningless I was as a "salesperson." Do it by the script and it's a number game...

I certainly was a "numbers person."

But I could never look at anyone as a "percentage."

It meant I had to have 8-11 appointments per day to make a sale. It was always a long day. Driving from business to business for 10-15 minute appointments in the hopes of selling an ad. Day after day for three years...wishing I didn't have to look at the guy sitting opposite of me as a number.

I said the same thing every time.

...and sure enough my boss was right. 10% of the business owners would buy an ad. Some days that meant I made two or three sales but other days I could go on 10 appointments and sell nothing. The day might as well have not been on the calendar. Go home wiped out with nothing to show for it except a bad mood.

Then I began learning about Influence and Persuasion, and how the strategies and principles of persuasion applied to selling. I spent countless hours studying nonverbal communication, proxemics, social psychology, NLP, hypnosis, interpersonal communication, neuroscience, cognitive psych, evolutionary psychology, genetics, philosophy and advertising.

What's the difference between selling 10% and 16%?

Instead of selling 10%+/- of my prospects, I honed my skills to sell 14%, 15% and sometimes 16% of the people I had appointments with. Still a numbers game...but the numbers meant I made a lot more money.... I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but the difference between selling 10% and 16% was about $200 each week. In those days an extra $200 a week was huge.


What it means was my income eventually went up by 40% in one year, or about $10,000. It would have gone up even more but I had just gotten married and it was a good idea to be home during some waking hours....

Learning made the difference.

But learning wasn't cheap. I invested tens of thousands of dollars and sifted through a lot of meaningless junk to find the gems. But I did find the gems...and as the years would go on, I'd find a LOT of gems.

As my career evolved and moved from ad sales to writing presentations for nonprofit groups and eventually becoming the director of a nonprofit drug prevention organization, I learned a lot more. What really motivates people...what causes people to give or not give. To buy or not buy. To say "yes" or "no."

As I learned more and more there became a demand from businesses for all of this knowledge I was synthesizing. Soon a speaking career I had dreamed of was under way. Same results. About 16%, maybe 17%.... of people I communicated with said, "yes" to Kevin Hogan. (And yes, being a math geek...I kept ridiculously detailed statistical records of my appointments.)

But $140 per day was only about $35,000 per year. Not much to support a family on... even in the late 80's.

But it sure beat leaving in poverty as I had 22 of the preceding 27 years.

Then came the 90's. You should know that I was a stay at home Dad for two years or so, in the early 90's. You know, "Mr. Mom." (Yes, it would make a much better movie.) My wife and I both worked as well. She was a stay at home Mom too, just the opposite hours that I was a Mom...and she was a much better Mom than I was....

It was ridiculous. I worked 50 hours per week. So did she. Then we parented the hours we weren't "working."

But now, the checks were no longer $100 per sale but more...a lot more...

I wrote a book that would one day be an international best seller in this period. "The Psychology of Persuasion." It took two years and wouldn't be published for four more...but in learning more about selling and marketing myself, I really started digging in.

I learned everything I could about influence and persuasion and how to apply the concepts and factors that influence to my day to day businesses. (From this point on, I always had at least two businesses. One was writing and public speaking, the other was therapy...yes I was a therapist for a long time...private practice.)

And then the geometric rise began. It wasn't 14% or 16% any more. Of the people I'd meet with face to face sales would go up to 19% and sometimes as much as 22% of people I'd talk to. I had begun.

Is 22% only a little more than twice as much as 10%???

These tiny selling percentages...going from 10% to 22% seem so small when you read them in print but with higher dollar sales being made, doubling the number of sales in life really meant that income was multiplying 6 and 7 times....

The more I discovered about influence, the more research I personally did, the more research I culled from every scientific journal on the planet, the more applications I was able to make to sales and marketing and pretty soon about 1/3 of the people I was seeing for any reason...were saying "yes."

Now this wasn't all influence and persuasion techniques. Some of this increase was attributable to reputation and word of mouth. But the numbers were up...way up.

Then as the late 90's rolled in, about 45% of everyone I met face to face, said "yes." In the early 2000's it became over 50%.

Now that all sounds something right next to impossible....and yet internalizing the skills of influence and persuasion made all the difference in the world.

It was THE difference.

Applying influence and persuasion techniques and strategies in selling and every area of my life... changed my life.

And there was an OCEAN of material about influence that was only being skimmed. I subscribed to everything. I read everything. I applied everything. MOST of the stuff didn't work in the real world. BUT when it did sales would grow at unreasonably large rates. Revenues continued to increase and increase and exponentially.

Can You Really Sell Almost Everyone You Talk To?
A Boot Camp participant asked me last year, "I sell insurance. What percentage of people do you think I could realistically sell?" I almost blurted out 80% but that would simply SOUND to ridiculous. Instead I asked, "Are you currently selling 10% of the people you see?"

"Yes, about that, why?"

(No one ever knows anymore...math geeks must do computer work nowadays!)


"Would you like to double it...or more?"

She gave one of those suspicious looks and had the person not known me and my reputation.... my sense was going to walk away.

No one can put their arms around doubling their income in a year. It's just about impossible to make that picture in your mind.

The fact is doubling income is easy when you can apply influence and persuasion to the sales process.

It means you are going to sell 15% at a VERY slightly larger sale instead of 10%. And I wasn't being all that genuine because this person was capable of selling half the people she was seeing...half or more.

The answer turned out to be 100% in office appointments closed. (Yeah, 100%.) less in the field. Her sales skyrocketed.

And that is not a unique story. If it were, I wouldn't be writing this. it was the norm. (Not that most people who went through our 4 day boot camp closed 100% because they would NOT, but that sales and marketing brought in revenue increases that were so big it would sound ridiculous to tell you.

One quiet guy at the back row of Influence: Boot Camp last year was from Anthony Robbins and Associates. I was flattered. They were taking us seriously.

One woman came up after the first day and said, "You aren't teaching any NLP. I thought..."

And I cut her off. I don't teach NLP. Nothing like it. Plenty of people teach NLP. I told her there was nothing like NLP coming for the rest of Boot Camp....would she like to stay?

She looked a bit shocked and said something like, "Well...yeah...I guess."

It was pretty much a non-decision. She did a great job that day and was really getting "it." She stayed and toward Thanksgiving last year reported what I considered a significant increase in her real estate sales. She said she'd be back next year. That's the other thing I wanted to hear...

And Influence: Boot Camp is something I look forward to. Yes, it is gratifying to go to a big company and show them how to make millions of dollars. (And please all of you CEO's and meeting planners take note of that fact!) BUT, there is something very special and unique about sales people. People who are professionals. People who run their own thing. It's 100% up to themselves as to whether they win or lose. They can get rich or go broke and it has nothing to do with a product line that a company has given them to sell.

It's all about your skill. My skill. Getting better. Better. Best. Being the Best.

And it's all in utilizing influence and persuasion in Selling and Marketing.

I alluded to the dense nature of literature that can lead a person to put together working models of persuasion for selling. Part of my fun is taking all of that complex stuff and making it easy. So, I put together what I think is the best program to get the job done. The lengthy testimonials all speak for themselves.

Here's what it all boils down to. Should YOU be at Influence: Boot Camp?

If you want to learn specific ways to sell most of the people you meet with, whether an entrepreneur or CEO of 3M, then you should come. If you need to hear "yes," come.

One of the best part of Influence: Boot Camp this year is that unlike other years, I'm up front the whole day.

And I'm going to show you how to make a LOT more sales by seeing fewer people with NO extra work and in fact will reduce the total time it takes you to communicate your message so much it will probably scare you.

And...we have fun. Maybe I can have you for dinner with a small group or invite you to my suite at the end of the night for drinks. But one thing is for sure, when you leave Las Vegas, you will have sat down and talked with me unless YOU made it impossible to do so.

I've spent a lot of money seeing people and never even getting a hello. That always bugged me. You will say more than "hello" to me. I want to know you and be important in pulling a few strings for you in career.
In fact everything about Influence: Boot Camp is about what I want in a training. Lots of content. Lots of applications. Lots of certainty. Lots of new material. Meeting the people who can turn keys for you in life.

Last year I invited the inventor of Microsoft Word, my friend Richard Brodie to stop by at his convenience and say hello. (He was in the World Series of Poker Tournament). Well, he did more than that. He stayed and answered questions and met people. That's the kind of thing that makes Influence: Boot Camp unique. How'd you like to pick that brain for a half hour? If you were at Boot Camp you did....

You come to Influence: Boot Camp and it's like getting toys in a Cracker Jack Box. You always leaving thinking, WOW!

The other thing I do in a training is make sure that EVERYTHING is usable and applicable when you get home. I make sure that EVERY person leaves with at least one specific key that will make them in great excess of $10,000.

You'll be part of a BusinessStorm for Success

Each day I show you how to BusinessStorm for Success. That means I show you a process where you will have a HUGE idea that is EASY to implement the day you get home. It will make you a lot of money. All you have to do is turn the key. (And you do have to turn the key to open the door.) EVERYONE gets this gift....and...I teach you HOW to BusinessStorm so you will be able to develop powerhouse ideas that often bring in as much money in a day as you made last year.

You might want to read that again.

In just 4 days at Influence: Boot Camp, I can show almost anyone how to drive their sales up to numbers previously thought out of reach.

I'm going to do the same for you.

The agenda for the 4 days is full. It's now finalized with the exception of a few pieces of sales research being worked on right now.

And then I got an idea....

I made Boot Camp better.

Individuals and companies pay me anywhere from ...$500 - $5000 per hour to consult with me on the phone...depending on the content and complexity.... That's what you pay to talk with me about building your business, making sales and increasing revenues....using influence and persuasion.

When you attend Influence: Boot Camp next year, you can have TWO hours (NOT 2 thirty minute sessions but TWO HOURS) of one on one coaching or consulting on the phone, at NO COST TO YOU, in the spring of 2006. Just you and me.

Total value at $1,000 and possibly more.

You will receive a certificate with your MegaManual on Thursday, that you can redeem any time in the spring, preferably immediately after Influence: Boot Camp. (Note this offer is good from November 14-20 ONLY and is not transferable. This offer is limited to 14 people.

In addition...I decided that I really wanted to come up with something else that would be special... that is really special this year for Influence: Boot Camp. Something that most people would consider an indulgence. I mean, it IS Las Vegas...There's a lot to indulge in, but that's all during down time.

I wanted to send you home knowing that when you are looking for EXACT and PRECISE applications of everything you learn in Boot Camp or anywhere else...that you can do it, do it quickly and with profitable *results.*

So I thought...when I go to a seminar or a training, I want to fill a note book full of notes so I can be sure I got my monies worth and I want to come out with applications to make it all profitable. I can't tell you how many times I wish I could have had even 30 minutes with the guy at the front, "so is this the best way to use these strategies?"

This is the perfect experience for you *and* your employees because you can debrief over dinner what we did in Boot Camp. You can begin implementation into sales, marketing and management immediately.

Influence: Boot Camp has NO stupid exercises where you get up and rub your neighbors shoulders, picture things in your mind with your eyes closed or shout mantras to the gods. (I don't think I could ever handle that again....)

Influence: Boot Camp is all about profit and it is about having a great experience. It's run EXACTLY how I wanted every training that I have ever been to...to run. High content in a relaxed atmosphere where you can meet all the right people. The standard is high. And from 8:45-5 we are all business. And for the airplane ride home?

Three bonus hours on DVD!

You and your people are in for a NO B.S., high content, download of sales, marketing and communication information that is from the latest and best in the field of influence in persuasion. Some of this material is so new that no one has it...yet. Some of it is so good and has been so well tested that you need to make a phone call home and make some changes to the website, your business cards and even presentation folders.

By the way, if you can NOT handle making changes in your business to be more profitable, save your money. I'm going to show you how to write copy that sells. I'm going to go through sales presentations for various businesses that are represented in the audience. You will start to understand the latest and the most effective sales and marketing strategies that will cost you very little and will cause you to make a LOT of money.

The last two Influence: Boot Camps were incredible experiences. I went back through every second of video and found out what the participants needed the most. What brought the most questions. What was the most fascinating, helpful, valuable, exciting, profitable AND one of those things was adding ONE powerful SPECIFIC sales or marketing strategy to a business or the person's personal income that WOULD work and would be implemented upon returning home. All of this was done LIVE while participants took notes at light speed.... and the PROCESS alone is worth the price of Influence: Boot Camp. And unlike others...I'm not trademarking it....ever. I want people who attend to bring this back home and implement it over and over...

So how could I make Influence: Boot Camp even better?

I added three bonus hours of this years Influence: Boot Camp 2006 on DVD so you can watch it on the plane or as soon as you get home. AND at the end of the third DVD there is a little gift for you! (Not telling...) This way you can get to the airport at lunch time, be home by evening and back in the office Monday ready to rock with at least SOME of what you learned. (Sorry, it will be impossible to implement everything day one!)

And I will answer every question you have about that material when you email me at my personal "top level clients email address".... the following week. Better than good??!!!!!
(Thanks. This is another one of those things I always wanted someone else to do for me!)

Details?

Bally's/Paris Hotel in Las VegasFebruary 16-19, 2006One Time Only in 2006! Tuition low as $1797Want Monthly Installments? OK.
See Registration Page

Boot Camp Registration
or
https://plus33.safe-order.net/kevinhogan/securedinfluencevitale.htm

Early bird registration discounts apply. Register early for deep discounts, special bonuses and a spot at lunch Friday with Kevin Hogan!!!
Your Schedule:Thursday, February 16 - 8:45am - 5:00pmFriday, February 17 - 8:45am - 5:00pmSaturday, February 18 - 8:45am - 5:00pmSunday, February 19 - 8:45am - 1:00pm *(plus 3 bonus Boot Camp hours on DVD!)
To register: Influence Las Vegas Registration Or call: 612-616-0732
Reserve Your Spot Today!
Influence: Boot Camp - Las Vegas in February!
The latest in persuasion.
The best in skyrocketing sales with NOW influence.
Boot Camp shows you how to bring in revenue fast.
The ultimate opportunity for anyone wanting to bring in more revenue, close a much higher percentage of sales, and put you in charge of any situation you find yourself in.
And nothing...is more exciting than Influence: Boot Camp...Las Vegas Style.
The luxurious Bally's/Paris is home to Influence: Boot Camp 2006. The most enticing venue ever!
Before getting to what we're going to DO at Influence: Boot Camp, I want to tell you a bit about the resort and what you will experience. Bally's/Paris is a two hotel resort that appears to be two separate hotels on the outside...and to some extent that is correct. They are connected in the middle of the resorts by a passage of beautiful shops with all kinds of cool things to bring your loved one's who didn't make the trip. People who stay at Bally's "or" Paris have a unique opportunity to experience the best of everything, and these two resorts DO have everything.
Each hotel boasts wonderful inexpensive cafe's and elegant dining. The Jubilee! is one of the best shows in Vegas. I saw it 20 years ago and I saw it last year. Incredible singers, amazing sets, the most beautiful dancers. It's a treat that all must consider when staying here!
Whether you choose to have a room mate (Bally's has the biggest standard rooms in Las Vegas) during your stay, enjoy a suite or stay at one of the nearby non-resort (very nice and less expensive!) hotels, this is the ultimate experience. (And if you would like a roommate, let us know when you register. We'll probably be able to work it out!)
But today I want to highlight just a few of the modules we're going to go master during each of the days. Please remember that almost everything you do here will be new. The "greatest hits" will be part of the set list but the focus is on new, what's proven to work best and the FOCUS is on YOU.
To Whet Your Appetite:
Decoding Body Language in Selling- What the woman sees and feels... Most work out there about body language and using body language to persuade women is written by men. At Influence Boot Camp, our special mystery guest speaker will detail just how to interpret a woman's body language, from context to context...and then...know how to respond. Because of the unique perspective of this material, you will be the only people to acquire this information until the release of Boot Camp on video later in 2006.
Building The Perception of Authority...for Greater Sales - Influencing with authority is one thing. Anyone can do that. Influencing without authority is quite another. Influencing those who don't have to listen to you...don't have to pay attention to you...don't have to respect you...or even consider your opinion...that's what you're going to find out about here. Exciting, innovative and once again you are first to get this!
Understanding and Using The Context...Secret Techniques you've never taught before for promoting and selling your products and services..... Just how does the space around you influence each person in the setting? The context? When in an unfavorable setting, like the lunch room of a Pepsi plant, how do you quickly make minor changes to manipulate the setting and create a favorable outcome? More incredible? What if you can't change the location or setting in any way? You're going to discover how to create the perception of a different setting. This amazing material is new and has not appeared anywhere prior to this Boot Camp! Bonus: You're going to find out just what locations and settings are most likely to cause the other person to say, "yes..." for virtually every context.
Priming for Increased Revenue - What's a popular soft drink? Exactly, Pepsi. You were primed in the "environment" section of this promotional piece. Almost 94% of people will respond Pepsi. That prime is priceless in all communication and I'm going to show you how to covertly prime outcomes in any context or setting. This incredible information has NEVER been released by anyone, anywhere. Knowing what priming is, is one thing, making it profitable and effective is far more important than simple knowledge.
That's a foretaste. Want to know a few of the other modules that are coming?
Proven methods of making influence drive up your sales.
Flagging...How the price *you* say becomes the right price.
Choice. Causing the "right choice."
Overcoming Resistance
Making Attraction Work Now!
Influencing those who reject you or have rejected you.
Pricing that works. The answer everyone wants to know for any product or service.
Real Hypnotic Language, Covert Hypnosis, Linkages, Phrasing
Building Loyalty
Captivating Copy: Learning How to WRITE copy...for maximum profit.
Getting onto Their Landscape
Credibility
Central and Peripheral Persuasion
Advanced Techniques of Covert Story Telling
Revenge, Justice and Punishment Each module contains fresh applications and up to date research that is changing the face of persuasion and influence.
Four Days to Evolve Into a Master Persuader!
Entrepreneur? Salesperson? Professional Person? Therapist? Trainer? Manager?
Influence: Boot Camp is going to teach you the most advanced techniques of influence and persuasion. You are going to learn to utilize the techniques and strategies of gaining compliance to change the perception and behavior of others in a completely unconscious way.
Let's quickly highlight a few things that you are going to learn:
11 NEW specific non-verbal communication techniques for opening and closing.
How to stand and sit with people so they like you and believe your message.
The latest in how genes influence people's behavior and what to do about it!
The process of covert conditioning.
The 22 words that change people's minds verbally and in print MOST.
Discover WHICH of the 16 core desires is running the brain of every person you meet.
How to utilize distraction and confusion when necessary.
How suggestion can change visual recall and increase sales.
Not one but TWO complete models for gaining compliance FAST!
Make minor adjustments in your physical appearance to turn "No," to Yes!"
How to tell a story so that the story delivers the message you want sent! You are going to learn and be able to walk away with everything you've ever wanted to know about persuasion techniques, gaining compliance, making the sale, getting the date, and generating the answer "Yes!" out of the mouths of everyone you meet.
You already know my book, The Psychology of Persuasion, is the number two best selling book about persuasion of ALL TIME. (Be patient...the other guy had a 13 year head start...) Now I'm taking you on a fun and exciting four-day event that will give you absolute certainty and confidence in every situation you meet up with.
The material in this boot camp is fresh, exciting, effective and NEW! If you've been in the training room with me, you haven't heard this material. This is the first time almost all of it has ever been offered to you!
Influence: Boot Camp is $1,995, but if you pre-register, BEFORE NOVEMBER 18, you can attend for only $1,797. And you don't have to pay it all today! See the registration form for details on how.
There are no comps, passes or further discounted admissions.
I don't like hype. I'm intentionally toning this promotional piece down because I am so excited about this event! I want to remind you of a couple of things, then move directly to what makes the Influence: Boot Camp "live" event special and how it can benefit you.
Yes, I’ll talk for five minutes about pacing and leading, 10 about reciprocity and expectancy, maybe 15 minutes about building rapport. Yes, there are advances in the "basics" as well as more advanced technqiues.
But there isn’t much time for reviewing the “old stuff.” Instead, you are going to learn, the Delta Sales Model, discover the incredible power of anticipated regret, the presentation order of information for optimum compliance, the alpha and omega strategies and material that no one out there is teaching because they simply don’t know about it.
You can attend this special four-day event with me in Las Vegas. It's literally going to change your life in ways you can only imagine.
You are going to walk out of there with a sense of personal mastery.
Your salespeople will always know what to do "next."
You will be able to hear "yes" almost any time you choose to.
You will build your business, increase your sales, learn to motivate yourself and others and gain compliance in virtually every situation in life. As always the room will be fast-paced, dynamic and fun. As always, you will walk away with more tools than any tool belt can hold. This information download gives you some of the most amazing new strategies and techniques you will ever learn in the field of influence.
You could be the head of marketing at 3M or an entrepreneur. You might want to dramatically increase your sales. Here: You want to get them to say. This is YOUR 4 days!
No hyperbole: 20-30% is most likely...and maybe a lot more as we've experienced with some financial sales products and real estate people in the past.... or simply get everyone you meet to say "yes" to you. No matter who you are or what your motivation for participating in this event, I guarantee, you will be thrilled with everything you get.
When you read the next "learn list" below, realize that no one aside from me has ever taught this information to you. You've probably seen similar lists from people who teach old school persuasion or influence. Forget it. This is 2006. This is new. This is thoroughly researched and no one has it for you except for me.
Here is just a little more of what you are going to learn:
How to utilize metaphor to link into people's brains and change their mind maps.
The complete Covert Model and how to apply it. (No one has ever taught this before!)
Alpha, Omega and Delta Strategies in influence.
Applications for anticipated regret that reduce resistance and reactance.
What the balance between pain and reward needs to be in every situation.
How to reach the part of them that makes decisions, but doesn't talk, ever.
How to weigh their conscious vs. unconscious responses to gain compliance.
How to know exactly when to ASK for the answer you need.
Discovering the Dominant Value
Use Strategic Framing NON-NLP style.
Master the First 30 Seconds
Utilize their Brain's Perception and Projection to Change their Mind! The workshop comes with a complete 300 page copyright protected official Influence: Boot Camp Master Guide that is the most user friendly manual for persuasion and influence you will ever possess. You can actually USE this formula based manual forever. Use it to prepare for every client, every date, every important meeting and communication you ever have.
Special Bonus #1: This event will be taped and the tapes will not be sold to the public for less than $1595 in 2006 or 2007. You will receive a free copy of the set so you can visit and revisit EVERYTHING you learned during the event! You don't have to rely on your memory to remember anything. It will all be on tape for you to listen to over and over again!
Special Bonus #2: Upon completion of this event you will receive a Train-the-Trainer Specialty Certification as well as a Certificate for Sales Mastery.
Special Bonus #3: You will receive two coded certificates for 50% off your choice of programs in the store that you can use any time in 2006...!!! (one coupon per item, not to be combined with any other offer.)
BEST BONUS #! Two free hours of coaching and consulting with Kevin Hogan about whatever YOU choose! Value $1000 and often much more. This is one bonus that will be the key that opens many new and profitable doors!
No comps will be given to this event. None.
Guarantee: If for any reason you are not satisfied by lunch on Thursday, turn in your official Influence: Boot Camp Master Guide and Bonus Materials for a full refund (less registration and hotel fees).
Notice: All participants will sign a one year non-disclosure form that prohibits anyone from training any individual or group with this information outside of your own company. This information is for your personal use ONLY.
Tuition: $1997
Pre-register and your tuition is $1,797. (See registration form for details.) Remember your room has already been reserved for Thursday, Friday and Saturday!
Boot Camp Registration
or
https://plus33.safe-order.net/kevinhogan/securedinfluencevitale.htm

Here's a website to model, or, Why I buy chocolate but don't eat it

I've discovered the most fascinating website.

It's a joy to shop at. Their sales copy is hypnotic. Their product is heavenly. And their service is unforgettable. I'm talking about www.zchocolat.com out of France.

I first bought their product as a surprise gift for Nerissa. I did a search for chocolate and their site came up. I loved how easy the site was to navigate. Too many sites are confusing. You get there and wonder, "What do I do next?" or "Where's the product I want?" or "How do I order, anyway?"

Not with zchocolat. Their site is a breeze. Intuitive and easy. I instantly ordered a wooden box full of homemade gourmet chocolate.

After I ordered, the company in France emailed me a confirmation. Confirmation emails are not unusual.

But zchocolat didn't stop there.

They emailed me when the order shipped.

Then when it cleared customs.

Then when it was out for delivery.

And then when it was actually delivered and signed for by Nerissa.

I can still remember looking down at my Blackberry 7290 and seeing an email from zchocolat just moments after Nerissa received the package. This is unforgettable service.

But the company has their marketing down, as well.

About two weeks after Nerissa received her chocolate, zchocolat sent me an email suggesting I reorder, since the candy was by now gone. They included a link, which took me directly to an already completed order form. All I had to do was hit click.

And I did.

If you want to model a site, do it with www.zchocolat.com Everything they do seems right on target to me.

I just today received a printed snail mail catalog from the company (which prompted me to write this post). In it they mention being picked by Forbes as a "Forbes Favorite" and also declared "Best of the Web."

I'm not surprised.

I just wish I could eat their product.

After losing 80 pounds, I don't want to step off my fitness path with candy, even if it is probably the most luxurious, heavenly and best tasting on the entire planet.

But oh, am I ever tempted.

Joe

How do you manifest correctly?

Someone just wrote me an interesting question...

I've just finished reading The Attractor Factor, and enjoyed its easy style and simple instructions for manifesting your desires. Having read your five step process, I then got confused by the inclusion of the intentional meditation. My confusion is this:

There's a contradiction between deciding, picturing and letting go, versus, stating what you want and picturing it repeatedly. Which is right? Are they both right, in different ways?

I've browsed through some articles on your website www.mrfire.com and found this quote from Joe Sugarman - "You don't want to dwell on what you've just let go or keep visualizing it or even keep thinking about it. Why?... because it interferes with the perfection of the Universe to manifest exactly what you want to accomplish".

Other writers have said the same thing, as I'm sure you know repeatedly asking for something just reinforces the lack of it. Yet, self-hypnosis techniques emphasize the repeated visualization of a desired goal.

Now, you are both a hypnotherapist and an adept manifestor. May I ask what you do, what works for you? And any other thoughts you might have on the matter?

With best regards, and sincere appreciation of what you are doing for people.

Good question.

What's the answer?

As I explain in the book, The Attractor Factor, you can have whatever you want as long as you don't want it.

Huh?

What that means is this: You can have whatever you want as long as you don't need it.

The idea is to be non-attached to it. If you need something to manifest, you are actually sending out an energy of desperation. Well, desperation just leads to more desperation. Need just leads to more need.

You want to be in the spirit of letting go -- which is the fifth step in The Attractor Factor process. You can visualize and focus and repeatedly say you want something, and the process will work as long as you are detached from the outcome of it.

This is an advanced concept in the art of manifestation, so don't let it make you too dizzy.

If you want to explore all of this in depth, consider getting the four-week course described at www.AttractANewCar.com

Be happy,

Joe

How to Attract Abundance

Carol Look is an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practictioner who interviewed me on her radio show yesterday about how to attract abundance.

We covered the five steps in my book The Attractor Factor and had a fun time. Carol added a lot of juicy stuff and pulled some good stories out of me.

But I think the interview really got interesting when someone called in right at the end with two questions. Carol was concerned about time and asked me to answer one question. I was on a roll and devoured both questions.

One question was about how do you attract a car when you don't care about cars, and the other was about how do you deal with a negative person in your life who just won't go away?

The good news is you can hear the call online, or download it and listen wherever you like, all at no charge, by going to http://www.CarolLook.com/voiceamerica

Note: EFT is a "tapping" method for releasing blocks through a type of psychological acupuncture. Carol didn't explain EFT in our interview but she has a wonderful book on the subject called Attracting Abundance With EFT. Get it at Amazon or from her site www.CarolLook.com

Enjoy.

joe

How to sell at higher prices

I just finished reading a great book that you absolutely must have. It's called - How to Sell at Margins Higher Than Your Competitors: Winning Every Sale at Full Price, Rate or Fee.

To show you the power of this, consider...

If two lemonade stands are side by side, what can one of them say on their sign to grab all the business?

The answer is in the book.

Or consider...

When people tell you they shop based on price, what are they actually saying?

The answer is in the book.

The book is a revised edition of an underground classic you may have heard of by Dr. Lawrence Steinmetz, called "Selling at Prices Higher Than Your Competitors." This time around though, he's teamed up withbestselling co-author, Bill Brooks, a leading expert on sales.

As the title implies, it's all about finalizing deals - without cutting price - but it went way beyond my expectations. These two authors answer everything you always wanted to know about price. And it's clearly written with easy to understand examples.

It applies to every aspect of selling, marketing, buying - I just can't recommend it enough.

But here's a better deal...

These authors are determined to get the book on top of the bestseller list and they're offering a great bonus package. I've looked at all the material and I urge you take advantage of this great offer--- today.

Ironically, the book isn't selling for a high price. You can get it -- and the bonuses -- for under $50. Here's the link where you can review the goods:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=1211064

Thought: If you don't go look at the site, why not?

In this age of intense competition, we all need to know how to sell at higher prices -- even me.

That's why I love this book.

Go for it.

Joe

My Executive Mentoring Program

My Executive Mentoring Program has become very popular. While expensive, the training people get is beyond question. It is taking them to new levels of success, where ideas become reality and potential becomes profit.

Still, some folks want more.

A few people in the mentoring program want me and my staff to give them access to my books, or software, or me.

Well, let's look at that.

Think back for a second:

When a college student pays their tuition, do they also get their books and other materials for free?

I think not.

When someone signs up for my mentoring program, what they are paying for is mentoring.

If they want my books, or my Nightingale-Conant audio program (The Power of Outrageous Marketing) http://www.Nightingale.com, or my writing software, they should pay for them, just like anyone else.

I think people need to be clear about what they are buying. Investing in mentoring is wise. It's one of the secrets of success. I say do it. You'll find an application and more details at
http://www.joe-vitale-executive-mentoring.com/info.html

You'll no doubt get a freebie or two when you register, but don't expect access to all my works, or my software, or me. Again, you're investing in mentoring, not my product line. For that, go see http://www.HypnoticMarketingStrategy.com

Go for it.

joe

Video Blogs: The next big trend?

I'm a late bloomer when it comes to blogs but Nerissa, my love, sure isn't. She's had a video blog online for me for months now. She keeps putting up short clips of me doing the oddest things. See them at http://drjoevitale.blogspot.com/

Nerissa also sees that video on blogs is the next big trend. Her recent newsletter describes how some blogs are editing news video to support their perspectives. Pretty wild. In many ways, that's all the media does anyway. See her thoughts on video blogs at http://www.thevideoqueen.com/newsletter2_7.html

Joe

What is my writing process?

People often ask me about my writing process. They want to know how to write a business letter. Or how to write a news release. Or how to write a book. Or about creative writing software. Or even how I'm able to write so many posts in this blog when it hasn't even been up one week yet.

How do I do it?

There are two ways of writing anything:

1. The first is when you have a clear goal and you know what you want to say. This could be a research paper for a professor or a sales letter for a new product. You know what the purpose is and you know you need to get it done. You might outline your thoughts or story board them to help you keep on track. But you pretty much know what to write.

2. Or you have no idea what to say but you're going to explore the writing process anyway to see what comes up. Ray Bradbury, the legendary science fiction writer, got up every morning for decades and wrote a short story, never knowing what the story would be that day. Out of that process came some classics of literature, including The Martian Chronicles.

Here's my secret: I use a combination of the above.

For example, today I had a vague feeling to share about my writing process in this blog. But I wasn't at all sure what I would say or how it would take shape. I figured I would state my intention (to write about my writing process) but that I would also trust the actual creative process to deliver something relevant (which is what I'm doing right now, as I type these words). This post is a discovery, even to me. I'm being surprised by what I write as I write this.

Yes, there is software out there to make this easier. My own http://www.HypnoticWritingWizard.com is a cool Windows based tool you should grab. The Swipe File in it -- a hypnotic collection of proven words, phrases, and sentences -- is priceless for improving your writing. I use it all the time.

I think most people who have a problem writing are doing one thing wrong: They are editing as they are writing. They write a few words, question them, change them, struggle with them, and finally give up, saying "Writing is hard!"

Actually, writing is easy. It's trying to write while you're trying to edit that is the pain. Separate that process and writing can be as much fun as any activity you can name. The rush comes from the mind, from discovering what you'll write as you write.

I'm sure everyone has a different writing process. I've just given you a peek into the window at mine. Since I've written about 30 books and more articles than I can count, I think this process of mine is working.

So I'll keep it.

For now.

joe

Why so many websites?

Somebody wrote me today and asked why I have so many one-product focused websites. Couldn't I put them all on one site?

First, they all are on one website: www.mrfire.com

Second, in general, product focused websites sell better than catalog focused websites.

For example, my www.mrfire.com site gets a lot of traffic, and has for over ten years, but it doesn't lead to that many sales. There are too many products there. The rule of thumb is, the more choices a consumer has to make, the more confused he or she will get. They end up not buying anything at all.

Everyone is quick to point out that www.Amazon.com is a giant catalog and they make sales. Ah, it took Amazon well over seven years to see their first profit. (!) And even today most of their "wealth" is on paper, not in the bank. Amazon is not a good role model for a money making site, and neither is www.mrfire.com

Sites that focus on one product are the ones that work today. For example, here are just some of my websites that are one-product focused:

http://www.7dayebook.com
http://www.HypnoticWriting.com
http://www.AdvancedHypnoticWriting.com
http://www.CreateAdvertisingThatSells.com
http://www.HypnoticWritingSwipeFile.com
http://www.HypnoticSellingTools.com
http://www.subconsciousinternetmarketing.com/
http://www.ImpulseInternetMarketing.com
http://www.TheMillionaireMind.Net
http://www.howtowritehypnoticendorsements.com/ http://www.howtowritehypnoticarticles.com/ http://www.howtowritehypnoticjointventureproposals.com
http://www.anything-fast.com/?fid=outrageous
http://www.hypnotictraffictools.com
http://www.HypnoticSellingStories.com
http://www.HypnoticWritingWizard.com
http://www.MAKEMONEYFROMSCRATCH.com
http://www.BeyondPositiveThinking.com
http://www.StampedeSecret.com
http://www.EndSelfSabotage.com
http://www.AttractANewCar.com
http://MoneyBeyondBelief.COM
http://www.DadsHomeMadeWine.com

Whew. And that is just a partial list of my sites.

Pick any one of them, study it, and you'll get a handle on what a direct selling website looks like today. They are one-product focused, hypnotic in style, long in copy, and destined to do one thing: Make the sale.

There's nothing wrong with information sites that are designed to share data and build relationships. www.mrfire.com falls into that category. So do my sites www.Catarium.com and www.GladiatorGym.com and www.HypnoticMarketingInc.com and even my little known site http://www.SafeAphrodisiacs.com

But to make sales, a site should be product specific.

Of course, you could always up-sell people at checkout.

For example, if you are selling a vitamin, as people are checking out you might have a page that comes up telling them about another related product. But telling them about the related product on the same page as the vitamin may confuse people. Stay targeted.

Gee, this was a long answer to a simple question, wasn't it?

joe

Meet my friends on the cruise

Now here's a happy team, aboard the Carnival cruise ship Imagination 11-05: Mike Filsaime, Joe Vitale, Brad Fallon, Tom Beal (taken with Tom's Treo 650).

Long or short copy?

I was interviewed yesterday and once again was asked, “Which works better: Long or short copy?”

After writing copy for over thirty years, you’d think I know the answer.

Well, I do.

My rule of thumb is this: The higher the price for what you are selling, the longer the copy should be.

In other words, if you are giving away something for free, you don’t need to write much to get people to ask for it. For example,

FREE: Get my free email course called
Recession-Proof Marketing. Just send an
email to class@aweber.com and it’s yours.

Based on those few words, most people will act. Why? Because the item is free. There won't be many objections to asking for it.

And note: If you didn't click and request the free course above, it's no doubt because you still have some questions in your mind about it. Well, that's why you need longer copy. Long copy is supposed to answer your objections so you'll act now. So even "free" may require some copy to get people to act.

But what if I wanted you to send me $1,000 for my course on Hypnotic Selling Secrets? You’d want to know more, wouldn’t you?

That’s why the sales letter for the course at http://www.hypnoticmarketingstrategy.com/ is about a dozen pages long. You’re not about to invest a grand without some questions answered.

As a result, I need to write longer copy. Make sense?

But most people fear no one will read their long copy.

Well, let's look at that issue.

People read entire books. Why wouldn't they read your long copy?

People become information junkies when they are interested in making an important purchase.

Why wouldn't they read your long copy?

People will read any length of copy as long as it is interesting to them.

This is why legendary copywriters like David Garfinkel, or Yanik Silver, or even me, are paid $25,000+ to write a sales letter. Our job is to write interesting copy that sells. That ain’t easy. Anyone can fill up twelve pages with words. But to fill them with words that hold interest and lead to a sale, ah, there’s the Holy Grail of marketing.

And notice this very blog entry.

I couldn't answer the question of long or short copy with just a yes or no because it would leave too many questions in your mind. Sales copy is the same. In order to handle the objections someone may have to buying from you, you have to write longer copy. Again, the higher price, the longer copy.

Some day I will write a book on this whole subject. (If there is a book just on this subject alone, please let me know.)

Joe

A recent photo of me (for the curious)

Recent (10-05) picture taken by the beautiful and delightful Julie Eskoff
www.julieeskoff.com

Coming soon - The InterPlanetary Internet

I love big thinkers. They may seem bonkers at first glance, but often their wild ideas lead to breakthroughs no one else saw coming. Take the Internet, for example.

No one (or next to no one) knew it would explode into the colossal information sharing and marketing tool it is today. I certainly didn't see it coming, and I was one of the first to do online marketing way back in the mid-1990s. I also wrote one of the first books on Internet marketing, with my book CyberWriting. But I sure didn't predict what we have today.

So, what's next? Where do we go from here?

I just heard this morning that one of the developers of the Internet is working on something called the Inter-Planetary Internet.

The what?

The Interplanetary Internet.

The idea is to set up a system to send and receive emails from other planets.

Sounds bonkers, right?

Well, it's ideas like these that lead to history making events. I can just as quickly as you think of all the reasons why this new Internet won't work.

But, what if it does work?

Ah, there's the real question.

I suggest we think big, bold, and even nutty.

Out of this non-linear and even non-intuitive thinking may come the next big thing.

And you and I can be a part of it.

Learn more at http://www.ipnsig.org/home.htm This is a group working to develop the parts necessary to create the Interplanetary Internet. Their site says...

"While the Earth's Internet is basically a "network of connected networks", the Interplanetary Internet may therefore be thought of as a "network of disconnected Internets". Inter-working in this environment will require new techniques to be developed. "

And in case you think this is all flakey, the InterPlanetary Internet study at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was started by a team of scientists at JPL led by Adrian Hooke and Vinton Cerf, one of the pioneers of the Internet on Earth.

I love it.

To the future,

joe

What is "The Secret" anyway?

Everyone writes, calls, or stops me and asks, "What is 'The Secret', anyway?"

They've usually seen the hypnotic teaser at http://www.whatisthesecret.tv and want to know more. If you haven't seen it yet, go there now. It's a short trailer for an upcoming movie. It's the most riveting and unforgettable movie tease I've ever seen in my life.

Since I'm in the movie, I get a lot of questions, such as:

"When will the movie be out?"

February 15, 2006.

"Where will it air?"

Network television stations around the world are in a bidding war to be the first to show it. Eventually it will be seen in every country and will be available on DVD, as well.

"Is it a movie or a documentary?"

I don't know for sure, but I suspect the best answer is "both."

"Who's behind The Secret?"

Two wonderful sisters from Melbourne, Australia. One of them told me they were inspired to create the movie after reading my book, The Attractor Factor.

"Does it really reveal a secret?"

Absolutely.

"What is the secret?"

Ah, it's a secret.

"Tell me. I can keep a secret."

So can I.

"Is the secret in your book, The Attractor Factor?"

Part of it.

"Is the movie like What the bleep?"

The Secret will appeal to a wider, more general audience. I believe it will awaken humanity and raise the consciousness of the planet. Not everyone could relate or understand to What the bleep. They will with The Secret.

"Who else is in the movie?"

Too many people to list here. Everyone from my friends Jack Canfield to Bob Proctor to Debbie Ford to possibly 45 others, including me.

"Do you play yourself in the movie?"

Yes.

"What is The Secret, anyway?"

I'm not telling. You'll just have to wait for the movie.

Believe me, it will be worth it.

Joe
http://www.whatisthesecret.tv