shit life coaches say
I own a rather large life coach training company called New Insights.
It's a company I started in Australia in 2003 with Tash, we built it very quickly and franchised it into 5 countries.
We've trained over 10,000 coaches around the world and I'm damn proud of the company.
BUT
Life coaches can talk utter shit sometimes, not the New Insights trained ones of course 
but the other life coaches....
A mate of mine who's a great coach sent me this and I thought you'd dig it
Neil asher – overcome your fear of coaching
Well Neil Asher here I thought after my rather thought provoking post the other day on marketing I'd do something today on coaching,
How To Overcome Your Fear of Coaching
neil asher fear of coaching
You would love to be a successful coach, wouldn't you? With a thriving practice?
You know you want more clients. You know you should probably contact a prospective client and give them your pitch.
But, not yet...
Maybe you should do more research, take more classes on coaching, or clean your house.....anything but make that dreaded contact. Your heart starts racing and butterflies roam your stomach as you think of picking up the phone.
What Are You Afraid of?
To overcome your fear, it helps to figure out where your fear is coming from. I had a conversation with a client who wanted to expand her coaching business. But, something was blocking her. To get to the root of her fear I had her think what it would be like if she had tons of clients. I asked, "In your worst-case scenario what are you afraid will happen?" She began with a few general fears like 'fear of success'. I kept asking her to get to the bottom of it.
Some answers included being afraid someone will find out she is a total sham, selfish, insensitive, or completely useless to them. Sounds dramatic, but when we really get down to it - we are ALL afraid of exposing ourselves to the public. (Just imagine speaking in front of 300 people, and you'll get the idea!)
How about you? What are you really afraid of? What is holding you back? Another way to word the question would be, "What do you spend your life trying to avoid hearing?"
Now that the fears have names you can deal with them. I told my client she needed to understand that at some points in time she probably will be selfish, insensitive or useless. We all are - sometimes. There will also be many times she will be the opposite. Time to stop avoiding these things, and confront them!
I suggested she find someone to say the things to her that she was most afraid of hearing, so the words would lose their immobilizing effect. Do you have anyone who could do that for you? (Note - in the actual recording of this session, I did this for her!)
What Are You Committed To?
Are you committed to making a difference in people's lives, or are you committed to protecting yourself? When I asked my client that question the light dawned as she understood she was just trying to protect herself. What a breakthrough!
The great news is, when we realise we have been committed to protection, we can create a new commitment to guide our actions. For example, how about replacing it with: a commitment to contribute to people's lives? Whenever your fears come up, remind yourself of your new commitment, and ask yourself: "Coming from this new commitment, what action would I take now?"
Bernie's Example
I got a call from my good friend and colleague Bernie, who said he had just done an acting audition which wasn't his best performance. He wanted to ask for a second audition, but that was unheard of! He'd been walking around in fear for 20 minutes, trying to decide what to do.
I asked: "What are you committed to?" Suddenly the light went on, and he realised he was committed to giving his best. He went back in there, requested a second audition, and blitzed it!
So how can you apply this in your coaching? Remind yourself what you are committed to. Tell yourself: "despite the wacky things I am feeling in my body I am going to do it anyway!"
And...
Share Your Commitment
Your commitment gains even more power when you let others know about it. I asked my client if she knew anyone she would like to coach, and gave her the assignment to be honest with her prospective client. To speak the things which were holding her back and be willing to share her fears too. She is on her way to a thriving practice, and you could be too just by:
1) Creating a new commitment
2) Sharing that commitment with your prospective clients
So what actions are appropriate for you now? With whom will you share your commitment? How many of your prospects are you going to call? I invite you to write down 5 actions right now and commit to doing them this week. I look forward to hearing the results!
with much warmth
Neil Asher
neil asher – can you hear it?
'Marketing Noise' is getting louder - Neil Asher
neil asher Marketing Noise
I have spent some time talking about the number one most important asset of any coaching business, which is its clients. In order to properly embrace this I must first tell you about a thing called "Marketing Noise", which is a catch-all term representative of the tremendous amount of marketing going on all around us.
It's everything from billboards, car and truck signs, bus bench signs, displays and signage in stores, flyers stuffed in bags, flyers under windshield wipers, direct mail, brochures packed in with purchases, brochures in with credit card and electricity bills , bank statements, radio commercials, TV commercials reduced from sixty to thirty seconds, telemarketing, personal selling, satelite TV shows that are really commercials, ads in magazines and newspapers.
It's even the mountain of emails that you are undoubtedly receiving everyday in your inbox if you are reading my e-mails
It's a fact that the average adult consumer is presented with more opportunities to spend money today in one 4-hour period than he was in thirty 24-hour periods just a decade ago. There is a mammoth amount of marketing noise bombarding the consumer every day that is vying for his discretionary income and his credit.
In business-to-business marketing the same basic situation exists. Although there is less cold call selling going on today than at any time I can recall there is much more business-to-business marketing taking place.
The card deck is just one example of media has been invented in the last decade to go after business-to-business. The number of business magazines, newspapers and trade journals carrying advertising to the executive and business owner has more than tripled in the past five years.
Trade show attendants are at an all time high. DVDs, computer CDs and other electronic media are being used as brochures as well as in place of sales calls today. There is a mammoth amount of marketing noise bombarding the executive, manager and business owner.
Then within all that marketing noise there is all the direct competition in your particular field. Competitors who grow more sophisticated and aggressive by the minute, not only competing for new customers but also attempting to take away your present customers. What are you doing about it?
It is a thought provoking question and in a future e-mail I'll reveal what i believe is the answer to all this noise vying for the attention of your coaching prospects time and money..
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil ASher
Neil Asher the power of love
Neil Asher the powerful force of unconditional love
Hi the story below, sent to me by a lovely friend from Ireland, inspired me and presented me the opportunity to share with you the misperceptions of good and bad and the powerful force of unconditional love.
A Friend
When I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
The End
Neil Asher my comments
As long as you misjudge people as either good or bad, you lead yourself towards unwise and 'conditionally loving' reactions, or those that block the flow of true and honest communication. It has been wisely written throughout the ages that your perceptions determine your reactions. No person of any age or culture can afford to forget this golden nugget of wisdom. Misguided by this illusion, one may see the actions as 'bad' and the rescuer as 'good'.
The paradox here is that one could not occur without the other. Good and bad demand each other for their existence. The so called 'bad' actions were indeed a blessing for the young boy, it saved his life. To misjudge other people as either good or bad is an illusion. Who can weigh the ponderance of good and bad and know for sure their true equivalence? To sit in judgment of a human being is to sit in judgment of one of God's creations
Unconditional love is not just a passion or positive emotion at all. It's a complete merging of all emotions, positive and negative. Unconditional love is the greatest force in existence. It has no boundaries, no limitations and no opposition. It is the Alpha and the Omega. It embraces everyone and everything equally. It is the supreme magical force within me and within you and within everyone and everything that exists.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
neil asher
Neil asher - How To Stimulate More Business Part 3
neil asher how to stimulate more business
We'll pick up with going down our list of seven strategies that can help you stimulate new business, increase business from existent customers and build repeat business. Let me remind you that, you may not be able to use all of them in your business but you can certainly use some of them.
In your last e-mail, I spoke about the first five
1.A Frequent Buyer Program
2.Discounting
3.Premiums
4.Packaging
5.Prepay
Let's continue this discussion with the last two:
Neil asher
Six, the acceptance of major credit cards. Every business should accept MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Diners Club and now the new Discovery Card. Of course, retail stores, online marketers, and restaurants almost have to honor these cards but just about any business can.
I've talked doctors, lawyers, hair stylists and other professionals to accept these cards and use them to increase their business, implement price increases with less client resistance and reduce collection problems. This really is a simple thought process. The easier you make it for the customer to buy and the more payment options you offer the customer the better.
Seven, regular mailings to past and present customers or clients. I think the single most effective marketing strategy that any business can use to build customer loyalty, to retain customers and to stimulate more frequent purchasing by customers is the publication and distribution of direct mail.
I've often found that a monthly newsletter is an extremely powerful, cost-effective marketing method. When you keep in touch with your clientele with your own newsletter you do all of these valuable things.
Neil asher 6 more strategies
#1: You create a habit on the part of your customers. They expect to receive your newsletter and they get in the habit of reading it.
#2: You stay on the top of the consciousness in your customers minds.
#3: You can pass along useful information and ideas that your customers appreciate.
#4: You can continue to demonstrate your expertise in your field.
#5: You can stimulate word-of-mouth advertising. And
#6: You can advertise sales, special offers, new products, new services, new locations and so on in your own publication.
Accountants, attorneys, dentists, chiropractors, medical doctors - these professionals have learned how effective this idea is and many of these professionals put out their own newsletters on a regular basis but this same exact same idea could be used by many different types of businesses.
The beauty parlor could put out a newsletter on skin care, beauty and fashion tips. The restaurant could put out a newsletter on local entertainment, recipes and shopping tips. The office equipment company could put out a newsletter on management and efficiency tips. The online marketer can put out an online newsletter to their subscription list for little or no money.
And of course as a coach a neil asher type Newsletter is simple as can be and very very effective.
Now that you know the seven strategies that can help you stimulate new business, increase business from existent customers and build repeat business, you need to give some thought into how to use them effectively.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil Asher Coaching Exercise
Neil Asher Coaching Exercise
Exercise:
When we have clearly understood a speaker and are ready to respond, the response comes from our hearts and not our heads. Our heads tend to formulate stories about us, or defend our ego, or judge who people are, or what people have said. Our heart, our instinct, allows us to speak to show understanding and connection. The shift here is to get in touch with your instinct and say what is in your heart and not go to your head in formulating a response. I have a strong belief in people, and I know that people have great things to say to acknowledge each other – even without coach training. We haven’t done it much, so we fear that we won’t know what to say. I know with certainty that if you follow your gut instincts, then you already know how to be a great coach and know what to say that will show you listened and connected with the speaker.
1. Focus on the speaker and listen at a deep level to be connected.
2. Let judgment go.
3. Get out of your head and your ego and let your gut instincts take over.
4. Respond once you have fully understood the message and reflected it back and are clear you heard the speaker.
5. Say what is in your gut that shows you are connected in some way to the speaker and are supportive of them and not judgmental of them.
6. Practice this in five interactions a day, with five different speakers a day, each and every day until it becomes a habit.
There you have the basic coaching tools you will need to be a great coach and live a life that is more fulfilling, a life that will bring more rewarding relationships, greater success, and more enjoyment to you.
Now we will get into the meat of how to make these skills work for you and how to enhance these skills to build upon them more fully. We will then add the more advanced coaching tools you will need to create new relationships and a more rewarding life.
Buckle your seat belts; we haven’t begun to fly yet!
Neil asher
Neil Asher How To Stimulate More Business
Neil Asher - How to do more business better
Neil Asher
How To Stimulate More Business Part 2
We'll pick up with going down our list of seven strategies that can help you stimulate new business, increase business from existent customers and build repeat business. Let me remind you that, you may not be able to use all of them in your business but you can certainly use some of them.
In your last neil asher marketing post, I spoke about the first two a frequent buyer program and discounting. Let's continue where we left off.
Three, the use of premiums. A premium offer essentially says, "Buy this, get this free." This is an extremely effective marketing strategy suitable for many different types of businesses.
One of the most interesting uses of premiums that I've seen develop as a trend in recent years is the use of premiums attractive to individuals tied to business products and services, such as a free color TV or VCR with the purchase of a certain amount of office supplies. In effect this type of offer let's the business customer spend tax deductible business dollars for supplies and receive free and tax-free a gift he will use personally in his home.
it would be easy to offer something similar for business coaching services or for neil asher style executive coaching.
Four, packaging of different products or services together. This is a marketing strategy usually used to increase the average purchase size in a business. For example, i saw a book for business people called, 'How to Avoid Lawyers,' that sold for ?21.95. they also had a single cassette tape called, 'Talk is Cheap until You Hire a Lawyer,' filled with advice on properly managing your legal affairs and contacts with lawyers. The tape sold for ?12.95. Packaged together they sold the two items for ?29.95. Just as many people bought the set as would buy an individual item and overall they will did more business in pounds.
Five is the sale of prepay agreements. You're familiar with this in the health spa and exercise salon business. You pay say ?395.00 for a membership that entitles you to use the facilities 'X' number of times or for 'X' length of time rather than paying as you go per visit.
for coaching why not offer unlimited coaching for £500 a month.
The same idea is applicable to many different businesses and it even presents an interesting opportunity for the small business person to raise operating capital. With this technique operating capital can actually be raised from customers by collecting in advance for future business.
Let's take a restaurant for example. The restaurant owner could sell a membership card good for twenty-five dinners anything on the menu for £249.00. If purchased onezy, twozy, the average dinner might be £11.95 or £12.95 costing the customer over £300.00. So by purchasing the card in advance the customer saves about £50.00. He can just sign his cheque and not have to pay as he goes and maybe guaranteed reservations with short notice or get some other perk as well. The restaurant owner who sells fifty of these memberships collects over £12,000.00 in a hurry.
In your next e-mail that you'll be receiving in just a couple of day, I'll finish up the last two strategies that can help you stimulate new business, increase business from existent customers and build repeat business. (By the way, #7 is the the single most effective marketing strategy that any business can use to build customer loyalty, to retain customers and to stimulate more frequent purchasing.)
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil Asher – The Myth of Retirement
Neil Asher
Hi today i want to talk about The Myth of Retirement
People don't get old.
When they stop growing, they become old.
-Anonymous
There's a pervasive and limiting illusion concerning time and aging, and unconsciously buying into it can diminish both your life and your fortune, while seeing through it can add years to your life and wealth to your worth. Many people believe that youth is a heavenly time of optimism and energy before the hellish decline into old age and death. That's true only if you make it so, and you really do have the power to choose. This pernicious myth has little to do with the reality of life and human potential. Chronological age is certainly not the only determining factor.
There is inside you, from a time before you ever became aware of it, a vision and calling to do something extraordinary. The age of your body cannot touch this divine soul or spark that calls you to shine. However the candle of the body may waver, this light of spirit never goes out. You're not made in anything but an image of greatness, and deep down inside you have something remarkable that you'd love to share, accomplish and be. Everyone has this spark, and there's no end to it because it's beyond who you think you are. It's a fragment of divinity that doesn't age or die, and it's your true nature. It doesn't matter if you 20, 50, or 80 years old, you have an immortal purpose and a dream that seeks fulfillment.
I often coach people who illustrate the unending aspiration of the soul to be of use to the world. for each of them, they were faced with the myth of retirement and discovered the truth that they were made for something greater. Their experiences apply to you and to me and to everyone, because in this way we're all alike. You don't run out of time, you only shut out your inspiration. If you're nearing retirement, your timing in reading this is perfect. If you're not, this may be your opportunity to transcend a myth in advance and change the way you think about and manifest your future.
Remember to let the light of your spirit burn brighter with age.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil Asher
Neil Asher
The following questionnaire was designed for the purpose of attaining an overall total life fitness. When filling out this questionnaire remember that honesty is of utmost importance. To do an inventory on your present fitness status and to lie about it is to break one of the most significant secrets to overall fitness that is integrity. To take the first step forward on your overall Life Fitness Program, simply answer yes or no to the questions in the questionnaire
Neil Asher's Physical Fitness:
Do you walk at least one mile or its equivalent once a day? _____
Are you within 10 pounds of your normal and healthy weight? _____
Do you work out enough to work up a sweat at least twice a week ?_____
Do you have consistent moderation in the quantity of your eating?_____
Do you have a consistent rhythm in the timing of your eating?_____
Do you receive adequate hours of sleep each day (six to eight hours)? _____
Do you like your body and are you proud of it?_____
Do you stretch out each of your joints at least twice weekly? _____
Neil Asher's
Mental Fitness:
Do you look forward to getting up and making the most of your day? _____
Are you excited about new ideas and look forward to learning?_____
Do you read something inspiring and uplifting and about what you love daily?_____
Do you hang out with idea generating people with mind stimulating ideas?_____
If you are down or depressed do you, instead of wallowing in it, make an effort to change your action state and do something productive?_____
If you are scattered and overwhelmed do you stop to prioritize your actions?_____
Do you have a mentor that helps you not reinvent wheels?_____
Do you take a moment to visualize and affirm your desired outcomes daily?_____
Neil Asher's
Spiritual Fitness:
Do you take a moment for meditative silence daily?_____
Do you stop and count your blessings at least five minutes daily?_____
Do you center yourself and listen to your heart before speaking?_____
Do you open up and share your love with others?_____
Do you write thank you letters?_____
Do you visit parks, museums, art galleries or places of worship regularly?____
Do you believe their is a higher purpose for each of the events in your life?_____
Do you treat others the way you want to be treated?_____
Neil Asher's
Career Fitness:
Do you love what you do and do what you love?_____
Do you have clearly set and written career goals?_____
Do you have an organized work environment?_____
Do you break large projects into smaller more manageable pieces and work from priorities?_____
Do you practice and polish your skills regularly?_____
Can and do you seek advice when needed?_____
Do you reward yourself for you accomplishments?_____
Can you accept valid and constructive criticism?_____
Neil Asher's
Family Fitness:
Do you have someone special you romantically love?_____
Do you let your loved ones know how much they mean to you?_____
Do you take time for family gatherings?_____
Do you make an effort to do those extra specials with those you love regularly?____
Do you really listen when your loved ones speak?_____
Can you truly be yourself around your family members?_____
Do you let other family members receive the limelight without jealousy?_____
Are you proud to be in the family you're in?_____
Neil Asher's
Social Fitness:
Are you willing to take on leadership?_____
Can you join into a group as a team player easily?_____
Are you outgoing and friendly with a sense of humor ?______
Are you able to listen attentively and follow intructions?_____
Do you get out and meet new people, at least one new person a week?_____
Do you make it a point to help others reach their dreams?_____
Are you supportive of other people's accomplishments?_____
Do you speak up and influence others with your ideas?_____
Neil Asher's
Financial Fitness:
Do you feel worthy enough to allow yourself to receive money and wealth?_____
Do you pay yourself and taxes first, not last?_____
Do you have a regular savings program?_____
Do you prioritize your spending?_____
Do you abstain from the overuse of credit cards?_____
Do you pre-plan your shopping and not impulse buy?_____
Do you avoid wiping out your savings just because of minor emergencies?_____
Do you have a separate savings program for vacations?_____
To take the second step forward on your overall Life Fitness Program simply grade yourself on the answeres to the preceding questionare. For each question answered yes give yourself five points. For each question answered no give yourself zero points. Now total up all your points.
Your third and final winners step is to take action. Overall Life Fitness is yours for the taking.
If your total points range from 0 to70, your total Life Fitness status is very poor. If so, you need a jumpstart and an immediate overhaul before you end up totally out of shape. Start reviewing the preceding questionnaire and begin taking immediate action today on its many implied fitness tips. Begin doing one at a time. Work on as many of these tips as you comfortably can. Push yourself though. You may need a mentor or coach, and if so, call on one. You will be amazed at how rapidly your overall life fitness can be upgraded with some extra attention.
If your total points range from 75 to 140, your total Life Fitness status is fair. If so, you could benefit from reviewing the preceding questionnaire and incorporating many more of the tips to overall fitness it neil asher provides.
If your total points range from 145 to 210, your total Life Fitness status is good. You are definitely above average, but you could still benefit even more by reviewing the preceding questionnaire and incorporating as many of its implied fitness tips as possible. This good status is an easy status to become complacent in, so don't just let yourself plateau at being good, go for excellence. It may take some extra work, but you're worth it.
If your total points range from 215 to 280, congratulate yourself, for your total Life Fitness status is excellent. You are quickly approaching an overall Life Fitness. You are either presently a leader or a leader in the making; a role model for others to follow. You have an integrity that makes you a winner. Your personal power and fitness will be an inspiration. You have become your own coach of your own inner winning team. All that is left for you to do is to simply polish up those last few fitness tips so your overall fitness can keep on shining.
If you'd like to find out more about having a life coach or becoming a life coach copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
Neil Asher
Neil Asher –
Well Heeeeelllloooo from Neil Asher,
Neil Asher - Blue Sky Thinking
Today I thought I'd share one of the biggest lessons i ever got, it's quite simple really BUT it's O so powerful.
any advertising or marketing you do be sure to test the results of it.
I can tell you this - it doesn't matter whether you are a life coach, a small business owner or corporate executive - it doesn't matter whether you sell to businesses or consumers if you'll thoroughly study and consider the information and ideas presented in these emails and take appropriate follow-up actions to switch the emphasis of your marketing into methods that bring direct response and are results measurable you will improve the profit of your business.
And I want you to remember this - any media sales person, any ad agency person, any consultant, anyone in your own firm who is anti-direct response does not have your best interest at heart. The person who opposes having the results measured accurately already knows that the results are inadequate.
I hope you didn't find my promise sneaky or perhaps a bit deceptive, but it is perhaps the best and most profitable advice anyone can ever deliver to you.
so Neil Asher how to do this?
well in the New Insights marketing manual i (Neil Asher) devote a full chapter to this very important subject but here's the nuts and bolts of it for you now:
Testing means evaluating what works, then putting financial parameters to the measurements. The fundamental objective for marketing in any business is to provide the basis to:
??? Generate leads.
??? Maximize the conversion rate into buying customers/clients.
??? Increase the number of transactions per customer per year.
??? Increase the average dollar sale per transaction.
??? Improve revenue margins to result in maximum profits for the business.
The next step is to do the testing and measuring of marketing information as a matter of process. With this information, you'll have the power to make effective decisions including which marketing campaigns to accelerate, which to cancel, which to improve and how much should be spent to maximize the bottom line.
The testing and measuring information allows for the business leverage of limited resources. For example, the leads generated might be high but the conversion rate is low, or the other way around, and this will indicate which area needs to be improved. Or perhaps both leads and conversion rates are high, but average dollar sale is low because the sale mix is weighted to low-priced items rather than high-priced items. Once you really know which areas need improvement, you can begin to make informed marketing decisions.
Here are three steps for successfully figuring out what works and what doesn't work:
Neil Asher steps to success
1. Start asking people where they heard about your business. You must start asking every lead where they found out about you. If you don't start asking, you will continue to operate in the dark. You may keep running an ad or a promotion that never brings in sales, or you may kill an ad or promotion that in fact is a good one.
Because customers usually come from many sources, formal or informal, it is impossible to judge the extent to which each marketing strategy is generating sales on its own unless you build measuring into the process.
Perhaps you got more customers from referrals in a particular week, or there may have been a festival in town with a tie-in promotion. Every time a person contacts your business as a potential buyer, ask them, "By the way, may I ask where you heard about my business?" People will not have any problem telling you. And, after the lead is converted into a customer, you can correlate the purchase with the successful marketing tool to identify the most effective ways to generate customers.
Start right now to ask your leads where they heard about your business; then you can really begin to make effective marketing decisions.
2. Cancel, modify or increase. The first thing to do is see what is not working. If the marketing tactic is getting a low response, cancel it immediately.
Now you have two options: Channel the marketing funds elsewhere or improve the program to ensure you get a response that exceeds the break-even point.
If you choose to improve your advertising program, there are a couple of steps you can take to make the task simpler. First, go back over your past ads and evaluate which ones you think were effective in generating leads and conversion to customers. Pull out the best couple and determine what gave them their edge. Second, look at what your competitors are doing. Do they have an ad they consistently continue to run? What can you learn from it? Then create an ad to be tested and measured.
Go through this process with each marketing tactic you use ??" cancel, examine, modify, test and measure. Remember, the true test of a marketing strategy is whether it pays for itself. If you run an ad and it costs you ??1,000 and generates a contribution profit margin of ??1,300, then it is a good ad and you should continue to increase its use until its contribution profit margin drops to ??1,000 by measuring the results to a financial break-even.
Also, examine each of the successful marketing tactics and evaluate why they are producing positive results. See if you can identify the one most important customer-oriented feature about each.
Now determine ways to use each marketing tactic that is working on a larger scale. If it is fliers, the answer is simple: Drop twice as many fliers to your target audience. That should bring twice the sales. If it's an ad, give it expanded reach or increase the ad size for greater visual impact. Do the same thing on a larger scale and keep measuring the leads generated from the revised or increased tactics.
3. Check the conversion rate from leads to customers. Conversion is the number of leads/inquiries that become sales. Unfortunately, frequent analyses of businesses will show that it is not the quality of the execution of the marketing tactics that is the key determinant of sales effectiveness, but the results are often controlled by inadequate sales techniques. There are many businesses that have ample leads, but they lack effective skills to convert them into sales.
Again, it is testing and measuring that will provide the real information to know what's working and what's not. As surprising as it may seem, very few small businesses actually know their conversion rates, but they will always give you an estimate. These estimates are consistently about twice what the conversion rate turns out to be when measured. Business owners tend to show great disappointment when their estimated 50 percent conversion rate turns out actually to be 25 percent. They see this as a poor reflection on their sales performance rather than an opportunity for faster growth. Just think how difficult it would be to double your conversion rate from 50 percent compared with 25 percent.
In most analyses of small businesses, improving the conversion rate provides the quickest and lowest-cost effort to increase business revenues. You just have to give the new potential customer a reason to buy from your business.
Price is not the only reason a customer buys products or services from your business; what if the sales people showed a personal interest in your customers' needs? What if they were a little bit friendlier? What if they used more effective sales scripts? What if they were willing to back up the product with a guarantee? What if they offered free delivery?
It's a matter of knowing the needs and helping a customer make the decision to buy your product. All of these ideas can be tested and measured to see what will improve the conversion rate from your current standard.
Neil Asher
So what are the keys to successful testing and measuring? Be vigilant, disciplined and consistent. You cannot test and measure half the time; you must do it every hour of every day.
It is not a difficult task when you build testing and measuring into the operating procedures that specifically relate to the nature of your business. Enforce the process to record every lead/customer interaction with your business and make sure that every employee complies.
Stress the importance of this process for the financial growth of your business. Experience indicates that only two out of 10 marketing campaigns for small businesses will generate a positive contribution to the bottom line. It is crucial to quickly know which campaigns are generating your business success.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil Asher – the secret to a highly successful coaching practice
Neil Asher - what do you think is the secret to a highly successful coaching practice?
Are you busy building a web site?
Would you say brochures are the answer?
What about business cards? or maybe advertising?
Many coaches try this route in the beginning, they only grow their practice very, very slowly. They do what all the marketing books say. But why isn't their business booming?
I'm going to give you the answer right here in this article.
The Vicious Cycle
99% of coaches lack confidence. And rightly so! It can be very daunting to put on the hat of 'coach' and offer to change people's lives.
Building a web site or designing a brochure are great down the track. But while you're still scared to coach - you'll subconsciously find a way of turning away clients.
Here's the vicious cycle: Having little or no clients which means no experience, which leads to a reluctance to extend the invitation for trial sessions, which leads to no clients, which leads to no experience, and so on.
The Secret
The answer is quite simple - forget the money, forget your pride, and get your experience up - no matter what it takes. And the fastest way to do that? "Coach 50 Clients!".
Free, paid, 1 session, 1 week, 3 months - I don't care. Just get those initial sessions.
That's why at New Insights we get you to target your clients, coach other coaches and build your confidence. That's why our coaches make it work.
Each client, fee or no fee, 3 months or 30 minutes, is "gold" to you. And I'll tell you why...
What Every Client (or Practice Client) Gives You
- the feeling you are really a coach, not a fraud
- a practice that looks busier
- the potential for more referrals
- free training
- more and more confidence with each client
- possible revenue, either right away or down the track
- a testimonial
Starting Out!
It's O.K. to be nervous when you are starting out, but do those sessions anyway. The next ones will seem easier. So, coach a lot!
Even if you are doing sessions for free, you will be gaining the confidence and practice to allow yourself to start charging for your work. You will see how you are helping others. You will be able to convince yourself of the importance of coaching in people's lives.
Conclusion
In the beginning, don't distract yourself from coaching with longer-term marketing methods. Could you be trying to avoid coaching by working on your business cards or web site? Work through your confidence issues and explore coaching with your current network.
Once you have about 10 clients you can work with your mentor coach to find more sustainable marketing methods. By this time, your practice will begin to grow naturally in the number of clients, how long they stay and your income.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
are you in crisis? – Neil Asher
Neil Asher
Are You In Crisis - Neil Asher
When was the last time you experienced a crisis?
Did it seem like it was the end of the world? Did you feel helpless, frustrated, burned-out or just down and depressed? Did you say to yourself, "This is the last straw. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. This has got to stop. I can't go another day like this." If this has been you recently, then you better keep reading.
Everyone experiences moments where outer circumstances appear to be an overwhelming crisis. To many these circumstances dominate and rule their lives. To some these crises leave lasting scars unless they are recognized as truly being blessings. When the worst crisis becomes your greatest blessing, you heal. Nature does not deliver crisis without opportunity or misfortune without blessing.
Some people have crises that drag out for years. Others seem to nip their crises in the bud almost immediately. It's not the outer circumstances that necessarily create the crises. While they may elicit the crises, it is a person???s reaction that actually turns circumstances into crises.
The length of time it takes for you to recognize your outer crisis as a blessing correlates with your degree of wisdom. Pure wisdom is the instantaneous knowing that each crisis in life is indeed a blessing. Some misfortunes don't reveal their blessing easily, while others are recognized immediately. Hidden within all misfortunes are the seeds of an equal but opposite fortune.
In the mid 1980s, hundreds of thousands of people were let go or laid off from their jobs. Some of these people were left without income, some without other career opportunities and some, ultimately, without their families. At first sight, this may have been perceived as a crisis, however, today many of those same people have undergone an in-depth soul-searching and reevaluation of their lives, only to discover that they genuinely had a dream in their hearts to be, do and have something more than what they were previously experiencing and accepting. Other people have tapped into a more profound purpose for their life than what they were allowing, and are now making their meaningful dreams come true. They are now doing exactly what they always loved to do but never had the guts to do until the crisis occured.
Today the same is happening again, the creative process of destruction and creation ensures that all live their purpose or are sent on a new track.
Crisis is ultimately blessings. They are the flip side of the coin of life. Many people have been temporarily devastated by broken relationships only to discover at some later time that their supposed misfortune was a blessing. Their very loss was their ultimate gain.
Whenever a door shuts, a window opens.
The longer you live, the more this seemingly paradoxical relation becomes evident and the more you see the correlation between past crises and future blessings. Through time and experience, your reactions subside and more patient actions result.
Since blessings are seeded in crisis and it seems quite easy to be thankful for blessings, why not move wisely ahead and assume that any perceived crisis is a blessing? Be thankful for its strengthening qualities. Why not act thankfully instead of reacting pitifully?
As long as outer circumstances run your life, you can expect a life filled with crises. But as soon as you take charge of your reactions and change them into thankful actions, your life will begin to flow.
Be thankful. You won't be confronted with a crisis you can't handle.
Be thankful. The next time you're confronted with what appears to be a crisis, just ask yourself, "What is the hidden blessing?"
The deeper you look, the easier you will find it. When you do, you can say "good-bye" to its corresponding frustration, anger and depression.
No tree stood strong without the wind. No group stood strong without its heretic.
No person can be strong without a challenge. So be thankful for yours.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil Asher
Ok today some more on coaching and building your coaching practice, Neil Asher
Do you ever worry about not being able to get clients? Well -- how do the successful coaches with thriving businesses do it?
Neil Asher - how to get your inner game set for attracting clients
Doing the inner work
...(You need to) do your personal inner work. Know what you want to create (the kind of coaching practice, the size, etc.) and more importantly WHY you want to create it. Invest the time to explore your motivation deeply.
Because if your motivation is to prove you are good enough, or to run away from failure, or to get people to love and approve of you, or to exploit people, or any of many negative motivations, it won't work. Often these motivations are deeply buried and we don't realize they are at play.
When you find the joy of service and align yourself with a motivation to contribute, things will turn around. Once you feel confident that your motivation is clean, you need to confront your willingness to give yourself this dream career.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but for most people it's the biggest challenge. They limp along at a handful of clients, because they honestly feel deep down that to be paid really well for inspiring conversations and having lots of free time is too good to be true. They aren't willing to receive it.
Getting Clients: Magic
I am not joking when I say magic was my primary enrollment method. In fact, it was really important to me that I create my practice magically, meaning that I visualized it, I programmed for it, I spent time regularly in meditation imagining my full practice and seeing myself happily coaching a full practice.
I want to be clear I am not talking about a child's magic that is about wishful thinking and looking the other way. I'm talking about the true, adult magic of consciously creating reality.
Scheduling clients before getting clients
I made a schedule of where my client appointments were going to be and I absolutely allowed myself to desire it, imagine and expect it to happen. Then I would delight as the phone rang and people called and I would set up sample sessions.
Getting excited
I got so excited about the opportunities for growth for the people who called. I think I held an authentic space of possibility in such a way that they could more clearly see who they were becoming. Then I imagined people saying yes to coaching, and they did.
Sample sessions
...Once you've done the introspection, give lots and lots of sample sessions. You never enroll clients from talking about coaching, only from boldly giving yourself to the client in a sample session. Let yourself love. Let yourself care. They will either want it or they won't. Don't obsess on the ones who don't. Just keep giving.
Referrals
Once I started getting clients, then they referred other people. Also, even though I don't recommend coaching friends and family, I did give them sample sessions so they would know more first-hand what I was doing and they were more likely to refer people.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
Neil Asher – why I love junkmail
This will shock you but I love My Junk Mail!! - Neil Asher
Neil Asher - I love Junk Mail!
I've discussed direct marketing and gave you five different ways that it can be utilized including (but certainly not limited to) advertising in media, electronic media (Radio, TV, etc.), the internet, mail, telemarketing, and door to door selling.
Of all these direct marketing methods I'm most partial to direct mail. I like direct mail for many different reasons including:
#1: There are lots of options regarding formatting costs.
#2: You get things directly into the hands of the prospect.
#3: At least for a brief moment you have the person's undivided attention.
#4: It is completely results measurable.
#5: It can be combined with other marketing methods. And
#6: You can learn to do your own copy and graphic work.
There are several different ways you can use direct mail too, including acquiring or attracting new customers as a pre-approach prior to a telephone or personal call and to communicate with existing customers.
I suggest you immediately begin opening and reading all of your so-called 'junk mail' and building files for each the categories of uses I mentioned. Keep the pieces that strike you as interesting and effective.
Personally...I love junk mail!
Thousands of companies spending millions of dollars to educate me about savvy marketing techniques that I can adapt to my businesses. The big companies that do a lot of direct mail marketing are very sophisticated in their methods.
They employ the very best writers and consultants, people who often command anywhere from ??10,000 to ??25,000 just to write a sales letter. These guys are sharp. You can learn from their work. These companies test, test, test and test some more.
So your junk mail is bringing you the end results of collaboration between the brightest direct marketing minds and the costliest marketing research in the country. I'll dare you throw it in the wastebasket.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
why get married?
True Love - Neil Asher
Neil Asher - are you in a relationship?
I am, I have a very different view of relationships to most people and today I'd like to share with you some of my beliefs about relationships and what the purpose of them is.
The purpose of all relationships is to dissolve the barriers that keep us from recognizing the love that already is and expressing the love we ultimately are.
We each have a hierarchy of values; from the things we think are extremely important, all the way down to the things we think don't matter. Your values dictate your destiny. Anything that supports your highest values you call "good" and are attracted to; anything that challenges them you call "bad" and are repelled by.
Your values are based on the perception that something is missing, that a void exists. But the Law of Conservation says that nothing is missing, it's just in a form you haven't recognized. You think you're missing it; therefore, you seek it, and anything you think supports that search you call good and anything that challenges it you call bad.
Our values determine the way in which we conduct our relationships.
There are three ways to conduct a relationship, and each one has an entirely different outcome.
A careless relationship is one in which you project and focus on your own values without considering your partner at all.
A careful relationship is when you think in terms of your partners values without considering you own.this one is called "walking on eggshells". Both are one-sided approaches that ignore the other person and create tension in the relationship.
But a caring relationship is one where you communicate your values in terms of theirs. You think of both sides simultaneously, expressing your love for yourself and each other. The definition of caring is knowing someone well enough to know their values and caring enough to express your values in terms of theirs. Whenever something supports your values, you take away the rules, and when something challenges your values, you set rules. Nations do it, companies do it and you do it in relationships. You set up rules when your values feel threatened.
Often when we're in a relationship, we unwisely think the other person is supposed to be like us but if any two people are exactly the same, one of them is unnecessary. The purpose of a relationship is to teach us to love the parts we've disowned. Each person has their own set of values and no two people have the same set.
Each person expresses love through his or her own values. When we honor our partners value system, we realize that we're surrounded by love in forms we don't even recognize. The power to transform your life is in your heart. You only need the courage to open it.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
quit your coaching job
You are so excited to have your new coaching business. You love to interact with clients or customers, and to create, create, create!
Then you are hit with realization that paperwork, finances, marketing and all that business stuff is eating away at your time. And much of it you don't even like to do. Your own business starts to become just another job-- with more responsibility.
The answer is 'systems'. You want to set up systems so your business practically runs itself. You can think of a system as a recipe for a part of your business.
Part of being your own boss is the flexibility of working when you choose and traveling when you want. When you are doing everything yourself and doing it the hard way, you lose this flexibility. You become tied to your job 24-7. Put systems in place so you don't always have to be there.
An Example
As an illustration, say you had a chili making business in your backyard. Taking orders was wasting a lot of your time. So, you decide to systemize it. You create an order taking process- what you say, forms to use, how payment is taken, and so on. Once you have a good system in place you can hire a high school student to take orders for you, teaching him or her the system. It's easy for them to remember because you wrote it all down and put it in your Systems Manual!
So which part of your business takes up a lot of your time? Write down the process for handling that area. Refine it. Improve it. Then put it in your Systems Manual, and find someone who can learn to do it well, at the lowest possible price.
Checklists
One way to systemize is to use checklists. When you create a system, remember it by writing it down or typing it up. You could have a checklist for proofing your web site, checking your newsletter or submitting articles.
Checklists are also great for routines. You can write down what you want to do every day, every week, each month and every year for your business.
Here is an example for a coaching business. Suppose you wrote a list of what you'll do every week...
Weekly Coaching Checklist
Billing
Write follow-up letters
Write one article
Get completely caught up on e-mails
Contact 3 former clients
Have lunch with a colleague
Do a weekly review
Make sure calls are set up for clients
Set up 5 exploratory sessions
Contact one radio station to suggest an interview
Software
A lot of software exists now to help systemize your business, from accounting to promoting your web site to working your affiliate program (automatic sales force) to compiling your e-books. For example...
Out Source...
If a part of your business is difficult for you, too time consuming or you really don't like doing it, hire it out. Find a virtual assistant to do customer service, go through your e-mail, research, or organize your travel plans. My assistant Carmel has eased up my workload tremendously. Your accountant can handle your finances. The kid next door can stuff envelopes, or even clean your house! Now you can concentrate on your business.
Note: Of course you may not be able to afford all this at once. That's where profit comes in. You want to generate a small profit in the business. Then use some of that to invest in a system. Then grow the profit a little more, and use some of that to invest in another system.
Where can you systemize?
Here are some examples to get you thinking...
- Taking phone calls
- Billing
- Tracking your time
- Using autoresponders for e-mail you send frequently (I use www.totalbusinesscart.com)
- Cleaning your office/house
- Paperwork and filing
- Online tracking system for your web site
- Marketing
- Book keeping
- Product delivery
- New client or customer welcome packs
- Client Follow-up
- Get started on creating systems for your business today!
with much warmth
Neil Asher
no one needs a coach!
When I was starting out as a coach in 2001 I looked around for the leading coach in Australia (and chose Caroline McCourty). For my next coach I did everything i could to get Tony Robbins to coach me, he wouldn't but hey it's great fun trying 
My current coaches are as follows:
Dr John F Demartini
A venture capitalist who last year made over £147 million
A Retired CEO who has built 8 multi million dollar businesses
I believe this track is appropriate for high flyers - those going for big achievements.
If you truly believe coaching is valuable, it's just common sense to have your own coach. Choose the right coach for you, and it will definitely fast track your practice.
I want to share a few tips to help you choose the right coach for you. After all, it can be a sizeable investment....let's make it pay off!
You're after a coach who has something you want. Are they a well paid professional speaker? Do they have forty clients? Are they in the corporate market? Do they LOVE their life? Are they working in your dream niche? Do they own a seaside home? Ar they hugely visible in the media? Are they a master at helping coaches become hugely succesful
Dream the kind of practice you want, and find someone who has it.
Ideally, you're also looking for someone with experience in getting new coaches started. They may have what you want, but there's no guarantee they can impart/teach what they know.
Anything from £200 to £500 p.m. is reasonable providing they can demonstrate results and have testimonials.
Searching
You can do a search for "mentor coach" at any internet search engine e.g. http://www.google.com You might try the coach referral service at New Insights - which allows you to limit your search to the coaches who offer mentor coaching (note - this does not mean they have experience in this). You can search for a New Insights Master Coach at our web site.
Questions to Ask
Most coaches are willing to answer some of your questions, and even do a free trial session before you sign on. Some good questions to ask are:
- How long have you been coaching?
- What training have you had?
- How many coaches have you/are you currently mentoring?
- What kind of results have your mentorees had?
- Can you provide email addresses of a couple of coaches you've worked with?
- Could you please provide details of your practice? (Fees, # clients, different revenue streams)
- What do you love about your practice?
- What's great about your life?
Check Them Out
Lastly, you want to feel comfortable with this person. Interviewing or trialing one to three coaches should be sufficient. They no longer have to be in your country - just make sure if they're overseas that they are willing to cover the cost of phone calls, or factor this into your monthly fee. Be aware they may not be willing to do a free session with you if you are doing this with a number of coaches. (I know I don't like to - I prefer people do their research on the net first, even talk to other coaches first, and ask me for a chat only once they're pretty sure they want to work with me).
Investment
If you're concerned about the investment, consider what your return on that monthly investment might be. In most cases, you only need 2-4 paying clients to cover the cost of your mentor coach. And if your coach can't increase help you increase your client list by MORE than 2-4, something's missing! It can be very empowering to hire a mentor coach, and set a goal of bringing in enough coaching income to cover the cost of your own coach by a particular date.
Remember, you don't need a mentor coach. No-one NEEDS a coach. It's just a faster, more fun, and often cost-effective road with one.
Enjoy!
with much warmth
Neil Asher
How To Think Successfully
Neil asher - How To Think Successfully
Today I want to switch gears a bit and talk about thinking. More specifically, thinking to succeed.
There's an excellent scene in an old motivational film by Doctor Eden Rowell titled, 'You Pack Your Own Chute," that illustrates the problem with most thinking and the way you have to think to succeed. Doctor Rowell draws a 1 and an 'X' in the sand and challenges a friend to turn it into a six with one line. He tries several possibilities, putting a one behind the 'X.' Finally she draws an 'S' in front making the drawing into the word 'six.'
Her friend protests saying that she indicated it had to be done with a line but an 'S' is nothing more than a curved line it's just that we think of a line as being straight. We need to be able to step outside the confines of conventional, habitual thinking.
A classic example of the problem, of course, is the railroad industry. They mistakenly thought they were in the railroad industry instead of seeing themselves in the transportation industry Neil asher.
What business are you in? As your business grows and prospers you'll probably redefine that business many times. McDonald's, for example, began as a hamburger stand. Today among other things McDonald's is a huge and powerful commercial real estate company investing and building a property empower with franchisee's leases as funding.
Continual frequent rethinking of what your business is, should be, can be and will be is a great success strategy. Regardless of the redefinition though the most important strategy of all is playing simple excellence. The book 'In Search of Excellence,' has been very good for business. It has caused many companies and business people to do better thinking about the quality of what they do and produce.
As I travel, fly airlines, stay in hotels, rent cars, eat in restaurants, deal with many different people supplying the different companies I have interests in, I'm most often disappointed by the lack of excellence and the lack of concern for excellence apparent in most businesses. But thrilled by the occasional examples of real commitment to quality.
Fortunately the British consumer and the business client is, I think, growing gradually more demanding and those firms that invest as much time, effort and money in fostering quality and products and customer service as they do in advertising, are going to see real dividends from their decisions.
In my opinion the way for a hotel chain to become number one is to cut their ad budget and invest in better people and more training for their front desk staffs. A car dealer could prosper by making their service departments better rather than getting a better ad agency. The excellence movement sparked by that book is a good positive, productive encouraging one. I think every business person should read 'In Search of Excellence,' 'Passion for Excellence,' and other books about quality and think of quality as a marketing strategy.
With my kidz 5 a day business I strive for customer service above and beyond what people expect, it costs a little more to provide but the payoff is twofold:
1. My customers love it and enthusiasticlly recomend us, we love neil asher!
2. We feel better as a result of this, I think this is a very over looked part of giving great service, your team will do better if they feel they are helping and making a difference. It's an intangible thing but I believe a very important one.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
who you gonna trust?
Neil asher - Today I would love to share with you another law of inspiration called the Law of Trust.
Believe In The Power of YOU! Neil ASher
This isn't something you do on an offshore investment, necessarily.
This is about you in relationship to the whole universe.
Think!
Imagine if you were to perceive and create in your mind the idea that "The world sucks!" "The world doesn't work!" "People are crazy today!" "Look at what this world is coming to!" Imagine a perception that there is chaos, traumas, problems, and we are all victims of circumstance. There is nothing you can do about all these issues, and you feel helpless and hopeless.
For an easy way to do this watch Fox news whilst worrying
Do you think that is going to get you where you would love to be in life? Not in my experience! Some people say, "Well, we don't want a 'Pollyanna' experience, where we think everything is fine, everything's dandy, and we'll just get in this Pollyanna mindset where we don't want to look at the problems and issues of life!"
However, I believe there is wisdom in trusting the universe. This is an intuitive process. Imagine that you were to go through life, and no matter what happened, positive or negative, you were capable of extracting service, benefit, and a value from it. In other words, even if there were something terrific or terrible, you could extract a benefit.
I believe that it is wise to perceive the universe as doing whatever it can to assist you in getting whatever you truly would love in life. When you make that leap of intuition, you begin to perceive the events around you neil asher differently.
Instead of looking at a situation and saying "Yuck!" and blaming and giving excuses, you say, "I am accountable for my reality. I have the ability to change my perception." By the way, William James said one hundred years ago, "The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their perceptions of mind." Why not change your perception so that no matter what happens in your life, you receive an opportunity to grow.
You receive positive and negative feedback to inspire you to be greater. The universe is doing an assisting process. It is making you great!
"Let us create in our minds the idea that the universe is someone worthy of trust." Let us personify it, and imagine it being trustworthy. It is doing whatever it can to assist you. When you filter life through trust, amazing things happen! Instead of seeing an ordinary event as a mistake, you say, "No! That is an opportunity. That is a gift! You extract from the same event, with new perceptions-opportunities, resources, ideas, and friends.
I will give you an example. I was walking down the aisle of an airplane one neil asher time, and I bumped into somebody. I could have said, "Oh! Excuse me." But I didn't. I turned around and said, "Oh! Hi! I'm Neil. I must have been meant to bump into you today. You are someone who is very attractive, and I have obviously been attracted to you!" I turned my whole perception around, and started a conversation. I sat down with them, and moved my seat around just to meet with them, and I got a business opportunity! Because I saw that there are no mistakes, there is nothing but a universe trying to assist me, and I trusted it.
The Law of Trust is basically to love life, and to trust that no matter what happens, it is serving you. It makes a difference in my perspective. It makes my life different. It can make yours different, too
with much warmth
Neil Asher
would you rather be right or rich?
Neil asher - Looks DO Matter
What You Think You Are vs What Others See - Neil Asher
It's important to understand that most customer impressions are formed with non-verbal input not verbal. The appearance you present, the image you offer will have much more impact than whatever you say.
In the training and consulting work that I do with coaches, I find definite measurable differences in their practices related to the packaging. By packaging I mean the attire of the coach and I do suggest certain, specific modes of dress to those people.
In my own business activities, I most often wear a dress shirt and tie and either a suit or sport coat. Usually when I lecture I wear a suit. I'll be the first to tell you that I think the necktie is a stupid, useless invention. I've lived in cold climates and can tell you that it does nothing to keep you warm. For tall guys like me a necktie's too short to hold up your drawers.
I mean it does nothing.
But some years ago I sat across the desk from a bank vice president and had him actually say to me, "You can't be president of a company your not even wearing a tie." Sure that's stupid but it happened and it brings up two interesting success principles.
One - for every ten that say it, there are ten thousand who think it.
Two - would you rather be right or rich? Neil asher says RICH!
You see when we develop marketing and business strategies we can't base our thinking on what should be, our thinking has to be based on what is. I think an important part of effective customer relations is a combination of all these preliminary impression factors. Your business has to clearly and immediately demonstrate that it lives up to its advertised promise. In the first impression stage courteous, competence and integrity has to be communicated.
Okay, now we've talked about first impressions as it relates to customer relations, but what can you do after the initial contact in order to foster customer retention?
more next time.
with much warmth
Neil Asher
STRESS!
Neil Asher - A New Way to Handle Stress
Stressed out of your mind! Neil ASher
What is Stress?
Stress may arise from suddenly discovering that the wife that you have been married to for eight years, who has been posing as a flight attendant for American Airlines, is actually a CIA undercover agent working on a drug smuggling Columbian cartel case.
It may occur when you discover that your new husband is actually a former bank robber recently released from prison. Of course these more extreme examples are less likely to occur than having more month at the end of your money; wondering if your husband or wife is having an affair and about to leave you or possibly having your car breakdown on the way to an important meeting or presentation.
Many more common events in daily life can initiate varying degrees of stress. But in any case stress ultimately boils down to imbalanced muscular or physiological reactions resulting from neuro-hormonal responses arising from imbalanced sensory perceptions, ones generally accompanied by fear and guilt.
When we unwisely exaggerate and minimize the daily pains and pleasures of life we experience hormone related anxiety, guilt-ridden stress and feel our lives are momentarily spinning out of control with chaos.
Before we look at a revolutionary new approach that dissolves the unhealthy and chaotic feelings associated with stress, let me first define fear and guilt. Fear arises when you assume that in the near or far future you are going to experience more pains than pleasures, more losses than gains or more negatives than positives.
On the other hand, guilt arises when you assume that in the near or far past you caused more pains than pleasures, more losses than gains or more negatives than positives.
Since each event in life has both positive and negative components or repercussions anytime we misperceive such an imbalance we become stressed. Stress is where we are looking at only half of an emotional equation, not the loving and ordered whole. Drawbacks and benefits, negatives and positives, pains and pleasures, losses and gains all come in pairs.
Kipling called pain and pleasure the "two imposters". Emerson claimed that every excess had its compensatory defect and every defect its excess; every sweet had its sour and every sour its sweet. The key to solving stress is returning our sensory misperceptions back into balance.
How do you realize you are stressed? Neil asher
You know you're stressed any moment you're mind is not present and certain and your heart is not grateful and loving. I call presence, certainty, gratitude and love the four cardinal pillars of a stress less and masterful life. Since fear involves a future imagined state of mind-body and guilt involves a past-remembered state of mind-body, stress occurs when you're distracted from the present, wavering with uncertainty, ungrateful and closed hearted.
When you feel stressed your muscles become tensed, particularly those of the jaw, face, arms and hands and your breathing and speech becomes erratic. The result is a disordering of your thoughts and a polarizing of your mood.
In what areas of life does stress arise? Neil asher
Stress associated with fear and guilt arises primarily within the following seven areas of life:
Spiritual Stress: The fear of loss of communication or inspiration from your soul, or God
Mental Stress: The fear of loss of intelligence, imagination or memory
Job/Work Stress: The fear of loss of success, clients or business
Financial Stress: The fear of loss of money or possessions
Family Stress: The fear of loss of loved ones neil asher
Social Stress: The fear of loss of friends, or rejection and humiliation
Physical Stress: The fear of loss of wellness, or disfiguration, or death
How many levels of stress are there? neil asher
Stress associated with fear and guilt can occur in various degrees or arise from different ratios of perceived imbalance. These degrees of stress are socially revealed through various linguistic expressions. What follows is a scale of verbal expressions associated with varying ratios of loss verse gain perceptions.
Calm - Relaxed - Breakthrough
Balanced Loss 1 : 1 Gain neil asher
you will find yourself saying "I Love to"
Loss 2 : 1 Gain
you will find yourself saying "I Choose to"
Loss 3 : 1 Gain
you will find yourself saying "I Desire to"
Loss 4 : 1 Gain
you will find yourself saying "I Want to"
Loss 5 : 1 Gain
you will find yourself saying "I Need to"
Loss 6 : 1 Gain
you will find yourself saying "I Should, Ought to or Supposed to"
Imbalanced Loss 7 : 1 Gain
you will find yourself saying "I Got to or Have to"
Frantic - Stressful - Breakdown
What is The Demartini Method (The Quantum Collapse Process) and how does it help dissolve any kind of stress?
The Demartini Method , is a breakthrough discovery and cutting edge personal transformation methodology. Developed by Dr. John F. Demartini, it results in a new and refreshing paradigm in thinking and feeling. It provides a foolproof and effective means of transforming any form of conflict or stress into grateful states of love and vitality.
It is a systematic pre-determined series of questions and actions directed toward the objective of bringing to your conscious mind the states of presence and certainty and the feelings of gratitude and love to your heart. It is an enlightening procedure, which neutralizes your emotional charges and balances your mental and physical perceptions and reactions. It is a reproducible science enabling you to discover the underlying order governing your apparent daily chaos neil asher.
Whether you are momentarily experiencing extreme or mild degrees of stress, by balancing out your mental perceptions through the use of The Demartini Method you can dissolve the underlying source of your mental chaos and resulting emotional disorder. The stress solution that once took days, weeks, months or years can now be accomplished in a matter of minutes or hours.
Stress can now be considered only a periodic adventure along a road to self-fulfillment.
tell the god damn truth!
Neil Asher Truth-Telling (Lies and With-Holds)
Do You Tell Little White Lies - Neil Asher
"Every with-hold you have from someone, is a brick in the wall between you."
Do you tell the truth? What percentage of the time? 100%? Or 90%? And when you do tell the truth, do you tell 100% of it? Or 90%?
"You look great". "I don't mind". "Yes, sex is good". "Everything's fine at home". "I'm sorry". "I didn't mean to". "Something came up".
And what about the truths we don't say - the "with- holds"? "I'm really upset that you canceled on me". "I don't feel respected by you". "I lie to you so you'll like me". "I'm worried if I tell you the truth you'll be angry". "It's important to me that you be on time".
You're either telling the truth, lying, or with-holding. Even most of us with the best intentions DO NOT tell 100% of the truth, 100% of the time.
Why?
We CAN'T tell the whole truth - about what we want, how we feel, what we love, what we hate. Because we need people to like us, to love us, to accept us, to want to hang around us. "If I told Jill she needs a wash, she'd be upset, or even freak out". "If I told Bill I'm not enjoying sex, we'd both be embarrassed, and he might leave me". So we get to protect, hide-out, manipulate, and control.
THE IRONY
If we don't tell the truth, people CAN'T love us! The only way we can really be loved - really be accepted, is to show who we are. To be who we are. Only THEN, once you are truly seen, is it possible for someone to accept the real you. If we instead show a "front" ("No, no - it's OK that you're late"), they can only like, love, accept the "front"! Then we feel more alone than ever, and maybe even resentful.
And consider this: if you don't show who you ~really~ are, how will the beautiful souls on the planet who are looking for ~you~, find you? They'll see your "front", and move on!
In "The Truth About Relationships", Greg Baer says: "Only when I tell the truth can I be clearly seen by others. Only then can I feel ~accepted~ by them and feel that they genuinely care about my happiness (Real Love). I create the opportunity to be loved when I tell the truth about myself."
So there it is. How do we be who we really are? How do we give people the chance to see us, to accept the "real me"? Risky, but simple: Tell the Truth.
When we Tell the Truth
I recently had the opportunity to dig deep, and reveal a very uncomfortable truth. I was developing a nice friendship with a very beautiful woman, and at a certain point, had a "flash": one reason I was drawn to beautiful women in particular, was that love/affection/acceptance from ~this~ group of human beings, felt valid and important - I let it in. However, affection from people I didn't find physically attractive, I tended to devalue. Let's get right down to it - "I could be using her to feel important!!???". While I wasn't proud of this view, and am committed to moving past it, at that moment it was part of who I am, and I risked sharing it with her.
The result? It felt incredibly freeing, creating a very safe space of honesty, and brought us even closer together.
When you're willing to dig deep, find the truth, and risk sharing it, you:
- Create a possibility for true acceptance, and real love. - Increase your self expression, which feels great! - Get led to who you really are, and to what you really love/hate. - Grow, and find more truth, and grow, and find more truth, and grow... - Have nothing to hide - how freeing is that!? - Attract those people ready for, and looking for, you! - Lose people who drain you (i.e. upgrade!) - Give others a gift - something ~real~ - as opposed to something false. - Create a safe space for them to tell ~their~ truth!
So How Do to "Up" your Level of Truth-Telling?
Dear risk-takers: There ARE risks associate with this practice. Particularly for those of us who like to stick to the comfort zone, please note that ~anything~ can happen - both negative, and wonderfully positive - if you do the following:
a) Write down the names of three people you would like to feel closer to - e.g. spouse, boss, employee, friend, you!
b) Next to each name, write down at least one thing that's important to you, but you would feel uncomfortable or unsafe telling them. What have you been with-holding?
c) Tell them. Setting up the space: let them know this is NOT about them. It's not about anything they have done wrong. It's simply about you, how you feel, what works for you, and that you want to let them know where you are. (Tip: If it's something you don't need them to do anything about, let them know that!)
d) Now, give them exactly the same space! The room to share their with-holds with you. Ask them: "Is there anything you would feel uncomfortable telling me?" "Have I ever disappointed you?" (What a question!). Let them know they can say anything, and you'll simply hear it, putting all your reactions aside. (Tip: If you're not willing to put your stuff aside, don't do this! If you can't control it, leave the room).
Risk a little!
Neil ASher
Neil Asher – fear vs Courage
Fear vs Courage - Neil Asher
Something important today
One that I believe is the difference of all differences.
I intend writing at much, much greater length about this sometime, somewhere, but here it is in nutshell; the difference of all differences: fear vs. courage.
Every business, financial or personal decision made from fear turns out badly. Usually, all the unintended, unexpected, unseen evolving consequences prove far worse than the thing that was feared in the first place. (I'm not talking about healthy and essential paranoia as a strategic planning device. I'm talking about fear. )
Of course, not every decision made from courage turns out well.
Were it that simple!
But the list of decisions from courage turning out well is a world longer than the list of decisions from fear turning out well. If you like playing the odds, you think and act courageously.
A lot of little things that add up, little hinges that swing big doors, open or closed.come from fear or courage. Price, for one. Terms, another. Cutting troublesome or nominally profitable accounts, customers or clients to make room for better business or keeping them in the way. Firing. Now, discretion can be the better part of valor, particularly in terms of timing.
No team ever won the F.A cup with a punt, but you can't win going for it being defensive throughout the entire game either. Defense is important, not just offense. But there's almost always a turning point, a gut-check, when a courageous call is needed. So it is in the game of business. You can't be reckless, but you can't be timid either.
There are legendary acts of courage in celebrated success stories. Stallone's refusal to sell the first Rocky script when he was told he couldn't play the lead role, even though he was dead broke and in desperate need of that cheque, that worked out well for him. There are also acts of courage born out of desperation Fred Smith keeping FedEx alive at the Las Vegas craps tables leaps to mind. As JFK said, I had to be a hero, my boat sank.
Many historians speculate the entire world would be a different place if Nixon had the courage to defy everyone, burn the tapes on the White House lawn as assertion of national security, defy impeachment (as later did Clinton). The Disney business has, at several points, prospered from courage: Walts defying the amusement park industry experts, Eisner defying his own Board immediately after 9-11.
I have personally seen very successful businesses destroyed by their owners making a sequence of fear driven decisions.... I have seen none destroyed by courage.
It is at least a great question: on what core basis am I making this decision, fear or courage?
neil asher says you are the guru
Neil Asher says - You Are The GURU!
Neil Asher
The founder of the Sikh religion was a great teacher named Guru Nanakh.
Neil Asher
He was truly a man who dedicated his life to the study of the religions of the world and the spiritual quest, a wise being, scholar and guru. You could say that guru means, gee, you are you,?? someone who helps you become aware of your unique existence.
In his quest he went to Israel and studied Judaism, and Christianity, and he journeyed to Mecca to study Mohammed's teachings. He went to the Kaaba, which is a cubical building in the center of the big square in Mecca, and on the eastern wall of the Kaaba is the sacred stone, a meteorite set into the wall..
He walked into the square and lay down on his back in meditation with his feet toward the sacred stone, but the rule of the temple was that you never point your feet in the direction of the sacred stone. You are only to bow down to it because it is a symbol of Allah and the feet are considered unclean. Everybody kneels down and faces it in a great circle, and anybody who reverses that is a blasphemer. He lay down that way and the Muslims around him were deeply offended.
They cried out in their language, Blasphemy! Blasphemy! How dare you put your feet to the sacred stone? neil asher
They pushed his feet away, but he just spun around and they were magically brought back to the stone. They kicked him, but he rolled and sat up again facing the same way. They dragged him out, but he just followed them back in. No matter what they did his feet would return to the stone like a compass needle. They rolled him around and over and dragged him away, and nothing they did seemed to make the slightest difference. He kept his feet pointing to the stone.
You must not do this, it is sacrilege and blasphemy! Why do you put your feet to the sacred stone? but he just lay there calmly, without reacting.
Everyone was upset and screaming at him, and he finally asked them, Brothers, why are you so upset?
Because you put your feet to the sacred stone! NEIL ASHER
And why is that so terrible?
Because the sacred stone represents God, and you don't put your feet in the direction of God. That is bad!
He said, If you can tell me where God is not, I will gladly put my feet there.
I tell that story because we're all hypocrites when we say we're spiritual but don't sit in a state of gratitude and grace for the magnificence of everything, just as it is. None of us are going to do that 24 hours a day, but we are wise to be honest enough with ourselves to acknowledge the times when we're not grateful, know that's the journey, and humble ourselves to our sacred journey of love.
I belive in G.O.D as the Grand Organized Design of the universe and everywhere i look i see the universe working perfectly well maintaining balance and equilibrium. Neil asher
Some people like you some people hate you most are apathetic, some areas of your life you're strong others you're weak.
with much warmth
Are you in your own way? Neil Asher
Do the thing, and you will have the power - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Do the thing, what's the worst that can happen? Neil Asher
Neil Asher
Many people have a long list of reasons to explain why they're not doing what they love, but few of them objectively examine their reasons and look for underlying fears. The reality is that there's a hidden fear behind every imagined limitation, including sickness. As much as we may be tempted to blame other people or outside circumstances for our current condition in life, sooner or later we realize that we attract and create our own limitations. And while that may be a humbling reality, it's also an inspiring one. Neil Asher
Since we attract or create our own limitations, we can also break through them. Not by repressing, ignoring, or denying them, but by learning to love them. Yes! Love them. Because anything we don't love runs us and inhibits our inspired actions with fear. Our limitations represent all the aspects of ourselves and others that we haven't learned to love and appreciate yet. So each time we take an honest look at a limit or a block, we give ourselves an opportunity to love and to reach a higher level of awareness.
Every one of us has the creativity and ability necessary to rise above our own limitations. But sometimes the limitations feel comfortable and the idea of achieving our dreams frightens us, and that's when we're most tempted to sabotage our own efforts.
That's the frame of mind in which I found a young man named Jeremy when we met on an airplane. I was working on my laptop computer when Jeremy sat down beside me and introduced himself. When he asked what I was working on, I told him I was writing a book about the mind, body, heart, and soul connection, and the healing properties of inspiration and unconditional love. Neil Asher
He nodded his head, but his eyes glazed over, and for the next half hour he was silent. It wasn't until the flight attendant brought our meals that he said, You know, I can't believe I'm sitting here next to someone who's writing a book. Do you know how long I've been wanting to write a book? How can I get from wanting to write a book, and talking about writing a book, to writing one actually? he asked.
I explained to Jeremy that the only difference between wanting to write a book and actually writing one required taking action steps. When I begin a book,I said, I know that it's a process, and I know that the book will change as the process continues. Neil Asher
Jeremy's eyes widened. So you just do it. You just write one page at a time and you like some stuff and you don't like other stuff and you change things, but you just keep writing until you have the book that you want!
Yes,I said, that about sums it up.
Jeremy shook his head, smiling. You have no idea how much what you just said means to me! For years I've been afraid to type a single word on my computer as if it's somehow getting chipped into stone or something. Writing a book is like doing anything else! It doesn't have to be perfect from the start, nothing is. Everything I do is a process ... Wow.
I haven't run into Jeremy again since that conversation, but I'm sure that he's much closer to writing his book than he was before he realized that he was creating his own limitations.
Feel the fear, but don't let it stop you. Neil Asher
-Anonymous
Whatever you feel uncomfortable about and don't love is stopping you.
with much warmth
Neil asher
resistance is futile Neil asher
Neil Asher - resistance is futile
resistance is futile Neil Asher
All coaches will face times when the client is resisting something. It can be extremely frustrating to constantly hear a client (or friend for that matter) talk about why they can't do something - and keep bringing up blocks instead of looking for solutions. It's almost like they are committed to staying safe and not going for their goal.
I can sometimes find myself drawn or sucked into throwing out possible solutions that come to mind (not the best coaching). Neil Asher
And still they knock these down. By this stage you should have realised that you're pushing uphill, and that it might be time to try a different tack: taking their goal away from them!
Here's a recent conversation I had at a restaurant with a person I had just met (let's call him John):
John said: 'Wow - you're a coach? What would you say to someone who always wanted to play more music, but didn't have the time or money to do it?' Neil Asher
We talked about what he really wanted, and he brought up several blocks in the way: 'Oh but my work takes up a lot of time'.
'How would it feel to cut back work to 3-4 days a week and put time into your music'? I asked.
'Oh - but we really need the money because we have a mortgage' Neil Asher
'Well - would you be willing to devote 7 extra hours on the weekend to expressing yourself through music?'
'Oh no - I need some time to relax and to be with my wife. Plus there's a lot to do around the house'.
After less than five minutes of not enjoying this I finally said: 'Well how's this for a plan? You keep your current hours at your job, pay off your mortgage, and then when you're 80 you look back and wonder what could have happened if you really followed your passion?'
He sat there stunned for a few moments, and then blurted out: 'But that sounds like a terrible plan!' 'Well - isn't that the one you're currently working with?'
Neil Asher's EXERCISE:
Call someone who wants something to be different, but keeps complaining about how they couldn't do it - all they can see are blocks (e.g. they want to leave a relationship, or switch jobs, but just don't do it). Suggest that they give up - i.e. dump the goal and keep doing what they are doing (e.g. stay in the relationship and in 20 years time wonder who you might have met if you had left next week; stay in your job for another 10 years, and then look around once you're past it). You must say it very seriously as if you mean it as a valid option.
Sometimes when they are resisting a goal, you need to take it away from them and watch them squirm! And have fun with it.
with much warmth Neil asher
The Cost Of A New Customer Neil Asher
Neil Asher Says That Today is marketing day!
The Cost Of A New Customer - Neil asher
The main thing that gets people interested in direct marketing is its value as a means of acquiring new coaching clients. With the increased and ever increasing costs of doing business it is critically important for the owner of the small coaching business and for the business itself to be cost-effective in marketing. Neil Asher
Neil Asher
That means that good control is exercised over the cost of getting a new coaching client. Many new coaches grow their gross at the expense of their net (ie they make have high turnover but low profits). At least partially through uncontrolled new customer acquisition cost. They can literally grow themselves right out of business.
I've found that the best way to develop methods that work consistently, predictably and cost-effectively in acquiring new customers is through direct mail marketing. When you develop a successful cost-effective direct mail programme you've got an extremely valuable asset. You've got a system that you can use over and over again for a long time with predictable results.
To use direct mail to effectively acquire new customers or clients you have to deal with demographics. Demographics are the statistical information about people that marketers use to select and target their prospective customers and clients.
Today computers have added a huge extra measure of sophistication to the collection and organization of demographics. So that it is literally true that if you can describe it you can get it. This makes it critically important to know as much as possible about your present customers and your desirable customers. The more information you have about the commonalities in your customer base the more efficiently you can select prospects.
Here's a partial list of demographic information you might compile about your coaching clients - age, sex, marital status, home ownership, car ownership, major purchase behavior, credit card possession, income level, occupations, response to mail order offers, magazines subscribed to, satelite TV subscription.
By collecting and analyzing data about your customers you might find, for example, that a significant majority of your best coaching clients are between 30-35 years of age, male, married, own their own homes, have bought a new car within the last three years, have bought a flat screen/plasma television set in the last two years, have a Visa card, earn between £25,000-£40,000 a year, are in advertsing or middle managers, are known mail order purchasers, subscribe to GQ and have satelite television.
If you have that information you have the power to very efficiently selecting new groups of targeted prospects. Neil Asher
If you'd like to find out more about having a life coach or becoming a life coach copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
and ask to speak to one of our brilliant team
with much warmth Neil Asher
Neil asher
Neil Asher Internet Mo Keteers
Neil Asher's Internet Mo Keteers!
Neil Asher Group!
JOIN! https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/351220
Look like a porn star for a month Neil Asher
Internet Mo Keters
Hi!
Join the Internet Mo Keters & Help Raise Money For Mens Health!
Moustache Season is upon us, so I’ve decided to register for Movember and embrace the hair of the wild. I’ve pledged to cultivate a genuine 100% face grown moustache for 30 days to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, specifically prostate and testicular cancer.
Now, I’m on the hunt for fellow trusty and fearless pioneers to join me by signing up to my team.
The Internet Mo Keters!
Together we can change the face of men’s health.
To join my Movember team go to
https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/351220
Movember is about raising funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Did you know one man dies every hour from prostate cancer in the UK each year and more than 2,000 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer this year.
I for one want to make sure that EVERYTHING possible is done to help prevent testicle cancer... I love my testi's!
The more people we can get to become Citizens of Movember, the more lives we can impact. You can either grow a moustache as a Mo Bro, or join as a Mo Sista to show your support and help recruit other Mo growers to the Internet Mo Keters team.
Once registered, Movember will send you all the information you need to raise funds and start raising awareness for men’s health as part of my Movember team.
With our marketing savvy we could really make a difference so lets get with the fuzz!
If you’d like to find out more about the type of work you’d be helping to fund by supporting Movember, take a look at the Programmes We Fund section on the Movember website:
Please join me at
https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/351220
Neil (internet Mo Keter) Asher
P.S 30 days of not shaving sounds like heaven to me! All for a good cause too
How To Stop Losing Clients! Neil Asher
Neil Asher - OK time for a coaching tip today methinks
Become a life coach
HOW to Stop Losing Clients! Neil Asher
One of the easiest ways to lose clients is to allow doubt to foster - by delaying their payment! When a client signs up do you want to wait a week to receive payment and find out if they stick around long enough? Or would you rather have their payment in seconds and get started changing their life?
In this article I'll cover BOTH payment methods. We'll start with the quickest method to set up, and then move on to the one that will make it easy for your client to stay with you month after month.
CHEQUES NEIL ASHER
This is great for say your first five to ten clients. Particularly if it's a face to face introductory session, and they give you the cheque right up front. The biggest advantage is there is no set up required. Although I do recommend registering a business name and setting up a business account. It's more professional have them make out a cheque to 'Inspirational Coaching' than to ~Contact.FirstName~ - all round nice person!
A few big drawbacks though. First, you have to handle paperwork, go to the bank, and update your records - spread out over a week or more.
Second, if it's not a face to face intro session - you have to rely on them being motivated and reliable enough to mail you the cheque, which is also effort for your clients. It's very easy for doubt to set it after they sign up with you. So in the 24-48 hours before they send the cheque, and are wondering if they made the right move, have they really fully committed to the 6 months of coaching until payment is made?
Third, what if the cheque bounces or they have seconds thoughts after the fact and stop the cheque? I've had this happen a couple of times, despite a verbal commitment to at least one month of coaching.
And fourth, every single month you have to ask for another cheque, and have them go through the same decision making process and effort, and face the same uncertainty.
Neil Asher
While you DO still accept cheques, I suggest: 1) Get three months payment up front if you can 2) Require them to mail the cheque within 24 hours, and email you within that time to confirm it's done. 3) Consider holding up sending your welcome pack and not doing the first official session until they confirm the cheque has been sent. That's usually when you know you have a committed client
Money orders and bank cheques are even better. Foreign currency cheques are also fine - your bank will probably charge a small fee and you'll have to wait up to a couple of weeks for it to arrive, plus up to two more weeks for it to clear.
CREDIT CARDS
This is one of the best moves I made as a coach. When a client says 'Yes, let's set up', part of my set up procedure is to take their credit card details. Yes - what better time than when they have just said yes and are ready to commit to coaching?
When I get off the phone, I run it through the little Eftpos machine my bank gave me for free (which charges me only 2% of the transaction). It's instantly approved (unless they have hit their limit, in which case I know immediately instead of waiting a week to find out a cheque has bounced) and I email out their Welcome Pack and Receipt, and update my accounting software. Neil Asher
This makes a BIG difference doing it all at once instead of spread out over a week from 'Yes' to 'Cheque Received' to 'Bank the cheque' to 'Cheque cleared'. If in the rare case it is declined, I call them straight away and we make arrangements to rectify it (although I may put a smaller amount through so they have a deposit down).
In the days when I still took monthly payments (I now charge six months in advance), when the time came to charge them for the next month, I simply charged their card again and emailed them a receipt.
IMPORTANT: you need to set this up front in the agreement; something like 'I will charge your card at the end of each month and send you a receipt, unless I hear otherwise, until we have completed three months at which time we'll review our arrangement.'
Another way I have done it is to email them before I charge their card with: 'Just a courtesy note to let you know your card will be charged automatically within the next 24 hours. Please feel free to email or call if you have any questions.' Although I must say I like the other agreement better.
So where should you go for a merchant credit card account?
CHOOSING YOUR MERCHANT CREDIT CARD PROVIDER NEIL ASHER
Many merchants on the internet will try to sell you 'real time processing'. By this I mean - your customer enters their card details, and their charge is instantly verified, and the money soon deposited in your account. Personally, I wouldn't worry about this until you have a product to sell. It costs extra, and without a product you don't need it. So just go straight for a simple merchant account.
Of course you can very simply set up Pay Pal to charge their credit card on a monthly basis, pay pal charges 4% of the transaction costs to do this. It is a brilliant way of getting started and really until you hit over 5000.00 a month will work perfectly.
A final thought: how many clients do you have to lose because of a bounced cheques or changing their mind before they pay - before you realise you need to take credit cards? One. Neil asher
If you'd like to find out more about having a life coach or becoming a life coach copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
Neil Asher
4 simple ways to get more coaching clients – Neil Asher
Neil Asher
Well it's a kinda nice day today so i thought i'd something on marketing for you
So here's Four Simple Ideas From Neil Asher
You'll notice i communicate with you a lot I use of a frequent contact system (www.totalbusinesscart.com) to communicate with all my clients and i do it in order to develop a good relationship with you, so i thought i'd talk about that.
So when you set up your own communication system, here are some simple ideas to carefully consider:
#1: Most coaches invest too much in chasing new clients and too little in doing additional repeat business with their existent clients.Neil Asher
#2: The satisfied coaching client is predisposed to purchase again. Purchase more and purchase something different.
#3: It costs less to motivate a known coaching client to purchase again than to acquire a new client.Neil Asher
#4: Coaching clients are only fickle because a new competitor is paying more attention to them than you are.
Regardless of the layers of distribution between you and your customer you should establish some direct link. The owner of a restaurant can do that by coming around and chatting personally with the customers. The chief executive officer of a large company can do it with a newsletter and maybe a hotline telephone number.
You as a coach can ensure that you are continually providing the highest level of service and setting high standards for you and for your clients.
Here are some of the ways that direct mail can be used to communicate with established coaching clients.
#1: To introduce new products or services Neil Asher
#2: To give advance notice of and explain price or fee increases.
#3: To offer special discounts or premiums.
#4: To provide useful information.
#5: To give recognition to top customers.
#6: To announce seasonal sales.
I've rarely seen a coaching business that could not increase and improve through increased direct marketing to present clients.
Now here's a real marketing secret.
It is a true secret. Most coaches make a critical, crucial error in this area. I've personally made this error many times.
Here's the Neil Asher secret.
When marketing to established existent customers you should still tell your entire sales story every time.
Do not make the mistake of assuming knowledge on the part of the customer.
Do not take shortcuts with existing customers and do not feel that you are boring them by telling the same story repetitively.
If you have quality, service, guarantee price or other advantages point them out each and every time you deliver a sales presentation.
95% of the coaches i mentor desperately need to place a new higher value on their clients. That's been the message of Tom Peter's initiated excellence movement. It's the message behind the government hearings taking place investigating the airline's industry of abuse of its customers. If your business is not performing as well as you would like it's a message you should listen to also.
Communicate with your customers and you'll do more business and have more fun doing it! Neil asher
If you'd like to find out more about having a life coach or becoming a life coach copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
and either myself or one of our brilliant team will get back to you
with much warmth
Top 3 Life Coaching Problems – Neil Asher
Neil Asher's Top 3 Life Coaching problems!
“HOW would I help someone who just isn't getting into action?”
“How could I work with someone wanting direction and purpose? “
“What if they just don't know how to reach their goal? “ Neil asher
I thought I'd share with you three of the Top Situations my clients over the past few years have found themselves in, and HOW coaching made a difference.
But I'll do it from the client’s perspective. You'll read a typical situation you might find a client in, and then the BENEFITS you could offer that client.
This can help you in your coaching, and also to explain the benefits of coaching to potential clients.
SITUATION 1: 'Needing Accountability' Neil Asher
"I didn't need a coach to tell me what to do. I KNOW what I need to do, I just wasn't doing it.
I'd even make To Do Lists, and sometimes set goals, but for some reason it just didn't seem to get done. I'd write that book, change jobs, do that course, work on my relationship, start that business --soon.
Working with my coach was surprisingly simple. He'd ask me one week what I was going to do, and I knew he'd ask me next week if I'd done it.
Simply adding one more person to the equation means I now do what I say I will do. What a difference!"
SITUATION 2: 'I need direction. What's my purpose?' Neil asher
whats my purpose in life? Neil asher
"I didn't feel like what I was doing was meaningful. Each day was fine --go to work, achieve results, come home, watch TV, have a couple of drinks, dinner with our friends, vacation every now and then..But nothing really got me excited. There wasn't a purpose to what I was doing.
My coach helped me create a vision which actually inspired me! One which reflected the values we had identified were important to me. We then crafted a personal mission statement of HOW I would achieve this, and some exciting strategies.
Now, I actually feel like I'm playing a BIG game, with a very worthwhile goal which makes a difference. There's now a point to getting out of bed, and it feels great!"
SITUATION 3: 'Needs a Plan'
Running Around Like A .....
" I felt like I was all over the place - scattered. I was reacting to emergencies as they came up, rather than planning ahead. I was a little late to every meeting, not meeting my all my commitments, stressed, and riding high on adrenaline. My coach helped me to identify what was driving me--the hidden need I was constantly trying to meet, and to see why I really WANTED to be so busy.
I was then asked to set clear objectives which I felt would really make a difference in my life, and to map out when I would do what. As part of this process I set aside time for some things which were very important to me, but had been on the backburner--lying on the beach, writing my short story, and my family! I actually started getting to meetings early.
You know, the results are great. But even before the results, it felt so good simply to know that the planning had been done, and I was on track.'"
* * * *
I trust these client situations give you some ideas for strategies you could use with a client. And - that they help you enrol someone in the idea of coaching.
If you'd like to find out more about having a life coach or becoming a life coach copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
www.life-coach-training-uk.com
and either myself or one of our brilliant team will get back to you
with much warmth Neil asher
Are You Chasing What You Really Want?
Are You Chasing What You Really Want?
When I speak to an audience on the topic of "Create A Life You Love", we look at the things people spend most of their time on, and then compare these to the things they really want.
Do you think the two are aligned?
NO WAY!
You're either aligned or you're not. There is a unique set of values for YOU, that if followed, will allow you to live a fulfilled life. On your death bed you will be able to look back with a smile, knowing "I LIVED MY LIFE!". If your current priorities are fully aligned with these, then congratulations! I'd love to hear about it. You probably have a sense of contentment and fulfilment.
If your current priorities are significantly "out of whack" with what's REALLY important to you, you are probably very busy, constantly rushing, a little stressed, and when you get what your chasing - it's never enough! You turn around and go: "NEXT!". This is because we can never get enough of what we don't really want.
The Things We Chase
Neil Asher Is A Total Pimp!
The "Things We Chase" list often includes: money, fame/recognition, sex, power/responsibility, achievement, big house/car, more time.
The "Things we REALLY want" list often includes: love, intimacy, adventure, peace, security, creativity/expression and freedom.
If you still think you really want something on the first list ....... think again. Ask yourself: "When I get the car/house/promotion/money ... what will I have then?" You'll probably find the answer on the second list. For example, a client of mine thought she wanted to accomplish and achieve. It turned out what she REALLY wanted was to feel accepted - the achieving was really an attempt to feel accepted.
"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for, in order to get to the job that you need so that you can pay for the clothes, car and house that you leave empty all day in order to afford to live in it".
The fact is: we can never get enough of what we don't really want!!
So why is it we spend our time on the first list, and not directly on the second? Some say it's because we settle; we accept money. One audience member said "We believe that if we get the things we're chasing - money, recognition, sex etc. - then we'll have the love, peace, security etc. we REALLY want. But does it really work that way??
WHY NOT GO STRAIGHT FOR THE GOOD STUFF?
Go straight for love, adventure, security, peace, or whatever floats your boat, and get OFF the treadmill.
Action Time
OK - time to reassess your own priorities.
STEP 1
Ask yourself: "What's ONE thing I want more of in my life?" Really! If an angel floated down and said you get ONE thing, or more of one thing you already have, and nothing else in life, what would you pick? Is it money? Power? Fame? Love? Adventure? Peace? Full self expression?
STEP 2
What do you spend your time chasing? If you value intimacy or "strong friendships" most, do you actively build and strengthen your friendships, or do you spend your time working on making more cash? Do the "80 test": imagine lying on your death bed looking back at your life. Will your current set of priorities - the things you're NOW chasing - allow you to look back on your life and smile, knowing you lived life to the fullest?
STEP 3
If you're aligned - congratulations! If not, now's the time to write down HOW you are going to realign. What are you willing to give up to realign? Specifically what is the action you will take?
Perhaps an example will help: Suppose you've been spending too much time at the office chasing achievement or money, and you're now realigning towards health and vitality. What's the maximum number of hours you'll work each week, and EXACTLY what will you do now during those saved hours that supports your health and vitality?
with much warmth
How To Write Amazing Goals – Neil Asher
Neil Asher HOW TO WRITE AMAZING GOALS IN 10 MINUTES USING 5 FANTASTIC QUESTIONS!
Neil Asher - How To Write Amazing Goals
Ok! So we’ve all been there – you’re doing a session 1 and you’re brainstorming your first goal – before you know it, you’re 45 minutes into the session and still brainstorming the first goal – you become so aware of the time and even more aware that the DVD’s we all watched show 3 goals being set in session 1… then what happens, the feelings of self doubt creep in… the shoulds creep in…. you should have done the session quicker, you should have been able to set more than one goal… self doubt, fear and worry creep into your thoughts and before you know it, you’re thinking the old familiar chestnut … ‘I’m not good enough at this! I can’t do it!’ Neil Asher
So what if I showed you a way to brainstorm a brilliant goal in just 10 minutes using 5 superb, really amazingly effective questions that will tap into your clients highest values…. Want to know more? If so, read on.
First of all, pre-frame your client and tell your client that you’re going to spend 10 minutes brainstorming the goal (structure their expectations!) then start to ask the following questions.
How To Write Amazing Goals Question number 1 – open their mind to the limitless possibilities of the world!
EG: Imagine that I am a genie in a lamp and you’ve rubbed me and now I will grant you 3 wishes, one for each goal, what would your first wish be?
This question will allow you to find out the specific information (ie: I want to be earning x amount of pounds doing……...)
Follow up question could be, imagine I’m being super nice and letting you include other things in your goal what else would you want for this area?
How To Write Amazing Goals Question number 2 – Tap into the emotions Neil Asher
How would you feel if you had that?
Give me 5 feelings!
This question starts to tap into the clients values – ie what’s important to them? We all DO something in order to FEEL something! Whether that feeling be confidence, success, freedom etc etc
So for each ‘thing’ that the first question elicits ask this question.
E.g. Neil asher
how would you feel if you were a size 10?
How would you feel if you could fit into that swimsuit?
Get the idea?
How To Write Amazing Goals Question number 3 and 4 – designed to tap further into the clients values Neil asher
What would this give you? Find out what feeling this way gives them …. Eg: Feeling successful would makes me feel worthy.
Why is that important to you?
If I feel worthy, then I will feel that people will love me!
This is the golden nugget….. you have found THEIR HIGHEST, TRUEST VALUE!
In this case, it is love!
BINGO!!!!
Now all you need to do is put it all together and formulate the goal, which brings me to question 5.
How To Write Amazing Goals Question 5 – Allows you to pull the goal together. Neil Asher
What’s the 5 most important sentences that you have written down there?
Then take these sentences, fit them together link the sentences with the word ‘and’ make sure they’re written present tense and then formulate the goal!
Easy!!
For Example:
It is November 8th 2012 and I am working full time with children in a school earning £20k per year and I feel completely amazing. I am now a fully qualified teacher and I am so proud of my achievement. I know I am living true to my life’s purpose and I feel fulfilled and free. I have so much self confidence and the love I give to these children everyday comes back to me 100 fold. Life is truly beautiful!
Another great question to ask when the goal is written is this:
What is the one sentence in this goal that when you read it will anchor all the feelings and the inspiration of the whole goal?
Get them to write this sentence down so that when they think of this sentence, they think of the whole goal!!
Amazingly easy way To Write Amazing Goals eh!!
Neil Asher
how people really succeed
Neil Asher - Tough Love
Neil Asher
"Let's have a frank talk about how people really succeed.
You know what I see?
100 people will read the EXACT same book I did and come back with 100 reasons WHY it won't work... or doesn't fit their situation...
Some people just like to make excuses instead of money - NO PROBLEM... leaves more on the table for us... winners DO something even if it's wrong- they just GET STARTED.
Losers say the 'timing' isn't right. They figure their computer is too slow or not updated... so they WAIT until they get a faster computer or the "right" software to start their Internet biz- then they will DO something to work on their MAKE MORE MONEY PLANS...
They wait.
They wait and they feel sick because they missed yet another opportunity-
Opportunity disguised as WORK.
Gheesh.
They wait until everyone else around them is making money by working a realistic plan and then call those who do make money "lucky".
My opinion: Make your own luck.
Work hard, but DO SOMETHING.
If you buy a book, implement at least one idea you found!
How many books have you read this year and how many ideas have you implemented due to this new found knowledge?
Tell the truth - at least to yourself.
Take responsibility for yourself and you'll see that success isn't far from you.
If you're already successful you know what I'm saying is true.
If you're not successful, it's something to think about.
Neil Asher – The Future of Coaching
The Future of Coaching?
Neil Asher the future
The trend for selling video on the Internet "vending- machine-style" got a huge boost with the announcement by search giant, Google, that their online video store opened for business.
On the surface, it appears they'll just sell old episodes of the "Brady Bunch," "Twilight Zone" and Football games you missed.
However, on closer inspection, Google's online Video Store represents a whole-scale shift in communications power.
For those of you who might have missed it, let me quickly catch you up.
Last year, Google started publishing TV news content on their http://video.google.com site.
A short time later, they started accepting content from anyone with a video camera and something to show.
In very little time, Google started developing a huge grab bag of everything from community access TV clips to video game instructions to yoga and coaching tips - all on video streaming over the Internet.
In my opinion, this first stage served the purpose of gauging market interest and whether enough people would submit /watch video to make it worth taking the next step (selling video online).
Obviously, Google thought enough people had enough interest in consuming video online, because Friday, January 6, 2006 they announced the opening of their Video Store at http://video.google.com
The store functions like a virtual vending machine, allowing visitors to stream video right on their computer screens.
If the copy protection is turned off, Google also enables users to download some paid video to their iPods and Sony PSPs to view on the go.
The individual publishers of the video content determine whether the copy protection gets turned on or off.
Also, content publishers determine the prices for their videos but, at the moment, most video still comes free of charge.
I will say, however, that Google's video service isn't perfect, but it works and, like everything else they do, it will get better because they operate with enough cash to make it work (if consumers want it).
With that said, what does all this mean to the individual content provider / life coaches?
What does this mean for distribution and consumption of video content?
First, it opens up a distribution channel for small content publishers (1-man shows) who could create excellent content, but, until now, lacked the technical expertise or server resources to deliver the video over the Web.
Second, it allows content providers to target micro-niche audiences who cannot be reached profitably through traditional advertising or distribution channels (blockbusters doesn't carry "Life Coaching Tips for Parents" type videos).
Third, it creates a unique outlet for individual creativity like never before and will expose consumers to a whole new world of thought and content.
Though the service has its detractors, the video isn't high-definition, and the system has some kinks to work out, Google Video's approach will win out in the end.
Google's model has always been to "keep it simple!"
By making it simple for consumers to find and view video, as well as making it simple for content providers to upload and distribute video, Google will find itself at the centre of an online video revolution comparable to the "golden age" of television in the early 1950s.
Who’s gonna be the first coach to get on their…….
With warmth
Neil Asher
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