NLP Motivation Strategies – Part 1

December 2, 2008 By

motivationSo what is is for you? The stick? Or the carrot? Or some combination of both? What gets you motivated?

Have you ever stopped to think about the process of motivation? How do you know it’s time to get motivated to do something? Have you ever felt a lack of motivation and then suddenly something shifted and you got a jolt of energy?

In NLP we do quite a bit of work with helping people to overcome procrastination and engage their motivation strategies. In fact the discovery that we actually have unconscious strategies (or programs) that we “run” in different situations to create behavior is one of the key distinctions that makes NLP so much fun. It’s also part of why we NLP’ers are considered “rogues” by traditional psychology.

Think about it this way. How do you know it’s time to be motivated? Or even better, when you are motivated how do you even know you are? Is it something you feel? See? Hear?

Can you remember a time when you were motivated? A specific time? As you recall that time, do you have a picture? What about a feeling somewhere in your body? Do you have any sounds or music that kick in? Are you saying something to yourself or can you remember someone else saying something to you?

Assuming you have a picture, what happens if you take that picture and shrink it down and push it far away and make it really dark and tiny out on the edge of the horizon?

Chances are you don’t feel so motivated any more do you?

Now bring that picture back in at 100 miles an hour and make it big and bright right in front of you. More motivated or less? Typically people feel more motivated by doing that.

The point of this short exercise is to demonstrate the power of your MIND and the ability each and every one of us has to affect our inner world.

So today think about that.

Tomorrow we’ll explore what the big deal is about “moving away from” vs. “moving towards”…

To see my new music video “Motivation” click this link

Please help me start a Modern Jedi NLP Mind Mastery Revolution! Leave a comment or question. “Stumble” or “Digg” or “Twitter” this.

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Crush Anxiety with Laughter Yoga

November 21, 2008 By

Crush Anxiety with Laughter Yoga

One of the challenges with anxiety or depression or any other stuck state is to find a way to break out of the neurological pattern or “Program”.

NLP ( Neuro Linguistic Programming ) is all about “pattern interrupts” which give us behavioral choices. Change your physiology and it changes your internal world. change your internal world and it changes your physiology. The mind and the body are totally linked. We also have a choice of what to focus on and what to do in response to any external situation.

A friend of mine, Melanie Rudolph has recently introduced me to a growing movement cal

led Laughter Yoga which fits right in to the idea of change your physiology and your behavior and it changes your reality and experience of the world. (key NLP concepts BTW)

Melanie hosts a call every single night at 9 PM Eastern Time and you can call in to 712-432-3900 and enter this passcode: 6071292#. She guides the group in various laughter patterns. I’m planning on calling in tonight so I hope you’ll join me! 6071292#

Here’s Melanie’s Site: www.WellnessForYouFirst.com

But wait! There’s more! There are a bunch of other calls you can get on throughout the day so no matter where you are or what your schedule is you can take a laughter break to blast throug

h whatever you need to blast through to stay balanced and focused on joy. Talk about CRUSHING anxiety!

Best thing about it?

It’s FREE! Here’s the link to learn more: www.LaughterYogaUSA.com

Have an awesome, Joyful day!

Grin, smile, chortle, chuckle,tee hee, ha, ha, ha, ho, ho, ho, guffaw, ha, ha,hee, hee, snort…

Ahhhhhhh!

- Mark

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Anxiety Alert

November 18, 2008 By

If you or someone you love suffers from worry, anxiety or panic attacks this could be the most important message you ever read.

Give me 2 hours on the phone and I’ll give you back your life. Guaranteed.

Have you ever had an idea that was so good and so powerful that it just jolted you up out of bed first thing in the morning? That happened to me today so please forgive me if I get excited about what you are about to read.

Here’s the scoop:

On Thursday November 20 at 7:00 pm Eastern US Time you are invited to join me on a powerful phone call where I will walk you and only 19 other folks step by step through each of my powerful and easy to remember, PROVEN anxiety and stress busting techniques. I’m calling it: “Stop Anxiety Now!”

On this call I will reveal all 17 of my rapid anxiety busting secrets for the 20 people who are most serious about blasting through anxiety and worry now. This week. Not in a while. Not, after weeks and weeks of endless talking about your problem. Now! This Thursday night between 7:00 and 9:00 PM Eastern.

Warning: This is not a “FREE” call. But it is absurdly affordable.

This is not one of those thinly disguised marketing calls where you get teased with just enough info to get hooked into buying some expensive seminar or product. This is real, life changing substance.

On this call I hold nothing back. You get exclusive access to every single usable tool to crush stress, fear, worry and anxiety that I use with my one on one clients as well as in my own life on a daily basis. I personally used every one of these techniques to blast through my fear and anxiety around performing the songs I’ve written over 30 years. I still use these techniques to manage any stray shreds of anxiety about the economy or my teen age children. Every parent experiences worry. It doesn’t have to destroy your life.

You get it all at a fraction of the cost of working with me one on one (1:1)

Normally you would pay $500 per hour to get the benefit of working with me. The results I get with even long term phobia and anxiety sufferers has been proven over and over again to be worth every penny.

“I doubled my income after working with Mark Shepard to clear my telephone anxiety” – Michael Guerin

Worked for me! Thanks a lot! :) – slamedcivic1302

Thanks a lot man, it really helped me right now about my flying anxiety that I will be on a plane in 12 hours and I was very worried but your tool really helped…well done – Blazinhotzulfe

After I did this, I felt really happy! – scubadiverwill

Thank you so much for the this, wow! you’re great – celinademars

Excellent! Brilliant! Well Done! One of the best I’ve tried. Instant impact You will help thousands if not millions of people around the world
- swervemufc

Even with my end of the year  1/2 price telephone coaching special you would still pay $250 per hour to work with me individually and my availability is extremely limited.

This call is cheap. Your satisfaction is totally and completely guaranteed.  And the first 10 to register get a sweet bonus package worth a lot more that the price for 2 hours of sheer life changing value and personal attention.

The Stop Anxiety Now Call on Thursday night is limited to 20 people because I want to be able to answer each and every question you have. I’m committed to getting you permanent, positive results fast.

Please note if you have social phobia or extreme shyness: If your particular anxiety challenge normally keeps you from raising your hand and participating in group situations that’s okay too. If you’re not ready to join the group and fully interact, you can mute your line and get the benefit of listening in. Then during the program, only when you feel ready, you can un-mute and join us at any time.

It’s simple and easy to do: if you can dial a phone number you can manage the technical requirements. It’s that easy.

Of course there are juicy bonuses to reward you for taking action now. I love to spoil my clients with added value.

If you are one of the first 10 people who register you will get these bonuses:

  • 17 Rapid Change Secrets To Stop Anxiety Without Harmful Drugs or Endless Therapy Workbook - instant download  ($59 Value)

  • 20 Part Audio Set containing the entire Stop Anxiety Now! program. – Instant Download ($97 value right there.)
  • Meet Your Unconscious Mind Special Report explains why we can achieve change so rapidly when we engage Your Unconscious Mind. – Instant download
  • This call will also be recorded and added to the bonus set. It will only be available to the people on the call. You’ll be able to listen and reinforce the 17 rapid change patterns over and over again whenever you need to blast through…pretty much anything.
  • You will also get my StressBusters CD ($47 value) – Delivered by US Postal Service
  • You will get my Eyes on the Horizon CD ($20 value)  – Delivered by US Postal Service
  • Plus I’m known for throwing in some extras as a special surprise gift.

Your Satisfaction is totally and completely GUARANTEED. The risk is all on me.

Relax and Feel Totally Comfortable Guarantee: If at the end of the call you don’t feel like you got $97 worth of usable tools and techniques to help you eradicate worry and anxiety, I will simply give you your money back. No tricky language or hidden clauses other than this – you do have to be on the call all the way to the end to qualify for your refund. That’s only fair to give yourself the full program. and it’s only fair to other people who may have wanted your spot. Attendance is limited. There are only 20 spots so if you have no intention of listening to the full call please do not register. Let someone else have your spot. Other than that it’s no questions asked. Your satisfaction is guaranteed..

You can call in from anywhere in the world. (regular long distance charges apply)

The call is at 7:00 pm US Eastern time. as soon as you register you’ll be given the phone number and pass code to call. As well as the down load links to all your bonuses.

Don’t believe me when I say you can stop anxiety this Thursday without harmful drugs or endless therapy? Pay attention:

You were of REALLY GREAT HELP to me!!! All the best. – Inga

Thanks dude. It may sound simple and crazy but it does work… good stuff man! – ssips720

Wicked! Seriously man that was so helpful. I was dreading work today and was also feeling down because another job I applied for were not getting back to me. Using just one anxiety technique I instantly felt better and then I received 2 emails, one saying work was canceled today, and another stating I’ve got an interview! :D It’s so good thinking the best instead of the worst – Badger

Thank you! It does really help. You are a great man! – neskasis

I’m 17 and it seems like most of my day is filled with unhappy thoughts and it really prevents me from having any fun. And after using your  NLP anxiety technique I am usually able to really lower my anxiety level. So I just wanted to write to you and thank you for your help. – Micah

I just wanted to thank You… very helpful with lots of great information. Peace. – Loyd


Check it out for yourself. It’s perfectly natural to be skeptical. Particularly if you’ve tried “everything” and still suffer from debilitating anxiety. Most people mistakenly believe that it takes a long time to change. I’m not promising you will never encounter stress or challenges in your life. That would be absurd. What I do promise is that you will have a whole new set of easy to use tools to deal with the stuff life flings at you.

if you are not 100% satisfied with the program your dough will be on it’s way back to you the very next day.

All you have to lose is your fear, worry, and anxiety. Guaranteed. For only $97.

What psychotherapist or coach has ever offered you this kind of deal? They want their $150 bucks every week and the longer you take to get better…the better for them. Meanwhile you’ve been suffering just talking about it each week.

But now for less than $100 bucks

  • You get 2 hours with me in a small, safe group. ($1,000 value)
  • You get the entire “17 Rapid Change Secrets” manual and audio set that I normally sell for $97 ($97 value)
  • You get my “StressBuster” CD ($47 value)
  • You get my “Eyes on the Horizon CD” with some of my best original songs with NLP language patterns embedded in the lyrics so you feel better just driving down the road listening ($20 value)

If you can’t make this call or if the class is full by the time you read this.  RELAX! If there is an overwhelming response (which I think there just might be), I may be open to other time slots to accommodate folks from the UK, Australia etc. You could also just register to get the bonus package. I regularly sell that for exactly the same price but this way you’ll get the additional recording of the call.

I may possibly offer this again in the future. There’s no guarantee of that but there’s no need to get anxious about whether you can get in to a call to stop anxiety. You know what I mean right? Once the class is full I will put any one else who wants in, on a waiting list and you’ll get first crack on any spot that opens up or if I decided to do another call, you’ll get first notice before anyone else.

So just go for it. Here’s the button to register.

You will be given instructions on how to download the bonuses and the number and passcode for the call.

Talk to you Thursday!

Mark

p.s. if for some reason even the mere $97 bucks for this call seems like something you can’t do, that’s why you need this call. Your mind and your money are totally linked. But I appreciate what that’s like. Been there. done that.

You can still watch my anxiety treatment video series for free. Anxiety Treatment Video Series

You can watch and listen to my Clear the Fear Song

So no matter what, do not allow your fears and anxiety about releasing your fears and anxiety to stop you from releasing your fears and anxiety. Take action. Don’t take my word for it. Test it yourself in your own life.

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Anxiety Treatment Questions

November 12, 2008 By

Natural Anxiety Treatment

I got a comment today on my “How To Stop Anxiety in 10 minutes” video series. The questions were so well put and a perfect example of the questions I often get on this natural anxiety treatment nlp technique that I thought it would be helpful to share with you.

Mark, I think this is a very interesting NLP Jedi Mind Trick and I’ve been facing some difficulties but I truly want to master it.
  1. What happens if the fear that it won’t have a positive outcome comes back to you?
  2. Also, when you go 15 minutes into the future should you float above that event or imagine literally you being 15 minutes into the future?
  3. Also, should you imagine the stressful event as not stressful when you float above it?

– badskroy71

Thanks for your questions!

  1. What happens if the fear that it won’t have a positive outcome comes back to you? Fear that using the technique won’t have a positive outcome is exactly what you do that creates anxiety in the first place. It’s a catch 22 and a negative double bind. First do the technique on the technique itself! go out 15 minutes after the successful experience of using the technique and look back seeing it work.
  2. Also, when you go 15 minutes into the future should you float above that event or imagine literally you being 15 minutes into the future?When you are out in the future up above the event you want to be 15 minutes farther out looking down and back rather then right above the event.
  3. Also, should you imagine the stressful event as not stressful when you float above it? And yes, instead of imagining the stressful event as stressfull which your body experiences as real, use your powerful imagination to create a positive, desired outcome.

The whole point of this exercise is that we are creating anxiety with our “worst case scenario thoughts” but because of the position above and beyond the event on the time line this tool is 100 X more effective than positive thinking.

Your body will feel the difference.

Sometimes I have to go waaaaaay out and look waaaaaay back. Play with that and leave a comment below to let me know how it worked for you.

Thanks again for your questions and have an awesome day!

Yours,

Mark Shepard, NLPT – Master Practitioner & Trainer of NLP, Hypnosis, Timeline Therapy® & EFT

See the Anxiety Treatment Videos

Filed Under: agoraphobia, anxiety, clear the fear, nlp, panic attack, performance anxiety Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Election Anxiety Special

November 3, 2008 By

Whatever the outcome of the election, there is a lot of uncertainty, worry, and anxiety swirling around us here in the United States as well as around the world.

What continually amazes me though is that we have the tools through NLP and Time Line Therapy™, Ericksonian Hypnosis and EFT to totally eradicate anxiety and the physical, and emotional cost it takes.

If you are interested in truly addressing this negative pattern in your life Pay Attention:

Between now and the end of the year I will be offering a 50% discount on phone sessions.

So if you are anywhere in the world struggling with anxiety, worry, phobias, panic attacks or any thing else that is holding you back, hurting you and costing you financially, emotionally, physically, contact me now. I can help.

Available appointments are limited so either e-mail me at modernjedi [at] gmail.com or call my office at 203-804-1208.

and one more thing…remember to Vote! :o )

Mark

Filed Under: anxiety, nlp, NLP in Life, panic attack, Practice Building, time line therapy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Stop Anxiety Without Harmful Drugs or Endless Therapy

October 30, 2008 By

Sometimes this takes a little while to load so please be patient. Hang in there and watch all 9 short videos. They should play one right after the other. Oh, and remember to breathe! – Mark

How’s it working for you? have any quesitons? You get extra credit for leaving a comment or question below. Bonus points for e-mailing this to a friend or bookmarking it with Stumbleupon or Digg etc.

Filed Under: agoraphobia, anxiety, clear the fear, panic attack, performance anxiety, time line therapy, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Massive NLP Website update!

October 16, 2008 By

In case you haven’t been to ModernJedi.com/blog in a while you may not be aware that we are undergoing a massive site update. We are converting the entire website to a blog. What that means for you is that you will be able to find areas of interest to you more easily through the tags and category features. Also you will be able to submit any individual page or post to a host of bookmarking sites like digg and stumbleupon. You also have the power to make comments and even contribute to the site. That makes it all more interactive and search engine friendly.

One of my main goals is to share the power and and possibilities of NLP with as many people as possible. This new format will allow that to happen more easily.

Soon, when you type in www.modernjedi.com it will bring your right here to the blog.

Even though I’m still adding pages and content areas feel free to dig around and see what’s up!

-Mark

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How To Start An NLP / Hypnosis Practice – Part 1

September 2, 2008 By

One of my NLP / Hypnosis students recently asked me for a step by step process or guide to building an NLP / hypnosis practice from scratch with no business experience.

Since I built my own practice from the ground up…several times…I thought I would share some of the pitfalls to avoid as well as some of the things that really worked well.

So here goes…starting with

My Number One Mistake in starting my hypnotherapy practice?

Paying a lot for a Yellow Pages ad that didn’t work.

I took out a pretty big ad in the Yellow Pages. BIG MISTAKE. I am still paying for that ad 5 years later! Did I get phone calls? Yes. did I get clients? A few. But they were not the kind of clients who understood the value of what I was offering. Mostly I got price shoppers. Ultimately the ad did not pay for itself much less create a profit. The problem with a yellow pages ad is that it’s in there for a year. There is no way to tweak it or change it. so if you put in ad in there that doesn’t pull, you are stuck with it.

In order to build a practice fast you do have to advertise. But here are some lessons I learned.

  1. Get a business phone line. It comes with a free business listing under Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy. That adds legitimacy to your business and conveys the message that you don’t need to advertise with a display ad because you are that good. Just be sure to resist the Yellow Pages sales pitch!
  2. The best places to advertise Smoking Cessation and Weight Loss for me was a local free paper that got delivered to everyone in specific, targeted communities. Choose a paper that goes to an affluent community! You need a pool of people who have enough money to pay for your services out of pocket. Once you have decided on the paper that fits your demographics a business card sized ad run week in and week out will work. It’s usually the cheapest. In my experience I found that it took at least 3 weeks before I got my first call. I also discovered that the calls slowed down or stopped between Thanksgiving and New Years. But the ad was being seen. The ad needs to be simple and focused on what you will do for your prospect not on you. I have a number of examples of ads I’ve used successfully. Let me know if you want to see them and I’ll find a way to post them on line. the other good thing about the local paper is that if it runs for three weeks with no responses, then you can change it. Big lesson: Change only one thing at a time. Keep track of your responses!
  3. One of the best places I’ve found over the years to advertise is Natural Awakenings Magazine. There is very likely one near you. It’s a free publication that are targeted to health conscious people. I find there may be less smokers reading this but this magazine is always available where people have nothing else to do. waiting rooms, or restaurants. Often when I’m eating alone I’ll grab this to read while I wait for my food. Thousands of other people do it too and you have their complete attention. (attention is extremely rare these days) I run my ad every single month and that qualifies me for a big discount. They also have a special section in the back for practitioners. That is where I would start. For less than $100 per month you can get the word out to a group of people who are more open to alternative health practices than the general public.
  4. Speaking of Natural Awakenings Magazine, one major practice building tip that costs only some time and a phone call is to call each of the other practitioners in the magazine and introduce yourself. Offer to buy them a cup of coffee so that you can get to know their business better in order to refer people to them. Make it all about them. If you sincerely want to learn about them, they will want to learn about you too. The more people you get to know the easier it will be to receive referrals. But you have to prime the pump.
  5. Go on line and search out holistic directories. Most of these are free or very cheap. Sign up! Usually there is an opportunity to up load your picture and your areas of specialty. These take a while to pay off but usually they are quite well optimized for the search engines.
  6. Business Networking Meetings and Chamber of Commerce groups: I found business networking meetings to be a big challenge at first. At the typical chamber of commerce group I would say “I’m a hypnotherapist” and people would go out of their way to avoid me for fear that I would “hypnotize them and make them quack like a duck.” So I started calling myself an NLP Practitioner and that was better received. Some people’s eyes would glaze over when I explained that NLP stood for Neuro Linguistic Programming. But business folks were more curious about NLP. If they had heard of it before, it was usually in conjunction with Tony Robbins and NLP sales techniques which business people liked.I have over the years had great success helping business owners get out of their own way and typically can help them double their income in a very short period of time. The point is, when with a business group you need to address their needs. They ALL want to make more money, spend more time with their family and deal with the grinding stress and uncertainty of being in business. Address those issues each time you introduce yourself and you will get clients. Now I basically say this at a business networking meeting: “Hi, My name is Mark Shepard and I help business people double their incomes…guaranteed.” Because of my past experience (one client quadrupled his income) I can say that with utter conviction.

    You might want to say, Hi, my name is ___________ and I help people stop smoking, lose weight and increase their incomes.” the point is you want to keep it short and focused on the benefit to them. No one cares at that point about your certifications or experience. They assume you have that stuff. They want to try on the idea that you can help them.

  7. You need a simple website. At some point soon you need to learn about key words and search engine optimization, google ad words or you are going to have to find someone who can help you with that. WARNING! WARNING! There are tons of “web designers” who you will meet at business networking events who have no idea how to create a web site that actually sells your services. Many of them can make a pretty site but have no idea how to get you traffic. I have heard so many heartbreaking stories of new businesses spending a huge amount of money for a website that then does nothing. Luckily for me I didn’t have any money left after my yellow pages ad fiasco so I had to learn how to design my own simple web pages with microsoft front page. There are now a lot of even easier better ways to do that. I’m very impressed by GoDaddy.com and their “website tonight” program that anyone can use to create a simple site. This is an area that I could write a book about…So if you ahve any specific questions let me know. I can also refer you to some people who “get it” and can make a major difference in jump starting your practice building.
  8. Business cards. Your business card must do more than be pretty and have your name on it. It must sell what you do for your clients very clearly communicated. If you have to have your address on it put your contact info on the back. I lime using my business cards to make a special offer and invite prospects to my website. Warning! I have seen business people get really obsessive over their business card. This is something most people will throw away! I constantly tweak and tune my business card using Microsoft Publisher. then I just get a couple hundred of them printed at a time. If you want to see some of mine let me know and I’ll put up a pdf with some of the examples I’ve had success with over the years.
  9. Your e-mail signature. In pretty much all e-mail programs you cna have an outgoing signature. You should have a short description of what you do and the website people can go to in order to find out more.
  10. All of the above have very little to do with actually practicing hypnosis or NLP. The best thing you can do to build your practice is to practice. By that I mean, get out there and get some experience actually working with real people. One way I got people to at least consider giving me a try was by offering a free 1 hour consult. I used this time to learn more about them and to demonstrate a few of the fast NLP techniques that would enable them to experience immediate results. Most signed up for my BreakThrough Sessions. The ones that didn’t at least enabled me to practice my presentation and to learn more about their business and how I could help them.

So those are a few thoughts to start with. Building a hypnosis or NLP practice from scratch is a challenge. If it was the easiest thing in the world to do everyone would be doing it! The process of building your practice is one of the deepest and most truly transforming experiences you will ever have. You ahve to walk your talk. You will be tested. You will learn more than you ever learned in your hypnosis training or your NLP training.

I found that I had extremely unrealistic expectations of how long it would take to get it started. Luckily I was still doing a lot of school performances as a musician and storyteller. so I had some other streams of income. I found that private sessions were quite easy to work into my existing schedule.

In the beginning I charged $150 per hour. I got such tremendous results with many of my clients that it became clear to me that what I was offering had an extremely high value. One client increased his income from $25,000 to $190,000. I only worked with him for a total of 10 hours. Not a bad return on his investment. A number of my weight loss clients loss dramatic amounts of weight easily. Smokers typically were done in a single session. At this point I charge $500 per hour. I work with fewer people but the quality of the clients and the results we get has risen exponentially.

So the major piece of advice I have about starting your NLP / Hypnosis practice is this.

it’s a practice. It is a continual learning process. You will make what look like mistakes at the time. but remember, there are no mistakes there is no failure. There is only feedback.

The best thing I ever did to build my practice and long term income took me five years of struggle to discover…I’ll share that next time.

thanks for checking this out

Mark Shepard, NLPT
Certified Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP, Hypnosis
Certified Master Trainer of Time Line Therapy(tm) Techniques

www.NLPRapidChange.com
www.ModernJedi.com

Filed Under: hypnosis, nlp, nlp in business, nlp marketing, Practice Building Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oh the power of words!

June 11, 2008 By

Every Monday I meet with a small group of entrepreneurs in a “mastermind.” We’ve been meeting since last September and have pooled our resources to study some of the best internet information marketers out there like Frank Kern, Eban Pagan, Jeff Walker, Rich Schefren, Jeff Johnson and others.

On more than one occasion this group has helped me keep my stuff together in the midst of stress, uncertainty and the inevitable roller coaster ride that is part of being an entrepreneur. We support each other, educate each other, hold each other accountable, and…

challenge each other…

So last Monday as I was wrapping up my registration for the Modern Jedi NLP Training, Rob Bronson, who we fondly call our “chief technology officer” got really passionate about sending out a challenging e-mail to wrap things up…

Rob can be extremely blunt. But I would rather have in my face honesty than a bunch of “yes” men. He’s been studying a course by uber copy writer John Carlton and frankly he’s been in so deep that he’s been a little bit hard to live with….

He was passionate, almost ranting, about how “you have to light a fire under people to get them to take action.”

Now, I normally take a much kinder, gentler approach to persuasion. I live by the NLP presupposition that “the meaning of your communication is the response you get”. I also live by the NLP presuppositions that “there is no failure, only feedback” and “the most flexible communicator controls the communication.”

So I took Rob’s letter (I actually toned it down a lot) and I sent it out to my e-mail list to see what would happen. Registration was pretty much closed anyway so I didn’t feel there was much to lose and at the very least we’d have a test of whether his ideas were valid or my preferred method was better…

So here is the e-mail:

(Warning this ticked off a lot my readers so as you read it now please keep a little emotional distance from it so you don’t get all offended and huffy okay? :o )

===========================

Subject Line: Bad things are about to happen…

Dear ________________

Rob Bronson is one of my NLP students. He’s also my technology
coach and the main force behind my ability to do video and audio
on line. As part of my weekly master mind group he knows where
my heart is and my passion about this NLP stuff. He insisted on
writing this letter…Parts of it are a little blunt but I
think he makes a powerful point…read on

“Hi %$firstname$%, this is Rob Bronson, and I have a few
things on my mind that I can’t hold in anymore…

================================================
If you’ve already registered for the NLP training,
don’t read this.

If you have no interest in the NLP training,
don’t read this.
================================================

I know for a fact that you want what the Modern Jedi NLP
Training offers…

But if you are sitting there thinking about it.

Then this message is for you.

===============================================
Bad things are about to happen…
===============================================

What scares you the most?

$5 per gallon gas
War in the middle east
Economic uncertainty
Inflation
The mortgage crisis
Crime
Drugs
Healthcare crisis

Are you really prepared to deal with all that’s coming your
way? You’ve got problems you didn’t even know about

The point is what are you doing? Right now? This minute.

You have two choices.

1. Do nothing, and get what you’ve always gotten.

* You can continue to suffer.
* Your struggle will not end,
* You’re probably freaking out [right now],
* feeling sorry for your self.
* Being depressd.

You can try to ignore it, and sit there being afraid.

If you decide not to take action and learn NLP, are you sure you
can live with the consequences?

Are you able to accept that not taking action now is what
you’ve always done…

Ask yourself this:

what would your spouse or parents think about you sitting there
doing nothing?

what would your friends think about you sitting there afraid to
make a decision and move forward?

How are you going to explain to your children that you could
have made a better life for them if only you had made the choice
to take action now… or maybe you can’t afford kids yet?

So what are you going to do about it?

You have a second choice!

2. Take action now.

* Get the right tools, not walmart tools… samurai tools.

* Get help that no one has been offering before now…

* Get support where no one else would support you.

* Take back the power to call the shots in your life.

* Get the power to create your own economic destiny.
NOT the one everybody else is losing sleep over.

Do you want to have that power?
Do you want to be in control regardless of the outcome?
how would it feel to know that you could change anything…

In the end you really have only one choice.

You have until midnight to Take action put your money
down towards something that will change your life.

click here to take action now:

http://www.modernjedi.com/register.htm

============================================
If that’s not enough to jump at this opportunity,
then keep reading.

============================================

After midnight it’s over and there will never again be such a
generous offer.

There will be no bonuses… no private coaching…

No chance to take control..

Unless you Act on this One-Time-Only Offer.

If you buy this training before midnight, you will get:

* 2 hours one on one with Mark Shepard. People routinely
pay $500 per hour to get that (there are only a few of
these left).

You will also get:

* New Multi-Media Online NLP Training Module that
teaches you everything you need so that after you
come to the live training you have all the resources
you need to put it into practice and MASTER the material.
($4,764 value)

* 40 CD NLP Study Set
containing the entire 2007 NLP training for easy
reference at any time. (Value $1,500)

* Ongoing Coaching and Support Program to help you
with implement all you’ve learned there will be regular
“mastermind” sessions and practice sessions by phone as
well as in person. ($5,999 value)

* $1,000 Discount Coupon off of the NLP Master Practitioner
program should you decide to take the next level.
($1,000 value)

click here to take action now:

http://www.modernjedi.com/register.htm

See you in July!

Yours truly,

Rob Bronson”

==================================

Rob lays it out straight huh?

Mark

p.s. As an added Bonus,
Rob has offered a full 30 day free membership
to his “Point and Click Faster” program which is a
guide for the “non technology” professional to stop
wasting time with computer frustration.

I immediately got a very upset e-mail and so I figured I better check in and see what was going on. Here’s my next e-mail:

Dear _______________,

I’ve been getting a lot of mail about last night’s
“Bad things are about to happen” message.

A lot of response was positive. Some wasn’t…

I’d love YOUR opinion. at any point just hit reply
and let me know what you think…

here’s one passionate reaction and my response.

Oh! and there’s a secret at the end…

=======================================================
Dear Mark,

I’m glad I got this on Tuesday because that crap
is not how you would convince me to try to come [to the
NLP training].

That is too bad that a scare tactic was thought to
have been the way to get to me and maybe others.
Maybe it should have been considered that some of
the recipients would have had anxiety and phobias.

That e-mail was done in a tone that might freak them
and I am sure that is not what we all want for
them. Maybe it is just me seeing it that way but
regardless of my decision that was not what I would
want or need to hear from someone. By being negative
that only feeds into the worlds issues and you
are playing their game. One needs to look at the
positive and focus there and you will get more of
that in life.

I thought that is what we were all going for here.
I hope your day is filled with
POSITIVE things coming your way.—Scott

===================================

here’s my response:

===================================

Hey Scott
thanks for your feedback I really appreciate it.

I totally appreciate your reaction….
That’s why I normally take a much gentler approach…

However, NLP is all about being willing to test ideas…

there is no failure, only feedback….

My friend Rob insisted I was being too soft and that’s why
some people weren’t taking action….so I was willing to test
his theory to get feedback…

I agree with you that taking a strong approach like that
might stir some people up….But I would rather get a reaction,
any reaction than bland indifference…

I have to be honest with you Scott….

I have totally put my heart on the line and done
everything short of coming to your house and the
homes of the other folks who are on the fence about the
NLP training….

So I need to know what’s going on in YOUR head.

the people that come either to work with me 1:1 or to my
trainings and workshops get real results. It is typical
for them to totally transform their lives… massively
increase their incomes…improve every area…

But getting them in the door…overcoming their fears, and…
their excuses….getting their butts in the seats is
frustrating…this NLP stuff is so good, I wonder why
it isn’t a no brainer for folks…

what CAN I do to grab peoples attention and get them to
realize this program can make their dreams possible?

If I have to push in order to get people over the edge
of their inertia and doubts…I’m willing to take a chance
and try it….I’ve got nothing to lose.

…by pushing the boundaries…

What do you think? I need your input on this

What would make it so safe for you (moving towards)
that you and others like you would commit to being
at the training?

or what would confront you with the pain of staying the
way you are so much (moving away from) that you would
take a deep breath and say “yes! I’m there”?

I want to know this Scott.

What is the cost in YOUR life of NOT taking action?

How can I confront people with the COST of not changing in a
way that is gentle enough to not scare them but firm enough
to lead them in…

Can you tell me that? I need to know.

I can’t help anybody unless they take the next step
and register and then show up to the class….

I can’t help the millions of people out there who NEED
what I have to offer unless I can figure out how to
either pull them in with love or scare them in with the
consequences of not taking action…

…so I can greet them at the door with love and reassurance
and hand them the proper tools and support so I can prove
the FEAR and LACK is a total illusion….

So talk to me about this.

What would make it possible for you to be with us in July?
What would make it impossible for you to say no?

just hit reply and let me know…
==========================================

so that’s basically my response….

what do YOU think? was yesterday’s e-mail too harsh? or
too restrained? What would cause YOU to absolutely “be
there or be square” in July?

just hit reply and let me know

So that’s what I sent out…all the response is in a separate post labeled “the Big Response”

One thing I noticed in the responses is that while everybody told me whether they liked the e-mail or not (most didn’t) nobody told me the answers to my questions about “what would make you want to come to the training?”

Personally, I’m definitely over the old fears I used to have about offending people or being criticized… :o )

thanks for reading. Please feel free to put your two cents in by clicking the comments link below.

Mark Shepard, NLPT

Filed Under: copy writing, Modern Jedi Launch, nlp in business, persuasion, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Big Response…

June 11, 2008 By

For the record these are the responses I received to my request for feedback. I had sent out an e-mail blast with a letter from my friend Rob Bronson urging (okay more like “haranguing) my list to get off their “buts” and sign up for the NLP training.

I’ll talk about my reasons for doing so in a separate post. The most important thing to remember as you scan through these is that I actually received a HUGE amount of very valuable information about my list. I had always taken a very gentle approach because I instinctively prefer it. Rob’s insistence was that it’s always good to stir up the pot a bit and provoke people to react…

Well people certainly reacted!

-Mark

here’s the buzz: (you can add your two cents in the comments section at the bottom)

================

I think this is EXCELLENT – very provocative writing.- Kathy

===========

It is not blunt… we are in very serious times as you know. – Martha

===========

I must admit it freaked me out since I just heard about some medical
issues my partner will have to deal with!!!! – k.

===========

I was turned off by the whole negative theme. – Marie

===========

I didn’t like that email, as both a marketer and as someone in your circle of followers. It did feel a little too negative, too “salesy”… – Michelle

============

Too negative…I deleted it half way through. – Ellen

============

did have a negative reaction to the Bad Things subject line; it seemed to run counter to what you teach. – Beverly

============

WOW, the content in that email is so negative and depressing. Totally the opposite of your NLP teachings. I actually felt turned off and disturbed — not with the world, but rather with (I’m sorry for saying this) where it came from. I guess the question is “why did you feel compelled to try THAT way?” – Teresa

=============

Rob’s letter was blunt, to the point, and direct. It probably got a ton of attention! For some, it would be a complete turn off. If you think it was effective, then it worked. You won’t make everyone happy so keep that in mind.
-Julie

==============

It’s funny that I didn’t see the message before looking at your music.
Here’s my initial response:

I love your voice.
I love that you are going forward with your music.
Too often we stuff the good things about us somewhere else while we are out in the world as spiritual helpers. – Melissa

===============

I appreciate you asking my opinion on the matter. Actually I have 2 thoughts on the letter:

1. From the ole’ presuppositions of NLP…”the meaning of a communication is the response that you get.” Some people will respond negatively to that email, especially if that isn’t their motivational strategy. However,

2. For those that have an AWAY metaprogram your letter hit on Modal Operators of both Necessity and Possibility. It could be highly effective.

Will it be popular? Probably not. I might have issued a letter with that content using Softeners and Modal operators of possibility. Again. I don’t have all the training to analyze all of the content the way that I would like to but I think you are going to get a response.

I was once told that any response is a good response. Any publicity can be good publicity.

Personally, I don’t think that I would have sent that letter. I think there are more positive ways to present the same information and after all; Who knows? You may get more enrollment from those who respond to that type of motivational stimulai. You may have touched on a few heart strings.

I personally was not offended by it. I thought you had some valid points and think it could be very effective. I have learned that any thought,word or action will have an effect and that effect can be either positive or negative depending on your frame size. Let me know how things work out. – Tim

=========

By and large these emails don’t impact me because the industry is filled with them. Every chance is always the last chance… There is also an assessment made that people are either signing up for the course or doing nothing. This bifurcated approach only highlights the lack of perspective of the writer.

Stepping back from the hard assessment, it is clear your friend believes in you and your program and is trying to move the fence sitters off their positions. It may work with some and won’t work with others. The problem with this type of approach, as I see it, is that it will attract a certain type of individual and I would think that have a diverse crowd of individuals is always better to a room full of nodding heads. – Michael

===========

So will, some won’t, so what.

If you are fine with what Rob said and you thought it was a good idea then stay with it. After hearing the responses you change your mind, then you learned something about yourself and about your business.

My response to the email….I hope Rob is taking his own advice….LOL -Kim

===========

I thought the email made an assumption that i was not taking steps to change my life. my immediate reaction was, ‘that’s rather presumptuous’. However, my reasons for not signing up are the following:

-I’m not interested in becoming certified
-it’s way out of my price range – even the creative financing
options. too expensive for something i really don’t want to be certified in.
I’m a life learner but not at the level to preach/teach etc…
-the product and service may be overkill for the audience you are speaking to?
or split it up into a certification program vs. modules where people can
learn and grow but they don’t have to go and get certified to teach it.

hope this helps. good luck. i’ll still listen to ya’…:) ~Liz

===============

I am more in agreement with Scott than you. If that is the way something needs marketing, then it should remain unsold is my view. Replying with more marketing hype than one can shake a stick at is just rubbing salt into the wound, and actually serves to prove Scott’s point (to some extent) and certainly mine.

Regards,

Ian

================

When I read the beginning of that email, I immediately said to myself :scare tactic. I filter everything that I read or see
because I don’t operate from a point of fear and guilt; I operate from a point of confident awareness. Since I have chosen to separate myself and am not part of the fear and guilt culture that permeates our society these days, and since I do NOT consider this the Jedi-way of training, I find that your resorting to this tactic may be your part of your Journey; however, it is not part of mine. I don’t purchase or buy or believe in something because I am coerced or manipulated by the
fear and guilt we have been conditioned to respond to by today’s media and popular Christian views.

I am requesting that you remove me from your mailing list. Thank you. Kim H.

=================

Nah, I don’t think you were too harsh at all your just getting you point across, and if I didn’t live in the UK I would be there! cheers Daniel

================

Since you asking for more feedback: Frankly, I found your headline last night so off-putting in its tone I threw the email away w/o reading it. -GW

===============

My reaction was also negative. My reaction is tempered by having met you a couple of times, understanding the heart that you put into this and recognizing your authenticity. Still, the volume of emails, the length of some of them, and the tone of that last one can come across as harder core marketing even though that may not be where you’re coming from.

I commiserate with your position. It’s a difficult balance trying to get the message out, stoke people into action, and yet coming across as your genuine self. I fail on the side of not getting started on e-marketing despite my IT background and might do well to take some lessons from your concerted effort. I applaud you for your thoughtfulness, your energy and stick-to-it-iveness! – Jeff

==============

With all due respect, I too thought it was in poor taste, and not a marketing technique I would recommend to you or anyone else I care about. I wasn’t going to say anything, but since you explicitly asked for feedback, there you have it!

Chalk this one up to a “life lesson”!

- Tom

==============

As far as the tone of the email… I agree with Scott but I don’t take it as a threat or even freaky, I see it more like a ploy and a possible indication that you may be having difficulty filling the class. Marketing can be a tricky business so it’s important to be true to yourself and it will shine through to your audience

- Len

=============

I agree with Scott.

Chris

============

I hadn’t read you “bad things about to happen” email until I got this one. But I would have to agree that it is motivation by fear and shame/guilt. It is inconsistent with most of the stuff you put out. I didn’t have any problem with grabbing our attention by framing the “itch.” This section….

>If you decide not to take action and learn NLP, are you sure you
can live with the consequences?

>Are you able to accept that not taking action now is what
you’ve always done…

>Ask yourself this:

>what would your spouse or parents think about you sitting there
doing nothing?

>what would your friends think about you sitting there afraid to
make a decision and move forward?

>How are you going to explain to your children that you could
have made a better life for them if only you had made the choice
to take action now… or maybe you can’t afford kids yet?

… is really bogus and make you sound desperate for clients (which I doubt is the case). It smacks of a religious fervor with NLP as the source of salvation.

However, you got me to respond for the first time to one of your emails. Maybe some paradoxical intent?

You can and have done better with your invitations.

peace,

Greg C.

==================

Mark,

I must admit I didn’t even read that email you referred to, until I received this email today. The other one was still in my “delete” box so I looked at parts of it. It did not impress me much at all. Whatever impact it did have on me was not positive–it made me even less interested in reading further.

I am not interested in the training to begin with, and the whole “Jedi” theme is a major turn-off to me. I pretty much stopped reading the emails that have anything to do with that whole gimmick in their subject line. It’s too gimmicky for my taste. If your own stuff is good enough, why do you need to take someone else’s idea and use their material to sell yours? It makes me feel like you are grabbing at straws. While I am interested in learning more about EFT and related topics, I am not interested in spending a ton of money on any of it right now.

Sorry.

Peggy

======================

I read the latest exchanges about the NLP Prac Training with a good deal of interest. For my two cents, I think you did an excellent job with the whole situation. – BC

=================

I have to say that I agree with Scott that this type of message, with all its’ good intentions and support of your work, is not something I respond to favorably.

I believe that I, as business person, I can put out what I have to offer and then take the spiritual approach to the responses. As long as I know I have been clear and in my truth about what I have to offer, the right people will connect with it.

-Rosemary

=================

I must say that i would never really join if got that mail.

but it does sound interesting it’s just so sad that I’m not as old so I’m still in school. Anyway, I’d prefer a milder way to tell that it’ll change my or someone elses life :)

keep up the good work ;)

Hanne

=================

It just reads like the pitch at one of those “free” or nearly free seminars where they push their package of books and tapes.
“How much are you worth to yourself?” “I only charge because nobody takes anything seriously unless they have a financial commitment to it.” “I just want to give back..” (this one’s usually accompanied by slides of kids and vacations) “Imagine having more time for your family.”

It’s just marketing, I’m numb to it.

What would cause me to sign up? Pretty much nothing. Couldn’t afford the airfare or time off. I work and go to school full time, but I work for nearly nothing for a school district that had huge financial problems up until just this year. It’s time for better job, but school’s gotta be first since I put it off for 20 years mostly for other peoples’ priorities.

I don’t know any special marketing approach, I do everything online these days. A DVD package or webcast might be more appealing, but whether it’d be of as much value would obviously depend on how well the material works with that delivery method.

Then again, I have a pile of DVD’s I’ve purchased but not taken the time to view yet.

-Patrick

=================

You guys are good. Keep it up! – Andy

=================

silly letter.  Although I did read the whole thing. Still…….silly
letter – Jon

=================
=================

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments just click the little “comments” link below and express yourself! -Mark

Filed Under: Modern Jedi Launch, nlp in business, nlp marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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