The Game & Lifestyle Epiphany

Yes, yes, yes!

I agree! Explore all the ways to become magnet-like. It can only help. Being a magnet is definitely better than not being a magnet!

The question is, by *how much* can it help, really?

Where to place the quest for 'magnethood' on the priority list?

It's easy to fall prey to its promises. It promises MAGIC. Magic that will 'allow' one to NOT have to do distasteful things (like solicit).

Problem is, you can explore it all you want -- just be aware of how little the pay-off may be.

At best, it will allow you to solicit less-- SLIGHTLY LESS.

That's all. No less + no more than that.

It is NOT a 'cure' for having to solicit.

Imo, there is no cure for having to solicit.

Hell -- I'm with you -- I WISH there were a cure!

Soliciting IS distasteful -- for BOTH the solicitOR AND the solicitEE.

But it still is -- and always will be -- the 'spark' that causes the vast majority of transactions to happen.

There's no way around it. Not even the 'magnet' way.

Cheers!

-- TW

In The Godfather.

The old lady's landlord. He yells at Don Corleone and thinks he's crazy.

Then something happens -- we're not sure exactly what.

He ends up coming to Corleone's 'office' and apologizing profusely -- eagerly agreeing to anything he says.

Corleone even seems amazed and BEMUSED by his own 'power' over this guy.

What made Corleone the 'center of the room?'

POWER.

The reputation of being a KILLER.

I guess that's ONE WAY to 'market' yourself.

"If you don't go along with my power, I will have someone hit you over the head with a baseball bat -- but I'll never come right out and say that. It's just 'understood' by everyone."

How can we relate that example to the real/business world?

How can we 'motivate' others to 'submit' to our 'power?' (without having to kill anyone first!)

-- TW

There is a powerful lesson for people in that Godfather analogy. A lesson that has been put forth in two indispensable works...

Thick Face, Black Heart
Winning Through Intimidation

Many marketers will find their income is directly proportional to their ability to "intimidate" prospects and clients.

Aloha,

Jason

[Ankesh]

Originally Posted by -TW

Who is a bigger magnet than McDonald's? Yet they advertise. Why?

Because if they were to stop advertising, they would go out of business.

McDonalds India does no advertising. Yet its doing better every year since it opened.

The reason is: location. In India (at least in Mumbai) they've opened McDonalds only near train stations (Mumbai has some of the worlds busiest local train stations). And one is near the expressway toll that you have to go through to go out of Mumbai by road.

I think Starbucks is another brand that doesn't advertise. (But I may be wrong.)

As I see it, good marketing = Impact * Repetition.

You're a big proponent of repetition and bugging people out. I say if you work on your impact, you don't have to repeat your message that often. If your message is not that impactful, you have to repeat. A lot.

But by lifestyle-ing - what I'm trying to say is: how do you become the ultimate authority in your field?

How do you make your message (and yourself) so impactful - that other people do the repetition for you?

If its your birthday - you just need 2-3 people to know about it. They will wish you - others will see them wish you - and these others will come and wish you too. And that will make you the focus of attention in the room - and more girls will come to you because of that social proof that they witness.

Hugh Hefner has created a life for him where everyday is his birthday.

Eg: Jay Abraham. He didn't have to come on this forum and talk about himself. Some one (Don) did it for him!

How do you become the Jay Abraham? Or Hugh Hefner? Or even Harvard University? Or -- Paddi Lund*?

Paddi Lund = the dentist who fired half his clients, stopped advertising completely, and takes on new clients only on referrals. Reduced his workload by half and doubled his revenue. And has a long list of people clamoring and contacting his current clients to refer them to him.

The question is: What can TW do so that when a question about USP arises on forums, people say: oh you should contact TW? Or what can TW do so that no one even thinks of ripping off an idea from him?

If you think sending out a million mail pieces is the answer, then please state that. I wouldn't disagree with that. I think that could work. It may not be the best way imho. But it definitely can work.

Lets not get into Push or Pull. Or Direct marketing or branding. Lets use the word and.

Then lets move on and discuss a few more answers / opinions.

(TW - I know you can find a 101 different things to argue about this post. But lets do that some other day. Please just state what do you think we should do to become the Hefners of our industry? If you think trying to become the Hefners of our industry is a bad idea, then please reserve that comment for some other day so that this thread doesn't get hijacked with that never ending argument.)

I'm with you on the 'and' part!

Also, I see what you're getting at, and it's not the same subject we've already been over. I just get a little excited (loopy?) when this topic comes up because I see so many people willingly jump on the 'magnet' idea as a CURE-ALL -- which we'd both agree it is not.

Cheers!

-- TW

PS: I'm not really a USP expert. What I *would* like to be known for is someone who touts the benefits of so-called 'intrusive' marketing -- instead of what most people do, which is to brand it as 'evil' then just run away from it, without thinking it through rationally. It's an area where being "PC" has crept into marketing -- and I'd like to see that bias overturned or REturned to where it should be. That is something I'm really passionate about -- can you tell?

[Ankesh]

Thanks Gordon. Excellent point about Distribution.

If you can get things done, people will come to you. Besides distribution, it could also mean having a better track record. People watch Warren Buffet carefully because of his immense track record. But setting up a track record takes time.

For better distribution, build a better network of contacts.

How else can some one who is just getting started build a better distribution network?

--

Deconstructing Harvard University. It is probably the most popular educational institution. How did it become one?

1. They have strong barriers in place: and allow only kids who show good promise to become students. As their students got famous, so did they.

2. They came up with their own Press. They published books that promoted them.

So... 3 Action points:

1. Have some kind of a qualifier, a barrier in place. So that you seem to be exclusive. (Eg: Paddi Lund.)

2. Work only with the cream. (Hefner will never take an ugly girlfriend.)

3. Have a tool to spread the word about you. (Like Ben Suarez and his book.)

Originally Posted by Ankesh

Thanks Gordon. Excellent point about Distribution.

If you can get things done, people will come to you. Besides distribution, it could also mean having a better track record. People watch Warren Buffet carefully because of his immense track record. But setting up a track record takes time.

For better distribution, build a better network of contacts.

How else can some one who is just getting started build a better distribution network?

Partner with someone who already has a distribution network. I wonder if Harvey Brody will be considering such partnerships with people here.

--

Deconstructing Harvard University. It is probably the most popular educational institution. How did it become one?

1. They have strong barriers in place: and allow only kids who show good promise to become students. As their students got famous, so did they.

2. They came up with their own Press. They published books that promoted them.

So... 3 Action points:

1. Have some kind of a qualifier, a barrier in place. So that you seem to be exclusive. (Eg: Paddi Lund.)

I was going to mention exclusivity also.

2. Work only with the cream. (Hefner will never take an ugly girlfriend.)

Well, he seems to take quite a few girlfriends who have fake breasts, which many men to find to be ugly. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I get your point though.

3. Have a tool to spread the word about you. (Like Ben Suarez and his book.)

I would also add it that would help if you have an unusual or unusually interesting/compelling story that lends itself to getting tons of free publicity. Free press is a great tool.